"car wax will ruin clearcoat"

**The Enforcer** · 11-07-2009, 04:44 PM

say whaaaat? yep.......a friend of mine and i exchanged opinions on the whether or not car wax led to clearcoat problems. so how about everyone chime in here, and confirm that it is 100% safe to use wax and other silcones on newer car paint. his car is a 99 vette...and he has never waxed i until today because "wax will ruin paint."

lol

i understand that back in the day on the older laquer paints, it may have been a little different....but on today`s paint it is 100% safe for wax. i mean, ***, thats what its made for, right? i am no expert on car paint at all....actually dont know much about it except for polishing and protecting...but doesnt today`s paints even contain bits of silicone IN it!??

**superchargedg** · 11-07-2009, 05:03 PM

Tell your buddy to get his head out of his ***.

**Scottwax** · 11-07-2009, 05:06 PM

I detailed a C4 Corvette about 10 years ago and at first the guy was a bit hesitant about getting it waxed because the dealer told him "it has a clear coat, you don`t need to wax it". After I polished and waxed it, he said he wanted to strangle the dealer because if he hadn`t listened to that so-called advice, his car would have looked a lot better over the time he owned it.

**AeroCleanse** · 11-07-2009, 05:12 PM

The only time not to wax / apply sealant is on fresh paint that hasn`t cured yet. Clear coat is just paint without pigment.

**dennn** · 11-07-2009, 05:23 PM

Waxing is encouraged, but not required, by the manufacturers as stated in many of the owner`s manuals of many cars.

However, the act of removing defects by means of polishing, cleaning, or even claying is not condoned by many automotive manufacturers. Ford, for example, had issued a bulletin telling owners to never use a clay bar on their newer Ford vehicles. BMW advises owners to use ONLY approved BMW waxes and quick detailer spray waxes. None of their car care products has any cleaner or polishes in it.

Removing defects is simply removing paints to even out the scratches. Why would manufacturers want you to do that? In case there is clear coat failure on a vehicle under the warranty period, the entity responsible for paying for the damage is ultimately the manufacturer. One must understand the reasons for manufacturers to make these suggestions.

Logically speaking, the act of making the paint surface look "flawless" is indeed removing paint. And the act of removing paint is actualy inducing more flaws onto what was once an original finish. In essence, removing the appearances of flaws on paint surfaces can be seen as inducing more flaws onto the paint surface. You are only removing the appearances of the flaws; you are not magically filling it in. That is why the act of polishing or cleaning is not suggested by the manufacturers.

The more aggressive non-filling products produced by Menzerna are intended for OEM production lines and body repair purposes to correct paint defects created during the manufacturing or repairing processes. These products are simply adapted by the enthusiasts for paint corrections in the detailing markets.

**JohnKleven** · 11-07-2009, 05:28 PM

I have heard about sealants like Xzilon ruining clearcoats. Not sure if it`s true.

**MichaelSpoots** · 11-07-2009, 06:06 PM

I hate to do/say this, but some people need to become familiar with:

"Take it with a grain of salt".

also see

"Poison the well fallacy".

Some things are just so obviously absurd that my mind cannot comprehend why someone would actually create a thread on this. :bat

Seriously? :sadwavey:

Now let me go create a thread because my buddy told me that using body wash and soap makes my hair fall out. Not. Certain things are so ridiculous that they aren`t worthy of even asking the question.

**The Enforcer** · 11-07-2009, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by MichaelSpoots

Some things are just so obviously absurd that my mind cannot comprehend why someone would actually create a thread on this. :bat

Seriously? :sadwavey:

Now let me go create a thread because my buddy told me that using body wash and soap makes my hair fall out. Not. Certain things are so ridiculous that they aren`t worthy of even asking the question.

im not asking the question you moron, im just making this thread so everyone can back me up and indeed verify that using wax on your clearcoat is indeed safe. i know 100% that wax doesnt harm cleacoat....not today anyways. do you think that i dont know that wax is OK on clear coat? search my details.....im not an idiot. i only made this to convince a friend that it was OK to apply wax to his vette.

was it really worth your time posting that? did it make you feel better to try to make someone else feel dumb? because you didnt....all you did was reiterate the fact that there are e-thugs out there that say the craziest things just because they hide behind a computer screen in cyberspace. message boards that are out here to cater to a certain hobby and make the hobby better as a whole, such as this one, would be much better off without rude people like yourself. go find somewhere else to post if you can find ways to do it with a little courtesy here.

**Dan** · 11-07-2009, 07:06 PM

Your buddy is right if he keeps his car in a vacuum chamber. Just the act of waxing will add swirls and micro-marring. The solvents in the wax are probably harmful to the paint. However the wax acts as a sacrificial layer to stuff in the environment that is way worse than the act of waxing. Its similar to the vaccine debate, it the stuff great for you? No, but it stops you from some really nasty diseases.

**The Enforcer** · 11-07-2009, 07:15 PM

waxing shouldnt add swirls if you are applying it to a properly prepped surface, with the correct pads.....unless its something with abrasives.....which would then make it more of a polish than a wax. correct?

**Dan** · 11-07-2009, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by The Enforcer

waxing shouldnt add swirls if you are applying it to a properly prepped surface, with the correct pads.....unless its something with abrasives.....which would then make it more of a polish than a wax. correct?

Anytime you touch your paint, you put swirls on it. If you are carful, you won`t be able to see them with your own eyes.

"The leading car wax"

From:

Optimum Car Wax is a spray wax made with real carnauba and synthetic paint sealants for protection & shine! high-grade carnauba wax and silicone

**longdx** · 11-07-2009, 08:33 PM

@The Enforcer; Actually this mindset is still prevalent today. I noticed a similiar statement in Popular Mechanics a couple of weeks ago and I called them out on it. Ironically, they placed a response on their website advocating using a wax several weeks later.

"Yakky" explained it perfectly,"The solvents in the wax are probably harmful to the paint. However the wax acts as a sacrificial layer to stuff in the environment that is way worse than the act of waxing."

**The Enforcer** · 11-07-2009, 09:23 PM

thanks yakky and longdx.....those are probably the best ways i have seen it put!

**Dan** · 11-07-2009, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by The Enforcer

thanks yakky and longdx.....those are probably the best ways i have seen it put!

No worries. Just let him feel your freshly clayed, polished and waxed paint. Then have him feel his.

**Scottwax** · 11-07-2009, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by the_invisible

BMW advises owners to use ONLY approved BMW waxes and quick detailer spray waxes. None of their car care products has any cleaner or polishes in it.

Removing defects is simply removing paints to even out the scratches. Why would manufacturers want you to do that? In case there is clear coat failure on a vehicle under the warranty period, the entity responsible for paying for the damage is ultimately the manufacturer. One must understand the reasons for manufacturers to make these suggestions.

Yet BMW will spot buff cars out of the paint booth, which not only removes paint but they do so horribly, I have to go behind them and remove more clear to remove the swirls.