Car wax makes your car’s finish glow and makes the shine last longer, but only if you use the right wax. Some car waxes can scratch and haze your car’s finish; others can make your finish gleam, but coat the plastic parts in a visible residue. Here are a few questions you need to ask as you pore over the vast selection of car waxes available at your local auto store.
Do you want shine, or depth of color? A natural car wax like Carnauba wax will shine slightly less brightly than artificial waxes, but will give the color depth. Artificial waxes, which include most spray on and liquid waxes, shine beautifully but give a less rich color, and can emphasize minor flaws. Artificial waxes are especially prone to flatten dark colors. Experts suggest that dark cars be waxed only with natural waxes. For lighter cars, either natural or artificial waxes are good, depending on whether you want your car’s finish to be shinier or to have more richness of color.
Does the exterior of your car include much plastic? Porous, matte plastic, especially dark plastic, reacts badly with some car waxes and acquires a conspicuous residue that may take special cleaners to remove. If plastic is a prominent part of your car’s exterior, choose a wax that is noted for being compatible with plastic.
How long do you want each application of car wax to last, and how much time are you willing to invest in waxing? Liquid waxes performed the best in durability and cleaning tests during a Consumer Reports comparison test of waxes. They also took the longest to apply, mainly because of all the extra buffing needed to spread the wax evenly and reduce streaking. Spray on waxes were the least durable and did the worst job at cleaning, but they were also the quickest and easiest to apply. Consumer Reports suggested that spray on waxes were best for owners who were willing to reapply them frequently, for interim treatments between full treatments with more durable waxes, or for new cars whose factory fresh finishes required little attention. Paste waxes took about as long to apply as liquid waxes, and were about as durable. Consumer Reports noted that while paste waxes used to be difficult to apply, they now come with applicators that make them even easier to apply than liquid waxes.
Consider whether color or shine is more important to you, whether you will need a wax that works well with plastic, how much time you can spend on waxing, and how often you plan to reapply wax. Be honest with yourself, and do not feel pressured to buy a wax that takes a lot of effort and upkeep simply because the experts say you should. Unless the experts are going to come and wax your car for you every month, choose the type of car wax that suits both your car and you.