Our MINI was built-in early December and delivered to us December 31. I clayed, polished, and waxed it the very next day with absolutely no fear of hurting the paint. Incidentally, it rain a week later and the car was full of salt and road grime. As bad as it looked, I knew I had already taken care of the paint and had no fear that the salt and harshness of winter would hurt it.
The MINI also arrived at the dealership with a protective plastic wrap on the top surfaces of the car to protect against atmospheric pollution and the elements during transit, and the short time it is at the dealer before it gets derived. MINI, or any other car manufacturer, would never use a plastic wrap suck as this if the paint were still in the process of drying,
Some cars do not have plastic wrap. Or the wrap may have been removed after its expiration date. Sometimes cars sit on a dealer’s lot for a very long time if they are in low demand or if the dealer is overstocked. I have seen cars sit on a dealer’s lot for four, six and eight Months or longer. These cars sit out there unwaxed and unprotected against the elements. They are rarely salesman tell a customer not to wax his car for another six months to a year. How much damage could be done to the paint surface over the period of time indicated in this scenario?
Also, it is important to consider how a customer takes care of his new car? Is it garage? Is it parked outside in the hot summer sun? Does he let the car sit with rad salt all over it for weeks? Does he wash it often? I know what you are thinking. This “New car” is going to need some serious paint correction when it is a year old. Not a simple “Wax Job”.
Do the Math
Customers as much as they dislike dealerships and sometimes their practices, will still believe a salesman when he tells them no to wax their car for six months to a year. then when you finally see their “new” car, it may need some serious work, If you do that serious work and want to be paid accordingly, You look like the bad guy for charging such a steep price for servicing a ”new” car.
Let’s say a customer is driving a “Brand new” 2011 model. As you are reading this article, it is sometime in November 2011. He tells you it’s a 2011, so how bad can it be? However, you look at the production date and find that the car was built-in October of 2010. He finally decides to get it waxed in November of 2011, so, in reality, it’s not so new. This Brand new car is 13 months old! If this car was never waxed when it was delved, do you think it would need more than a simple wax job at this point? I bet it does, and I am sure you see this all the time. Unfortunately, the customer who was actually trying to protect his car against damage by not getting it waxed was doing exactly the opposite more harm than good!
Clear coat is not bulletproof
Many customers think that the term “clear Coat” means that they have some kind of protective coating or special paint on their cars. They think this is what allows them never to wax their car. They assume there is some kind of bulletproof shield on their vehicle. Clear coat is simply the final step in the factory paint stage paints of 20 years ago; it still needs to be cared for. Customers must always be informed of this fact. Today’s cars still need to be waxed and, If they are not, paint damage is likely to occur. This will result in the overall value of the vehicle being greatly reduced.
