Table of Contents
- Waxed Car Vs Unwaxed Car
- Car Wax Advantages
- Car Wax Disadvantages
- Is waxing bad for your car?
- What happens if you never wax your car?
- How do I know when to wax my car?
- Does wax Protect clear coat?
- Can wax remove scratches?
- What is the best way to protect your car paint?
- Helpful Links
- Conclusion: Does car wax make a difference?
Most people understand the need to maintain their vehicles to get the best results from the engine, drivetrain, and chassis. A properly maintained vehicle is reliable, holds its value, and lasts as long as possible.
You also have to maintain the exterior to get the best results and help your vehicle to look its best. You can choose a paste wax, liquid wax, or synthetic wax that protects the finish on cars from the sun’s damaging UV rays and the ongoing effects of weather. Most automatic car washes give you an option for choosing a spray wax, too.
Waxed Car Vs Unwaxed Car
An unwaxed car over time will lose part of the clear coat layer that protects the paint and makes it really shine. The finish underneath also might degrade.
If you have degraded paint that exposes metal surfaces to the outdoor elements, your car might start to develop rust. At the very least, it will look much worse than it would with a clear coat that is protected by wax and sealer.
Despite all that it does, many car owners routinely overlook the many benefits that car wax provides them. Unless you are someone who goes from one new model to another one every couple of years, you likely have seen what happens if you neglect to wax your car.
Car Wax Advantages
Car wax helps to preserve your vehicle while also helping to make it look its best. When you apply a quality car wax, it gives the finish an added protective layer against harmful elements.
If you live in a hot and sunny location, the sun’s UV rays can be very damaging to the clear coat and paint. Wax will stop the UV rays from harming your painted surfaces.
Dust and dirt can be a problem almost anywhere. So are bird droppings. And if you live in or near a locale with lots of manufacturing going on, acid rain could slowly strip away the clear coat.
Acid rain happens when the caustic chemicals that can be released into the atmosphere from heavy industry mix with clouds and become precipitation. The acid rain literally has an acidic quality that could destroy a paint job.
Waxing your car provides it with additional protection against wear and tear from acidic rain and other things while also giving it a great shine.
What are the benefits of waxing your car?
Waxing your car provides excellent protection for the finish against many damaging elements, including bug guts, road tar, and sunlight. Wax makes your car look its best from the outside while helping to preserve the finish. If your vehicle is frequently exposed to the weather, dust, and dirt, wax gives it a clear resin shield against damage.
Car Wax Disadvantages
Car wax can build up on vehicles if car owners do not do a good job with cleaning and detailing them. A clay bar can help to remove all old wax after you wash your car. Waxing your car after removing all of the old wax helps to give it an even finish and look great.
How long does a car wax last?
A good cleaning and waxing of your car should last for at least a couple of months. The protection lasts longer if you can park indoors or under covered parking. Under normal use, a quality waxing job could provide your car with up to six months of protection against various contaminants.
Is waxing bad for your car?
Waxing is not bad for your car when you do it correctly. As long as you use quality wax and a very soft cloth or mitt to apply the wax to the clear coat, you should not have any issues with waxing your car.
A good paste wax or a liquid wax can help you to apply wax evenly and ensure a good protective layer helps the paint shine its best. A spray wax can help you to do fine detailing work when minor spots need additional attention before your car’s next full washing and waxing.
What happens if you never wax your car?
If you never wax your car, the paint likely will deteriorate much faster than when you wax it. A lot depends on how often and how well car owners wash their cars and where they park them.
If you park your car inside garages with relatively little dust or dirt, the paint will not suffer as badly as it would if you parked outside. If you park outdoors, either covered parking or a car cover can prevent damage from the elements.
If you only wash your car when it is very dirty and never wax it, the clear coat starts to wear away. The cumulative effects of tree sap, bird droppings, bug guts, and other damaging substances will take away the paint’s shine.
Once the clear coat and paint are worn through by the elements, the metal underneath could start to rust. Rusty vehicles are worth much less than ones with good bodies and paint that still looks great when washed, waxed, and polished.
How do I know when to wax my car?
When the finish starts to shine less and there is a good buildup of contaminants on the exterior, it is time for a thorough waxing. That is especially true if you cannot recall the last time that you gave your car a good wash and wax.
How often should you wax your car?
If your keep your vehicle parked in a clean garage or similar clean parking facility and do not encounter a lot of bad driving conditions, a full application of wax and sealant about every six months should work fine. Vehicles that see more weather and collect bug guts and other damaging substances benefit from waxing about every three months. Once per season is a good rule of thumb for most car owners.
Should I wax my car after every wash?
You do not need to wax your car after every wash. A good wax job should last at least a couple of months before needing some touchup or another full waxing. Some synthetic waxes could last even longer by infusing synthetic polymers into the protective wax layer on your car.
Does wax Protect clear coat?
Wax protects the clear coat against light scratches, ultraviolet rays, and other contaminants that could damage the clear coat underneath. Wax products are designed to protect the surface layer on your car and help to keep your vehicle looking its best.
Does wax protect car paint from Sun damage?
The sun’s ultraviolet rays are exactly what most waxes are designed to stop damaging the finish on vehicles. That is because the sun damages paint more than just about anything except stones that cause chips in the paint. If you live in a sunny locale, your vehicle needs good protection from the damaging sun. And car wax is what does the job the best while giving the paint some extra shine.
Can wax remove scratches?
A wax job will not remove scratches from the paint. It can help to cover them up a bit so that they are less noticeable. But the only real way to remove scratches is to wet sand and polish the damaged paint.
You can make scratch-removal part of your car’s next washing and waxing by applying some rubbing compound or scratch remover with a clean microfiber cloth. Some minor elbow grease can help to remove minor scratches and help your car to look new again.
Is it better to wax or polish a car?
When car owners use good ingredients and prepare properly with a good wash and quality wax, most cars benefit just fine from wax jobs. So it is better to wax your car rather than polish it most of the time.
There are many reasons why most car owners are better off applying wax to their cars instead of trying to polish them. It takes experience and skill to use a buffing wheel properly to make pain shine. It also takes an investment in the right tools and products to properly polish a car.
If you do not know how to polish a car with a buffing wheel, you could wind up burning through the clear coat and pain. You also might damage some of the plastic trim.
What is the best way to protect your car paint?
The best way to preserve the paint on your vehicle is to cover it, clean it, and wax it regularly. The more you can prevent damage to the paint, the better it will look and the longer the body will last.
If you park inside a garage, you need to keep the garage as clean as possible to prevent dust buildup. If you park outside, it helps to have a covered parking area.
If you do not have a covered parking area and there are trees nearby, you need to worry about the potential for tree sap getting on the paint. Tree sap can work into the clear coat and paint and create a dull surface. Bird droppings and other contaminants can get on the car’s surface, too.
If you have to park outdoors in an open spot, you could make a modest investment in a car cover and use that to protect against paint damage. Any kind of protective barrier between the paint and the elements helps to protect the paint.
Wax is one of the most affordable ways to maintain a protective barrier without building a garage or installing a cover for a parking spot. A weekly car wash and a wax job about every three months will do much to prevent light scratches on the protective clear coat and help the paint shine.
Helpful Links
Conclusion: Does car wax make a difference?
Waxing your car makes a very big difference in how long the painted surfaces will hold up against your commonly encountered driving conditions. It helps to preserve the finish while enabling you to get top dollar for it if you decide to sell or trade your vehicle for a new car. And it just plain looks great.
You never will feel embarrassed getting into your well-kempt car and taking it for a drive. A new vehicle costs a lot of money, so maintaining the inside and outside is just as important as maintaining the engine and drivetrain.
Why should you wax your car?
Washing and waxing your car helps to give it the kind of full maintenance that all vehicles need to look and run their best. When you buy a new car, waxing it right away helps to give the finish additional protection against the elements. Cleaning and waxing on a regular basis helps to keep that new-car look for many years while enabling you to get top dollar for it on an eventual sale or trade.
