The automotive industry tends to bring out more new & exciting metallic finishes in with the new year. This just happens to give more customers the excuse in keeping their finishes from being polished & waxed regularly.

Most of the customers have told me that they tend to neglect their metallic finishes because they feel that the clear coat finish will protect their sparkling paint. The fact is that neglected clear coat finishes can & will oxidized in time if these finishes are neglected. All clear coated finishes will protect the paint than non clear coated finishes, but care is still to be taken. On metallic finishes, the clear is actually protecting the metal flake that is in the paint itself. When oxidation occurs in a metallic finish, the metal flake dries out & reaches the top surface & oxidation occurs. More education is what is needed when explaining this process to neglected customers.

When I was looking at buying my new car, the salesman actually tried to say that with the "NEW" clearcoat finishes, all I had to do was rinse the car off with clear water...no waxing needed (soap either apparently).

He was a definite candidate in my "Moron of the Week" competition.

Clearcoat is still PAINT, just paint with no pigments and ALL paints need regular polishing and waxing.



Don M
'02 Cavalier LSSC
2200 DOHC

I heard that same joke, it was at the shop when I complimentED a guy about his new car. He proceeded to tell me the best thing about it was that he doesn't have to wax it for two years....WHAT A SALESMAN THAT CAR DEALER WAS!