My car has glasscoat. I want to get a full service wash at my local car wash for the chassis bath, etc. but it also includes wax. This might be a super stupid question, but will waxing my car on top of the glasscoat do anything to it or react in any way with it?
I’m sure glasscoat is just a fancy name for a wax product, so I very much doubt any harm would be done.
I’m assuming the glasscoat was an over-priced dealer installed option? Here is a link to an earlier discussion of the product and its pros and cons. Based on my experience with the forum members I would lean toward the “Con” side.
http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2147676/simoniz-glasscoat/p1
Ed B.
“I’m sure glasscoat is just a fancy name for a wax product, so I very much doubt any harm would be done.”
I agree 100%.
I agree that glasscoat is just a very expensive dealership wax job.
I also recommend against getting the undercarriage washed. This forces water into cavities not designed to drain and/or vent and actually promotes rust.
Your heart’s in the right place, but the best thing you can do for your car’s finish is give it a good wash with lots of water and a good wax job with a carnauba wax. Then keep it well washed and wax it two or three times a year.
That’s a real shocker about undercarriage wash. Are you sure, like is there actual scientific-like comparison testing of that? I have always done it when I could to get the salt off.
Glasscoat is a resin finish. It isn’t a “fancy wax job”. It protects the paint from bird droppings, etc. and is guaranteed for the life of the car. They will pay to repaint the entire vehicle if the paint discolors, rusts, etc.
Thank you though! Basic wash it is!
Oh boy. $600+ for a 30 minute wax job using $40 worth of materials maybe. I remember when we got our 1961 Chev, the owners manual claimed the remarkable Acrylic Enamel finish never needed to be waxed. Yeah, right.
Forget all the miracle products and just spend some time with your car. This is what I do to mine twice a year from the day they were new. I use the clay bar first-that truly is a miracle. Then machine polish with a light polish such as swirl remover. Then machine glaze, than hand wax. The paint is smooth as silk and shines better than new. The spray on waxes have been around for 60 years and pretty much worthless.
http://www.dps500.com/Simoniz_GlassCoat.html
I suspect that Glasscoat is the product at the other end of the link. It is not a wax product even though it seems to behave that way. I don’t think of Simoniz as a fly by night company, but I am not familiar with the product.
It looks to be similar to other synthetic waxes, like NuFinish. And reading the Simonize web site, combined with the high price, convinces me it is nothing more than ‘fancy wax’. The long term guarantee is their bet that few will either keep the cars long, or, if they do, will actually file any kind of claim.
That ‘dps’ website is for a company providing services to dealers. Here’s how they describe themselves:
"Dealer Performance Services was founded in 2008 by veteran dealership income development specialist, Steve Tatum. Dealer Performance Services offers a wide array of services and products to automotive dealerships in Central and Northern Illinois. Our goal is to help dealerships maximize profits and maintain superior customer loyalty. The motto of Dealer Performance Services is “Helping You Grow Your Business.” "
Goal #1: “maximize profits”
I tried to get actual, factual information from the Simonize web site. No luck, they want contact info so they can send me some (call me to try and sell me the stuff, I imagine).
I didn’t pay much attention to the link. I only provided it to show there was a real product with that brand name. I’m not interested in using it, just showing it exists.
Regarding the undercarriage wash, yes, there is evidence. Unfortunately, I cannot provide it. Everything on the internet that I can find is written by the industry that does the undercarriage wash. Do so at your own risk.
A side note to OP: Not sure what “full service wash including wax” exactly means, but if it means wax is mixed with the water & soap spray which they use to wash and rinse the entire car, I’ve experienced a problem with that method. The wax gets on the windshield, and at night it causes an annoying glare from the oncoming car’s headlights.
“ceramic resin”? I’d like to know how that works. Anyway, carnauba is a resin.
Oh, it’s definitely associated with Simonize, you can find the logo on the Simonize web site. My guess - Simonize has licensed out their name for it.
No will not hurt the glass coat. I use a spray wax just to remove stains.
Reason it is a dealer option is the car has to be super clean. No wax or anything else on the paint or chrome. Once on it is there to stay. Any stains become perminate. You can get it on eBay. Not for the faint of heart! Watch their training video before using!
I was in the showroom of a dealership when the “Mop and Glo” finish protectant salesman came in. He had a 5 Gallon bucket of product with a cheap computer printed label with the dealership’s name. He demonstrated the product by applying it to a car on the showroom floor. No buffer, just wiped in on and off. It didn’t take 10 minutes, and he worked with only one hand.
This stuff is just synthetic wax. The auto customer is buying the paint warranty, and, as with any third party warranty, your milage may vary. My dealer was ashamed of my new car prep wash, and offered mop and glo to me for free, without the warranty. I declined.
Talking about a different product!