Subaru WRX Paint Issues

**jackscan** · 03-06-2019, 10:38 PM

Hello Group,
My daughter's boyfriend recently bought a 2018 Black Subaru WRX...he has had it about 6 months. The other day after a light rain, I walked past the car and noticed that it was in bad need of a coat of wax. I mentioned it to my daughter and she said the dealer told him not to wax it because the paint will come off or chip. I have never heard of such a thing...I would think that if anything, a coat of wax would preserve the paint. Has anyone encountered this?

**Buster906** · 03-06-2019, 10:49 PM

Never heard of waxing causing clear coat or the color to chip or come off a panel

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**392hemi** · 03-07-2019, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by jackscan

Hello Group,
My daughter's boyfriend recently bought a 2018 Black Subaru WRX...he has had it about 6 months. The other day after a light rain, I walked past the car and noticed that it was in bad need of a coat of wax. I mentioned it to my daughter and she said the dealer told him not to wax it because the paint will come off or chip. I have never heard of such a thing...I would think that if anything, a coat of wax would preserve the paint. Has anyone encountered this?

That's very nice of you to come ask on behalf of your daughters bf. I've never heard of the line they said about no wax. Either they fed some BS or he is just plain lazy lol.

**Coatingsarecrack** · 03-07-2019, 12:33 AM

Yeah you got her used to clean cars and he doesn’t want to keep that standard....

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**jackscan** · 03-07-2019, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by 392hemi

That's very nice of you to come ask on behalf of your daughters bf. I've never heard of the line they said about no wax. Either they fed some BS or he is just plain lazy lol.

I think it is may be bs from the dealer or a misunderstanding. Even if he doesn't have time to wax it himself, he has the money to get it detailed...he is just reluctant because of what he was told...I'm hoping someone here will be able shed some light on the possibility that there ARE issues with the paint and what may be the best treatment of it instead of just avoiding waxing it at all. I googled the issue and there were some instances of the paint easily chipping from sand and pebbles from general driving but no one has mentioned whether they wax it or not. Some have even mentioned warranty paint jobs. He loves the car, but I just can't see letting it go like that. Thanks

**Bruno Soares** · 03-07-2019, 07:24 AM

Dealer probably trying to sell their overpriced sealants with multi-year warranty. No issues to apply protection to that paint.

**BillE** · 03-07-2019, 08:12 AM

As an owner of an '18 Outback...the paint is still on it!

The dealer should get a big award for total "BSing" their customers.

Bill

**RobertJ34** · 03-07-2019, 09:00 AM

The car will be absolutely fine, prob a misunderstanding or the dealer doesn't know a thing.

Not taking care of the car and letting it bake in the sun over the years, with no protection, could potentially cause clearcoat failure. So the wax, at the least, should be done.

**DetailKitty** · 03-07-2019, 10:14 AM

That's BS. I wouldn't listen to a WORD about detailing from a dealership.

AND I bet somewhere in the owner's manual it actually tells you to properly wash and protect the paint... my '17 RS states that in the owner's manual

**SWETM** · 03-07-2019, 10:28 AM

Could be a old school dealership that referenced when car paints was not being baked. Then it was a time period after the paint was done and you needed it to out gas. But that is not the case anymore to have a cure time after the paint is baked.

So go and recommend him to protect the car. Wax or sealant or coating as what he would want.