Body panels... are they all plastic? Do they benefit from wax?

Some are solid color all the way through. Others are painted on top of the plastic. Depends on the color. Others here will know which specifically. Yes, a coat of wax will reduce the Damaging effects of grime on the surface.

Just used a clay bar and wax on my white 2015. It does make a difference. They may be small cars, but the doors are bigger than those of most fill size cars.

A blast from the past...
wax???.

jwight said:

A blast from the past...
wax???.

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Gotta say, it’s been a while since I made the effort to wax a car, but I can really feel the difference between an unwaxed panel and a waxed one. Given that the Smart is not the most aerodynamic car to begin with, smooth surfaces probably can’t hurt. Not much one can do with the textured roof of the pure, unfortunately.

since even the molded in colors are clearcoated, waxing doesn't hurt and may help with the clearcoat peeling that occurs.

Our black 451 looks fantastic after a wax , we forget how much better it looks , the black becomes blacker . So I vote a yes for wax .

Seriously? I have never owned a car that wasn't waxed regularly - and that was starting in 1961. Clear coat is great but it does nothing for solar burn. Take a look at 3-4 year-old unwaxed cars in Arizona with the paint literally burned off! Steel, plastic, fiberglass, doesn't make any difference. New waxes and sealants make the job so quick and easy it would be silly not to use them. 25 years ago I would spend all day waxing a car - cleaning, fine cut cleaner, polish, wax. Now I can do my Volvo SUV in under an hour! Our smart gets waxed regularly as well, our third by the way.

I use Produxa. Easy to spray on, easy to buff in. Lasts for a few months.

jimvw57 said:

since even the molded in colors are clearcoated, waxing doesn't hurt and may help with the clearcoat peeling that occurs.

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I have definitely found this to be true on the cars which I have owned and which developed an oxidized coating EVEN on the clear coat.
I have a 1982 Mercedes 240D which I purchased from a guy in Florida. The paint was truly dull but complete. After a careful cleaning of the paint I discovered that the clear coat had oxidized. After carefully cleaning it everywhere, I applied a coat of old-fashioned simonize to it, then let that dry and rubbed it off using a lot of water on a very soft buffing wheel attached to an oscillating buffer. The results make the paint look very close to new.
But you have to be ready to spend a lot of time on this.

Had 2011 Smart ICE in red & 2014 Smart ED in white, both had panels with solid color plastic/ all the way through. Did some drilling on tailgates on both, for MB vintage star emblem (bolt/screw mounting). But there is a clear finish on top of plastic panels for that nice shine. Keep waxing those panels.

Janko said:

Had 2011 Smart ICE in red & 2014 Smart ED in white, both had panels with solid color plastic/ all the way through. Did some drilling on tailgates on both, for MB vintage star emblem (bolt/screw mounting). But there is a clear finish on top of plastic panels for that nice shine. Keep waxing those panels.

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I absolutely agree! The SMART panels shine like diamonds in the sun!
IF YOU LIVE IN A PLACE THAT HAS ANY RIGHT NOW …… ;-((

That's Kermit's car from the Florida Panhandle.

We had great Smart Car Convention in Westminster, CO while back. Many enthusiasts drove distances for event. Kermit's car was one of many customized / modified Smarts.

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