[Video] Water Behaviour on Different States of Paintwork

This video shows different patterns of water repellency on three states of paintwork:

1st state: Levelled paintwork with wax. This panel has least exposure to environmental attacks such as UV rays and acid rain. The paint has been fully compounded and polished and protected with Duragloss sealants and spray wax.

2nd state: Waxed paintwork with contaminants, ingrained dirt and heavy waterspot etching. This panel has also been fully compounded and polished, but is exposed to the environment most of the time. The paint is constantly bombarded with hot sun and heavy rain. This accelerates the waterspot etching process. As a result, this panel is heavily water spotted, has ingrained dirt and is contaminated as it feels gritty. Although the sealant/wax on the surface is still repelling water, it doesn't sheet off water cleanly, leaving drops of water behind. This is because the waterspots in the paint 'grabs' the water as it is being sheeted off.

3rd state: Levelled paintwork with no wax and no polishing oils. This is the same panel as the second state, but after polishing with Meguiar's SwirlX to remove waterspot etchings and any ingrained dirt. It is then washed with a basic car shampoo to remove polishing oils. This state shows that levelled paintwork in itself will sheet off water very cleanly.

The ideal state would be the 1st state.

So the next time you wash your car, try to notice how your paint repels water, if it repels water like the 1st state, then protection is good. If it repels like the second state, it is probably a good time for a polish and wax session.

Of course, these are only my observations and could very well be wrong. Please correct me and feel free to point out to any mistakes or ambiguity.

Thanks for looking!

p.s A hint to what's coming next. A test between wash sponges and China vs Japan.