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Best car wax for mid-1980s Volvo paint?

posted by  someone claiming to be naimnut on  Thu Jan 8 15:01 CST 2015 [RELATED]

Any recommendations for the best wax for a mid 1980s 244?

I expect that virtually any wax/spray/finish/coating etc can be applied. But my paint is in really excellent shape and I'd like to keep it that way, so would prefer not to apply something that will only end up eventually needing to be removed via a buffing compound.

Any recommendations based on first-hand experience? Or a sound technical basis?

Thanks,

Markus








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    Best car wax for mid-1980s Volvo paint?

    posted by  Steve on  Sat Jan 10 22:20 CST 2015
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 07:16 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    The best wax job I have ever attained is thanks to the Meguiars three-step program: cleaner, polish, and then a wax of your choice. For the latter, I use 3M Ultimate which has UV blocks and works like a dream.








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    Best car wax for mid-1980s Volvo paint?

    uid 46171's pic
    posted by  kittysgreyvolvo on  Thu Jan 8 18:27 CST 2015
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    last visit: Sat Oct 18 15:23 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Sure your mid-1980s Volvo 240 has a newer paint job?

    All clear coat formulations, even on well-garaged RWD Volvos up to the late 90s, may be delaminating. The earlier water-soluable Volvo clear coat formulations were not well lasting, unlike, say, the rest of the Volvo.

    Look at the ID plate under the hood and on the North American Market Drive side inner fender (or shock tower). Identify the paint code. Search the brickboard and other sources through your fave i-net search engine for a listing of Volvo paint codes, and whether they have a finish like a clear-clea or pearl clear coat and the like.

    If your mid-1980s 240 does not have clear coat, yet is not oxidized, use an abrasive-free wax formulation. Do not use a 'cleaner wax' formulation.

    What you use, be it carnuba or a silicon or other abrasive-free type wax, is up to you.

    Others shall chime in with their preferred auto finish care products for Volvo 240.

    cheers,

    Volvo "Buttermilk" MacDuffy's Tavern
    --
    337 Main Street in Chico, CA








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      Best car wax for mid-1980s Volvo paint?

      posted by  someone claiming to be naimnut on  Fri Jan 9 13:30 CST 2015 [RELATED]

      Hi Kittysgreyvolvo

      Just want to ensure I understand you. 1) the paint on my car is original. It was stored in a garage for about a decade after the first owner died - consequently the low miles on the odometer (41K) 2) the paint is not oxidized and is that "blue mist" color. There are some pictures on this board in the owner's photos section. 3) the paint does appear to have a clear coat, there is no delamination, though there are some hairline scratches.

      My sense from your comments is that I am ok to A) clay-bar the car, B) but use a "non-cleaner" carnauba or silicone wax. Do you think I am ok to use a light rubbing compound between the clay-bar and the wax to remove the hairline scratches? Or do you think they'll rub out when I apply the wax?

      Markus








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        Best car wax for mid-1980s Volvo paint?

        uid 46171's pic
        posted by  kittysgreyvolvo on  Sat Jan 10 18:28 CST 2015
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Sat Oct 18 15:23 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        Uncle naimnut Markus,

        Welp, if so, that is up to you as to using a very, very, very fine clear wax for use on 1980s cars and their enamel (or lacquer?) paint formulations.

        Please research detailing solutions for car finish care products applicable to your Volvo 240. You can search here on the brickboard and also turbobricks may helps.

        You merely want to polish out clear coat imperfections, I'll guess?

        I have not ever used a claybar of any sort, polymer or otherwise, to detail an automobile finish.

        What you do not want to do is to remove the clear coat. If color comes up on your wax applicator or wax removal cloths or such, you've gone too far.

        The clearcoat formulation you're working with is somewhat frail. Being well garaged helps, yet the clearcoat thirty years on is not as durable now as it was.

        So, with great caution, and using tremendous care, perhaps use the finest of cleaner wax or claybar(?) that includes the gentlest and finest of abrasives may help to clear clearcoat surface imperfections. Use a gentle touch on a clean surface with clean applicator pads.

        Do you have a magnifying glass, a jeweler's loupe, or other visual aid to see the clear coat close up? That may help you as you work with various car finish products.

        You may want to give a light application of the fine abrasive car finish product, counting the number or times you apply it, and then remove it. Then look at the finish close up.

        With some extreme magnification, good, steady bright-white lighting, and a good angle, you may be able to see the clear coat layer in contrast to the paint layer.

        You may want to futz with a small area at a time and see what results you come up with.

        After a good Volvo 240 washing, ff you run your fingertips over the clearcoat surface, how does it feel? Smooth like glass or a little gritty with pits?

        I guess, in the end, do it gently, with caution, and care, so your 1984 Volvo 240 finish comes up as mirror-like as you please.

        You may want to use the fine abrasive once, and thereafter, reapply an abrasive-free wax of your choice.

        Hope that helps.

        Questions?

        Thank you, kindly.

        Dairy Products and Services!
        --
        Rear Wheel Drive Volvo 240 FOREVER!!!!!!!

        Damn YOU, Ford Motor Corporation!!!!!!!!







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