When you purchased your most recent car, chances are the first impression you had came from the paint finish. It's what you stared at for nearly an hour, and it's what you admire still today. The manufacturer created a window sticker with an impressive list of features, but all of those features took a back seat to that initial look. We buy with our eyes. This explains why the majority of the cost involved in building a new car factory goes into the paint finish system. Carmakers know your first impression of the paint finish is the key to making the sale. The color, vividness and quality of the paint finish matters most.

Automotive paint history dates back a full century. Although man has been coating metal, wood and stone for several thousand years, motor vehicle specific coatings were not invented until a few years after Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company. These early automotive coatings were varnish products carried over from the horse and buggy industry.

Todays paint systems, mostly waterborne, multi-stage, clear-coat systems, are better than ever. The new paint systems offer extraordinary colors, vivid depth and clarity, extremely high gloss, and new levels of durability. Still, even with the improvements, new car finishes must be waxed and properly.

DO NEW CAR FINISHES REALLY NEED WAXING?
The improvements in clearcoat paint technology have started a distressing trend at new car dealerships. Many new car dealers are telling their clients that the paint on their new car is maintenance-free. This could not be further from the truth. While the improved paint technology has created a longer lasting finish, the finish does oxidize and it is not impervious to environmental conditions. It still requires regular care.

New car dealers who don't preach maintenance-free paintwork seem to go the route of a life-time or 5-year paint sealant upgrade. While not as harmful as suggesting new paint is maintenance-free, a true life-time sealant product is not available. The technology simply does not exist. Think about it. How can a sealant or wax with a coating thickness less than one millionth of an inch protect your car for a lifetime, let alone for more than a few months? It simply can't. What you're really buying with a paint sealant upgrade is a maintenance contract. Please read the fine print before you buy the package.

SPECIAL PAINT HYPE
There have been some reports that European car paint systems are significantly different and require different care. According to my research, there is little difference. Any notion that the paint on European cars has better color, vibrancy or richness is a matter of personal preference..

There are a few high-end car manufacturers, namely Mercedes-Benz, experimenting with ceramic paint systems. Ceramic paint systems are still too new to provide any concrete feedback.

DuPont and PPG manufacture more than 80% of all automotive paint used worldwide. A third player, BASF, manufactures paint for many of the European car manufactures and a few car models in the United States. It is well known that both PPG and DuPont have responded to complaints that their clearcoats were easily scratched. As a result, the new clearcoat systems from PPG and DuPont are slightly harder than the BASF system, but the difference is not significant.

Paints from different manufacturers do not favor one wax coating over another. The notion that a wax is produced specifically for a make and model of car, such as an Acura NSX or a BMW Z3, is ridiculous. Car owners should beware of any company or person marketing such products. There is no factual basis for a special wax blend based on the car brand or model.

CLEAR COAT PROTECTION:
Clearcoat finishes are not particular about the wax you use, as long as you're not using an abrasive cleaner-wax. Many cleaner waxes available were designed for conventional finishes that require more "scrubbing" action to remove heavy oxidation and stains. Only in rare circumstances will a heavy abrasive be required to properly treat a clearcoat finish. If your clearcoat requires cleaning or light polishing, a fine pre-wax cleaner is recommended.

In most climate conditions, I recommend waxing a minimum of twice a year. Waxing any less frequently than this and your paint will suffer premature deterioration from oxidation. If you use a pure sealant (a sealant that does not contain cleaners) product, you cannot over-wax your car. A pure sealant like Max T Wax original is an excellent choice if you like to wax frequently to maintain a perfect wax finish.

WAX TECHNOLOGY
It was European coach builders that first applied coatings of animal fats and wax to protect the custom paint on their horse-drawn carriages. This tradition has endured over 100 years and is still a great way to protect the paint on modern-day coaches.

Today, the multilayered finish on your car, from the primer through the top clearcoat, is only .004 to .006 of an inch thick. Regardless of how fine the finish is now, it will deteriorate and dull. Radiant and ultraviolet energy, acid rain, salt, atmospheric pollution, insect fluids and bird droppings wage a constant war on your car's finish. Waxing provides an easily renewable, transparent barrier between the finish and a hostile environment.

Waxing also makes your car, new or old, look better. Quality waxes now combine enriching oils that "wet" the surface with protective formulas of Brazilian carnauba or modern polymers for a high-gloss shine. This brings us to the subject of selecting a wax. Waxes can be made from a natural wax, usually Brazilian carnauba, or synthetically made of polymers and acrylic resins

Carnauba Wax
Many enthusiasts and show car owners prefer the shine of carnauba waxes, especially on black, red and other dark colors. Carnauba waxes bead water nicely, absorb the acid content in rain, and hide minor swirls in the paint. On the minus side, carnauba waxes are not as durable as synthetic waxes. Depending on your climate, a carnauba wax might last between 30 and 60 days. Additionally, some carnauba waxes can be temperamental, occasionally streaking under certain temperature or humidity conditions.

With the limitations of carnauba wax, you might be asking why it continues to have a loyal following. The fact is, fewer and fewer manufacturers make carnauba waxes, and the carnauba wax content in most "carnauba waxes" is very low. Most carnauba waxes are really a synthetic wax with less than 1% carnauba wax content.

Made Synthetic Waxes (Paint Sealants) from modern polymers, synthetic waxes (often called paint sealants) offer excellent durability and ease of application. Quality synthetic waxes have been known to last 6 to 9 months or longer, and typically wipe on and off very easily. Synthetic waxes create a very bright shine and rarely cloud or streak on the paint. What Do Clearcoat Finishes Really Need?

If the purpose of the clearcoat is to add depth and gloss to the final paint finish, wouldn?t it be counterproductive to apply anything that does not buff out to be as clear as the clearcoat itself? Carnauba wax in its natural form is not clear. It creates a dull, milky white film on the leaves of the palm tree from which it is harvested. Have you experienced the white stain residue most Carnauba waxes leave in cracks and crevices after waxing? It follows that Carnauba wax will distort the perfectly clear appearance of a new or well-maintained clearcoat finish.

What the modern clearcoat finish requires is proper cleaning, light polishing to remove fine cobweb scratches and swirl marks, and clear, durable protection. Carnauba wax cannot meet this demand.

APPLYING WAXES AND SEALANTS
Once you've selected a wax, here are some tips to make waxing easier:
1 Work in a shaded area out of direct sunlight.
2 Use a foam applicator pad to apply your wax. When the applicator becomes caked with wax, switch to a fresh applicator.
3 Work on one area at a time covering 2 to 4 square feet. Some products may allow you to coat the entire car before buffing off, but most do not.
4 Follow the wax manufacturer's instructions on whether or not to allow the wax to dry (haze) before buffing.
5 Use a small amount of wax at a time, and rub it in well. If you use too much wax, you're wasting the product and your time.
6 If the wax residue does not buff off easily, switch to a clean wipe towel.
7 Apply your wax in a back-and-forth motion, not in circles. If you are creating swirls, you need to replace your applicator or towels.
After waxing, your car's paint should feel slick and smooth, and be free of streaks and smudges.

There are several tricks, but the easiest is to park your car in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes. Let it get warm, What do you do if, after all this work, you still have streaks and areas that don't want to buff out perfectly? but not hot, and then take it back inside the garage. Next, use your favorite detail spray a fresh buffing towel to wipe down the affected areas. The warmth of the sun softens the wax, allowing it to buff out to a clear, high gloss. If you're using an enthusiast sealant system, use the quick detailer made for the system.

Show Car Tricks
Detailers that prepare show cars will often layer multiple coats of wax to improve finish depth and gloss. A pure sealant product designed to layer is required. Max T Wax sealant is an excellent choice for show cars. Apply and buff the first coat of wax as you would normally, and allow it to cure for 12 to 48 hours. Follow with a second coat. Note that the first coat of wax must have time to cure. If the wax does not cure (harden), the second coat will not improve your car's appearance or protection. With properly applied coats of wax, you will see a noticeable improvement in depth, richness of color and gloss with the second coat of wax. Adding more layers is a subjective matter, although many concours winners use multiple layers to produce the desired depth.

Something for thought:
Regular waxing is necessary to protect your car's paint from the elements. In addition to sealing and protecting, sealants also improve the appearance of freshly washed and polished paint.