Just waxed the car today. It seems like the paint is rough. It this what Mazda paint is like? A bit rought/ Do I need to even bother with wax?

 

sounds like you need to use one of those clay bars.....my paint feels like glass so I don't think it's supose to be feel rough

 

I have heard a lot of ppl on this forum say that the Mazda paint is pretty thin. All the little chips in my front end already seem to testify to that!
But, I just waxed mine last weekend and it turned out great. No rough spots at all.

 

3 1/2 years Mazda Pro ES 2001 silver, no chipping at all anywhere!!!

well minus the rocks and crap I hit on the highway on the front of the hood, but thats solved now with the deflector

 

lol...Subaru paint is THIN.....you sneeze wrong and it chips..so far the Mazda oaint is gorgeous..

 

I do not use clay at all and my finish is smooth. What kind of wax are you using? Do you glaze at least once a year?

 

The whole deal with the paint is that the government changed the laws about car paint a few years ago. I used to have a Celica GT-S (2001) and we all complained about it too, and after a whiel we started talking to Toyota people. Turns out in 2000 or 2001 the government made it so they couldnt put as much lead (i think) in the paint, so its generally less durable, but probably better for the environment. If the paint feels rough, try using a clay bar. Not only is it therapeutic and fun, but it makes your paint feel like sex. Wash the car, use a crazy car soap, clay bar the crap out of it, then wax it with a coat or 2, then tell us if your car still feels rough

 

are you talking about the us government? because i thought our cars were shipped from Japan and i dont know the laws there though

 

It wouldn't matter where it was made. For them to be allowed to sell it here, they would have to comply with our laws.

 

i am almost positive that law only applies to painting of such vehicles so if they are painted in Japan the law does not pertain to them but if they are painted here i can see where that LAW would be effective, but if you park NEAR an area where there is painting of vehicles are done like a dealership you will get overspray. i know this because i worked at a dealership and it was a bitch to keep the overspray off our vehicles even though they change the filters like clockwork,and i had overspray on my MSP when i bought it from another dealership as well, so i just claybared it and it came out as smooth as glass there afterwards, freaked me out at first cause i thought maybe the car was repainted somewhere and turned around and sold it for new.

 

back on topic, I worked in an automotive detail dept. for a while and yes, you need to clay bar it. Go to any auto parts store and look for clay bar type products. They work like this... your paint is rough because there are contaminants IN it, actually embedded in the clear coat of your paint (microscopic). the clay bar products pick theses contaminants up out of the paint. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS on the clay bar container. Most work like this...you break off a chunk of clay bar (like silly putty), knead it, then flatten it out into a patty, lubricate the paint to be clay barred (most will have you wash the car first), either leave it wet or use a quick detailing spray/mist type wax, this allows the clay bar to slide over your paint, using small circular motions (like waxing) clay bar your car. the top surfaces tend to be the worst (hood/roof). look at the clay bar frequently while cleaning the paint, you'll see the crap that was making it rough feeling. frequently turn the bar/knead it up if necessary. if you EVER drop the clay bar onto the ground, THROW IT OUT, get some more, it will pick up bigger pieces of dirt and SCRATCH YOUR PAINT!!!.

hope that helps

 

I've heard great things about clay bars, but as you mentioned, if you are not carefull you could damage the paint. A good glaze like 3M and good wax lake One Grand can do wonders - without the risk of damage. Plus the glaze will "nourish" the paint and and more lustre and depth. The results are very noticable on dark color cars.