[net.consumers] Long Term Car "Waxes"

ries@trwrba.UUCP (Marc A. Ries) (03/27/86)

[LE]

I have recently  purchased  a  new  car  and  wish  to  keep  the
shine/paint  in  primo  condition.  It would seem the average car
"wax" (i.e., Turtle, Simonize, etc.) only lasts about a month  to
six  weeks  before the effects (e.g., water repellency) wear off.
So:

1) Has anybody had any experiences with long-term  coatings.  For
   example,  locally  in  Southern  California there is a company
   called Ming with advertises a process that lasts for  3  years
   (subject to paint conditions).  Is this a ripoff?

2) What's the best over-the-counter car  "wax"  for  the  "do-it-
   yourselfer"?

			-- Marc Ries
			   {sdcrdcf,ihnp4,aero}!trwrb!trwrba!ries
 

mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (03/30/86)

You can buy the same long-term protection that company wants to
sell you over the counter.  Look for a wax with a "poly" or
"polymer" formula.  The labels will have the same kinds of claims
about how it will protect your car for years because it bonds into
the paint.

I'd still recommend you wax your car every so often anyway, but
running it through a gas station car wash and getting the hot wax
is probably sufficient.  Here in the salt belt, I put a coat of
wax on in the fall, in addition to going through the car wash a
few times through the winter.  But in LA, just keep the smog washed
off your car, and keep it out of the sun, and you should be fine.

What I wonder is: do the poly waxes still work if there is another
coat of wax underneath them?  Or do you have to strip it off first,
or wait a couple months of non-waxing before applying a poly wax?

	Mark

rastaman@ihdev.UUCP (Floyd Hydrozoan) (03/31/86)

In article <1960@trwrba.UUCP> ries@trwrba.UUCP (Marc A. Ries) writes:
>2) What's the best over-the-counter car  "wax"  for  the  "do-it-
>   yourselfer"?

In Chicago, home of acid-rain, I've found that Rain Dance liquid
takes a long time to deteriorate - typically six months between
waxes.  It's pretty easy to use too.