Is waxing necessary?

[The Critic]

Quote:

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.


This is again, assuming that the owner applies the product on a frequent basis to ensure that the paint is protected at all times. If the vehicle is waxed once or twice a year, then the paint is only being protected for several months, since most products typically last 6-8 weeks at best.

Also, keeping the car washed on a frequent basis is far much important for the purposes of keeping those contaminants from staying too long on the paint.

Quote:
The polymer coating I have been using for over a decade lasts about 10 months.


That is hard to believe. I have never seen a product last more than 3 months, especially if the car was washed on a frequent basis. I am going to guess that you are using Klasse All-In-One?

Quote:

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


I'm speaking for the vast majority of owners, who read articles recommending that they wax their car twice-a-year. These owners have no idea whether or not the product is lasting a full six months (or fully believe the bogus marketing claims) and think their car is completely protected.

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I'm speaking for the vast majority of owners


All right, self-annointed spokesboy for the unwashed masses, believe what you may and do as you wish. Your mind is made up, based on multiple assumptions and biases. I have no interest in discussing this matter further.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1

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.



Agree regarding the wax longevity and the determination of when the wax was due for replenishment.

Regarding this polymer coating, please do tell the brand and product. 10 months is good life. What are the conditions that your vehicle is stored? How often does it see full afternoon sun?

Also realize that the Critic is getting California air, which is apparently horribly polluted. Im sure the air in WA is much better.

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Regarding this polymer coating, please do tell the brand and product. 10 months is good life. What are the conditions that your vehicle is stored? How often does it see full afternoon sun?


Two layers of Klasse All In One, followed by two layers of Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze. After about ten months the water is sheeting and not beading off the horizontal parts of the vehicle, where the sealant wears off first.

The vehicle was stored in a garage at night for the first 6 years of its life. For the past 9 years the car has been in a covered carport at night, but is exposed to salty wind and air from the ocean. During the day the car is fully exposed to the elements.

 

[Chris B.]

My 1997 Sierra has been waxed with NuFinish from day one every 6 months and the paint is in close to factory new condition. Bird droppings, tree sap, road grime have never damaged the paint in any way. The NuFinish is so durable and long lasting it really does protect the paint....nothing can stick to the paint. I have had Bird [censored] on the paint for 2 months before I had a chance to wash it off and it did zero damage. Anyone who says modern wax/sealents don't protect paint are full of bull ca ca and are trying to justify their lazyness by making excuses for not waxing their cars.

 

[boxcartommie22]

as st craig says i also use a wax as you dry ...duragloss's aqua wax...works for me!!i have people come up to me and ask me what wax i use..

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Russell


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


Agreed, but sometimes even the best sealants out there cannot protect the finish! I have three coats of Zaino on my Corvette, all put on within the last 6 weeks (the most recent of which was put on 3 weeks ago), and on Tuesday this week a bird left a big dropping on my car while I was at work. When I got home I immediately washed the car, but when I was drying it off I noticed that the paint has now been etched from that dropping! I tried to buff it out by hand with a little bit more Zaino but that didn't even remove it. I haven't pulled out my orbital buffer yet, but I have a feeling even that's not going to help it, I think the paint is permanently etched now. Luckily it's probably only something I'll ever notice since I know it's there (and it's more noticeable when it's cloudy than in direct sunlight) But my point is, that even a few fresh coats of one of the best sealants on the market isn't enough to protect from bird droppings ruining the finish.

 

[xxch4osxx]

I don't have time to wax my truck, I just wash it every few weeks. It still looks good.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Agreed, but sometimes even the best sealants out there cannot protect the finish! I have three coats of Zaino on my Corvette, all put on within the last 6 weeks (the most recent of which was put on 3 weeks ago), and on Tuesday this week a bird left a big dropping on my car while I was at work. When I got home I immediately washed the car, but when I was drying it off I noticed that the paint has now been etched from that dropping!

Or maybe Zaino isn't really that good...?

 

[Volvo_ST1]

Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
I don't have time to wax my truck, I just wash it every few weeks. It still looks good.


I spend time washing my car more often. I just neglect my personal hygiene to make up for it.

 

[Capa]

Bird bombs will eat through anything, be it paint, wax, sealant, or clearcoat. It's not a good example of reasons to not wax nor seal a vehicle. I believe that there is absolutely no comparison in regards to looks between a car that has been properly washed, polished and waxed or sealed versus one that has just been washed. While it may be true that a car that is merely washed regularly can look good at a certain distance, once up close the swirls and scratches are quite visible. And even at a good distance that same car that is merely regularly washed isn't going to look as good as a properly polished and waxed car.

Someone commented earlier that a waxed car will look better but just for a week or so. A vehicle that is properly washed, polished and waxed/sealed will look great for months as long as it is washed semi-regularly. I just polished and waxed both of my vehicles more than a month ago and I have washed them about every 10 days since then and they both look great. I do not add any more wax when washing. I know that they will look great for many months even after the wax or sealant has worn off because the secret to making a car look great is the prep prior to waxing oe sealing.

Someone also mentioned earlier that applying waxes induces scratches. This is not true if done properly There seems to be some confusion here about cleaner waxes (that can make slight corrections) and regular waxes. A cleaner wax can eliminate very light swirls and scratches and a regular wax cannot. However if you use either of these two waxes improperly with an extremely aggressive pad and then yes some unwanted scratches will surface.

 

[demarpaint]

The simple answer is if you want to preserve the paint, have the car look better, and have the paint last longer, then yes. If paint is not a major concern then don't wax it. Nicer looking paint can help sell a car if/when a person wants to sell it,and even fetch some more $$$.

There can be the argument that wax, compounds, etc., when applied incorrectly can ruin paint. So can brushing your teeth too many times, or the wrong way possibly ruin your teeth and gums, but............ I'd like to think that most people who frequent this board have some idea how to wax a car w/o ruining the paint, and hopefully know how to brush their teeth. JMO

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Capa
Bird bombs will eat through anything, be it paint, wax, sealant, or clearcoat. It's not a good example of reasons to not wax nor seal a vehicle. I believe that there is absolutely no comparison in regards to looks between a car that has been properly washed, polished and waxed or sealed versus one that has just been washed. While it may be true that a car that is merely washed regularly can look good at a certain distance, once up close the swirls and scratches are quite visible. And even at a good distance that same car that is merely regularly washed isn't going to look as good as a properly polished and waxed car.

Someone commented earlier that a waxed car will look better but just for a week or so. A vehicle that is properly washed, polished and waxed/sealed will look great for months as long as it is washed semi-regularly. I just polished and waxed both of my vehicles more than a month ago and I have washed them about every 10 days since then and they both look great. I do not add any more wax when washing. I know that they will look great for many months even after the wax or sealant has worn off because the secret to making a car look great is the prep prior to waxing oe sealing.

Someone also mentioned earlier that applying waxes induces scratches. This is not true if done properly There seems to be some confusion here about cleaner waxes (that can make slight corrections) and regular waxes. A cleaner wax can eliminate very light swirls and scratches and a regular wax cannot. However if you use either of these two waxes improperly with an extremely aggressive pad and then yes some unwanted scratches will surface.


I may have already said this. IMO, there is no question that properly "waxing" is necessary to maintian a vehicles finish for a long period.

So is properly washing the vehicle on a regular basis. So is keeping it out of the elements as much as possible and so is correctly removing and keeping acid rain, bird poop, tree sap and the like off the finish.

If you do not do this things on a regular basis, there will be paint deteroration of some sort.

 

[Mustang_Cougar]

I'm not sure that there is a definitive answer to this question...there are just so many variables. For instance:

1) Is the vehicle garaged?

2) What is the weather environment where you live?

3) What is the vehicle make, model & color?

4) Who was the paint manufacturer?

5) How are your roads maintained in adverse weather?

6) Is your vehicle regularly exposed to tree sap, bird bombs, environmental contaminants, etc?

7) Do you want a show car finish, do you want a clean vehicle, is rain mother nature's car wash, etc.?

8) How long are you going to keep the vehicle?

For me, I just don't have the time to spend paste waxing a car or truck 3/4 times per year. And as two of my vehicles are garaged for 14+ hours per day, I find that I can get by with a nano spray wax every other washing (wash weekly, spray wax biweekly). But due to winter weather and the occasional road trip, I will apply a coat of paste wax to the wheels and front fascia once a year, before winter. This regiment seems to work very well for my cars, but the variables I listed above allow for that; YMM significantly V.

Personally, I'd like to see more than a few people in my community spend less time detailing their vehicles and more time maintaining their houses & yards. It makes me chuckle to see a car w/a gleaming paint job, sparkly wheels and "wet" tires parked on the lawn in front of a house w/blistering paint and crab grass galore. Different strokes for different folks, I guess...

M_C