Do I Need To Wax A Car That Has Clear Coat?
Clear coat showed up in the 1980’s. It is intended to seal the car’s paint and to make the paint shiny. It is also intended to protect the car’s paint form nature, such as ultraviolet light (UV), tree sap, dirt, rain, ozone, bird poop and oxidation. The paint is not damaged, but the clear coat eventually shows the effects of exposure to nature and the color will look dull, even though it is actually the clear coat. Clear coat does not protect against scratches which, when deep enough, will go to the paint. That allows all of the bad pollutants in the world to get past the clear coat and ruin the paint below it.
Similar to how the clear coat protects the car’s paint, waxing protects the clear coat by adding another layer of protection. Waxing also protects the car’s paint when scratches have gone through the clear coat, by preventing nature from getting to the paint and ruining it.
Car waxes are usually made with Carnauba. That is the waxy substance that protects the leaves of the Carnauba Palm, so water beads and rolls off of the leaves. Some people believe that waxing their car once a year is enough to protect it. Actually, wax lasts only 1 – 3 months, depending on how much the car is driving, the driving conditions and whether your car is garaged when not in use. Even the soap from washing your car removes the wax.
Car waxes have come a long way from the old days, when it took a lot of rubbing to apply the wax and even more to wipe it off until it shined. Today, waxes are made for fast and easy application and wiping.
Also, many waxes today can be applied in direct sunlight and on hot surfaces, without streaking or leaving white residue.
Scratches are more visible on black colored cars than lighter colored cars. That’s why manufacturers make a special wax for black and dark colored cars. This wax is intended to fill the scratches with a dark colored wax, making scratches invisible or, at least, much less noticeable.
So, the answer is “Yes”. Even though your car has clear coat to protect the paint below it, the clear coat needs wax to protect it from damages caused by nature, which causes fading and discoloration, all of which makes the car’s color look old and dull, when in reality it is the clear coat that is the culprit.