Waxing

[tinman2]

I have a question about waxing. I have had a discussion with a painter about waxing clear coat. He claims its not good to wax clear coat. I have a silverado 2007.5 last year I did a complete detailing . I have a D/A using meguiar 105 then 205 then apply ed meguiar liquid wax. This spring I used meguiar ultimate polish and then ultimate liquid wax. The truck is 10 years old and the paint look new. What`s your opinion about waxing on clear coat. This painter has been a painter for the passed 30 years.

[nickclark08]

Not sure why he would tell you that, but waxing the clear coat won`t hurt a thing. It helps protect it by shedding contaminates and certain waxes (if not most) block UV rays which degrade the clearcoat over time.

Not saying your paint will magically last forever, but it will stay in better shape longer. For Meguiars Ultimate Liquid wax you are looking at applying every 3-4 months to get maximum benefit.

Just be sure not to pick anything up in your applicator pad that can cause scratches.

Edit: Clearcoats come with their own UV inhibitors that protect the paint underneath, which is why he probably told you not to bother waxing. However, these UV inhibitors can only absorb so much over their lifetime before breaking down, causing oxidation and then clear coat failure. Wax/sealants/coatings act as a sacrificial barrier to your clearcoat, prolonging its life. Waxing isn`t strictly necessary, but it sure helps. My wife never waxed her car after buying it in college and after 7-8 years has the clearcoat failure to prove it. I will say that there is a difference in not being necessary for the clearcoat and being harmful to the clearcoat. I`m still confused as to why he would tell you that it is "not good" to wax.

[Accumulator]

tinman2- Welcome to Autopia!

Short version- He`s wrong. Even if the appearance doesn`t matter, it`s best to wax (or seal or coat) your clearcoat if only to prevent etching from contamination like bird-bombs/bugs and to also make dirt/etc. wash off easier (better dirt-shedding = more effective gentle cleanups so you don`t mar the paint and have to repolish).

Heh heh...30 years of experience as a painter is a lot less than any of my painters have, and even mine simply don`t know squat about this stuff compared to most people here; I`m educating them all the time about stuff you`d sure *think* they`d know and they`d all readily admit I know more about paint care than they do... by an inestimable margin.

[Accumulator]

..Not saying your paint will magically last forever...

Doesn`t happen magically, takes the right applied effort. Then it pretty much *can* last forever Today`s b/c paint is tough stuff.

[nickclark08]

Touche, Mr. A. Mainly trying to get across the point that regular waxing can drastically extend the life of the paint vs not waxing at all.

Doesn`t happen magically, takes the right applied effort. Then it pretty much *can* last forever Today`s b/c paint is tough stuff.

[Accumulator]

My dad`s second wife was told by her Volvo dealer that her new car "didn`t need waxing...in fact it *shouldn`t* be waxed". So..she wouldn`t let me wax it...OK, fine. I just washed it regularly (oh man was drying an unwaxed vehicle a chore). By the time I inherited it the paint was in utterly terrible condition- etched, oxidized, and of course all scratched up. Meanwhile, all the other vehicles in the family, including ones much older, still had paint in great condition.

And, heh heh....IME most painters can`t detail any better than most detailers can paint Utterly different knowledge bases/skill sets.

[EdLancer]

I laugh at all the salesmen that sell auto clean products be it ovens or otherwise, of course you don`t have to clean them ...just get a new one when they become dirty !
The wax acts as a sacrificial layer to the paint/clearcoat. Clearcoats will yellow or haze over time if not protected.

[EdLancer]

Not sure why he would tell you that, but waxing the clear coat won`t hurt a thing. It helps protect it by shedding contaminates and certain waxes (if not most) block UV rays which degrade the clearcoat over time.

Not saying your paint will magically last forever, but it will stay in better shape longer. For Meguiars Ultimate Liquid wax you are looking at applying every 3-4 months to get maximum benefit.

Just be sure not to pick anything up in your applicator pad that can cause scratches.

Edit: Clearcoats come with their own UV inhibitors that protect the paint underneath, which is why he probably told you not to bother waxing. However, these UV inhibitors can only absorb so much over their lifetime before breaking down, causing oxidation and then clear coat failure. Wax/sealants/coatings act as a sacrificial barrier to your clearcoat, prolonging its life. Waxing isn`t strictly necessary, but it sure helps. My wife never waxed her car after buying it in college and after 7-8 years has the clearcoat failure to prove it. I will say that there is a difference in not being necessary for the clearcoat and being harmful to the clearcoat. I`m still confused as to why he would tell you that it is "not good" to wax.

Tell that to GM, a proud tradition since 1986 ! ...LoL
I can`t believe this is still happening with GM paints. Back in the 80`s and 90`s GM said it was normal blamed it on acid rain. Then challenged with a class action suit they confessed they forgot to add UV inhibitors to their paints.