How can a car owner tell if a vehicle needs to be waxed?
Today’s modern finishes need to be waxed at least three times a year to maintain or restore the reflective shine it originally had. Today’s clear coat paints don’t provide an obvious “signal” that they need to be waxed or polished like the finishes of yesteryear. Finishes from the 80’s or early 90’s previously weathered to a dull, or to a hazy appearance on the upper portions of the vehicle. This was a major sign that the car finish needed serious attention. Today’s car finishes rarely manifest this visual symptom. Clear coat finishes gradually degrade and lose their reflective properties. This is difficult to see on light coloured cars and can have a grey, hazy appearance on cars of darker colours. Gloss is lost so gradually, that many times the gloss degradation goes unnoticed by the owner. A neglected clear coat finish will show increased susceptibility to water spotting, will lose stain resistance from common environmental contaminants, show visual swirl marks, have a rough feel to
