Automotive wax

Automotive wax traces its roots back to the age of horse drawn carriages, when it was common practice for the owners of the carriages to wax their bodies (the bodies of the carriages, that is) using fats derived from animals: with a view to improve the appearance of their carriages, while also protecting the paintwork at a pre-industrial time when paint came at a great premium.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and the tradition of waxing carriages persists, only that the carriages being waxed today are not the horse-drawn variety of the yore, but rather their engine drawn descendants. Today, of course, we have factory made automotive wax and we therefore don’t need to use animal fats for waxing our ‘carriages.’

The technology for waxing the vehicles has also evolved with time, and we find ourselves at a point in time when we have highly automated machines whose precision makes it possible to apply layers of the wax that are as thin as a fraction of an inch (often as thin as 0.005 inches), such that effects of the waxing can be seen, but the actual wax used in making it possible is not at all visible to the person viewing it.

It doesn’t end there. Thanks to the advances in automotive wax application technology, we not only find ourselves in a situation where it becomes possible to create 0.005 inches thin layers of the wax, but also sub-divide that 0.005 inches thin layer of wax into sub-layers, so that within that 0.005 wax presentation, you can end up with up to three different coats of wax. Incidentally, when we talk about a layer of wax that is only 0.005 inches, it is important to note that we are looking at the whole wax ‘edifice’ right from its foundation (in the form of the primmer) to the uppermost layer of the automotive wax employed.

Now car paint might not be as hard to get as carriage-paint was in the pre-industrial age when the idea of waxing vehicles was first conceived, but what is for sure is that besides protecting the basic paintwork, waxing does also tend to protect the harder to procure automotive finishing (the one that gives the car its sheen) from the elements of weather and other ‘hazards’ the car’s bodywork is likely to encounter in its day to day trips (and even when parked stationary).

In a way, the idea behind the application of automotive wax today can be seen as being in recognition of the fact it is better to leave the wax exposed to the elements of the nature (since it is so easy to renew anyway), than to leave the motor vehicle’s main bodywork exposed to those elements, since renewing the actual automotive motor work is a much more expensive and time consuming affair. At the end of the day, too, each application of wax on the car is likely to leave it looking much more attractive, and this is probably one of the reasons while waxing of motor vehicles has come to be one of the procedures for the people looking to sell their cars and fetch a good price for them; because a newly waxed car beats a car that was last waxed eons ago hands-down in the ‘looks department,’ and this is likely to be manifested in the prices that both cars ultimately fetch.

As mentioned, one of the main purposes waxing automotives is meant to serve is that of protecting a vehicle’s underlying paintwork. To get insight as to the various methods through you can be an automotive paintwork worth protecting, be sure to read on car paint protection

 

Commonly Asked Questions About Automotive Wax

1. What is automotive wax?

Automotive wax is a substance used in protecting a vehicle’s paintwork from direct exposure to the elements: hence enhancing the automotive paintwork’s lifespan. It is usually applied during the automotive finishing or automotive refinishing processes. The need for automotive wax comes out of the fact that automotive painting is usually an expensive and involving undertaking: hence the need to protect the paintwork so acquired from damage – which is exactly the role that automotive wax serves. The wax forms a buffer between the vehicle’s paintwork and the external elements (dust, sunlight, moisture and so on), so that what the vehicle owner needs to be doing is occasionally changing the automotive wax, rather than having to repaint the people every so often; as would otherwise be the case. 

2. Who does automotive waxing?

Many automotive makers include automotive waxing as part of their automotive finishing process. There are also a number of independent companies that have automotive waxing as their core business: so that vehicle owners can take their cars to them for waxing especially as part of automotive refinishing (after major repairs) or as part of regular service. With the increasing popularity of automotive waxing in certain motoring circles, we are also seen many ‘ordinary’ auto garages (car repair shops) offering automotive waxing as part of their standard ‘menu’ – meaning that anybody looking for automotive waxing services can’t be short of a place to get it done.  

3. What are the benefits of automotive wax?

Automotive wax has a number of benefits. First and foremost, as mentioned earlier, is the fact that automotive wax serves to protect and enhance the lifespan of the underlying automotive paintwork - which is often expensive and time consuming to acquire. The effect is not petty. Consistent use of automotive wax can increase the lifespan of the vehicle’s paintwork, up to five times fold. The car owner only needs to occasionally change the automotive wax, rather than having to repaint the car, when those who opt not to use automotive wax are repainting theirs. In addition, automotive wax also has the effect of giving the car greater aesthetic appeal (by polishing its shine), so that it looks ‘its best’ all the time. 

4. Is automotive waxing a scam?

The question as to whether automotive wax is a scam is one that is born of an allegation in some quarters that automotive waxing does not work. It is an allegation made by people who find their business interests hurt by automotive waxing (for instance automotive paint makers and automotive painting service providers). These guys, obviously, have no reason to love automotive waxing: as consistent use of automotive waxing translates to reduced need for their products and services. The true position however, is that automotive waxing works. It is not a new invention: what with its roots going as far back as the horse carriage days, when animal oil waxes were commonly used on the carriages? And it offers people an opportunity to save themselves huge sums of money they would otherwise have spent on too frequent and needless automotive painting. 

5. How exactly does automotive waxing work?

Automotive wax is supposed to provide protection to the underlying automotive paintwork, while also bringing out a brilliant sheen in a car. The protection bit is accomplished in a couple of ways. For one, automotive wax has the effect of protecting the car’s paintwork from direct exposure to UV (ultra violet) radiation from the sun. As it turns out, it is precisely such direct exposure to UV radiation that is responsible for most cases of premature aging of automotive paintworks. Automotive wax also protects the underlying automotive paintwork from direct exposure to moisture, thence further enhancing its lifespan. The effect of bringing out the sheen in a car’s paintwork, on the other hand, is accomplished through the use of polishing oil in the manufacture of the automotive wax. 

6. What does automotive wax cost?

Automotive wax costs vary from brand to brand. Generally though, it is not expensive. It is something you can get for as little as $20 dollars – this for a package that is enough to wax a whole car. Of course, there is a cost factor in the automotive waxing project. Thankfully, with the right tools for the job, automotive waxing is not a very involving undertaking: and hence it is not likely to cost too much in terms of labor. It is definitely far cheaper than having to repaint the car every so often.