Damaged new car by waxing?

[aaradia]

I just bought a brand new Honda Fit. I waxed it with Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax because I heard it was one of the safest and easiest and best products out there. My sister and I waxed it in the evening, to avoid bright sun. It looked beautiful. But several hours later home at night, and the roof looked awful! All cloudy and swirly in the night condensation. I live in San Diego, Ca. One of the mildest climates in the world.. So I wiped it down and it was all well like there was still wax on it and not dried. Although it seemed perfectly dry right after doing it earlier in the evening.

I rubbed hard all over. It looked like I wiped up the extra, but as the dew came back, so did the cloudy look. Now I an worried that trying to fix it by wiping it off at night did some sort of damage. I rubbed with some strength to get it to look clear, but I used microfiber towels. I did this like 5 times before giving up. Now I am reading about curing for twelve hours, but the how to video on Amazon didn't mention this before. Nor did other videos on waxing a car. The isntructions just said "better to not use in bright sunlight." Nothing about not doing it in the evening. It is a BRAND new car and I was trying to take care of it. I researched and used the right cloths and stayed out of the sun. My sister seemed aware of not applying the product too thickly and guided me. Please tell me what is going on!

I am freaking out!

Sorry for this being my first question, before an intro even.

[pheerix]

It's just condensation you're seeing. No big deal. Don't rub the paint unless it's totally clean or you'll mar it.

[aaradia]

Thanks, it doesn't look like regular condensation though. And it didn't look like that the last week that I have had the car before tonight when I waxed it when condensation occurred. It looked nice and shiny with damp spots, not cloudy.

The car was cleaned a couple of hours ago. But I was worried that if this wax was somehow, someway still damp- or damp again - rubbing it with the condensation would cause damage.

Sorry if I sound dumb, I am new to car waxing.

[GSKR]

It's perfectly fine happens all the time.If you wax your finish in the morning that night you will see wipe patterns .Its all do to condensation.If you sprayed tire silicone dressing and overspray got on to paint then you wax it,that night would look worse.give it a full hot or warm day in the sun and it will disappear .

[Don M]

You could use some detail spray (not spray wax) and go over the car **AS LONG AS IT'S CLEAN** to see if that helps. You could also try washing & drying the car again using a good mf towel or towels to dry the car. The *defects* you are seeing are only skin (wax) deep ... NOT in the paint.

At WORST, a light polishing (just enough to remove the current wax) perhaps a mild cleaner wax even, and careful rewax will make things right.

[FUNX650]

IMO:
•A person would really have to go out of
their way to damage a clean vehicle by
Waxing it—especially if the Manufacturer's
application/removal recommendations are
faithfully followed.

•The condensation is caused by the ambient
temperature changing between daytime and
nighttime hours; the differences between the
vehicle's panel temperature and the surrounding
ambient temperature; relative humidity; the
"dew point"; etc.

-And...Due to natural Wax's hygroscopic nature:
The condensation is likely to now be
more pronounced; more noticeable.

-Best to: Let it run its course.



Bob

[Coopers ST]

I don't think he used natural wax, isn't Megs Ultimate Wax a Sealant? I don't think anything is ruined, but do wonder if the sealant was wet from condensation while applying it? If in the day it still looks cloudy I would get a bottle of ultimate polish. Wash the car, polish it, then reseal (your Ultimate Wax) it. Dont do it in the evening, but day. I would start mid morning and do the work in the shade.

[FUNX650]

I don't think he used natural wax,
isn't Megs Ultimate Wax a Sealant?

Modified polymers of many olefins:..(such as
those having a carbon number greater than 20)...
have wax-like properties; and, more often than
not: meet the performance characteristics of
animal and vegetable Waxes. Hygroscopicity is
one such performance characteristic.

These are sold as Synthetic Waxes (Sealants).


Bob

[Paul A.]

Condensation occurs due to the moisture in the ambient air contacting a colder panel and condensing into visible water. Once wiped away it will almost immediately reappear until either there is no longer enough moisture in the air OR the panel warms up to prevent condensing at or below the dew point.

[Billy Baldone]

I'm sorry to say this, but I disagree with everyone else's reply. I believe that you have completely and totally ruined your car. I think that you should call insurance immediately and then go buy yourself a Fiat 500 Abarth. There is a thread in the off topic section right now, you can read up all you want on them.😂 i kid, i kid... can you snap some pictures so that we know exactly what you're talking about