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      09-21-2013, 10:05 PM   #8
cheshirecat79
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Drives: 370z & 135i
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Port Saint Lucie, FL

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian///M View Post
In those conditions the car has a hard life. I see that being necessary... More lucky here Downunder with good weather conditions. Salt factor just makes me cringe as how do work around that
The only thing you can really do in these extreme cases is make sure that your paint has a good layer of sealant and wax. Think of the sealant more as a harder, thinner, high-tech barrier that provides a super-clear surface. This is why you get beautiful reflection and gloss.

Wax, on the other hand, is thicker and less transparent. This is why many carnauba waxes give the car a kind of warm "glow" instead of a slick, wet look.

Both protect the car well. The sealant lasts a long time and actually will bond to the paint, giving a thin, hard surface for contaminants to "slide" off of when they impact the paint (however that may happen).

The wax, on the other hand, isn't as hard or slick, but it *is* thicker, which does well when you're combating things like tree sap, bug guts, or the like- these contaminants are less likely to cut through a good carnauba wax than a thin sealant layer, which, while hard, may be more susceptible to chemical processes brought on by these types of materials.

Keep your paint covered with a protective layer and you'll see less contaminants come into contact with your clear coat. It's a little more work to keep that layer on the paint, but it pays off in the long run (plus it makes your car look great in the meantime).
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