Caring for parents car...(help!!)

[redlineNSX]

Hey, im new to this site and, from what i have seen, its awsome...so i come to you in despair. Im 18 and share "my" 2001 Mazda Tribute LX-V6 with my parents. Im the only one who takes care of it and now that im heading off to college in August I need to pay little Tribute some much needed attention so she can last the year with my parents. There are several small chips from natural wear (and neglect) but so far the paint has held up well. Im looking for tips on how to get Tribute ready for a year without being waxed or loved. Any advice on how to prevent total decay of my little girl? Thanks

[CRXSi90]

Well, if you can get them to do minor cleanups every once in a while, that would help you when you get back. Other than that, clean it up good before you leave. If you are looking at protecting mostly the exterior, a good sealant could last a good part of the time you are gone. (these sealants include Klasse, Zaino, and one I`m looking into further, Poorboy`s EX. One that you can probably find locally is Meguiars #20 polymer sealant...beware, it has cleaners and applying more than one coat doesn`t do much good as it does with cleaners which can be layered. ) A Carnauba (nature`s hardest wax) that I recently have gained interest is Collinite which supposedly lasts a long time for a Carnauba and is fairly easy to use. This site has been mentioned to buy it from. http://www.autofanatics.com/collinite1.html When I get around to getting some of that wax, I think I`ll try #476 because it sounds most durable, but people here seem to like #915. These waxes also don`t have cleaners. Cleaning your paint before applying wax will help it last longer. Using a specially designed plastic type clay bar specially designed for removing contaminance is highly recomended. It takes stuff off the surface. I thought my paint was smooth, but I used a clay bar and could see junk taken off and put in the clay and the paintwork even felt a lot smoother. This can take as much or as little time as you want, but be careful, use lots of lube, and don`t use any pressure on the clay. Additional steps can also help prepare the paint for a carnauba type wax. According to an http://www.epinions.com review of Collinite wax, someone had success using S100 paint cleanser (I forgot the name) before Collinite because it 1.) cleaned the paint and 2.) made application of Collinite much more easy. Collinite`s own paint cleanser might work well also.



I know I gave much more info on the carnauba side instead of the synthetic polymer side, but that is because it is easier for me to understand and probably easier for me to use. Applied properly, a high quality synthetic should outlast a carnauba.



Finally, touch up all the chips in the paint before you leave because they could lead to rust if bare metal is exposed. Either way, it is a worthwhile appearance thing to do and also prevents wax from getting stuck in the chip which is a nucence.



P.S. I would have suggested posting this in the Autopia University instead of here in the Articles section, but it is here and here is where I will reply unless it does get moved (to the Autopia University). No problem, though...now you know.



P.P.S. What color is the car? (mostly out of curiosity)

[Jngrbrdman]

Where in Utah are you at? Are you in the Salt Lake area or somewhere else? Anyway, a few of us up here in the valley were thinking about getting together for a little Autopia BBQ or something like that. We could share tips and product advice and stuff like that. If you`d like then I`d love to see the car and I could give you some probably more accurate advice and maybe point you in the direction where you could get the products to protect it best.



There are two ways you could go. You could order online or you could buy locally. If you are buying locally then I`d suggest getting some Meguiar`s #20 for its durability. Nothing is going to protect it for a year but #20 will last 3 or 4 months probably. Its a polymer sealant and stronger than a wax. If you can order the product then I`d get something like Klasse. Its just a super durable product. It looks pretty darn spiffy too if I do say so myself. If you do some research and decide to go that route then you can use some of mine instead of ordering it if you want. I would definitely suggest using a sealant if you can get some. My friend Steve (Smoker on the boards) knows touch up paint pretty well too. I`m sure we could get your chips touched up for you if your parents wanted that done. Anything for an Autopian!

[redlineNSX]

Thanks for all your tips. I`ll pay more attention to where i post next time- sorry.



Jngrbrdman, Im in the Sandy area (as close as you can get to draper w/out actually being there). I think that would be great to get together and do the BBQ thing..and maybe you could give me tips. email me (i think i checked that option....)

[Jngrbrdman]

What a coincidence. I`m in Woods Cross as close to Bountiful that you can be without actually being there. I sent you an email so hopefully we can keep in touch and get a little Salt Lake gathering going sometime soon. :xyxthumbs

[Accumulator]

redlineNSX- You`re really lucky to be so close to Jngrbrdman and I encourage you to take him up on his offer. Like CRXSi90, I`m a big Collinite fan. I do, however suggest that you apply some Klasse AIO and SG first. If it`s feasible for you to apply multiple layers of the SG you can really get some unbelievable longevity. Collinite over Klasse is a VERY durable combination.

[dr427]

Collinite over Mother`s Sealant/Glaze is a great inexpesive long lasting combo as well. I did it as a personal test (along with many others) and couldn`t beleive the resuts.:up