Thread: How to make your car look brand new

Originally Posted by archemedes

I see one thing that always bothers me about DETAILERS they are rarely trained by paint companies, and tout how you must protect your paint. I went to PPG and Dupont paint schools, and both companies said it is never necessary to wax a clear coat (it's job is to protect the paint) they do say to polish it periodically (which is what you do with the wax, just real wax will also seal the paint which can cause discoloring if the paint is too new)

Sorry, I have to 110% disagree with you. Waxing after you get a fresh paint job is a no-no. It will actually seal in the paint, not letting it cure.
Waxing is not a polish. Waxing will not fix, hide, or do anything else for your car other than to help protect the finish, and depending on what type of wax, enhance the finish. Wax has no abrasives, diminishing or standard.

I have never been trained to detail by a paint company. Never needed to be. Many professional, not backyard detailers, have not been trained by paint companies. There are many organizations and training facilities for learning to detail CORRECTLY. There are too many fly by night paint scratchers out there, that make professionals like myself with the proper paperwork, insurance, and all legalities a bad name. ....
Your clear coat is the top coat.
Body Panel~Etching primer/Primer~Sealer~Base Color~Clear Coat

Sure, it protects the base coat (color), but a wax helps protect the whole paint job in general When your clear coat becomes scratched, swirled, spiderwebbed, or oxidized, you need to POLISH the paint (clear coat) What polishing does is levels the paint. It actually removes a very very thin layer of the clear. Polish leaves NO protection what-so-ever To top it off, use a wax or a sealant. Think of a wax or a sealant as a "rain coat" for your car. It helps protect the paint in general from contaminants from bonding to the paint. (over spray, tar, road paint, rail dust, brake dust, bird droppings (which will etch your paint), bugs (which will etch also), and more.... Some of the good waxes have UV blockers which help the paint from fading. Though a one time coat of wax will not do wonders, you need to re apply every so often, depending on driving conditions, garage kept, climate, etc....

SO, whoever says waxing does nothing, sorry to burst your bubble, but keeping your cars finish in pristine condition will not only make your car look good, but will save you a lot of money down the road.

Yes, I have been to school for paint and body work, so yes, I do know a thing or two about paint jobs. And yes, I am a (what yall call) a "detailer" by profession. That word "detailer" has taken on a bad name, therefor, I do not use it as a title.