Car wax adds longevity and shine to your car’s finish, but only if you choose the right wax. Some car waxes will cover your car’s plastic parts with residue; others will actually make your car’s finish less smooth as the wax scratches the finish or forms a haze over it. When you go to choose from the shelves upon shelves of car waxes at your local auto store, here are a few questions to keep in mind.
Which is more important to you, depth of color or shine? Natural car waxes, such as Carnauba wax, give a car’s finish depth, but slightly less shine. Artificial waxes, which include most spray on and liquid waxes, shine beautifully but give a less rich color, and can emphasize minor flaws. Artificial waxes are particularly bad with dark colors. Experts suggest that dark cars be waxed only with natural waxes. For lighter cars, either natural or artificial waxes are good, depending on whether you want your car’s finish to be shinier or to have more richness of color.
Is there much plastic on your car? Some car waxes react poorly to matte plastic, especially the porous, dark kind so popular on recent models, and deposit a residue that may need extra attention with a special cleaner to remove. If plastic is a prominent part of your car’s exterior, choose a wax that is noted for being compatible with plastic.
How long do you want each application of car wax to last, and how much time are you willing to invest in waxing? In a Consumer Reports comparison test, liquid waxes lasted the longest and cleaned the best. They also took the longest to apply, mainly because of all the extra buffing needed to spread the wax evenly and reduce streaking. Spray on waxes were the least durable and did the worst job at cleaning, but they were also the quickest and easiest to apply. Consumer Reports suggested that spray on waxes were best for owners who were willing to reapply them frequently, for interim treatments between full treatments with more durable waxes, or for new cars whose factory fresh finishes required little attention. Paste waxes took about as long to apply as liquid waxes, and were about as durable. Consumer Reports noted that while paste waxes used to be difficult to apply, they now come with applicators that make them even easier to apply than liquid waxes.
When you choose a car wax, consider what visual qualities are most important to you, whether you need to take the plastic detailing on your car into account, how long you are willing to take to apply wax, and how often you are willing to apply wax. Be frank with yourself about your goals, and do not feel that you should opt for a high effort, high upkeep wax just because the experts recommend it. Unless the experts are going to come and maintain your car for you, pick the car wax that is right for you and your car.