You dont have to wax clearcoat!
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Clear coat by definition protects the paint and adds the gloss. You cant make it shine anymore than the factory finish. Actually, clear coat paint jobs are thinner than prior non coated paint finishes. There are people that swear by not waxing clear coats. Im using Dawn to wash it and thats that.
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clear coat adds the glossy look to your car and protects your paint by adding another layer over it. so.. by waxing.. your protecting the stuff that makes your car look nice shiny and glossy.. as well as applying an additional barrier to protect the paint from getting scratched....of course cars dont need a clear coat.. but whats the downside to them? i really hope your joking about taking yours off
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From: The Subconscious
Rep Power: 340 Listen. You protect your clear coat by waxing. Even stuff in the air can damage your paint and clear coat. but the naked eye cant see it. driving fast on the expressway can cause microscopic even scratches. Polishing and waxing fills and replinishes those dry and tiny, tiny scratches... That sir, is why you see a luster and shine.
Think of your paint's/clear coat's surface to look like a sheet of sand paper... but under a microscope. bits of it get scratched and marked.... no matter what you do. Even washing the can will still do nothing. It can in fact damage it more if done wrong. As a matter of fact, if you don't even bother to wax your car... your clear coat will thin out in sections (small sections naked to the human eye) exposing your paint to UV rays, air pollution, salt, etc. When polishing and waxing, those pockets of tiny scratches get filled and hydrated with what your car's paint needs.... thus producing that luster every guy/girl loves.
Think of your paint's/clear coat's surface to look like a sheet of sand paper... but under a microscope. bits of it get scratched and marked.... no matter what you do. Even washing the can will still do nothing. It can in fact damage it more if done wrong. As a matter of fact, if you don't even bother to wax your car... your clear coat will thin out in sections (small sections naked to the human eye) exposing your paint to UV rays, air pollution, salt, etc. When polishing and waxing, those pockets of tiny scratches get filled and hydrated with what your car's paint needs.... thus producing that luster every guy/girl loves.
Last edited by AR; Jul 1, 2004 at 09:00 PM.
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From: Metro Detroit, Michigan
Rep Power: 0 Gotta love the newbies! I'll tell you what, you stop waxing your car, keeping washing with dawn, and in a few years come park next to me and tell me who's is more shiny and in better shape. Deal?
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From: Long Island, New York, US
Rep Power: 397 Don't even get me started on this....I agree with Bobby just stick with this idea of your car not needing wax and that they clearcoat is enough protection for your paint.
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Originally Posted by VVTSI
Im stripping mine off. Been doin some reading and its not necessary.
If you are using a rubbing compound on your clearcoat, sure you are stripping it off. Any halfway decent wax or polish is better than just leaving it without anything.Where have you been doing this reading?
As others have said... its your car, do as you wish, but please don't encourage others to do the same.
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Rep Power: 0 Yeah, that is pretty dumb. I detail cars everyday and you can tell what cars are taken care of and waxed and what cars have never see a can of wax. Now, granted, if you have a show car / trialer queen that never seens the road or elements you can get by with it.
Yes, it's an Acura EL
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Bwahahahahaha...OK sorry.
Yeah using Dawn on your car will dry out your clearcoat nice and quick. Serious VVTSI do you want to perhaps post where you got this information? I don't see how it could be any more wrong. Maybe the writer has a hate-on for imports and wants everyone's car to look nassssty.
Yeah using Dawn on your car will dry out your clearcoat nice and quick. Serious VVTSI do you want to perhaps post where you got this information? I don't see how it could be any more wrong. Maybe the writer has a hate-on for imports and wants everyone's car to look nassssty.
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From: Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA.
Rep Power: 297 Hmm, I'm with Prod on this one. I just waxed my Silver vic 2 weeks ago and it looks 1000x better.
As mentioned, the clearcoat adds the gloss, but waxing the vehicle can help protect the clearcoat as well as the finish. It is recommended that you wax at least twice a year.
As mentioned, the clearcoat adds the gloss, but waxing the vehicle can help protect the clearcoat as well as the finish. It is recommended that you wax at least twice a year.
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From: Statesboro and Conyers, GA
Rep Power: 0 I have seen tons of honda's at my job and trust me honda's have some of the thiniest clear coats. wax just protects your car from uv rays. if you dont wax your car. you can ruin your paint job.
Nothing works better than a Chris except a Honda.
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From: Baltimore, MD
Rep Power: 348 I don't know, but I'll see in a couple of years. My dad's car hasn't been waxed since we bought it a year ago while I have to constantly clean mine to get it just as shiny.
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From: Anniston, Alabama, US
Rep Power: 307 What the heck are you talking about? A clear coat is simply a clear PAINT! By adding the clear coat, you creat a depth to the color, if you do not wax it, you will not protect the paint from the elements.
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From: B.C., Canada
Rep Power: 787 You think you are so smart because you read (and probably misunderstood) some stuff on the internet?
You think what you read goes against the YEARS AND YEARS of tried, tested and true practice by professionals and enthusiasts alike?
No man, you are the smartest, go ahead and strip your wax and/or clearcoat if you think you are so wise... I will keep my eye out for the follow up thread where you whine about how bad your paint job looks.
Next time consider reality before opening your mouth.
You think what you read goes against the YEARS AND YEARS of tried, tested and true practice by professionals and enthusiasts alike?
No man, you are the smartest, go ahead and strip your wax and/or clearcoat if you think you are so wise... I will keep my eye out for the follow up thread where you whine about how bad your paint job looks.
Next time consider reality before opening your mouth.
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Rep Power: 0 Ill tell you what, ill dig up some pictures of my car right when I bought it and washed it when it had no wax back in August 2001 and ill show you a picture of my car to date. My car is eternal blue, one of the harder ones to keep looking good. I have waxed it every month since I got it and it is shinnier than when I bought it. Ill agree with you that cars with many layers of paint and clear coats don't need to be waxed, are atleast very rarely need to. I have a friend that re-built a shelby cobra, got over 10 coats of paint and 10 coats of clearcoat and he has never waxed it. Still looks great, though I think it would look a little better with wax. Our cars, though they have a factory paint job, do not have even close to 20 coats of paint, probably only a few of each. Your clearcoat can't protect your paint forever, it is proned to wear over the years. So next time before you post, think about what your saying.
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