How to tell when vehicle needs to be re-waxed

M

MalibuLX3

New member
I'm new to the whole detailing thing and I just recently topped my car off with a nice thin coat of Collinite #845. It went on extremely well and came off easily. My question is, how can I tell when I need to reapply? I know this specific product lasts awhile compared to others, but do I just reapply when the paint doesn't bead water like the did right after applying?

Thanks!
 
When it starts sheeting instead of beading....I also set a calendar date of about 4 months to think about it again....Meg's quik wax can extend it for me too.....
 
You can judge by the beading. But usually I try to find time to reapply my wax every month. That is if I have time.
 
My Tundra 4WD gets waxed every 15 days, Caribbean weather on a Island abuses any car. Payed lotta $ for it & the $ for a bottle of wax is penny's on the dollars. With the Meguiars "Profesional hand pad" I can use the same pads of my Meg's 110v2 D/A & waxing that large Truck only takes a couple of minutes. When a job is easy to do, we do it more often. We payed lots $ for vehicles that go down in $ every single day, so we must protect that investment as much as possible. Clean & Wax every time you can get a chance.
 
Some may be personal preference but there are several otherfactors that come into play.

All waxes are not created equal and the protection offered by one may not necessarily equal that of another.

  • Temperature
  • Paint Color
  • Rain
  • Washings
  • Beading / Sheeting
  • Appearance
  • Time
  • Preference
Just to name a few...
 
I use Optimum Car Wax between major details to extend the life. OCW works great by itself and even better as a booster wax. Since my car always beads with OCW I just time it out 3 - 4 months and apply another sealant/wax as a base.
 
I agree with all of the above... Usually I base it on the amount and quality of the beading and sheeting. As soon as it starts to fall below my desired levels I re-apply.
 
on my own cars it is impossible to wait months for wax to wear off. i am a detailer and ocd by profession. like the tundra, my cars get waxed every couple weeks. how else can i use up the massive amount of product i have bought from around the world. i am making peoples eyes smile.
 
When the product is no longer performing to the standard you'd want it to. What that standard is, and what characteristic it relates to, is up to each individual - in my case, I look at beading, sheeting, and paint slickness; that paint slickness category means that I tend to apply more often than perhaps others would.
 
In general it is best to re-apply regularly based upon the factors that Bobby G mentioned. How to tell by indicators is subjective until it gets to the extreme and then it is overdue.
 
umi000 said:
When the product is no longer performing to the standard you'd want it to. What that standard is, and what characteristic it relates to, is up to each individual - in my case, I look at beading, sheeting, and paint slickness; that paint slickness category means that I tend to apply more often than perhaps others would.
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There are a lot of good answers to your question but...This is probably the best answer. It is so true that it is up to each individual on what their expectations are.
 
TroyScherer said:
I agree with all of the above... Usually I base it on the amount and quality of the beading and sheeting. As soon as it starts to fall below my desired levels I re-apply.
Click to expand...

I agree with this view but add I can judge by ease of cleaning and drying. With a Master Blaster, it is harder to dry (herding the water off) as the protection degrades.

I have almost always had some protection left before I decided to detail it again.

Paint that is smooth well maintained paint (clean, clayed, polished at some point) can actually feel slicker than you think.
 
When my vehicles surface starts losing its beading abilities its time to wax. Luckily I don't have that problem, I have too much wax on it.
 
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