View Full Version : Long Term Vehicle Appearance Upkeep
BuzzinSATX
12-03-18, 21:07
So I bought what I hope is my last new truck for, well, ever...and I plan on riding out into the sunset in it barring any major accident or disaster. So I'm looking for suggestions to maintain the paint and exterior here in the South TX sun. 2018 Chevy 2500HD Duramax. Love it! Huge ride and comfort improvement over my very solid but loud 2011 2500HD Duramax.
I'm pretty solid on my mechanical system maintenance, to include running full synthetic fluids, quality filters, change things at recommended intervals, etc. I'm pretty anal on that stuff. It's maintaining the paint and exterior plastics I have a hard time doing consistently right.
Typically, I try to give my vehicles a good wax and other preservatives every year. I use a paint clay every couple years, and I generally use the Meguire brand Ultimate stuff, black bottles. But is that enough? Should I do this semi annually or even quarterly? Is there a professional/different line of product that's significantly better or worth more cost? I'd definitely pay more for an easier process. Not really looking for a different brand of the same thing...unless I'm that far off track.
I keep seeing ads for some F11 Top Coat stuff, but I'm guessing it's probably too good to be true.
Looking for what's working for y'all. This is my daily driver and is generally parked outside 95% of the time.
SomeOtherGuy
12-03-18, 21:14
and is generally parked outside 95% of the time.
Any way to keep it inside is #1, outside but covered (not by a tree) is #2. You already bought it so it's late to pick a color, but I hope you picked white or something else light.
Regular washes, wax or sealant of your choice, etc. Wax won't come close to the benefit of being stored inside a garage.
Some car guys I know would carry a quality car cover and use it when parking for more than a few hours, but that's not really practical with a pickup truck.
Cosmoline!!! [emoji3]
Any shade? Garage? Roof overhang? Otherwise wax. Maybe once every couple months depending on rain...etc..
Cosmoline!!!
Or just put a clear wrap on the car.
The paint the auto industry uses today is pretty durable. Both the paint and clear coat are industrial grade. Having said that, I would at least 1 time a year, like the first of the year get a major detail like, shampoo carpet, interior, clay bar and wax. If your truck has exterior plastic on it like around mirrors, fenders, bumper or trim, that's a different story. You can do as much as you can but eventually the plastic will oxidize and fade. But don't let that stop you from using Armoral, Mothers plastic protectant or similar.
Remember the chrome used on bumpers and wheels is not industrial hard chrome plating, its hydro chromed or flash chromed. Its purely cosmetic. Just try not to scratch the chrome if possible, you cant just buff out chrome or spot repair it without re-chroming the whole piece. I think you will be alright as long as you keep away from hail, shopping carts etc. I think the sun will do more damage than rain.
I personally think turtle wax is a far superior product compared to others. Turtle wax makes most commercial products for car washes and detail shops.
Have your truck cleaned regularly as normal but once a year, have it professionally detailed in and out with clay and wax. That should keep your truck looking new.
BuzzinSATX
12-03-18, 22:22
Thanks for responses. I could keep it in the garage at night most nights, but that doesn't help me with the sun. Still, it's a thought.
I am normally a "white truck" guy (owned 5 white trucks in my life), but this one is that really light Chevy Silver. I'll look into Turtle Wax...any specific product line?
Like the guys said above. Keep a good coat of wax on it.
Also, get your windows tinted as dark as legal in your area. You should be able to get a dash cover for it and of course put shades in the windshield. This will all help keep interior temperatures down and limit direct sunlight.
Not much you can do about the plastic exterior pieces and lights. (Don't put wax on black exterior parts, they'll turn whitish and it's near impossible to get the original color back) But at least the lights are replaceable when they fade or get other UV damage. Mind you some can be pretty expensive.
just a scout
12-03-18, 22:35
I’d do a wrap. We use it on ambulances and it’s incredibly durable.
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Coal Dragger
12-03-18, 23:15
You could do a wrap like a clear bra on the whole car like this guy did:
https://youtu.be/2BV0PMYfc3o
Also window tint and consistent use of a shade in the front glass will help the interior a lot, not only for keeping materials from UV degradation but also just a nicer place to spend time.
Averageman
12-04-18, 00:01
A good coat of wax and keeping the vehicle garaged will go a long way in keeping the vehicle looking nice.
dark window tint, unless you do a high grade ceramic, doesnt do shit really for UV... Those $99 tint jobs are just a dye'd film and provide zero uv protection. There is ceramic tint that blocks 99% of UV, its not cheap. I had my 18 Denali HD done with 30% on the front windows and 70%(almost clear) on the 3 factory tint rear windows and it was 450 bucks... it works though.
As far as "keep a good coat of wax on it"... wax provides minimal minimal UV protection for the paint...modern clear coats is where your UV protection is. Modern clear coats are pretty dang good. Some of the new ceramic coatings can provide decent uv protection, but with the paint correction/prep required prior to coating, they can be 1500-2000 to have done.
With my 18 Denali HD that lives its life outside(it doesnt fit in my garage) in Dallas I got a $45 a month, unlimited car wash membership. I run it through 2 or 3 times a week. I just try to keep it clean as best I can and the rest will be what it will be.
I come from a car family and used to have some insane show cars
Natural wax lasts about 2 months tops
Synthetic can last longer
Even better are sealants the better can last a year
And way way easier to work with my fav was Klasse
https://www.autogeek.net/klashiggloss.html
Use a detail spray after wash that works with the sealant site I linked has good info they go on and off super fast and easy and really help keep paint nice
Again that site has good info realize a few good products all ya need that work together
Ditto garage if ya can and truck like that to big for a cover
Ya mention clay so ya have some idea and stuff so you are way ahead
IMHO klasse wolfgang pinnacle etc all great stuff don’t think the mega hyped pro stuff is worth it
Clay once a year apply high quality sealant at least 2x or more and do the detail spray in between
Have fun with the new rig :)
Tint get good modern that cuts UV and heat some of the better stuff is amazing and they can do windshields with uv stuff
BuzzinSATX
12-04-18, 06:07
Thanks to all. I did get high quality ceramic window tint applied when new. I’m not new to cleaning vehicles, just an amateur who buys all car care products from my local O’Rileys Auto store.
Garaging is possible, and while less convienent, may become my new reality. But it would mainly be during dark hours...
What’s the deal with ‘wrapping’? I do see lots of commercial rigs with advertising wrap, but does that stuff help long term? And wouldn’t it eventually look like a peeling suntan?
Ultimately, who knows how long I’ll have this rig...I live around San Antonio and it ain’t like we’ve got the lock on good drivers here. It isn’t Houston, but it’s not much better...🤬
Still, on the chance this rig lasts me more than the typical 5-6 years I generally keep a vehicle, I want it to look decent headed out to my road trips. Tried to upload a pic but files are too large. Nothing special, though, a stock silver 2018 short bed crew cab 4X4 diesel Chevy Silverado I’ve had 6 months now and really like the drive.
You have a challenging environment relative to keeping your paint in good condition. The sun is going to kill it, and keeping it outside will kill it faster (your paint will get killed regardless). You'll get rampant oxidation out in the Texas sun, and the more sun the more oxidation. Your best hope is to put the damage off for as long as you can before you have to repaint it. You can remove the oxidation with a clay bar or with buffing, but that removes paint/clear coat, so that approach has a limited lifespan. Better off to protect it. Best way to prevent oxidation (other than keeping it covered) is frequent waxing to block UV radiation. You also need to keep it clean because road grime and pollution with accelerate the process...so, wash frequently. Bear in mind that brush carwashes mechanically damage the clear coat by abrasion and help the oxidation process take hold. Vinyl wraps are OK. I use 3M clear bra on hood and front fascia portions to protect against rocks and bugs...THAT was a great investment.
Be aware that there is a wide variety in quality of car waxes. For the most part...what you buy at O'Reilly/Autozone is crap. Look at places like Adams Polishes or Chemical Guys. Look at their paint care videos. Look up Junkman2000...he is kind of the YouTube guru of automobile paint care and correction.
FromMyColdDeadHand
12-04-18, 08:32
That 911 with the 'car condom' is like my great-aunt that put clear covers on all the living room furniture...
I wonder how those painters took that guy putting that cover over their 'concourse' quality paint job.
Aesthetically, modern paint jobs suck. More orange peel than than grove of oranges. They are durable though. Keep it clean with low power washing with soap to keep surface contaminants causing pits.
have it professionally ceramic coated. unless you have time and experience in detailing and paint correction. Even on a new vehicle there normally needs to be some light paint correction. The up keep of a ceramic is pretty minimal and most come with a warranty if done by a professional.
I love this forum. It points out the broad range of living conditions we Americans inhabit. I honestly have not washed my truck in three years. I take the hotsy to it and knock off the salt and sand from underneath, but other than that it's a waste of time. 6 months out of the year we have road conditions and weather that make washing a waste of time, the other 6 months we are too busy fishing or hunting to take the time ;).
FromMyColdDeadHand
12-04-18, 11:14
have it professionally ceramic coated. unless you have time and experience in detailing and paint correction. Even on a new vehicle there normally needs to be some light paint correction. The up keep of a ceramic is pretty minimal and most come with a warranty if done by a professional.
Got a link to the ceramic coating?
Got a link to the ceramic coating?
Here's a quick pro/con article from a company that sells it. Despite the sales pitch at the end, it's pretty good info. I think it's the way to go if you want low maintenance yet want to keep your vehicle looking like new for 5+ years.
https://avalonking.com/blog/the-truth-about-ceramic-coatings/
Having a big HD truck professionally coated will be costly, but worth it for long term ownership if for no other reason than all the reduced cleaning/polishing time and cost of car care products. I'm old enough that it's just exhausting to do a big vehicle all the time by myself. On the flip side, DIY will save a lot of money, but on such a big truck you're going to spend most of your considerable time and efforts on paint prep, which is key when going ceramic.
Either way, the sooner you do it, the easier and less costly/time consuming it will be, before surface contaminants and blemishes take hold.
If the vehicle is parked outside you are going to get oxidation/sap on it. I use Malco Plum Crazy that I purchase from the body shop that does my paint and body work. It's a hand glaze but you can use a polisher.
I have three daily drivers that I take care of plus three motorcycles and two cars in storage. I am a busy boy, I don't have time to eff around all weekend doing vehicles. I use the Malco about twice a year on the daily drivers and the rest of the time I just run it though a car wash.
After road trips I get the super deluxe $18.00 wash (after I've taken car of bug splatters), during the winter I run them through the $9.00 wash every time I fill up with gas to ensure that the salt spray gets washed off the undercarriage.
My cars look pretty good, the only ones I hand wash and wax every time are my old Mustang and the motorcycles - and if they let me drive the motorcycles through the car wash I wouldn't hand wash them ;)
I want my vehicles to look cared for and not show their age, I also don't want to spend time I could be doing something else washing and waxing. Priorities.
I was going to suggest ceramic coating too. Just look on YT. Lots of vids on it. Also some have used it so long they can report long term benefits. Lots of them report good results on wheels.
Another good product that people have used for years and it still gets mentioned on every detail site is 303 Aerospace protect.
Just look up car detailing on YT there are tons of vids.
Aside from a wrap the ceramic seems to be the longest lasting most durable and easy to apply.
Vinyl wrapping is an art form.
ceramics is just another paint sealant with a twist (not knocking it)
you can often get your own ceramic kit for about $75-$150 and DIY
cost for pro application from a quality detailer is OK on a show car or high end car to pay a pro to put it on with paint correction deswirl etc.. but I would never bother with a daily driver truck to do this pro application ? that is me though :) and that means a quality detailer not a cheap one :)
BUT like the link above in my post type in ceramics maybe 5 kits will come up various prices
like above with the good sealant and after wash a detail spray you still need to do this detail spray on them and use a quality wash etc..
no matter what you choose a high quality sealant for $20 once twice a year and detail spray or $75-$150 kit last 5 years both still require maintenance and both do not like other products with them such as wax based (mixing etc..) and you still need to wash regular
ceramics like any sealant slowly break down and IMHO the slow part unless its a garage queen you will get less and less protection as it ages
you might notice water not beading off as quick etc.. but it does slowly go away I would rather have a really solid coat for every winter and every summer of a quality sealant
the ceramic is a good tough coat though again my only thing to research is cost for daily driver and was it breaks down ? vs lower cost kit more often keeping it fresh in a sense
A LOT depends on where its parked (covered garaged) daily driving conditions road contaminants etc. on that 5 year and many do sell 2 year 3 year coating and more
just some food for thought and not discounting it ? since you mention claying your vehicle you know whats up but seem to like DIY vs paying a detailer ? so twice a year with a high quality sealant and knowing its fresh every season vs slow breakdown over 5 is what I am asking you to think research :)
OR go with a ceramic and just keep your eye on it and redo when needed and not think of it as some miracle 5 years but do when needed and the cost is not that bad with DIY
I love washing detailing though :) so I enjoy that part of my vehicle maintenance
Whiskey_Bravo
12-04-18, 14:28
Thanks a lot guys. Just dropped $200 on Adams products.
Side note, what are everyone's thoughts on ceramic tint? I just got a new truck and need to at least do the front two windows but could be convinced to do the entire thing if it's worth it.
ceramics is just another paint sealant with a twist (not knocking it)
Agree. The pore-sealant trend began decades ago with the Ming finish franchise. It looked amazing and lasted for....weeks. Maybe months.
No substitute for good hand-washing technique and periodic buffing and paint correction, followed by a nice sealant, then glaze, then high-quality carnuba wax. Those things, done on a maintenance basis, will keep the car looking nice. Anything less, llike "ceramic" is just another care-care company making a buck off of our tendency to cut corners on vehicle appearance maintenance.
Vinyl wraps (Clear Bra)....yeah...the grandmother-wrapped-furniture is an apt comparison. I use it on the front-facing edges because rock-chips, and bugs. Bugs just wipe off from the stuff. If you DON"T wipe them off your clear coat, they will etch the clear coat and it will look like shit. Forever, or until you repaint. Now I don't have to worry about the front being peppered with rock chips or bug guts destroying the finish. Even after years, the stuff still looks fine
Paint maintenance and correction is labor intensive. It takes hours, even on a little car like mine and I end up doing that 2-3 times/year even with my fleet of random orbital buffers. OTOH, it really makes for a nice finish, even on an older car, and on a dark car like this and after buffing and sealing, waxing a couple of times a month with a good carnuba wax is all that's required.
http://ssequine.net/z1s.jpg
http://ssequine.net/z7s.jpg
I ain't got time for all this wash and wax business. That's a couple hours a week I can use for something more interesting.
I keep my Tacoma protected from UV and the elements by carefully applying a thin film of road filth each day as I drive. It's worked for 10 years and counting... ;)
I used CarPro CQuartz on my wife's new car. I really liked it. Then I use hydrosilex as a top coat. On my older cars (2006 & 2010) I've just used hydrosilex with great results. Water beads up better than any was I've used. I've been very impressed. The CQuartz is better but takes longer to apply.
followed by a nice sealant, then glaze, then high-quality carnuba wax.
Which brands do you like for those three items?
I agree, I think it takes a combination of known good products along with a known good schedule that fits your driving environment.
SeriousStudent
12-04-18, 19:55
Hmac, that is a beautiful car.
I ain't got time for all this wash and wax business. That's a couple hours a week I can use for something more interesting.
I keep my Tacoma protected from UV and the elements by carefully applying a thin film of road filth each day as I drive. It's worked for 10 years and counting... ;)
You and me both brother...
I ain't got time for all this wash and wax business. That's a couple hours a week I can use for something more interesting.
I keep my Tacoma protected from UV and the elements by carefully applying a thin film of road filth each day as I drive. It's worked for 10 years and counting... ;)
I get it. I spend a lot of attention on the finish of that Z car, but I've never even touched my 3/4 ton Sierra with a buffer, and it's been waxed (by a detailer) exactly once in the 33,000 miles I've owned it.
You and me both brother...
Ditto
I only wash my truck ('99 K2500) when I am tempted to buy a nice new shiny one. My DD is a Mustang GT which I keep cleaner.
Andy
Hmac, that is a beautiful car.
Thanks. It's a blast to drive. Except in the winter in Minnesota - it's not even drivable on snowy roads. It gets parked at the first snowflake.
BuzzinSATX
12-04-18, 21:56
I love this forum. It points out the broad range of living conditions we Americans inhabit. I honestly have not washed my truck in three years. I take the hotsy to it and knock off the salt and sand from underneath, but other than that it's a waste of time. 6 months out of the year we have road conditions and weather that make washing a waste of time, the other 6 months we are too busy fishing or hunting to take the time ;).
LOL! I miss the 4 Seasons in Fairbanks:
1. Breakup
2. Fishing Season
3. Hunting Season
4. Snowmachine Season
BuzzinSATX
12-04-18, 22:00
Seriously y'all, thank you very much for your inputs. I've got some research to do. I've got some decent products I can use until I figure out, including some decent carbuna wax, but the nanotech stuff is interesting.
SeriousStudent
12-04-18, 23:33
Thanks. It's a blast to drive. Except in the winter in Minnesota - it's not even drivable on snowy roads. It gets parked at the first snowflake.
That's what the Tahoe is for. :cool:
That's what the Tahoe is for. :cool:
Yup. In the summer, my 3/4 ton Sierra occupies the Z’s space in the storage garage.
An enclosed garage goes a long way in preserving your vehicle.
I gave a 2001 Dodge 250 4x4, diesel that looks as good as new,
when it's not pulling a trailer it sets in the garage, we also don't
salt the roads in winter.
My 14 Tacoma is the daily driver.
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