Should You Wax a Brand New Car? (Detailed Answer)

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My father-in-law recently bought a brand new car, and he asked me if waxing is needed since it’s a car straight from the factory. After explaining everything to him, I went online to check if more people had similar questions.

I found out that many people aren’t familiarized with paint protectants, so I decided to write this article and show you whether you should or shouldn’t wax a brand new modern car.

Waxing your brand new car is necessary if you want to keep its paint in perfect condition and also make it even more shiny and glossy. So, the answer is YES. You should always apply wax or some other paint protectant to brand new cars.

If it’s not your first time on my blog, you know that I’m always thorough in my articles. Also, I always try to explain to you all the reasons for my answers and views. Make sure to read the rest of the article. I’ll even share some of my recommendations for car waxes and other paint protectants.

Do New Cars Come With Pre-applied Paint Protection?

I often hear that new cars don’t need waxes or other paint protectants since they’re brand new and they probably have some protection applied. However, the situation is totally different. Brand new cars from factories don’t come with any sort of paint protection pre-applied.

I think that the biggest reason for that is because it isn’t profitable so much. Most paint protectants (except ceramic coatings) are cheap, and car manufacturers couldn’t earn a good margin by applying waxes, sealants, or ceramic coatings. Of course, that’s in my opinion.

Some car dealers offer their service to apply paint protection to your car. However, if you’re buying a new car, my advice is to refuse that offer from them. Car dealers often use the cheapest crap (sorry for the word) of waxes out there, yet they charge a lot for that.

If you want more proof on this topic, make sure to check people’s experiences with car dealers applying waxes on vehicles.

Why It’s Important to Wax a New Car

There are thousands of reasons why you should wax any car, especially if it’s a new one. The most crucial reason for waxing a brand new vehicle is to keep it in a like-new condition for a prolonged time. It’s as simple as that.

However, I’ll be more specific and show you the exact reasons why I would wax my brand new car:

• Car will look even better (shinier, glossy, cleaner), especially black painted vehicles
• Waxing your car will protect the paint from weather elements such as sun, rains, snow, etc.
• It’s easier to wash and keep car clean if it’s waxed
• It may fill extremely light swirl marks caused by improper washing at car dealers
• You’ll protect paint from bird poop etchings, hard water spots, etc.

I mentioned easier washing of the vehicle if there’s wax applied on the paint. I’ll explain it. If there’s wax on the car’s paint, all the dirt and road grime won’t stick to the paint, which makes it easier to wash off every time you decide to wash your vehicle. I would say that it’s ten times easier to clean waxed cars.

What Happens if You Never Wax Your Car

I highly suggest that you always apply some paint protection to your car, regardless of its age. There are many reasons to do that. I mentioned some of them in the list above.

If you never wax your car, here’s what will happen:

• The paint won’t look so shiny, and it’ll always look bland
• Your car will become more harmful to weather elements, especially to Sun’s UV rays, which are proven to damage the clear coat on vehicles
• Bird poops will cause etchings on the clear coat
• Hard water spots will easily appear on the paint, and it’s extremely hard to remove them once they show up
• It’ll be tougher to wash and keep the car clean
• Swirl marks and scratches are more likely to appear on non-waxed cars
• The car will lose its value quicker.

Those were the most obvious things that could happen if you never wax your vehicle. That’s why it’s imperative to prevent them from happening by applying a coat of wax or any other paint protectant to the vehicle’s paint.

How Often to Wax Your New Car

Waxes don’t last forever. After some time, waxes will lose their properties and won’t protect your car’s paint anymore. Like everything, they too have an “expiration date” or shelf life.

I’ve written a fantastic article on How Long Do Car Waxes Last. In the article, I also made an easy-to-read table with the longevity data for the most popular car waxes, so make sure to check it out.

For those of you who want information quickly, here’s my answer. In general, you should wax your car every 2-3 months. However, it also depends on a few factors that I’ll mention below.

1. The quality and type of wax – if you’re using some cheap products, you can’t expect them to last long. That’s why I always recommend using high-quality car waxes from reputable companies. For instance, synthetic waxes will last longer than natural waxes. Check my recommendation for the best car waxes. Some of those waxes require re-application after five months, which is fantastic.
2. How you wash your car – if you don’t wash your vehicle correctly, you’ll quickly remove any protection applied to the car’s paint, and waxes won’t last long. Check my thorough guide on how to wash your vehicle without damaging the car wax.
3. If you have a garage – the car wax will last longer since it’s not exposed to all the weather elements all the time. Cars kept in the garage may extend the wax longevity even for a whole month or two.
4. How often you drive the car – it’s obvious, the more you drive your vehicle, the more car wax gets weaker. It’s more exposed to all the weather elements and other things that damage waxes, so it’s expected for the wax to last shorter.

Waxing a car is pretty straightforward, and I don’t see it as a problem for anyone. Of course, if money isn’t a problem, you can always go to some auto detailing shop and let them apply a coat of wax to your car. Just make sure to wax it at least twice a year.

Sealants and Ceramic Coatings – New Generation of Paint Protectants

For the whole article, I’m talking about waxes because everyone knows what car wax is. Actually, the topic is about any paint protectant. If you didn’t already know, there are other paint protectants aside from car waxes.

There’s a new generation of paint protectants out there – paint sealants and ceramic coatings. You should think about them too, especially if you don’t have time to often re-apply the wax on your vehicle.

Those paint protectants are synthetic, and because of that – they offer better protection and last longer. However, there’s one area where they can’t beat car waxes – it’s the look. Wax provides a much better appearance of the car – and that’s why I still stick with it.

Conclusion

I hope that I thoroughly explained the importance of applying wax (or other paint protectants) to your brand new vehicle. It would be a shame not to protect the paint on your brand new and expensive car.

Waxes and sealants are pretty cheap to apply, and I think everyone should do it. Ceramic coatings are the most expensive option, but they last incredibly long.

There are so many reasons to apply paint protection to your car. It can be a wax, sealant, ceramic coating, even graphene coating nowadays – it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you do your best to protect your vehicle’s paint and keep it as beautiful as possible.

Similar articles for you:

• Does Pressure Washing Remove Wax From The Car Paint?
• 3 Best Ways To Protect The Paint on Your Car
• Best Car Waxes: Protect and Shine For Your Car