The older I get washing & waxing ..

[KennyG]

Owners manual for my new F150 says to wax regularly. Just saying...

 

[s219]

The problem with waxing is that it just doesn't last. So plan on doing it often. While I don't wash/wax my truck, I do both on my sports car, and even the best waxes I have tried need to be reapplied after a few months if you want that shiny look and slippery feel. I have also tried some of the expensive "permanent" sealants and they may stretch to six months but are by no means permanent. Bird crap and other hazards will eat through any of them and attack clear coat if you're not careful and clean it off ASAP.

Personally, I consider waxes and sealants to be for looks only. They can help prevent hazardous stuff from sticking to the paint in the short term (minutes/hours) but beyond that they offer very little protection. The thought that a liquid or paste that gets wiped on and buffed off could amount to significant protection is wishful thinking.

 

[ray66v]

I'm sorry, thats some of the worst advice I've ever seen on a forum.

Modern paint finishes are indeed supposed to protect the color from fading, and yes you should polish and clay to maintain maximum gloss. However, the sealant or wax final coat is paramount to the health and overall appearance of the paint surface. Not only does it help in keeping the paint clean, it protects from outside contaminates such as bird poo, dirt, acid rain, metal particles etc.

So, what are your credentials?

I had 35 years experience in the auto repair industry, and have painted on thousands of vehicles, including boats, aircraft, and motorcycles.

I have many different certifications, and have been trained by, as well as, have worked directly with chemists who develop automotive finishes. I have worked with them on testing new products, and their warranty program. Which, by the way, guaranteed the finishes we applied, for the life of the vehicle, without ANY additional waxing, sealants, or maintenance.

Perhaps you do know more about automotive finishes than the people who make them do. But, the information I gave, came directly from their mouths.

Old habits die hard. You are not the first one who refused to accept that you are wasting your time. If you want to wax your modern car, if you feel good about doing it, enjoy yourself. But, it's not needed.

Today's finishes do not require wax or sealants of any kind. If you want to argue there is a potential benefit from it, that's another story. But, I will still say if you do as I outlined, it's not going to look or act any different, whether you wax on top of that, or not. I know, I have proven it. You can too. Do one side of your hood your way, and one side my way. No one could ever tell there was any difference. Because there isn't. The polishes will leave residues that will make your paint bead water, just like wax. Which BTW: is a great way to get water spots.

It's laughable to suggest that metal particles which burn into the hardened finish, will be at all stopped by a thin coat of wax.

I owned a Villager for the last 20 years. These photo's are of the roof, the day I junked it, before and after. The roof was never waxed, or even cleaned, as I described. It took very little effort, by hand, to make it like new again. Had I kept it cleaned, and polished occasionally, as I suggested earlier, it would have been the nicest one in the junk yard. I had better things to do.

 

[4570Man]

You're supposed to wax a vehicle? That's the least of my poor trucks problems.

 

[ultrarunner]

Most of my cars are lacquer and/or enamel... I know because I painted them.

I have used the old paste wax after compounding the lacquer... without a coat of wax it dulls rather quickly when in the elements.

Only my 91 and 2002 have a clear coat and the 91 was great until it wasn't...

 

[coobie]

Clay bar shouldn't be a lot of work. Are you using soapy water with it?

Yes..

 

[General Lee]

So, what are your credentials?

I had 35 years experience in the auto repair industry, and have painted on thousands of vehicles, including boats, aircraft, and motorcycles.

I have many different certifications, and have been trained by, as well as, have worked directly with chemists who develop automotive finishes. I have worked with them on testing new products, and their warranty program. Which, by the way, guaranteed the finishes we applied, for the life of the vehicle, without ANY additional waxing, sealants, or maintenance.

Perhaps you do know more about automotive finishes than the people who make them do. But, the information I gave, came directly from their mouths.

Old habits die hard. You are not the first one who refused to accept that you are wasting your time. If you want to wax your modern car, if you feel good about doing it, enjoy yourself. But, it's not needed.

Today's finishes do not require wax or sealants of any kind. If you want to argue there is a potential benefit from it, that's another story. But, I will still say if you do as I outlined, it's not going to look or act any different, whether you wax on top of that, or not. I know, I have proven it. You can too. Do one side of your hood your way, and one side my way. No one could ever tell there was any difference. Because there isn't. The polishes will leave residues that will make your paint bead water, just like wax. Which BTW: is a great way to get water spots.

It's laughable to suggest that metal particles which burn into the hardened finish, will be at all stopped by a thin coat of wax.

I owned a Villager for the last 20 years. These photo's are of the roof, the day I junked it, before and after. The roof was never waxed, or even cleaned, as I described. It took very little effort, by hand, to make it like new again. Had I kept it cleaned, and polished occasionally, as I suggested earlier, it would have been the nicest one in the junk yard. I had better things to do.

View attachment 517760View attachment 517761

I am a detailer. If you want I can post photos of modern finishes that have been restored BECAUSE they were neglected. Just because a vehicle has a clear coat doesn't give it a free pass from being polished and waxed. A wax or sealant will protect the clear coat from damage and extend its life. I agree with you you need to polish the paint from time to time, but waxing /sealing is the last step to add added shine and PROTECT the finish you restored.

 

[oosik]

My gravel/dirt driveway is a mile long. I could spend hours washing/waxing my Jeep, pickup & tractor. If it looks like its going to rain - I'll pull the really dirty one out of the carport for a couple hours. And if that isn't enough - EVERY SINGLE time the wind blows - everything get a new, fine coating of volcanic ash from the 1980 Mt St Helens eruption. If I washed my vehicles every time they get a little dusty - there would be no paint on any of them.

I do brush the dust and bird poo off the tractor seat before sitting down. Hey, this is life in the Scabrock country.

 

[ray66v]

I am a detailer. If you want I can post photos of modern finishes that have been restored BECAUSE they were neglected. Just because a vehicle has a clear coat doesn't give it a free pass from being polished and waxed. A wax or sealant will protect the clear coat from damage and extend its life. I agree with you you need to polish the paint from time to time, but waxing /sealing is the last step to add added shine and PROTECT the finish you restored.

In my original post, I explained that cleaning, and polishing WAS necessary. Doing so, eliminates the need to "RESTORE" the finish.

Your misconception seems to begin with the idea that modern finishes are simply clear coated older finishes. Modern finishes are hard, and have tight molecular structures. They are not porous, soft, and soluble, like the old finises which benefited from sealant.

The undercoats alone, (primers, and sealers), offer mush more protection to the base metal, than the entire finish did with the old systems.

Old style soluble primers alone, on bare metal, allowed it to rust. You've seen the guys who did this to their cars, at traffic lights. They did not protect the metal, due to their porosity. That been mitigated by the new technologies.

Clear coats now, are also very tight, and do not have the porosity, of older finishes. Their lack of porosity, and hardness, mean it is necessary to clean and polish them, but not to seal them.

 

[sixdogs]

When I had a street rod, RejeX car "wax" was what many of that group and the Corvette crowd used for an incredible look. It's not really a wax but a synthetic coating and is named because it rejects contaminants. It is used by many aircraft people and I am told because it will not allow jet fuel exhaust to stick to the plane. That's was I was told. Boat people use it, I am told, because trash doesn't stick to it.

Someone else can sort that out, but for me it made the paint shine and re-waxing was easy because I could wipe any dust off with a duster. One day I did my truck with it and found it stayed far cleaner than it should have. Dirt and dust may have been on it but seemed to wash off in the rain. Many people commented on how clean it looked. Beats me but the truck was much cleaner than otherwise and I rarely washed it. If you use it, follow the directions because it needs to "cure" for 8-10 hours before exposure to contaminants. Don't let it stay on very long before buffing off.

That's all I know and am clearly no wax expert or even aficionado. I'm just telling my tale for any who care. FYI.