My local car wash offers a “hot wax” and a “clear coat”. When I ask the kids working there, I can’t get a straight answer.
What are they and is one better than the other?
Both are pretty worthless if they are just sprayed on.
Clear coat is a paint sealant and the good stuff costs a couple hundred dollars to cover a (clean, dry, wax-free) car and is usually rubbed on. After it drys you can rub on wax for a shine and further protection. But just spraying that stuff on a wet car in a car wash is pretty pointless.
I concur with your statement.
But from stosh1’s perspective it doesn’t answer the question, “What are they and is one better than the other?”
Clear coats undergo a chemical bonding with the paint and harden after application and are meant to be semi permanent. Waxes are inert coverings that are the same thing on your car as they were in the can or sprayer and will rather quickly melt and soften in the sun and wear or wash off. If your car was your body, clear coat is nail polish and wax is sun screen…nether of which you would apply while under a shower.