Ruben525 Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 My truck has alot of water spots and it looks bad but I'm taking my truck to the shop to repaint some parts and paint and put my cladding on there gonna buff my my whole truck but there not going to water sand it because they said they don't know how much clear I have but I'm wondering if that will take the water spots off also what else should I do to keep my paint nice and clean should I get a wax? I don't want to take it out in the rain because I'm scared of the whole water spot thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 You don't have to wet-sand the truck to get the water spots off. And the factory clear coat is very thin. What I did when I was driving my truck daily: wash with Dawn diswashing detergent to get all wax & dirt off, then rag down truck with vineagar (it dissolves mineral spots, you have to keep the panel wet for a couple minutes to give the vineagar time to work), then go over truck with clay bar. At this point the paint is both chemically and physically clean, whatever imperfections you see is etching or scratching in the clear coat - to eliminate that, use 3M swirl mark remover for dark paint ($16, NAPA) and a Porter Cable 7424 or rotary buffer (be careful!). Check your work with a 500W halogen lamp indoors, it will show defects in the finish big-time. After the finish is chemically/mechanically clean and swirl free, apply a GOOD finish product (I am a Zaino fan, Poor Boys and Adams are good products too). Get into the habit of wiping-down your truck EVERY day (10-mins) with quality microfiber towels, anything more than 'road dust' you will have to wash off first so the microfiber towel does not scratch the paint with the contaminant. This all seems excessive but keeping up your truck's finish every day is the secret - I have watched PimpSS and sprayed99 do this and their finishes are flawless; I did this myself the first few years I garaged the truck but when I moved and did not have a garage anymore the weather really tore my truck up and now I have a daily driver. Most of us will buy a $1000 car to drive to/from work so we can keep the SSS in the garage as well. It is totally doable to daily-dive your truck and keep it absolutely show-room fresh, PimpSS's truck has 80K-miles on it now, he drives the hell out of it and it is one of the couple best paint jobs I've seen - he shows the truck every weekend and it is a regular winner. But it is a real labor of love. Mr. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocker21 Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 nice input im going to have to try this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcsilveradoss Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 i have a three step process that i like to use. 1.open garage door 2.pull truck inside 3.close garage door works pretty well when i have the self control to not drive it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaymz Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 i have a three step process that i like to use. 1.open garage door 2.pull truck inside 3.close garage door works pretty well when i have the self control to not drive it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruben525 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I think I'm gonna get a wax but for the most part my trucks going to be parked during the rain how often should I get a wax?How hard is it to take care of Crome rims? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcsilveradoss Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 good quality wax 2x year unless you frequent high pressure washes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96vteccd5 Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Man I am house hunting now but in this area, finding a place to pull my truck in is damn near impossible, unless I build a garage on the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruben525 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 good quality wax 2x year unless you frequent high pressure washes I just have to find someone who knows what there doing to wax it for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bfast Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Car care is pretty much trial and error. Research products and opinions. Try someones opinion, then try someone elses opinion and see which one u like better. I got a lot of my info over on LS1tech.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angels05ss Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 i like the adams bucket with the drop-insert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Silv Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I refer everyone to www.autopia.org LOADS of knowledge and information Me: I am a Zaino junky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan06SS Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Tor what its worth, my recent writeup for another board. The biggest thing for vehicles that see winter usage, especially in snow, is durable protection: Its that time of year again. Theres a chill in the air and the warm afternoons spent in the driveway cleaning, polishing, and waxing your pride and joy are slowly coming to a close. Soon sunny weekend cruises will be giving way to long days of hoping there is enough of a break in the weather to get out there and have some fun. Even for those of us in Southern California this time of year brings soggy roads and the tendency of good old Mother Nature to unleash a rainstorm only moments after you finish cleaning the car. This is the time of year for many of us where “bling” takes a backseat to protection, but where to start? For those of you that drive your car in the winter the first thing to focus on is your protection and prevention. Slush, ice, rainwater, road salt, and all manner of nasty contamination will be bombarding your car each and every time you drive. Before the weather gets too nasty get your paint and wheels prepped and ready to face a few months of abuse. Start as always with a thorough cleaning to get everything looking its best, but be sure to protect paint and wheels with a coat of our most durable product – Machine Superwax. They blend of synthetic polymers will help your wheels and paint withstand the harsh winter conditions and ensure you won’t have to spend as much time cleaning them once the weather turns warm again. A common misconception amongst our customers is that the Machine Superwax is only to be used with the Porter Cable, but this simply isn’t true. While the use of the PC does make matters easier you can still safely apply Machine Superwax by hand for outstanding results, durable protection, and an extra layer of insurance on your car during the winter months. Simply apply the Machine Superwax using a microfiber applicator, allow to cure 30 minutes, and buff off using a plush microfiber towel and detail spray. For those of you in snowy climates be sure to clean frequently throughout the winter and apply fresh coats of Machine Superwax to combat the damaging effects of road salt. Be sure to pay extra attention to lower rocker panels, bumpers, and fenders as they see a fair amount of abuse this time of year. Additional applications of Machine Superwax to these areas as well will keep them safe from the harsh winter roads and make sure you don’t have to spend a ton of time fixing problems later down the line. Again, for those of you in snowy climates neutralizing road salts on your paint is key. Whenever possible using a bucket of water and a heavy mixture of Adams Car Shampoo to clean off road salt and grime will help keep your paint looking nice thru the winter. If its too cold for the bucket and water a sprayer filled with a mixture of water and Car Shampoo is an excellent substitute. The pH neutral car shampoo will neutralize the harmful road salts and keep your paint safe. For those of us in warmer areas who won’t see snow or road salt regular treatments with Waterless Wash will keep your paint looking fresh after the rain starts to fall. Make sure to wipe the paint down regularly as water spots can lead to bonded mineral contamination that will be much harder to remove the longer you allow it to sit. Anything you can do to prevent more work later is a good thing. They main thing to keep in mind this time of year is protection. Stick with products that will offer you longevity and durability. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of pain… or in this case 16 oz of Machine Superwax is worth a weekend of paint correction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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