Today a few of my friends said that me waxing my car too much would actually take off/damage the paint. Now this is completely new to me and i just want to see if its accurate or not.

Basically, i've waxed my car every weekend since i got it (And ive had it over 3 weeks now), and i plan to wax it every weekend until it gets put away for winter.... Is this bad that im doing that, or is it perfectly normal??? (and i DO NOT buff or sand--and i never will--because i know those take paint off).

 

Waxing? No. Polishing? Yes.

 

Well, wax doesn't necesarily take off your paint. But its best to wax over a surface that is completley clean..otherwise the wax will trap those particles in the paint.

So basically you should polish every once in awhile to get the contaminants out of the paint before you wax

 

Well im assuming that every week when i 're-wax' my car there is still wax from the previous week on the car....Now is that bad, having wax on top of wax???

The reason i want to make sure that there is ALWAYS wax on my car is that its outside like 99% of the time and i want to give it the most protection from the sun possible.

 

Every single weekend is a little much in my opinion. The wax you applied from the weekend before is still on the paint protecting it.


If I were you, I would do it once a month. Get youself some detail spray and keep the car clean with that.

 

I wax my car a lot too, and people are always saying stuff like "You're gonna rub off the paint." But their cars are dirty so I don't listen to them.

 

yes you can over wax.... wax builds up and the more you put on the thicker the coat willl be. this will stop the paint from breathing and cause it to fail early. if you use a polish it would be ok to do it evcery day as it leavs no real protection for the paint, to much wax is a bad thing. if the water beads when you wash it don;t bother waxing use a quick detailer like meguires that my help you feel better and control the waxing urge.

also alot of wax on a white car can yellow the finish over time. When you want to wax the car again wash the car with a does of dawn dish soap this will remove the wax, and then you can put on a fresh coat.

What kind of towel and wax are you using?

Jeff

 

Isn't there something better than dawn thats mean't for a car to get wax off?

 

I use dawn when getting all the wax off - works well.

Instead of waxing every week - wax once, and then for a few months use a wash that says "doesn't take off wax". Do this until you can feel that your car needs wax - then rewax.

 

So how does this sound:

I use a quick detailer spray every weekend after washing it. and wax it approximately every 1-2 months?? Is that 'healthy' for my paint???

 

The problem with waxing too often is that most waxes today are a cleaner wax. They have a mild abrasive in them that wears on the clear coat after time. Older people remember the older paint that actually came off when you waxed. I had an 82 Z28 that left the applicator red every time time I waxed. Over time, the paint would thin down.

If you use a good wax with no cleaners or abrasives, the only trouble you'll have are the paint breathing and yellowing of the color. Polish should also be fine. Most polishes today do not have an abrasive in them.

 

What waxes don't have cleaners/abrasives? Is there a way to tell?

 

so you should use polish before wax? I always though it was oppisite

 

scott i'd like to know what polish doesn't have an abrasive in it? i've been looking for such a thing for a long time. i don't use wax... mainly because of everything you said above, i agree with and i wouldn't recommend it on a daily driver but it works for my applications. i have yet to find a polish that doesn't have abrasive particles in it as that's the whole point of polishing i always thought. reguardless there are definately degrees of polishing. for my paint upkeeping on the last car i used a finish glaze and it was no more then twice a month. i learned the hard way and rubbed my first paint job off a car in two years washing every weekend.

as far as what was stated above too much wax is a bad thing just like too much polishing. so is using dish soap. i wash the cars i wax twice a year with a 1 part dish soap and 9 part water solution... very watered down basically to strip the wax and start fresh. dish soap, much like simple green is very harmful to your paint. especially if you don't get it completely off your car and it dries baking in the sun. any type of harsh chemical like above should be diluted before use.

 

Ohhh Yeah..buy the way dont let a bird crap on you paint... the acid eats it away really fast i have a ring around were the bird did his duitys. Kinda off topic but i thought ill throw that in there

 

That hasn't changed. The only thing that's different now is that the paint you're removing is clear, so you don't see it on the rag.

There are non-abrasive polishes out there, but typically you don't find them at the local parts store. I believe that all of the Zaino products are non abrasive and can be used as often as you desire. I believe that the higher end Mothers and Maguire's lines offer non-abrasive polishes as well.

The only thing about these non abrasive waxes, is that you really need perfect paint for them to look their best. On an average, daily driven car that sees the weather, an abrasive wax will make the car look much better because it'll polish away the oxidation and fine scratches that make a finish look dull over time.

What I did with my IROC when it was outside all summer was to wax it a couple times in the spring with a conventional cleaner wax, then for the rest of the summer I maintained it with Zaino. Since the car's been garaged year-round the last couple years, I've just been using the Zaino, though soon I might use a conventional wax because I'm starting to get fine marks from wiping the dust off of it.

 

I think Maguires (sp) has a 100% carnuba wax,

I dont think it has abrasives

 

I don't know what polishes and waxes are non abrasive. All the stuff I use says it will remove swirls, etc. Polishes don't have a lasting quality. After the first wash, they can feel less smooth than after polishing. The polish will bring out the shine and remove the swirls, then top coat it with a light coat of wax. If you rub the wax in, it will remove the polish. Just lightly coating the polish with wax will maintain the shine longer. It will also allow for additional coats of wax without damaging the finish.

 

 

I hope your not waxing over your decals, that will ruin them.

If you see color on your wax applicator, that is oxidized paint.
This is not a bad thing, unless thats all you have left and you start to see primer.

Oxidation is sunburned paint caused by UV rays.

A cleaner/wax will do well for UV damaged paint.

Each application of wax will remove a layer of oxidation until you get down to the good paint, after that you should see little or no color on the applicator.

Since your car looks in great shape and you have decals I would use Dawn to remove the wax and apply Zaino which is the only polish that I know of that is safe for decals. The more coats you put on the better, no harm at all. This polish has extreme endurance, you actually have to apply a coat of adhesive formula first, this bonds the polish to the paint.

Use a car cover whenever possible, secure it so it does not move around when the wind blows, over time this will scratch your paint. Never put a cover on a dusty car, use a duster first.

Hope this helps

 

I disagree on the Zaino thing! I have a 93 Pace Car that everybody knows is full of decals. The previous owner just waxed the car so it had some buildup at the edge of the decals. When I bought the car, I removed all the buildup, clayed the car and prepped it for Zaino. I was told that Zaino was the only product safe for decals. Wrong!!! Since Z2 gets applied and isn't wiped off, it left a white haze at the edge of the decals. Because of the properties of Zaino, I could net get rid of this new buildup. I contacted the guy I bought the Zaino from and was told that any good detailer knows that you don't apply anything over decals. When I told him the car that I had, he basically said oh well. He was just interested in the sale because he knew what I had before I bought the Zaino.

I now use other products and have no issues applying them over the decals. I have done this for years and have never had any problems. The wax actually protects the decals from fading also!

 

No single product is right for everyone.

Your not supposed to plaster Z2 on, you applied way too much.
Also pulling the applicater from the paint into the decal will stuff your edge, always pull from decal to paint.

Many waxes have silicone and or petroleum products in them. Over time, these can interfere with the performance of the vinyl

Also any product that have a pH value between 3 and 11 (neither strongly acidic nor strongly alkaline.) will cause damage.

My hood bird has many edges, some parts are small. I see no haze that you speak of, only a smooth glass like apperarance, some even ask if the bird is painted on.

More info on Zaino:

Zaino Show Car Polish™ is the easiest polish you will ever use. There is nothing on the market that compares to Show Car Polish products. Guaranteed! Our Show Car Polish products have been written up in publications such as Popular Mechanics, Hot Rod, Street Rodder, Truckin, Vette, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Chevy, Corvette Fever and Custom Rodder, and many more. We were rated #1 in Corvette World magazine, #1 in Corvette Fever Magazine's product test of leading car polishes and waxes for highest gloss, easy to use and longest protection. Most recently, we were also named #1 by The Wax Test and Guru Reports who tested 46 waxes, so you don't have to!

 

i use to use zaino....

 

OK my car is white so even if i am removing UV damaged paint i wouldnt see it (atleast i dont think i would). I have already decided to cut down on my waxing, atleast until i get a wax that doesnt have any abrasive stuff in it (like that 100% caraba wax that someone was talking about).

I am going to cover my car in the winter--when it won't be driven-- but from now until then its going to be outside almost all of the time.

How often should i use this Zaino polish (and also where can i get it from). And does it need to be applied with wax (which i am going to do alot less from now on--1-2 months), or can it be applied on its own. Does it need to be applied with a wax that has that abrasive stuff in it. And finally, i think its been said before but im too lazy to check... will the polish damage the paint if applied too frequently???

Thanks for everyones help so far...this has been an EXTREMELY informative topic.

 

It sure got quiet in here all of a sudden, anyway....

This from the man himself:

You're going love Zaino especially on all those decals. Zaino Show
Car Polish works great on all vinyl decals. It is non-abrasive, leaves no white residue or wax buildup and actually makes the decals last longer. It's UV40 protectant will keep the decals from shrinking, fading and drying out. Plus it will make the decals look like they have a clear coat over them. Try it on all the decals you'll love it.


Thank You,
Sal Zaino


Go to

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Toss your "wax" in the dirt pile, this system is all you need, put 300 coats on, looks like you can dip your hand in the finish.

 

zaino was decent but not the best and double the price of the competition... never again.

 

 

Kandied, do you have another product that you suggest?

 

im a fan of wizards .

 

i like wizards... it's what i use but there are equally nice products out there.

 

Where can I find Wizards?

 

http://www.wizardsproducts.com

anyone know if the wizards "Shinemaster" has any abrasives in it?

 

I believe all their products have a minimal amount. I don't remember though. I have the shine master on my IROC-Z and my 93 Z28 right now. It works really well. I've been told by other car people that my car has a deep shine. A couple coats of Wizards polish will do it every time.

 

Is the only place to get the Zaino stuff from their website???

 

We need a wax/polish etc FAQ thread.....how can i be sure that a certain polish/wax has absolutely no abrasives? Is there even such a wax/polish that has no abrasives and only adds shine? My car goes in for paint in 2 days and I'm researching like crazy on what I want to use when I get that car back.

 

Perhaps reading this thread would help.

What parts of my posts need clarification?

 

Yea man theres a quite a few non-abrasive wax's and polishes mentioned throughout this topic....

but seriously does anyone know if any stores sell the Zaino stuff or can i only get it from their website???