[Ralph III]

Originally Posted by Forzanerazzurri

Clear coat was originally put on cars to be that layer of protection for the cars actual paint. Modern clear coat doesn't fail like it used to anyway and it doesn't need a "sacrificial layer". Wax and sealants do not offer material UV protection period.

You absolutely do not know what you are talking about. You are also misrepresenting quite a number of things.

You've obviously never worked in the automotive refinish industry. It's also quite apparent that you do not have any experience or knowledge in regards to the automotive detailing industry. I have extensive experience in both.

It's quite appropriate that the video you attempted to use above to propagate your claims in fact refutes them in the end.

1. Nobody has stated that the UV inhibitors in waxes and sealants is comparable to that of a clear coat! That is why they have to be applied regularly. They are present however and waxes/sealants offer protection beyond UV.

2. Modern clear coats are still put on cars as the protective layer. They are also still highly subjective to failure with improper care. I could easily walk you around a parking lot and point out a high percentage of clear coat degradation on many "modern" vehicles. You can claim whatever you want to claim but it's out of ignorance. Any professional in the refinish or detailing industry would laugh you off their forum.

3. You state that modern clear coats don't need a "sacrificial layer" by citing Dmitry's YouTube video. Yet, in his conclusion starting at 13:00, he in fact agrees that waxes and sealants do act as a sacrificial layer for the clear coat! He does this by citing Mike Phillips of Meguirs "...if you wash and wax your car regularly, your paint will be protected and you should suffer no major UV damage over the normal course of the life of the car..."

I don't know who this Dmitry is but I guarantee you he isn't remotely as knowledgeable as Mike Phillips. That is why he is sourcing and quoting Mike Phillips. I use Meguiars products and I've conversed with Mike Phillips many times in regards to the detail industry.

Dmitry then emphatically says "It is actually very clear how much waxes protect clear coat especially good waxes and good coatings....this is why the wax is so important. It provides that sacrificial layer that keeps your clear coat safe".

So, your definitive source flatly refutes you here. Dmitry then notes the flaws with his testing method "Through the UV exposure testing that I am doing, the process is very rapid. I am not allowing for a very fine measurement....although these products may be providing a little bit of UV protection....It's hard for me to measure the impact over a long time".

This is in fact the major flaw with his testing methodology. This flaw was in fact brought to his attention by Optimun in another video of his, as sealants and waxes have a cumulative effect. You do not get an accurate result on glass after one application as he tested and as he tested at the wrong spectrum in that particular video. You get the most protection by washing your vehicle on a regular basis and by frequently applying a wax and/or sealant to the vehicle, as I and others have correctly recommended!

He was then properly educated in another video by a poster on how sunscreens and waxes are effective in regards to UV protection. To his credit, he appreciated the insight.

In Dmitry's defense with the video you linked. His point in the video was to show that waxes and sealants offer very little UV protection in comparison to a clear coat. He is absolutely correct there. You however went a step further by attempting to suggest waxes and sealants offer no protection and as such are ineffective, which is absurd.

Ralph

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by Ralph III

You absolutely do not know what you are talking about. You are also misrepresenting quite a number of things.

You've obviously never worked in the automotive refinish industry. It's also quite apparent that you do not have any experience or knowledge in regards to the automotive detailing industry. I have extensive experience in both.

It's quite appropriate that the video you attempted to use above to propagate your claims in fact refutes them in the end.

1. Nobody has stated that the UV inhibitors in waxes and sealants is comparable to that of a clear coat! That is why they have to be applied regularly. They are present however and waxes/sealants offer protection beyond UV.

2. Modern clear coats are still put on cars as the protective layer. They are also still highly subjective to failure with improper care. I could easily walk you around a parking lot and point out a high percentage of clear coat degradation on many "modern" vehicles. You can claim whatever you want to claim but it's out of ignorance. Any professional in the refinish or detailing industry would laugh you off their forum.

3. You state that modern clear coats don't need a "sacrificial layer" by citing Dmitry's YouTube video. Yet, in his conclusion starting at 13:00, he in fact agrees that waxes and sealants do act as a sacrificial layer for the clear coat! He does this by citing Mike Phillips of Meguirs "...if you wash and wax your car regularly, your paint will be protected and you should suffer no major UV damage over the normal course of the life of the car..."

I don't know who this Dmitry is but I guarantee you he isn't remotely as knowledgeable as Mike Phillips. That is why he is sourcing and quoting Mike Phillips. I use Meguiars products and I've conversed with Mike Phillips many times in regards to the detail industry.

Dmitry then emphatically says "It is actually very clear how much waxes protect clear coat especially good waxes and good coatings....this is why the wax is so important. It provides that sacrificial layer that keeps your clear coat safe".

So, your definitive source flatly refutes you here. Dmitry then notes the flaws with his testing method "Through the UV exposure testing that I am doing, the process is very rapid. I am not allowing for a very fine measurement....although these products may be providing a little bit of UV protection....It's hard for me to measure the impact over a long time".

This is in fact the major flaw with his testing methodology. This flaw was in fact brought to his attention by Optimun in another video of his, as sealants and waxes have a cumulative effect. You do not get an accurate result on glass after one application as he tested and as he tested at the wrong spectrum in that particular video. You get the most protection by washing your vehicle on a regular basis and by frequently applying a wax and/or sealant to the vehicle, as I and others have correctly recommended!

He was then properly educated in another video by a poster on how sunscreens and waxes are effective in regards to UV protection. To his credit, he appreciated the insight.

In Dmitry's defense with the video you linked. His point in the video was to show that waxes and sealants offer very little UV protection in comparison to a clear coat. He is absolutely correct there. You however went a step further by attempting to suggest waxes and sealants offer no protection and as such are ineffective, which is absurd.

Ralph

Ralph, what's absurd is you spent far too much time on this post and didn't even bother to go back and read my initial reply to you.

I said "Neither waxes nor sealants provide any material UV protection."

Hope that helps.

[Ralph III]

Originally Posted by Forzanerazzurri

Ralph, what's absurd is you spent far too much time on this post and didn't even bother to go back and read my initial reply to you.

I said "Neither waxes nor sealants provide any material UV protection."

Hope that helps.

No Forz. You are simply backtracking now and attempting to give yourself an out. I indeed noted you used the word "material" and I knew you'd do this at some point.

However, your attempts were to fully negate the usefulness of waxes and sealants, period. As noted in my original post, I stated "Carnauba waxes do offer UV protection but they only last for a few weeks...".

That is an accurate statement which you emphatically and foolishly challenged. You then doubled down and went further on to state "Modern clear coat doesn't fail like it used to anyway and it doesn't need a "sacrificial layer".

That statement is simply preposterous. As noted, you'd be laughed off other forums by other professional Detailers and Refinishers, of which I am. I simply attempted to correct you and to set the record straight.

What you're failing to comprehend and as others need to understand; is that clear coats are in essence a clear paint. It has no pigmentation. It is used to protect the top coat but it also needs to be protected. Because the elements, including the suns UV, are continually attacking and thus breaking it down on a microscopic level. If it's not properly cared for it will lead to clear coat failure.

Washing your vehicle regularly and using waxes and sealants, which do have UV inhibitors, will greatly help to protect an automobiles finish. I buffed and made other paint corrections on nearly 15k vehicles as a professional, btw.

So, instead of propagating misinformation or otherwise making misleading statements, which leads to confusion by others, try to be open to correction and learn something.

Take care,
Ralph

[Ralph III]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Wow impressive - so wax & sealants - how often quarterly or every 6 mos?

Hello Floridaorange,
I typically use a spray wax/sealant after every car wash or every other car wash. Such as Eagle One. You don't have to apply it that often but it's convenient and it insures there is always some layer of protection. It also makes follow up car washes easier because contaminants are less likely to stick. This also helps to limit the amount of scratches introduced to a paints surface.

I then apply a liquid carnauba wax on occasion because I'm old school and I like the look. There is no set schedule or anything. It just depends on the mood that I'm in. Otherwise, I typically use Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant once or twice a year. It's a really good product that offers excellent protection, IMO.

My advice would be to apply a quality sealant, such as Wolfgang, maybe twice a year with a few waxes in between. That would be my minimum recommendation. Otherwise, you can tweak it by incorporating a spray wax/sealant into your washing routine as well. That would offer the best protection. A lot of this depends on the environment and how the car is used and stored, of course.

God Bless,
Ralph

[CarsAndGuitars]

Originally Posted by Forzanerazzurri

Ralph, what's absurd is you spent far too much time on this post and didn't even bother to go back and read my initial reply to you.

I said "Neither waxes nor sealants provide any material UV protection."

Hope that helps.

really after all that?

[Forzanerazzurri]

Originally Posted by CarsAndGuitars

really after all that?

Yeah really.

[KevinC]

[bmw1racer]

IMO, the best sacrificial layer against UV would be a car cover.