Are Waxes & Sealants Even Necessary??

[Ch96067]

It is indeed interesting read this one. As a chemical engineer I could look into this further from a chemistry/technology point of view. But I will devote my time for now to other things .



However, I will just chime in based on my experience. I have only used fk1000p as sealant. I have used a couple of waxes from cheap (s100) to boutique-ish (rg55).



Do *I* notice a difference? Yes and no.



1000p I feel protects my paint from the elements, pollen, bird bombs etc. Removal of these prior to 1000p was neither easy not safe. Now I think things just slide of my paint.



The no part goes to the wax. Apart from 'warming' a little the glassy sealanty look of the 1000p and increasing beadind I am not sure it increases the protection factor.



I have never used wax on its own, as I consider 1000p a must for protection especially during the hot summer months in Greece. If I had then I could give solid feedback on solitary wax performance.



So, all in all, I see a need/benefit for some sealant/wax protection on well prepped and well maintained paint.



Αχ αυτό το κλικ!!!

 

[CEE DOG]

Hi guys! I got tired of reading after 5 pages for now. Just wanted to say one thing that I didn't see corrected in the first 5 pages. Sealants and wax are not protecting against bird bombs. Coatings maybe so but sealants and waxes get burned through in a matter of minutes when faced with bird bomb. Maybe some birds... Depending on whether they had taco bell or not won't go through but I have watched twice where the bird bomb went through and I wasn't away from the car for long... Got it off quick and had to lightly polish later but it certainly ate throughout the sealant.

 

[Sumflow]

Is beading indicative of protection?

In the eighties I was using this soft paste wax stuff, which you wiped on and hosed off. No drying, just hit it with a hose. It was great, went on in a second, and did not bead. No water spots ever. The water just sheeted itself dry. It could almost dry itself in the rain. It was cheap but only lasted about a week.



Now I use Zymol Carbon, but if I could find it I would use it again. Sheeting is way better than beading. Does anyone remember what that product was called?



My guess is the product was primarily Teflon. It made water roll off, but could not stick to the molecules on each side of itself to form a longer lasting layer. It should have been perfect for used car lots.

I was thinking of polishing without a LSP and after the polishing oils and initial slickness goes away, the paint might sheet water a lot better.

It is like the emperors new clothes. High school kids want beading, when beading really is the problem. Why would anyone want to coat something with oils, just so it can make little beads containing harmful minerals, and focusing sunlight like a magnifying glass on there cars?

Yes, the water beading means the water is not touching the surface of the paint.

Levitating or not, the beads are for sure sitting on top of the paint. It dries up and whatever was in it sits on top. It would be better if it just sheeted itself away, and whatever is in it, at the beginning.

The best way to protect the paint, is to keep it on the car in the first place.

The best way to protect from water spots, is to keep the beads off of the car in the first place.

.. when they do no more than leave .. oil on the surface. .. aides in washing and gives us the perceived notion that because the water is beading, there's something on the surface that is preserving it.

The water beading IS the problem.

The paint beads and it's not falling off. What more can you ask for?

You could ask for the water to fall off of the car in the first place. Water on the car is not so bad, it is leaving it there until it evaporates, that cannot be good, no matter what size and shape are the emperors beads.

 

[Accumulator]

Hi guys! I got tired of reading after 5 pages for now. Just wanted to say one thing that I didn't see corrected in the first 5 pages. Sealants and wax are not protecting against bird bombs. Coatings maybe so but sealants and waxes get burned through in a matter of minutes when faced with bird bomb. Maybe some birds....

I've had those "devil bird" droppings too, and they sure can eat through many LSPs in a heartbeat. But FWIW, I've *never* had any etc through heavily layered applications of either KSG or FK1000P. As I've posted before, I don't even bother cleaning them off between regular washes any more.



While there's always that chance that *nothing* will protect against some awful dropping, I continue to be amazed by how well those two products can protect. Gotta get a lot of layers on there though...

 

[gtochris]

It dries up and whatever was in it sits on top. It would be better if it just sheeted itself away, and whatever is in it, at the beginning.The best way to protect from water spots, is to keep the beads off of the car in the first place.The water beading IS the problem.You could ask for the water to fall off of the car in the first place. Water on the car is not so bad, it is leaving it there until it evaporates, that cannot be good, no matter what size and shape are the emperors beads.[/SIZE]

I have to agree, my Civic DD has been polished and never waxed by me and it always looks good, nothing really sticks to it! My GTO which is always waxed or sealed up shows the dirt and water spots much more!



I think a properly maintained car (washed frequently, compounded/ polished when necessary, and maybe waxed with a cleaner wax annualy or every 6 months) is the basic key- Although my GTO gets FAR more attention then that, the above regimen is what I give to my parents cars and they look great!

 

[Accumulator]

Differing experience here. I virtually *never* polish/compound my vehicles (preferring to maintain maximum paint thickness), and many are protected with "just wax" as opposed to sealants. Dirt and stuff washes off easily and they basically do the "self-cleaning" thing in the rain. But I suppose some waxes are better/worse in this regard than others.

 

[G37]

Differing experience here. I virtually *never* polish/compound my vehicles (preferring to maintain maximum paint thickness), and many are protected with "just wax" as opposed to sealants. Dirt and stuff washes off easily and they basically do the "self-cleaning" thing in the rain. But I suppose some waxes are better/worse in this regard than others.

Accumulator which wax do you use?