Does wax come of when you get a car wash?

[Memphis Raines]

Do 'Nano Wax' have better adhesion to paint compared to traditional waxes?

[oj88]

Do 'Nano Wax' have better adhesion to paint compared to traditional waxes?

I wouldn't count on it. They're primarily used to hide swirl marks and very fine scratches using nano-sized wax molecules as fillers. Other than that, it wears off like any other wax.

[theveed]

It's hard to quantify durability of waxes because of the paint surface itself.

Let me try to dissect why it's not logical to compare longevity of waxes unless you try them all yourself (which, honestly, is quite fun).

1) Paint prep - The paint has a lot of peaks and valleys on its surface, especially if you look at it very closely, how well a wax stays depends on how smooth the paint is. With paint wear and tear you can't compare other people's results from yours.
2) Heat - The heat from your engine, sun, and the way your paint color absorbs/reflects heat affects the wax's structure, the greater the variances of temperature change (hot hood then rain, for example) the quicker your wax deterioration.
3) Weather - Like the previous issue, in many drier countries, you can get by with minimal waxing/washing because of the lack of temperature variance. In addition, with less rain, there's less physical contact to rub/rinse away the waxed layer.
4) Environment - The cleaner the atmosphere and surrounding areas, the longer wax will stay on. Just compare how long your car stays clean in a province compared to the metro.
5) Application - Even if we're talking about the same wax on the same car, improper application will affect longevity, and I must say that majority don't apply waxes correctly, neither do they prep the paint before waxing.
6) Cleaners - All chemicals mixed with wax deteriorates wax, including water. Remember that water itself is a cleaner. The more you wash, the more often you should wax. Not washing and waxing often is worse than waxing once and not washing at all for weeks, by the way.

[jonjon_u]

Been waiting for you to chime in.

Thanks for sharing your insights, theveed.

[madkatz]

hahaha same here, waiting for theveed's or a seasoned pro's input on the matter

but here's what i have to say, i think what type and brand of wax you use also has a factor with regards to durability, i've tried tons of waxes NXT, Mothers UWS Refl and FX to p21s up to collinite to name just a few, and in my opinion and also based on personnal experience most wax companies don't hold up to their promises of durability especially when it comes to our weather here in the Philippines, i find that some including NXT, TW, p21s, Mothers UWS are gone after about 2 to 3 car washes considering i use a lower dilution ratio for shampoo, while others with synthetic properties like Refl and FX holds up to about 4 to 6 weeks with weekly washings. im currently trying the collinite line 845,476, and 915 and so far its been 2 1/2 months now and its still beading quite well although im not putting my hopes that high since its already nearly gone, despite collinite's claim being that its waxes are detergent proof and it can last up to at least 6 months. then again i think car shampoo's shouldn't contain any detergent properties in it as well since detergents are really good in stripping waxes and another thing i noticed in my noob days using the very popular "joy" and other liquid detergents was that it can really strip the darkness of your tires

in short i guess im adding wax and shampoo as also being a factor although possibly just a minor one, and what theveed said as major factors

i would also recommend what oj88 mentioned about using QD every several days, and during my weekly washes before i dry down the car with MF i also spray some spray waxes to help aid in preserving the existing wax, i've tried Refl, FX and UQD and so far they have all been good products

and i could attest that properly prepping a car plays a really huge role in wax performance VS car wash

[Chikselog]

It's hard to quantify durability of waxes because of the paint surface itself.

Let me try to dissect why it's not logical to compare longevity of waxes unless you try them all yourself (which, honestly, is quite fun).

1) Paint prep - The paint has a lot of peaks and valleys on its surface, especially if you look at it very closely, how well a wax stays depends on how smooth the paint is. With paint wear and tear you can't compare other people's results from yours.
2) Heat - The heat from your engine, sun, and the way your paint color absorbs/reflects heat affects the wax's structure, the greater the variances of temperature change (hot hood then rain, for example) the quicker your wax deterioration.
3) Weather - Like the previous issue, in many drier countries, you can get by with minimal waxing/washing because of the lack of temperature variance. In addition, with less rain, there's less physical contact to rub/rinse away the waxed layer.
4) Environment - The cleaner the atmosphere and surrounding areas, the longer wax will stay on. Just compare how long your car stays clean in a province compared to the metro.
5) Application - Even if we're talking about the same wax on the same car, improper application will affect longevity, and I must say that majority don't apply waxes correctly, neither do they prep the paint before waxing.
6) Cleaners - All chemicals mixed with wax deteriorates wax, including water. Remember that water itself is a cleaner. The more you wash, the more often you should wax. Not washing and waxing often is worse than waxing once and not washing at all for weeks, by the way.

re: 1. does paint prep include claying? what else po aside from claying?
5. ang correct application po ba eh yung round overlapping motion ba yun, when applying it using an MF towel..? TIA

[madkatz]

AFAIK

1. yup paint preparation usually includes clay, preparing also includes removing swirls and scratches.

5. its gonna be quite a bit hard to use MF towels for waxing IMO, what i do is use round applicator pads or if you want to be sure you can get MF applicator pads. and yeah round application is best to ensure equal and complete coverage, it also allows you to work the wax better

hope this helps

[Chikselog]

AFAIK

1. yup paint preparation usually includes clay, preparing also includes removing swirls and scratches.

5. its gonna be quite a bit hard to use MF towels for waxing IMO, what i do is use round applicator pads or if you want to be sure you can get MF applicator pads. and yeah round application is best to ensure equal and complete coverage, it also allows you to work the wax better

hope this helps

i see..:thankyou: thing is wala ako mahanap na round applicator pads any suggestions on where can I buy one? meron ba neto sa Blade? Ace? Handyman? TIA ayoko kasi gumamit ng sponge eh baka hindi sya appropriate (mukha kasing sponge yung round applicator pad)

[theveed]

If you want your protective wax/sealant to last the longest, if weather permits (no rain), use Cali duster and QD at least 3-4x a day. Back when I was still in the Phil, during summer months, i can get away with not washing the car for 2 weeks... We're talking about metro manila here.

Then again, you have to be idiotic enough like myself to do it that often hehe.

I usually dust + QD before leaving the house, upon parking at the office/destination, during lunch break, before leaving the office, and before going to bed.... At the most, I'll just wash the wheels and lower panels of the body.

Works great, the car stays fresh and has that "just detailed" look for weeks. Saves water too, which is always a good thing.

[madkatz]

* Chikselog: I got my SM Arnolds from Blade if i remember it correctly i think its at 290 for 4 pcs, this is the rough tough applicator pad though, its much better and definitely safer for noobs like me to get the Meguiars Even-Coat Mircofiber Applicator pads i got mine from Blade at 350 for 2 pcs at blade, i had to have it specially ordered for me though, the people at blade granted me my request since im there every weekend

Comparison: SM Arnolds is cheap and works good enough if used using light pressures, but sometimes taking the extra conscious effort to use it lightly can also be tiring hehehe, its also easy to clean as well as very durable which is its good points. The Even-coat is a lot harder to clean tough as well as it gets more products inside the pad which is its bad points, however its MF feature is really smooth and soft that even if you have those lazy days where you don't want to clay but wax your car, it wont scratch or swirl your paint as much as compared to your chances with a sponge applicator pad, this is just based on my experience though. Right now i just use the SM Arnolds for Scratch Removers, Polishes and Glazes and the Even-Coat for Wax and Sealants. Hope this helps

*Theveed: Wow! 3 to 4 times a day? Based on your routine its more like 5 times a day hehe, Just a few questions regarding QD'ing,

1. What QD do you use? i have like 6 different QD's (TW Platinum and Ice, Mothers Showtime, Megs UQD, EO Wipe and Shine, Megs NXT, Zymol QD) all nearly empty due to usage and all of them cause streaking for me, this leads me to conlude there's something wrong with what im doing. Could it be that im using too much QD on the paint panel? or Could it be that im using a wrong MF towel for the job? Im currently using California Brand MF towel as well as Microtex Blue.

2. Do you know any cost effective QD that can be sold in bulk, lets say gallon? Im planning on using them all up then maybe buy a Gallon one for long term use, im currently looking at Last Touch QD from Megs its only at 2.4k per gallon, but if you know any other brand or source that is cheaper and can do a good job im open to take your advice.

Thanks in advance!