re: Waxing a vehicle

Many years in a perfect environment. Add in too much sun, acidic rain, salt from roads or the beach, etc, and your paint is fricked.

You've never seen a car with the paint all fricked up? There is a maybe 5 year old Accord riding around here and the roof is completely ruined. Hood isn't far behind

Lots of good info online:

1) Wash with the 2 bucket method.
2) Clean the surface with clay or nanoskin.
3) Apply polymer sealant with integral polish (One step sealant).
4) Add blackfire crystal seal for gloss and a touch up every 3 months.

I do this annually and the cars look better than new.

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You've never seen a car with the paint all fricked up? There is a maybe 5 year old Accord riding around here and the roof is completely ruined. Hood isn't far behind

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Hondas are notorious for paint issues. They aren't coated thick enough, and the paint breaks down very quickly.

My Si was repainted under a recall. Unfortunately, the dealership screwed me and using a fly by night paint booth. Now instead of large spots of clear coat damage, I have large areas chipping.

Bugs left on the front of your car destroy your paint.

Wax on the paint makes it much easier to wash the bugs off, and helps to protect the surface from the bugs.

I'm lazy and hate waxing, but I also hate my new car looking like crap, and trying to sell a car a few years later with a bug pitted front. At least wax the front facing surfaces.

I just buy black vehicles and bedline them the second I get a paint chip.

Paint weathers and a wax or polish is a protectant.
I clay bar and polish twice a year and believe the polish is applied and its haze is removed easier than wax.

I admit to being lazy with it. Really end up waxing about once a year (and bring it somewhere to get it done). I do think paint holds up very well now, so you don't have a lot to worry about with most cars. But, there is not doubt that regular waxing will make your car MUCH easier to clean. Keeping a good wax job makes bugs wash off easier, dirt rinse off easier, and does help protect from the sun (although I do think most paints are better at protecting from that now).