Does the new layer of wax last longer if old wax is stripped off first?

[Crispy]

I'm wondering how helpful it would be, to use a harsh soap to strip the old wax layer off the car, before putting on the new layer. Let's just assume that the same wax is being used for the old and new application (which will be the case, when I run out of the stuff I currently have). Does removing the old layer allow the new wax to bond better with the paint, allowing it to last longer? Or would it really not make a difference?

IMHO it makes no difference.

The new wax will simply overcoat the original wax.

Will last as long as the original.

To start over polish with AIO and top with wax of choice.

 

[ScottH]

I'm wondering how helpful it would be, to use a harsh soap to strip the old wax layer off the car, before putting on the new layer. Let's just assume that the same wax is being used for the old and new application (which will be the case, when I run out of the stuff I currently have). Does removing the old layer allow the new wax to bond better with the paint, allowing it to last longer? Or would it really not make a difference?

I will say there are some important factors to consider. One being how, and how often you wash your car, how often you dry with a spray wax booster and how often you apply paste/liquid wax. In the case of my personal car (and wife's), they are washed once a week (sometimes twice) and always dried with a spray wax applied. They are hand waxed 6 times a year (sometimes more if I get the itch) and get an AIO 2 times a year. In my case, the car's finish stays very clean with this regimen so I don't polish (beyond the twice yearly AIO), clay or otherwise remove the previous wax solely because I don't see a difference anymore - the paint on both cars have come close to reaching their reasonable full potential to the extent they are daily drivers, and now in "maintenance mode" so to speak. If however, you do not wash as often, the car doesn't ever see any polishing/AIO or not waxed often, I would absolutely clean the paint (clay and/or polish) before waxing.

ScottH

 

[ski2]

What I used today is the generic Turtle Wax soap. I used it at double strength, and there was a lot of beading last week when I washed the van, and this morning when I rinsed it off initially, but virtually none today after rinsing off the soap, so I interpret that to mean that a lot of the wax that was there, was washed off. It is a liquid solution, nothing that I think would harm or etch the paint in any way (unless I'm mistaken).

After you washed the car and the beading was gone if you had wiped the car down with IPA the beading would magically reappear. Soaps leave surfactants behind that cause the water to sheet--IPA removes the surfactants and the beading reappears.

LINK: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/66896-lsp-stripping.html

 

[dlc95]

For me it depends on how you maintain your vehicle.

Over the summer, I would rinse less wash and occasionally wax my girl's truck - every morning. I had no problem waxing over the old wax because it was washed daily, and garage kept. If it were a situation where it wasn't constantly being cleaned I would want to give it a light treatment of M205, or Ultimate Polish, seal it, then wax it again.

The other thing is that when I apply wax, I'm usually applying it to a sealant.