Wax or Polish

[Bruinsma]

I am by no means a pro when it comes to detailing but I do try and take care of my vehicles. My 07' Tacoma is my first NEW vehicle so I am trying to keep it looking new. I have always waxed my vehicles every few month and only polished when it appeared the vehicle needed it maybe once every year or so. I am also aware of the benefits of using a claybar...
When researching the proper maintance of my paint on the internet I seem to get two different stories. One side says todays clear coats are not supposed to be waxed, only polished. The other side somewhat agrees with what I have always done, polish once or so a year or as needed and wax more frequently.
I know there are mixed theorys on this forum. I want to know who does what and why. My 07' Tacoma is Super White if that matters.
Thanks
Jared

[Pb]

Clearcoat should certainly be waxed. It prevents oxidation, protects from some contaminants, and adds a lot of gloss and depth.
I polish my vehicles 2 or 3 times a year, and wax them when they need it. Usually 4 or 5 times a year.

[ToyotaJimD.]

There's a lot of mis-information out there.

As PB says, you still need to wax for various reasons.

Bottom line, wax protects the clearcoat, which protects your base coat and gives you shine...

If clearcoats didn't need to be waxed, then why are there all of these cars out there with peeling clearcoat?

Wax as often as you can. Polish when you need to remove defects.

Usually a cleaner wax product you can buy at your local store will suffice -- they usually have light polishes, some fillers to hide minor defects and add depth and offer protection in the form of carnuaba or synthetic polymers.