Is waxing necessary?

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1
If you choose to not wax or to apply a polymer sealant, the finish will feel like sandpaper in no time. If you enjoy oxidation, you'll be happy.


And yet my fleet vehicles, simple vans from lowly GM, are as shiny as new with no oxidation at all despite having NEVER been waxed. Hmmm, sounds like you got some [censored] clear coat!

 

[Astro14]

Waxing is only necessary if you want the paint to last a long time. Modern or old, all paint fades/oxidizes from time, exposure, and contaminants. Waxing helps slow that by protecting the paint. Wax (real wax, not that silicone goop in a spray can...) is the reason that 200 year old antique furniture retains its luster.

Sure, a modern clear coat may look great for a few years with no wax, but all paint benefits from waxing. My 1990 Toyota has the original paint, and it was waxed, not obsessively, but reasonably.

Honestly, I think I have vehicle with the oldest original paint on BITOG (1932 Packard, 79 years old...original paint and interior) and that nitrocellulose lacquer was always carefully waxed...

 

[glum]

I had a 2000 GMC Sierra that I "waxed" (Nu Finish) literally one time. I had that vehicle 8 years. It looked new when I sold it in 2008. My secret? Garaging. If I had a choice between garaging and waxing, I'd take the former every time.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: glum
I had a 2000 GMC Sierra that I "waxed" (Nu Finish) literally one time. I had that vehicle 8 years. It looked new when I sold it in 2008. My secret? Garaging. If I had a choice between garaging and waxing, I'd take the former every time.


Good point...

 

[bigmike]

Several years ago, I picked up a used 1994 Honda Accord. It had been kept outside and it was rarely washed. I'm certain it had never seen many coats of wax, if any at all.

The white paint was oxidized. You could rub your hand over it and I've felt 400 grit sandpaper that felt smoother. There was no gloss to it at all.

I washed it, claybarred it twice, washed again, then dried it. I put a few coats of cleaner wax on it afterward. It was glossy and smooth as glass when I finished.

I drove it over to the previous owner's house (he was a friend). He comes outside and says - Wow, you got the car painted and they did a great job on it too!

I relish that story.

Bottom line is - I'm pretty certain waxing is necessary to maintaining paint integrity, but how often depends on many aspects. I would put clay barring above waxing on the priority list, personally, but not many people do that either.

 

[2Fast4U]

Is combing your hair necessary?
Is brushing your teeth necessary?

 

[660mag]

It all depends on what your going for.lol

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Waxing is only necessary if you want the paint to last a long time. Modern or old, all paint fades/oxidizes from time, exposure, and contaminants.


While this is technically true, in practice modern paint just doesn't oxidize at anywhere NEAR the rate of old paints. Its one of those things where it just doesn't become a problem over the life of the car anymore- the interior plastic and rubber suspension bushings will fall apart and make you consider selling the car before paint deterioration will, unless you got flawed paint from the factory. The biggest risk to PAINT is door dings, and wax doesn't help against that.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Waxing is only necessary if you want the paint to last a long time. Modern or old, all paint fades/oxidizes from time, exposure, and contaminants.


While this is technically true, in practice modern paint just doesn't oxidize at anywhere NEAR the rate of old paints. Its one of those things where it just doesn't become a problem over the life of the car anymore- the interior plastic and rubber suspension bushings will fall apart and make you consider selling the car before paint deterioration will, unless you got flawed paint from the factory. The biggest risk to PAINT is door dings, and wax doesn't help against that.


I think that bird poo is the biggest issue. It will eat through the paint.

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Waxing is only necessary if you want the paint to last a long time. Modern or old, all paint fades/oxidizes from time, exposure, and contaminants.


While this is technically true, in practice modern paint just doesn't oxidize at anywhere NEAR the rate of old paints. Its one of those things where it just doesn't become a problem over the life of the car anymore- the interior plastic and rubber suspension bushings will fall apart and make you consider selling the car before paint deterioration will, unless you got flawed paint from the factory. The biggest risk to PAINT is door dings, and wax doesn't help against that.

Nothing could be further from the truth

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20411&highlight=clear+coat+failure

 

[glum]

Well, considering that information is coming from a site owned and operated by a manufacturer of waxes and related products, is it honest and unbiased? How about more 4-ball test results from Valvoline? No one trusted those.

 

[Steve S]

I do not wax my cars but a waxed car looks nicer.

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
I do not wax my cars but a waxed car looks nicer.


The same thing goes for your legs.

 

[subiedriver]

I find that a waxed car is much easier to keep clean, it repels salt deposits, mud, slush, it keeps all this [censored] from sticking to the paint.

I detail cars at a dealership, the cars that have never been waxed, are horrible looking. The bugs are almost impossible to get off the paint, because they're etched into it. Plus the paint is severely faded and scratched, from all the road debris attacking the paint.

I wax my car twice over the course of a summer, once before the harsh winter cold hits, then again in the spring, when it gets warm enough.

I'm a big fan of the Meguiars cleaner wax for a one step product.

 

[RamFan]

Originally Posted By: 2Fast4U
Is combing your hair necessary?
Is brushing your teeth necessary?


Actually brushing your teeth is necessary, Mayo Clinic

 

[daves87rs]

Many Cavaliers the age of mine (quite often abused little compacts anyways) have no where near the shine or luster of mine, both 8 and 7 years, outside 24/7. That's not talking about the harsh seasons we have here.

Clay barring and waxing are huge here. Granted, a garage would help too...

 

[The Critic]

I think the newer paints are fairly good. Most cars on the road are never waxed and the paint still looks great after 7-10 years, at least out here.

Also, what good is it to wax twice-a-year? Most waxes and sealants last 6-8 weeks, so for most of the year, your car is without protection anyway. Unless we can compare a car that has been waxed religiously on a monthly basis versus one that has not, it is difficult to draw any conclusions.

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I think the newer paints are fairly good.


Surely catalyized lacquer and modern acrylic paints are superior in many regards to the old nitrocellulose lacquers. Clear coat helps, but is generally a little on the soft side (for a reason). I am only aware of two car manufacturers that use self-healing clear coat, MB and Toyota.

Quote:
Most cars on the road are never waxed and the paint still looks great after 7-10 years, at least out here.

You need to touch paint to tell its condition. Wax or polymer sealants prevent microscopic particles from embedding themselves into the finish. Closely examine a horizontal surface, hood, roof, boot, of a vehicle and see tiny specs that often cause tiny rust stains on the finish. Those are metal particles that embed themselves over time in the finish and that cause micro pitting. With a protective wax or polymer layer, such contaminants can much more readily washed off or removed with a paint cleaner or clay. Seeing may mean believing, but when it comes to paint, you have to touch it to gauge its cleanliness and condition. [/quote]

Quote:
Also, what good is it to wax twice-a-year?

When I used wax, I waxed as soon as the water wouldn't bead off the pain. Depending on the weather, a coat of wax would last from a month to four months. The polymer coating I have been using for over a decade lasts about 10 months.

Quote:
Most waxes and sealants last 6-8 weeks, so for most of the year, your car is without protection anyway.

So you can't wax more often or you won't use a longer lasting product? Odd.

Quote:
Unless we can compare a car that has been waxed religiously on a monthly basis versus one that has not, it is difficult to draw any conclusions.


Your only a bit older than my car! You aren't old enough to have seen a car finish age over a long period.

 

[demarpaint]

My father has a 2000 Century, since new. All it has ever seen is drive through car washes. He's never waxed it and opts out of all the extras at the car wash. He just has the basic wash done. I can honestly say the car doesn't look bad, but I like the look of a waxed car better.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Russell
Yes-Wax and/or sealant is needed. My 16 year BMW dark green paint is in excellent condition and very glossy. It is because the car is garaged at night, is washed at least every two weeks, bird poo is taken off whenever it is found and finish is protected several times a year with a synthetic polish/sealant.

I currently use Duragloss which i think has some UV protection. I do clay about once a year and remove scratches when found.


After reading several of the responses. I still think wax/polish/sealants are needed if you want the finish to look it's best. If all you want from the finish is it not allow metal to rust and do not care if the finish shines or even about future resale value then do not do any other care for the finish except for the occasional car wash.

That said, I think most of us here want out vehicles to look and run their best. Therefore some sort of care is imperative if we want our vehicles finish to last for say 5-10 years and still look good.