I just want to know how often you should wax/polish your car to keep its paint in good condition, and to keep it protected. I don't want to mess w/ it every week or anything like that, but I definately want to keep it looking nice keep the paint for as long as I can...

 

We just had a posted question very similar to yours, look a few threads down from this one.

Basically your waxing scedule is determined by how good your wax is and how long it lasts, when it does not bead water any longer right after washing it, chances are the wax is gone and its time to wax again.

However, as I mentioned in the other post if you use an instant detailer 2 or 3 times per week you can usually keep your paint much nicer probably wash it at least 2 times per week.

 

daily driver gets it every one-two months, spray wax every other car wash, I try to wash it at least once a week.

 

Wash my truck once a week (ideally). I try to polish once every 2 months w/Zaino, but often lose track or get distracted by school/work and end up putting it off. I've gone as long as 6 months on a single serving of Zaino (which consisted of about a dozen coats, hehe), and it's maintained its shine and easy-cleaning abilities throughout the entire 6 months.

(end Zaino rant)

Wash it every week at least. Wax it once a month at the minimum, depending on what kind of car/paint and polish/wax you're using.

And keep in mind that some "cleaner" waxes strip off the wax previously applied, so they don't need to be multi-coated.

My $.02

 

My daily drivers (Escalade & M5) get Zaino's 2-3 times a year.

 

As said, it completely depends on what wax or polish product you are using and how well you maintain your finish through washes and QDing.

A general rule is that if you're using carnauba waxes, you should probably reapply it once a month or at least once every 2 months. Many synthetic products can protect much longer and thus don't need reapplication as often, even though applying them often just increases the protection and usually shine. A good synthetic can last 4-8 months depending on the type/brand/etc.... Some products are lucky if they last one to 2 weeks, much less a month or six, so it really depends on what you're using.

That being said, I like to apply my sealant (Zaino, etc...) at least twice a month.....not because it NEEDS to be applied that often, but just because it's fun and it improves my car's appearance/protection!