Resist-all + waxing

[rlwalker799]

I have a 2 yr old BMW that has had Resistall paint + interior treatment done. Can/should this finish be waxed for extra protection??

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Resist-all + waxing

This has been on the car for two year? Well, perhaps the better way to ask the question is - this was applied to the car two years ago?

What are the terms of the warranty agreement - do you have to bring the car in every 6 months or annually to have it reapplied, and if so, have you done so? Usually these dealer applied sealants have such terms stipulated in the warranty, but most people don't bother.

We spoke with a gentleman on the phone earlier today who had a similar dealer applied sealant put on his new Audi S5 and the dealer managed to scratch the heck out of his paint in the process. He also has an etch mark from a bird dropping that the sealant was supposed to prevent. He's coming down to a Thursday Night Open Garage to learn how to take care of his paint himself.

Point being, these sealants are usually nothing more than any good quality synthetic sealant you can apply yourself. When you consider that a bird dropping can indeed etch right down into your paint, then a sealant that can prevent this from happening would have to be stronger, tougher and more resilient than the paint itself. If that's the case, why should it ever have to be reapplied?

Take a critical look at the paint condition in direct sunlight. Do you see fine swirl marks in the paint, like all those "before" images found all over MOL and other detailing forums? If so, we'd recommend that you not only wax the car, but put a paint cleaner to good use in order to remove those swirls first.

[rlwalker799]

Re: Resist-all + waxing

It was applied just before I bought the car 1 mo ago

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Resist-all + waxing

OK then, how does the paint look to your eyes when viewed in direct sunlight? If it isn't virtually flawless, then the only way to get it there is with a liquid paint cleaner like Ultimate Compound, and that will remove the sealant. If you don't want to do this but you do want to wax, which should be completely fine, we'd still recommend double checking with the warranty agreement. If they say no, then don't do it if the warranty means anything to you. But if you do wax, stay away from a cleaner wax or it, too, will remove most if not all of the sealant.

In all candor, we think you're better off in the long run taking ownership of your cars finish and doing things the right way, rather than rely on a single application of some thin coating for total protection.