how do u tell if the wax is still on?

[imported_georgia boy]

?

[bigpoppa]

There are many ways. You`ll notice that most of us here don`t wait until the wax is worn off to rewax. Once the finish loses the tiniest bit of luster, it`s time to wax again.



I can usually tell just by appearance. Slickness is also a tell-tale sign. Some people also look at the amount of water beading, although this can be misleading, b/c sometimes water beads from a light drizzle are not going to be there if it is pouring.



I`d say wax remains protective after it`s appearance begins to wane, but I don`t really leave my car go long enough to find out how long it lasts.

[aljo]

I also tend to look for beading after the car has been washed.

[wizardofahs]

i agree that beading is the easiest way. It`s really easy to notice. Next time your doing a full detail on a car that already has wax, look at the difference on how the water stays on the surface from the hose before you strip the wax off (ie with Dawn) and after. You see that a few times and you can walk down a parking lot in the rain and pick out every vehicle that does or doesn`t have wax. If you get really crazy with it you can probably classify them into brands and synthetic vs natural.

[imported_Intel486]

There is actually not true way to tell if wax is still on the surface. Some waxes can stop beading but the wax actually still be there. This would be caused by loss of oils. Synthetics often do this. They will stop beading but they are still on the surface.



Some people run a towel and see if it glides easily. Some waxes won`t remain slick like this though.



The best way is to just see what the manufacturer says about the durability of the wax and the rewax before that date :)



Most carnaubas don`t last too long. At the most a couple of months. Synthetics can last longer. I did it by the looks of the paint. I use a Fallout Remover to strip a section of Klasse SG after 6 months and you could see a difference in the paint.