Question: What is the truth about clear coat? How long does it last and should it be reapplied if you keep your car? Is it OK to clay-bar and wax? Is there a line of cleaning waxing products you like?
P.S.
Answer: I鈥檓 probably the last person you should ask about this as I am terribly neglectful about maintaining the cosmetics of the family vehicles. A gravel driveway, oak tree sap, constant fir needles and dog schlepping present challenges beyond my bandwidth. I checked around with some folks much more knowledgeable than I.
Clear coat is a second layer of paint applied over the base coat, which contains colour and perhaps metallic particles. This is known as a two-stage paint job, which is more durable and easier to maintain, and more work to apply than a single-stage paint that has the colour and sheen integrated. Sun and environmental fallout are clear-coat enemies. In severe cases, the clear coat can haze or flake off, and there鈥檚 no good fix other than a full-on repaint job.
The clay-bar cleaning process removes contaminants from paint, glass, and chrome much better than a typical polish and is not difficult to do. This is a professional detailer鈥檚 method and is highly popular with vehicle owners who have tried it. The bar is used on a freshly washed vehicle in conjunction with a Speed Shine or Quick Detailer liquid, which primarily serves as a lubricant. One check to see if a clay-bar treatment would be beneficial is to place a sandwich baggie over your hand and rub your fingers across the paint or glass surface. If it feels rough or gritty, some detailing is needed!
Tips for performing a successful clay-bar treatment include working in the shade, leaving the car wet after the wash and rinse, and being sure to clean and scrape, or discard a clay bar that falls to the ground. Any clay scuff marks will come off easily during the polishing or waxing process to follow.
To achieve a mirror-like finish, polishing is the next step, if desired.
Finally, a protective coating of quality paste wax. Waxing is a bit of work, but well worth it. Touch-up and spray liquid wax can extend waxing intervals.
Q: I have a 2013 Hyundai Elantra with 124,624 kilometres. The dealer recently replaced the engine under warranty. When I picked up the completed car, the 鈥榗heck engine鈥� light came on within a couple of miles. I took it back, and they found a vacuum-leak trouble code and needed to get a smoke tester to find the leak. They told me the problem was a contaminated 鈥渆vap鈥� canister. I am wondering if the smoke test could have contaminated the system or if that was even the problem.
K.K.
A: No, the smoke machine did not contaminate anything. These devices, which have been around for years, inject harmless smoke into the fresh air intake system of the engine. This is where vacuum leaks occur, but they are very hard to find. Any 鈥渇alse air鈥� entering the engine causes performance problems. By filling the system with smoke, the leak reveals itself as it curls from the leak. Easily spotted, it can be quickly repaired.
Brad Bergholdt is an automotive technology instructor at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, California. Readers can send him email at [email protected]; he cannot make personal replies.
