3 Benefits to Regular Waxing

Waxing your car is not purely for vanity.  There are practical reasons for waxing, which we will discuss here.  

However, waxing your car is superfluous if you are not committed to washing it by hand.  If you wax your car then have it washed at a local “tunnel wash”…your wax is GONE.  So ignore the benefits of waxing if you have no plans to wash by hand.

In most states, you simply can’t wash your car by hand for at least the three months of winter, if not more.  No problem…just tunnel wash at the public wash but don’t bother waxing during these months.

But for the months when you are able AND willing to wash by hand, you can enjoy these benefits:

1.             Car gets dirtier…slower. Water and dirt tend to run down paint and not stick to the surface.  If you drive a waxed car in the rain, back to back with a non-waxed car, you’ll notice the next time the cars are dry that the waxed car is noticeably cleaner.

2.             UV protection. Maybe not relevant in sun-deficient states like Oregon and Washington, but in TX, CA, AZ, and sun-heavy states, you can greatly delay the peeling and discoloration of your paint (black cars have been known to peel after just 4 years in the Southwest…yes, that’s FACTORY original paint).

3.             Minor scratch protection. Keeping a layer of wax on your paint ensures that your WAX, not the PAINT, receives minor scratches when you wash your car, or it brushes up against a bush, etc.

4.             Waxed cars just look better. Particularly with darker colors, wax brings out a depth and brilliance that you don’t get from “naked” paint.

The Key to a Good Wax Job (you won’t find it in the marketing).

Waxing is not about the brand of wax you use.  Nor is it about the softness of the microfiber towel you use.  Nor is it about technique.  It’s about consistency. No brand of wax will help if you don’t stick to a regular schedule.  The average buyer of car wax may apply it 3 – 5 times in his car’s life…then give up the process.  Choose a realistic waxing schedule (once every 6 weeks, for example), stick to it for the life of your car, and you will reap the rewards over time.