Why is it important to wax my car?
Your vehicle’s clear coat can be compared to your own skin. It is there to make it look good and protect what’s underneath, but unlike your skin it can never heal and grow back on it’s own. Your paint is a limited resource and it can wear down over time if not protected. Car waxing is essentially like adding sunscreen to your paint. Any skin without UV protection placed under the sun for a prolonged period of time will experience sunburn, and the skin may begin to peel. In like manner, you may have seen peeling clear coat on other vehicles on the road or even your own. Those vehicles have essentially experienced sunburn and their skin has peeled, without the capacity to heal itself.
How often should I wax my car?
Throughout its life, your vehicle’s paint will be exposed to a large variety of chemical and environmental factors that may damage your vehicle’s clear coat overtime. A large part of your vehicle’s resale value is placed on the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle, and if you’ve ever had to repaint a vehicle you know that it can be very expensive. Taking proper care of your car’s paint is the best way to retain as much of your vehicle’s value overtime.
Most vehicle manufactures recommend that you wash your vehicle weekly and wax it at least every three months. This will protect against these hazards and extend the life of your paint. One of the primary purposes for waxing is UV protection. Most manufacturers warranty on vehicle clear coat is 5 years before it will begin to oxidize or peel if not properly protected. The environmental conditions of where you live and whether your vehicle is garaged or exposed to such elements are also factors on how quickly your paint may deteriorate over time.
Although the recommendation for waxing is every three months, there are now better protection options for your car that may last a lot longer with proper installation as well as offer increased chemical resistance compared to traditional carnauba wax. Although traditional wax offers uv protection as well as an amazing wet look when installed. It does not last very long, and can be easily washed or melted away in the summer heat. This is because carnauba wax does not bind to the paint, it only sits on top as a sacrificial layer.
Are there better options than car waxing?
Nowadays you have a lot more options when it comes to paint protection. You have synthetic paint sealants, which offer a longer lasting chemical bond between the sealant and your car’s paint, allowing it to literally grab on for longer. A quality sealant could last you up to six months reducing the amount of time in between having to “wax” your vehicle. Paint sealants now offer ceramic infused sealants which can offer increased surface tension allowing the vehicle to repel water and dirt more easily, these sealants also tend to be a lot more user friendly and easier to apply, although should expect the same durability as most paint sealants. These are great options to be used as a drying aid after every wash to strengthen any coating underneath.
Ceramic Coatings
Finally you have ceramic coatings, which are a much more durable form of protection, and often offer 100 times the thickness of a wax or sealant, increased chemical resistance, and enhanced durability, lasting from 18 months up to 5 years or more depending on the product and proper maintenance on the vehicle. These coatings usually require more skill and experience to install since proper preparation of the paint is essential for expected durability of the coating. For a long term protection like this it is also usually preferred to correct and perfect the paint underneath since it will be sealed for a longer period of time.
In conclusion, how often you need to “wax” your car will greatly depend on the product used, proper installation, and the environmental factors that your vehicle is exposed to on a daily basis. In general, traditional wax will most likely give you several weeks of protection in between applications, a paint sealant will give you several months, and a ceramic coating will give you several years. For any of your paint correction and protection needs, don’t hesitate to reach out, we have an experienced team of professionals who are qualified to install any of the paint protection methods mentioned.