Paint: Wax or not?
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: on the Rheostat
Paint: Wax or not?
Hi guys,
I bought an 08 recently. The finance guy offered paint coat service but also said that it could be done with any commercial Carnauba Wax. What do you think about this? Which brand/product did you pick? Thanks.
I bought an 08 recently. The finance guy offered paint coat service but also said that it could be done with any commercial Carnauba Wax. What do you think about this? Which brand/product did you pick? Thanks.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,603
Likes: 1,402
From: Austin, TX
There is a dedicated special interest Club Lexus forum that deals with detailing and external upkeep.
I would only wash and dry for the first six months. This may not be applicable for modern paint. On the other extreme some folks would say that due to clear coat you never have to apply wax. Personally I wax twice a year. Just be aware that some waxes should not be applied to rubber moldings.
Salim
I would only wash and dry for the first six months. This may not be applicable for modern paint. On the other extreme some folks would say that due to clear coat you never have to apply wax. Personally I wax twice a year. Just be aware that some waxes should not be applied to rubber moldings.
Salim
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: on the Rheostat
There is a dedicated special interest Club Lexus forum that deals with detailing and external upkeep.
I would only wash and dry for the first six months. This may not be applicable for modern paint. On the other extreme some folks would say that due to clear coat you never have to apply wax. Personally I wax twice a year. Just be aware that some waxes should not be applied to rubber moldings.
Salim
I would only wash and dry for the first six months. This may not be applicable for modern paint. On the other extreme some folks would say that due to clear coat you never have to apply wax. Personally I wax twice a year. Just be aware that some waxes should not be applied to rubber moldings.
Salim
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 456
Likes: 2
From: CA
You can wax immediately - the paint was cured before your car got off the boat/train/truck. Clearcoat is just like any other paint - it just doesn't have pigment or any metallic/pearl content. It needs to be maintained to look its best and to protect the color coat underneath.
Check out waxes and sealants and maybe even experiment to see what works best for you. I definitely don't recommend any dealer services in this regard. Not that their stuff is bad but you don't know if it's being applied well and it certainly won't last as long as advertised.
Check out waxes and sealants and maybe even experiment to see what works best for you. I definitely don't recommend any dealer services in this regard. Not that their stuff is bad but you don't know if it's being applied well and it certainly won't last as long as advertised.
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 604
Likes: 1
From: PA
You can wax immediately - the paint was cured before your car got off the boat/train/truck. Clearcoat is just like any other paint - it just doesn't have pigment or any metallic/pearl content. It needs to be maintained to look its best and to protect the color coat underneath.
Check out waxes and sealants and maybe even experiment to see what works best for you. I definitely don't recommend any dealer services in this regard. Not that their stuff is bad but you don't know if it's being applied well and it certainly won't last as long as advertised.
Check out waxes and sealants and maybe even experiment to see what works best for you. I definitely don't recommend any dealer services in this regard. Not that their stuff is bad but you don't know if it's being applied well and it certainly won't last as long as advertised.
Good words here. Auto manufacturers bake their cars to complete the painting process and the cars can be waxed immediately and should be! This is different that a repaint for a classic auto or a touch-up for a minor fender bender. Most of the good body shops in my area don't bake cars and suggest not waxing for a few months.
I would be very wary of "lifetime paint protection" offered by dealers and/or vendors. I don't see how something can last whereas waxing can be repeated at mulitple times during the year. Fwiw, I try and wax my cars 4 times a year. With all of the acid rain and pollutants running around, I don't trust my car's exterior to anyone.
Gary
Out of Warranty
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 14,925
Likes: 13
From: Houston, Republic of Texas
I bought a fire engine red Suburban back in '82 that came with the old Polyglycoat paint treatment already applied. I kept the truck waxed carefully for the first two years before "restoring" the poly coat with a bottle of stuff the dealer had given me when I made the purchase.
OK, the container said something to the effect, "treat only a six-inch square at a time, rubbing it in thoroughly and buffing immediately". I learned this was the ONLY way to apply the product - naturally, the hard way. I nearly had to grind off the stuff I'd waited too long to buff.
The result was beautiful and very long lasting - but do you have any idea how many six-inch squares there ARE on a 3/4-ton Suburban? That project ran from Friday evening until Sunday night, and I was sore for a week. Never, NEVER, will I purchase a paint treatment again!
OK, the container said something to the effect, "treat only a six-inch square at a time, rubbing it in thoroughly and buffing immediately". I learned this was the ONLY way to apply the product - naturally, the hard way. I nearly had to grind off the stuff I'd waited too long to buff.
The result was beautiful and very long lasting - but do you have any idea how many six-inch squares there ARE on a 3/4-ton Suburban? That project ran from Friday evening until Sunday night, and I was sore for a week. Never, NEVER, will I purchase a paint treatment again!
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