California Gold Carnauba Wax, Rotary Polisher Adventures & Oxidation

[inyotree]

This is my first post to the Wax forum.

My car is a 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix. I purchased this car in 2000 from a used car dealer who just put on a Maaco single stage blue metalic paint job. The job was well done for being a Maaco and looked good for many years. This car is always garaged. These days, it spends about 8 hours a week in the 110 degree heat of the sunny Mojave Desert.

Over the years the hood, roof, and trunk have oxidated. I wanted to get a new paint job, but tried some Turtle Wax Premium Rubbing Compound with my orbital buffer and got some promising results, but was too slow. I went to Harbor Freight and bought the Chicago Electric 92623 polisher.

With the rotary polisher (terry cloth bonnet) and rubbing compound, the oxidation disappeared, and the paint was very glossy and better than when it was new. There are many warnings about burning the paint with a rotary, but I kept the polisher running under 2000 rpms and always moving, so I never had a problem.

After the rubbing compound, I used my orbital buffer to apply and buff Mothers Carnauba Cleaner Wax. The paint was smooth as glass when done. The reflection was beautiful.

In one week time, the gloss disappear and the paint dulled. Today I put another coat of Mothers California Gold Carnauba Cleaner Wax. This time I applied it with my rotary and terry cloth bonnet. I removed the wax with my obital buffer. Once again, the finish was beautiful.

I am worried that next week the oxidation will reappear and I will be waxing again. Am I using the correct wax for my climate and paint or which wax should I be using?

Thanks.

[Forrest T.]

I'm guessing the paint will be dull and without gloss in a week again.

The 8 year old single stage paint is likely at the end of its useful life, given the environment.

The rotary and terry cloth bonnet are removing a very thin layer of paint, but the oxidation is deeper than what you're removing - that's why the dullness comes back.

Sorry to say, but I'd hazard a guess that a proper repaint is going to be the proper fix.

[inyotree]

Thanks for the answer. After 4 days, the hood polished with Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wax Cleaner is looking as good as the first day. Perhaps my first layers were too thin for any protection. I was wondering if using multiple layers of the wax cleaner is better to seal the paint.

Could be better if I used Carnauba Wax instead of the Carnauba Wax Cleaner? I assume that Carnauba Wax has more wax in it than the Carnuaba Wax Cleaner.

Considering the environment of the car, how using about the FX SynWax?