waxing or not waxing??

[Baveux]

I wax my cars often in the past, nice deep shine etc etc. However I am questionning this habit.Other than seeing the car shining, I doubt the wax is protecting anything.The layer is so thin. I wash often and thats it,and my car doesn't seems to complain.

IMHO The water beads act like magnifying glasses on the paint, that cannot be good.

I really wonder if we really protect the paint by rubbing it more often than necessary ??

 

[HardbodyLoyalist]

You bring up a valid point.

In my experience, the clear coat finishes on modern cars seem to perform very well, even when severely neglected and exposed to the elements.

Vehicles without clear coats are another story, however, as oxidation becomes a serious problem within just a few years.

 

[Matt89]

Must admit I have been looking for a reason to stop waxing...just no time for it these days.

I've been using that "NUFINISH" stuff twice a year...thinking hard about going to once a year in the spring. I like the results of waxing but I suspect it's more vanity than anything else.

 

[tweeker43]

i believe that clear coat is essentially paint without pigment, and should be given the love that it so richly deserves.

a couple coats of real wax each year, regularly supplemented by a spray (like eagle one wax as you dry or something similar) will help preserve your car's finish.

or, you can go nuts!

 

[4DSC]

Even clear coated paint still has to be waxed, as it really IS paint without colour. If left unprotected it will fade and turn dull from the sun and environmental damage. Clear coat doesn't seem to turn "chalky" the way single stage paints did, but they still fade, and can even fail and flake off.

Besides this, wax forms a thin, sacrificial layer between the environment and the paint. Sun will cause some damage over time, but so will the chemicals in rain water, bird droppings, and many other things.

Water beading magnifying sunlight is an overblown issue. Don't worry about it.

Waxing shouldn't cause damage as long as you're working with a (reasonably) clean surface and your towels and applicators are paint-safe.

No one is saying you have to wax super often, you only have to re-wax when water starts to cling and the paint doesn't feel very slippery any more. Washing often is a good habit, but can be just as damaging (if not more if done incorrectly) as waxing. It helps wash off damaging chemicals. Waxing would make clean up easier and provide more of a barrier, buying you time in between washes however.

 

[Steel Blue Wind Rider]

I agree with tweeker43, but change that to every 3-4 weeks for any wax. If you apply a quality sealant you can expect 3-6 months of protection. Then to add a little pop or pizzazz to the shine many add a layer or two of there favorite wax as a LSP. I personally use Klasse AIO & SG as my cleaner then sealant, then Pinnacle signature Series paste wax. I reapply my LPS every month, but if things and times are short and I'm late by a week or two, nothing is left to chance, the sealant is three doing its job.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:
I agree that long term, waxing prevents oxidation of the paint and/or clear coat. It fills in and/or removes surface scratches from washing that would otherwise perpetuate and require professional buffing/wet sanding after time.

Ever see a car that has undergone many automatic car washes? See the swirl mark scratches? Even hand washing scratches the finish....

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Or as you know Dr.T, when you own a black car, even if you just look at the finish the wrong way you get swirl marks!

 

[Dr. T]

I agree that long term, waxing prevents oxidation of the paint and/or clear coat. It fills in and/or removes surface scratches from washing that would otherwise perpetuate and require professional buffing/wet sanding after time.

Ever see a car that has undergone many automatic car washes? See the swirl mark scratches? Even hand washing scratches the finish....

 

[Steel Blue Wind Rider]

Handwashing not done carefully will induce some swirling, but done properly can be swirl free. It takes the right shampoo, two good thick wash mittens, two buckets and a synthetic Micro Weave porous towel for hand drying, IMO.

 

[Dr. T]

Yup....I have no problems with swirl marks on my black car...but, you have to be anal about it...

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:
Yup....I have no problems with swirl marks on my black car...but, you have to be anal about it...

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The previous owner of my Corvette did a fantastic job at keeping swirl marks away, so I'll have to continue the trend.

If I do eventually need to repaint the car (in ten years for instance) I won't go black again, I'll probably go bright blue.

 

[buster]

Black is a biach to maintain. I don't have any swirl marks yet. I'm happy with Zainos. Does anyone prefer Klasse over Zaino or are they a toss up?

 

[oilpan49]

Hey,

Buster, comparing Zaino to Klasse is like comparing Mobil1 to Amsoil IMO. Both products are very fine products, both too rich for my blood. I use either NXT or Meguiars MPPP whichever I'm in the mood for.

Sticking to the topic, yes I do agree with what has been said above about clearcoats needing waxing. A light polishing job with say Meguiars #9 and waxed 2-3 times a year will keep any clearcoat looking great for a long time.

One thing that burns me up is yea clearcoats need to be waxed but it's when you buy a car from a dealer. Perfect example was when we bought our grand prix from the GM dealer couple years ago brand new. The salesperson told us that you don't need to wax it because it's clearcoated, not true! Thus far we've waxed that thing at least over a dozen times,,,,,,AR

 

[Bryanccfshr]

The best way to prevent paint scratches is to let mother nature do the cleaning. I only clean my windows and spray off the mud on my truck.. Once every few weeks I may wash it with soap and water. I get alot of mud on my paint from time to time. I just leave it be, and hope for rain, If I wash it it's going to rain.
When I get a really bad scratch or ding I simply get professional help.. the orbital buffer did nothing on these items.

 

[Steel Blue Wind Rider]

Bryanccfshr, what do you care about scratches, your truck only gets clean from a downpour, no one will ever see the scratches. I see a little neglect goes a long way. Best of luck to you.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

That's not neglect..that's abuse

. The difference is I get joy out of using the truck as a truck.. The z4 in the garage get's different treatment. Sometimnes I worry about contaminating it in the same garage. I do have my minor dings and rashes professionally repaired.. I have a good relationship with the body shop that does my repairs which are very minor.. and seriously I believe in Wax because the truck is hard to keep clean longer than a day.