How long does Carnauba last in extreme desert weather: am I waxing too much, and more

M

MikeWinLDS

New member
*Warning, essay alert :grinno:



Hey everyone,



I was wondering how long carnauba paste waxes typically last in extreme, desert weather. I live in a very hot (let's say the average temperature around these parts are 100 degrees fahrenheit) and dry climate (not to mention dusty, but more of that below), and I've read that carnauba waxes don't typically last as long when exposed to constant sunlight and high temperatures.



I'm the type of person that likes to wax my car after every wash, but I'm finding that some days I just don't have enough time to spare to wax. It usually takes me 45 minutes to wash and dry the car, and then another 2 hours to wax the car, applying and removing by hand. Don't get me started on how long it takes to clay the car either. I usually clay it every month. So this week I'm going to skip on waxing the car. For the past month or so, I've been waxing after every weekly wash.



I've noticed that the car still beads water every week when I wash it, so I guess that means the carnauba is still there, though how much I'm not sure. Plus, I usually go out of my way to find parking spots that supply adequate amounts of shade, so that may be a plus in the longevity of the wax. I don't expect the car to stop beading water after this next week (so it will be two weeks total from my last waxing), or stop beading at all if I left it for a very long time.



But if I do decide to refrain from waxing, what are some indicators to look for that tell me it's time for another waxing? I probably will see it stop beading totally if I leave the car for like a year, so I don't think that will be a good sign. Will I start to see no beading action at all in areas of like 1 feet by 1 feet or something? For those of you who live in similar environments, how long do your carnauba waxes last, and how can you tell when it's time to rewax?



Also, am I waxing too much if I do it once a week? I can't really tell if the car looks better or not when I keep waxing every week. Every time I wax, though, the car does look good, but I think that's just from seeing the wax haze and the car looking dull then buffing off the hazy residue to the shiny surface underneath. Does waxing frequently enhance the shine or gloss of the paint?



I remember when I first started on here, I was talking about how the current paste wax I was using, Meguiar's Hi-Tech Yellow, was such a pain in the butt to remove and it was so dusty when I was buffing it off. Turns out I was using too much and only had to swipe the applicator along the lip and scrape a little wax out to apply to a large section of the car. The reason being that there's only a finite amount of wax that will adhere to the paint and the excess was just being buff off anyhow.



So that brings me to the whole notion of "layering" carnauba or whatnot. Is my weekly waxing considered layering the wax? And is there really a purpose? I mean if the wax only adheres to the paint in a finite amount, isn't any extra just going to slough off when it comes time to buff the waxy residue off? I've read on here that reapplication is good for maybe hitting spots that no longer have protection, talking about really small microscopic spots that might deteriorate over the week from concentrated sunlight exposure or whatnot in order to relevel the layer of wax on the car so that every part is protected evenly.



Lastly, does anyone know of any waxes that are fairly inexpensive that provide a slick, smooth surface? I've been using S100 for the past month or so, and while it looks good, it doesn't provide that slick, smooth feel when I run my hand across the paint like other waxes I've used, such as Meguiar's Gold Class paste wax. I've even reclayed the car and tried applying the S100, but it still feels grabby, moreso than the Gold Class. I think the consensus on here was that Gold Class contained more oils and fillers that made it more slick to the touch.



Since personal preference comes into play a lot when it comes to the products we use, I've decided to maybe alternate week by week from the S100 to a wax that is slick and smooth to the touch like Gold Class. Since I don't have any Gold Class to use, this is where I have the opportunity to buy something new. I'm looking to spend no more than maybe $20-30 (I'll get some Souveran down the line eventually, but not now) that fits the bill of leaving the paint smooth and slick with the least amount of staining of trim as possible (that's what I like about the S100). Any ideas?



And I'll probably never run of out these waxes. At the rate I'm using this S100, even if I continue to wax each week for a whole year, I'll probably only be at half of the jar. I wonder how you guys that don't do this as a business manage to use up all your wax. Hard to buy and play with new wax when you still got a nearly full container of another one nearby. I guess it would be the same with compounds and polishes too.
 
I'd trust collinite way longer than GC, I've made a couple posts about GC before. I've even shown that it has rather large abrasive particles in it comparable to NuFinish. So weekly waxings with GC should probably be avoided as it will abrade paint, a microscopic amount, but it will add up over time. GC also loses it's slickness really quickly and it loses beading after only 2-3 weeks.



Collinite 476s is a really slick pure wax that will last way longer, it's initial slickness isn't THE slickest but it's good. But the amazing part is that it doesn't lose it's slickness with the first wash. I live in socal and there's been blazing heat all summer and collinite easily lasts through at least a whole season of sun. I polish and rewax after 3 months anyways but after all the washes my car still beads like the day I applied it.
 
Clearkote's Carnauba Moose holds up very well for me in the Dallas area, definitely better than S100.



Regular re-application may not actually layer (or maybe it does to a certain extent) but at the very least you then have the full durability of the wax you are using.
 
If you are running low on time and you need to put some protection on your paint, I think Prima Banana Gloss is your best bet. Designed for any environment, it hazes up instantly no matter if you are working in the sun or in the shade. I used it on my van last week since I didn't have time to fully wax it and it worked quite nicely. Beading was there and so was extra gloss it leaves behind. All you need is a MF applicator and you'll be set. Took me about 5 min to wax and take it off :)
 
MikeWinLDS said:
another 2 hours to wax the car, applying and removing by hand. Don't get me started on how long it takes to clay the car either. I usually clay it every month.
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It shouldn't take any where near that long. Why don't you try UPGP or one of the other WOWA sealants? You can apply them to the whole car in about 10 minutes and you don't need to wipe them off. Also, they would be more durable than the S100. UPGP leaves a slick surface like you mentioned.



Why do you clay so often? I'm pretty sure that it is not necessary.



You have to work smarter, not harder! :D
 
Carnauba waxes are mostly (% wise) synthetic waxes. The carnauba portion breaks down fairly quickly in hot sunlight. Depending on what other ingredients are mixed with the carnauba will determine how long it lasts.
 
In such a tough climate, what's your reason for using carnauba?



In such hot and dusty environment where you wash often and want a product that can be layered, I would personally go for a sealant.



My choice would be REJEX.

On a well-prepped surface, REJEX works for me cos:

1. It can be layered - what you want

2. Less prone to dust buildup - essential in dusty environments

3. Can withstand high temperatures much better than carnauba

4. Long-lasting slickness and brightness after repeated washes.
 
living in south florida i experience similar temps for many months (90-95) with brutle sub-tropical sunshine. i have used 845IW for many years. its inexpensive, very easy to use, lasts a long time and looks great. simple, no smoke & mirrors and does not have to be purchased by mail order. there are many products out there and everyone has a different opinion. KISS ;). good luck
 
I've never tried a sealant, though I might give that a shot. I always read that sealants gave cars a more plastic candy type look than compared to a carnauba, so that has been a turn off for me. But I can't really knock it until I try, right? That is really what I am looking for in a LSP, not so much the protection and durability but how it improves the look of the paint. I think that's also why I've stuck to paste waxes too, since there is a lot of bias towards how paste waxes look better than liquid ones, but still, can't knock it until I try, right?



That thing about dusting is a big one for me too. When I was living in SoCal, I would never see a layer of dust on my car the entire week parked outside. But back here in the dusty butt desert, I can't even go into the grocery store and come back out without a layer of dust on the horizontal panels of my car. It really pisses me off, and I have to break out my California Car Duster every single day I get home. This is probably why I clay my car so often, because of the dusty and crappy air we have here. Running my hand across the paint after a wash, I can always feel new bonded contaminants start to build up.



If sealants aren't more prone to attracting dust like a magnet, that should be another incentive for me to look into trying out a sealant. Now, are all sealants like Opti-Seal, Zaino, or UPGP? What I mean is that are they all clear liquids that you just wipe on and wipe off? Or do some act like waxes where you apply it and then it will haze before you buff it off? What about those types of partial sealants that are sealant/waxes, like I think Poorboy's EX-P or whatever that is supposed to be a sealant with a little added carnauba. How do they compare against a full sealant?
 
Mike, all of the products are great. There is really no one answer which is best. Try them all and you'll be a true Autopian.
 
MikeWinLDS said:
Now, are all sealants like Opti-Seal, Zaino, or UPGP? What I mean is that are they all clear liquids that you just wipe on and wipe off? Or do some act like waxes where you apply it and then it will haze before you buff it off? What about those types of partial sealants that are sealant/waxes, like I think Poorboy's EX-P or whatever that is supposed to be a sealant with a little added carnauba. How do they compare against a full sealant?
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There are sealants that you apply and then have to buff off (DG 105 is like this and is a great sealant), but UPGP, Opti-Seal and ZCS are all WOWA (wipe on, walk away) sealants. You don't buff anything off.
 
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