New car protection.

[Isewake]

We just got a new Subaru Forester. Blue in color. It's my wife's SUV and I am wondering what I should use. I use Sonax Polymer Net Shield on my 2001 Taco and like it. I was planning on using it on the new Subaru but a couple of things has me worried.

1) She tends to go out more than me (shopping, etc) so it's not around as much and usually it's harder to have it for a long period of time (she hates driving my truck).

2) She is not as careful with it. She will put boxes and things on the hood if she needs to lay it somewhere.

PNS won't lend any scratch protection. So should I go with a glass type coating like CQuartz for more stratch resistant protection?

After the couple of years that it's on the vehicle, will I need to polish it off to reapply? What level of cut in the polish would be needed to remove the coating? I do have a GG polisher with LC CCS pads (5.5")

We do then to keep our cars for a pretty long time. Min is a 2001 and we traded in her 2003 Higlander so I expect us to keep this one for a while and would like to keep the paint in good condition.

Thanks

[Don M]

How did you handle the situation with her old car?

[Isewake]

How did you handle the situation with her old car?
I didn't. I didn't bother with the swirls and oxidation because I knew how she treated it. I just started getting into detailing more only in the last year. Her Highlander wasn't in good shape. Would have taken me the whole weekend to make it look somewhat good. That is why I'm thinking I should use something that will offer a little more protection because she paid for most of her Forester and trying to change her habits on how she treats her stuff won't be easy to do.

[vobro]

Coatings won't protect against boxes,purse,jewelry that's dragged/slid on paint. At best they will provide protection vs wash induced swirls. It's taken many years for me and mine to come to a understanding, she has improved with taken care what she does and I just realize it's gonna happen.

[irvsmith]

I think the habit changing is going to be important. You could put in a lot of hours coating it and then only get resentful when she opts to put the groceries on the hood along with some IKEA purchases.

Maybe a conversation on what her needs or expectations are for the car's appearance

Now if you are purely wanting to practice using a coating then that is one thing but trying to counter her habits by an auto product seems an exercise in frustration.

Am I wrong?

[Don M]

... she paid for most of her Forester and trying to change her habits on how she treats her stuff won't be easy to do.


Maybe since she paid for most of the car, she'll be more open to learning a few new ways. I don't know anything about the new coatings, but I do know that there is not a wax or sealant out there (no matter how many layers you have) that will protect against a mechanically caused scratch, such as dragging boxes etc across the hood.

It could be that all you're going to be able to do is keep it washed properly and keep some MILD polish/glaze around so you can spot-fix her most recent damage. By spot-fixing, at least you won't have to keep doing the whole car over and over again and it won't take much time at all.

[Isewake]

How did you handle the situation with her old car?


Coatings won't protect against boxes,purse,jewelry that's dragged/slid on paint. At best they will provide protection vs wash induced swirls. It's taken many years for me and mine to come to a understanding, she has improved with taken care what she does and I just realize it's gonna happen.
She tries to be good with money but she doesn't realize that the better she takes care of things, the more she can get for it when she sells it. I've tried to tell her that. As far as any vehicle she has owned, I think I care more about it than she does. I guess I'm trying to protect her from herself.

[irvsmith]

Maybe it is because I have never personally sold a vehicle or haven't owned a vehicle as an investment vehicle (pun inadvertently intended) but I have found detailing as an aesthetic or therapeutic habit and so she will less likely to be worried about potential resell value. If you fully maintain your truck - interior and exterior - she might see the joy in riding in such a nice chariot that she will be more willing to change her habits and desire for you to work on hers.

[vobro]

What's worked for me is showing her different products/ aspects of car care, in short spurts over time. I'd show her what was in the clay, rinsless wash, 2 bucket wash ( especially the rinse bucket), dropping her off at the door then I go park in a nice protected spot and so on. I believe she understands now paint is fragile and can appreciate my passion. Now it's funny cause she points out stuff on other people's cars and it's just another thing we have in common

[Isewake]

We just picked it up yesterday and have a few hours to work on it today do I guess I'll do a wash, decon, polish (if need) and apply PNS since I have it on hand. I have to worry about the other stuff later. Slowly and patiently.

[Mask]

maybe have a look into car wrap (brush metal)?
or just forget about it and polish the paint whenever necessary :)