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I have owned several cars before but none that I really wanted to maintain long-term. My new minivan I want to last a looong time. Obviously, with time, the "new" look disappears. What are some easy (emphasis on easy I don't want to spend like 4 hrs) to maintain the "new" look and just keeping it fresh?
You're probably wanting to look at a paint sealant. I'd inquire over at Autogeek for their recommendation. Some of the newer crystal sealants are good for a long, long time. I put one on my 1989 LSC when it was new. The car is a garage queen, no doubt, but all I have to do is use water to wash the dust off and run a buffer on it for 10-15 minutes and it's like new again. They don't make that formulation anymore- probably too good but there are others out there. https://www.autogeek.net/
Just use a good synthetic wax twice per year. I do it spring and fall when it's the most comfortable. Only use car wash soap so that you're not washing off the wax you just put on. Never use dish soap.
I have owned several cars before but none that I really wanted to maintain long-term. My new minivan I want to last a looong time. Obviously, with time, the "new" look disappears. What are some easy (emphasis on easy I don't want to spend like 4 hrs) to maintain the "new" look and just keeping it fresh?
Wash and vacuum it. Keep it parked under a covered spot (not a tree) my wife’s Infiniti is 16 years old and looks new because it’s garage parked. Same with her last three cars. Wax it. I usually detail our cars once a year.
If you want to ever get all the old wax off use dish soap. Then clay bar and wax it.
Wash and vacuum it. Keep it parked under a covered spot (not a tree) my wife’s Infiniti is 16 years old and looks new because it’s garage parked. Same with her last three cars. Wax it. I usually detail our cars once a year.
If you want to ever get all the old wax off use dish soap. Then clay bar and wax it.
The most pernicious substance I ever encountered was sap from my pine tree. In the summer, not the best place to park my truck. Took awhile to find a cleaner that would attack sap; once I did, that was that, but it won't wash off.
My new Ford Shelby GT350R received a front end bra and five coats of Ceramic Pro w/100 miles on the odo. That's a car I'll keep immaculate however long I own it. $3K, though.
Somewhere in the middle is a front end clear wrap: same truck as above had that at zero miles, and it paid for itself in good looks a dozen times over in eleven years of ownership. It was finally looking a bit tired, and I traded in the truck. I'll probably have that done to my Land Cruiser in the spring, though that's already seven years old.
My Tacoma (and Land Cruiser) was/are black and 2x/year details for about $150 (exterior) or $300 to include interior kept it looking pretty good indeed. And the end could have probably used a $1K paint correction and multi day detail. I don't do BS grunt work myself under any circumstances, and we have a number of great detailers in the area if you make an appointment during peak months.
Just use wax and real car wash liquid. Stay away from ALL wheel cleaners as they strip the finish off rims.
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