What's waxing got to do with stone chips?

[kimro]

Hey all,

I'm a new member here and have just purchased a 3 but yet taken delivery. I should be receiving the vehicle in a week or two :)

I was reading a few threads in this section on the topic of stone chips and durability of Mazda paint and noticed some people inter mingling the topic of waxing. At a high level, it seems to me like some people are indicating waxing as a way to 'help' against stone chips.

I have a full detailing kit and have been detailing exteriors of cars as a hobby for number of years now. I don't quite understand the logic of waxing helping against stone chips. Can you guys enlighten me?

It's also entirely possible I have a brain cramp and am not understanding the threads properly lol..

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

My wife waxes regularly and last I looked, I didn't see any stone chips. :)

[seelsy]

i think the threads are more basing the whole waxing thing on helping protect the mazda paint from weather and dirt and things like that, since mazda paint is complete crap as many of us have come to realize haha, but i mean even though its not a guard, it is still a thin film that could help deflect some stones from reaching the surface.

[SonicBoy]

My wife waxes regularly and last I looked, I didn't see any stone chips. :)

I didn't see that comment coming!

Perhaps the theory is that the wax allows the object to slide off the surfice rather than penetrating the surface. That's the best I can hypothize.

[Gizzmo_jr]

Wax isn't going to stop a rock going direction A at XX km/h and the car travelling in the opposite direction B at greater then XX km/h.

Clear vinyl will stop that thou.

[kimro]

I didn't see that comment coming!

Perhaps the theory is that the wax allows the object to slide off the surfice rather than penetrating the surface. That's the best I can hypothize.

Fair enough =)


Wax isn't going to stop a rock going direction A at XX km/h and the car travelling in the opposite direction B at greater then XX km/h.

Clear vinyl will stop that thou.

Clear bra or equivalent is a way to go IMO as well. I've seen a case where debris (stone or whatever it was) got ripped and the hood was still chipped. Now to think the kind of damage that specific debris would've cause without the clear bra!