A good coat of wax will not only give your car a deep, lustrous shine, it will also help to protect your car’s finish from loose dirt, light scratches, and corrosion causing moisture. It will provide your vehicle’s finish with a barrier of protection, and such protection is well worth the time you’ll spend on it. Even if you’re only able to renew your vehicle’s coat of wax two or three times a year, that added protection will immeasurably improve the look of your paint job in the years to come.
Natural or Synthetic
Before beginning, you’ll have to decide whether you’d like to go with a natural wax, or a synthetic blend. The most common natural wax comes from Brazil, and is called carnauba wax. Carnauba wax is described as adding a warm depth to the finish, especially when it’s used on darker colored paints. Carnauba does a fine job of beading up water, absorbing acids contained in rainwater, and hiding slight swirls in the paint.
On the other hand, Carnauba waxes aren’t as durable as their synthetic counterparts. A good natural wax will usually last for only about 30-60 days, as opposed to the 4-6 months you’ll get out of the synthetic waxes. With a natural wax, you’ll also run the risk of it streaking in extremely hot or humid conditions, a problem that you won’t have to worry about with most synthetic blends. A good synthetic wax is said to create more brilliance and sparkle in the paint, a trait that you may prefer over the depth and warmth created by a natural wax.
Ultimately, the decision is up to you. When making the decision between natural or synthetic wax, take into account the amount of time you’ll have available to re-apply the wax (natural waxes demand more frequent applications), as well as the type of finish you’d like to see in your paint.