Automotive paints are a mixture of ingredients including resins, binders, fillers, additives, and carrying agents (typically solvents, sometimes water). Clear coat paint is simply paint, or resin without pigment. Non-clear coat paints (also called single-stage paint) is paint (or resin) with pigment added to give the paint color.

Additives are specialized chemicals that are often used to provide a specific characteristic to the paint, depending on the application. An example would be a Flex Agent. Flex Agents are used in paints that are applied to flexible components, such as flexible urethane bumpers, to help the paint resist cracking when the urethane bumper flexes. UV inhibitors are another clear coat additive that helps prevent the sun's ultra violet rays from fading the color coat under the clear coat.

Today, approximately 95% of all cars, trucks, and S.U.V.'s coming out of the factory have a clear coat finish.

Clear coat finishes (also referred to as two-stage paint systems) are simply a layer of clear resin applied over the top of colored resin. Although a clear coat does protect the base coat, just like a single-stage finish, the clear coat needs to be regularly maintained to keep it in top shape.

Contrary to what you may have heard clear coat finishes do need to be waxed periodically to maintain their appearance value. Don't buy into the false information that clear coat paints are paints that require no maintenance, this is simply not true. Simply look at any car with a clear coat finish that has been neglected and compare it to a car with a clear coat finish that has been recently detailed and your eyes, as well as your common sense, will tell you that clear coats look better when maintained, and accordingly will last longer when maintained.