Probably a Brad question, but I`ll take all views...

[TonyTahoe]

My 1979 Mercedes sits in the garage all detailed and covered with a nice soft flannel cover. It is very rarely driven (maybe comes out 3-5 times a year) and never in the rain.



Do I ever have have re-wax this car? I mean if it doesn`t get any sun or anything, does the wax degenerate (or some other chemical interaction that only Ron K could explain)?



Thanks in advance...

[Detailing NY]

I think you would have to re-wax it at some time. I am not sure of the life span but i do know it can where off. all though since you never drive it, the wax would stay on longer.

hey what the hell, we are all detailers just go out and wash & wax.:D

you can never clean your car to much

[Andre']

Yes the wax will where off after some time.

[BradE]

At some point the wax will wear off. If the car is only driven 3-5 a year then you should only need to wax every 4 months or so.

[TonyTahoe]

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

<em class=`bbc`>Originally posted by NY detailer [/i]
<strong class=`bbc`>I think you would have to re-wax it at some time. I am not sure of the life span but i do know it can where off. all though since you never drive it, the wax would stay on longer.
hey what the hell, we are all detailers just go out and wash & wax.:D
you can never clean your car to much [/b]</blockquote>
I know but the damn thing is about 25 feet long! I can deal with re-topping quarterly.

Pictures? sure.

http://www.netSnapShot.com/b?ACCOUNT=966&KEY=4 (`http://www.netSnapShot.com/b?ACCOUNT=966&KEY=4`)

[Brad B]

A lot depends on what kind of wax you use, the temperature of the garage, humidity, type of car cover, dust level, etc. I would guess you might need to wax once a year, maybe twice on the horizontal surfaces. Wax, especially carnuba, will degrade on it`s own even in near perfect conditions.

[Lemonxxs]

What Brad said....



After driving the hood will be hot and will break down the wax on it.

[bobdec]

I was told once by one of the employees at the old Harrah`s Auto Museum in Reno, NV that wax will break down on it`s own over time. He explained it to me that wax is crystaline in structure. The buffing process breaks down the crystals and gives a protective, smooth, reflective coating. If kept in a very cool, humidity controled environment, the wax would take a very long time to re-crytalize. The more heat and temperature variation involved, the quicker the re-crystalization. The wax is still there, it`s just not protecting any more. It is possible to simply re-buff the wax to break down the crystals again, but this is of course not practical as you would end up scratching your paint. He told me that they re-waxed all the cars on display on a yearly basis unless they were taken out on the road, then they were waxed much more frequently depending on how much they were driven and in the sun.

[MidLife Cruiser]

A fine looking car like that should be out and about, and not hidden in a garage under cover. :nono If you need help in displaying it on the highways and byways, let me know. As the instructions go in the song I learned as a kid in church go, "Hide it under a bushel, NO! Let it shine!":D

[83Esprit]

Whatever happen to that Ron K. guy. I was reading through some posts and actually emailed him a question that he answered very quickly and in detail. Reading through his posts he doesn`t seem like your average dummy.



Kelly

[TonyTahoe]

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

<em class=`bbc`>Originally posted by Mid-Life Cruiser [/i]
<strong class=`bbc`>A fine looking car like that should be out and about, and not hidden in a garage under cover. :nono If you need help in displaying it on the highways and byways, let me know. As the instructions go in the song I learned as a kid in church go, "Hide it under a bushel, NO! Let it shine!":D [/b]</blockquote>
This car is totally for sale! PM me if you are interested in learning more. It is a great car in great shape but frankly, there is no market for it. No one wants to pay for this as it is not a convertible, is not the biggest of 1979 MBs and not particularly unique. I can`t store it anymore so it has to go...

[Lemonxxs]

Is it the 450SEL?

[TonyTahoe]

It is a 450 SEL. Gas powered 4.5 L engine. I grew up with this car (Mom`s) and I demanded that I get it when she moved on to a newer model. Been mostly sitting around since `95 when I bought it. Great shape. A rust spot on one wheel well and some more on the right side rocker but still very solid. It`s nickname is "Das Boat"

[Lemonxxs]

My father had one a long time ago....A great car.

[YoSteve]

Everything breaks down over time, given enough time.



If your wax is Klasse, acrylic starts to break down in somewhere around 2 years. Don`t know about other polymers or waxes but you could probably look up the life of carnauba wax somewhere.