Initial, ongoing paint care for new black Prius?

[DanRichman]

I've been scanning this incredibly helpful site for a week trying to assemble information on how to begin caring for my gorgeous new black 2011 Prius Package V. I've seen posts on caring for black cars, and for new cars, but nothing specifically about new, black cars. I can't seem to get a grip on the best products and procedures for my specific case. So I am hoping to hear from some of the forum's experts.



I bought the car a month ago and (perhaps foolishly) paid extra for "Century Finishing Touch" paint sealer, applied through SouthWest Dealer Services. The brochure I was given claims the product "effectively seals your paint, eliminating the need of [sic] waxing, protects against the sun's harmful rays and protects against oxidation and fading."



My dealer and SouthWest Dealer Services have not responded to calls and emails seeking further information.



I also had Scotchgard paint-protection film applied over large areas of the car's front end, headlight lenses and front-facing surfaces of the external mirrors. This I feel sure was a good move.



I have only washed the car once since receiving it. I used several lambswool mitts, grit-guards in both the wash and rinse buckets and lots of water from the hose while washing. I do think I have the washing technique down pretty well.



But . . . I would be very grateful for guidance on what products and procedures would be ideal for (1) initial protection, beyond washing, and (2) ongoing maintenance of the exterior finish. Please don't use acronyms, because even the "sticky" acronym guide does not explain half of those appearing in these posts. Please spell everything out in full.



Many thanks!

 

[Accumulator]

DanRichman- Welcome to Autopia!



Since your dealer-applied sealant should still be OK, maybe you should just top it with some kind of good wax, and then refresh that every now and then while continuing to work on your wash technique.



Since some products are a little finicky about what they will/won't bond to, I *am* limiting this idea to waxes as opposed to another sealant, but perhaps others can chime in with some suggestions along those lines (HD Poxy perhaps?).



I'd steer you towards Collinite brand wax. Their 915 (well-regarded on black), or their 476S (incredibly durable), or if you prefer a liquid, their 845 Insulator wax. Any of those should be a good, and simple, way to ramp up the protection (and maybe even the look) already provided by the dealer-applied stuff.



You will need to watch that you don't end up with excess product residue along the lines of your paint protection film ("PPF"). For that reason, you *might* want to go with the 845 as liquids are generally a little easier to deal with in this regard. But just applying the product in a "moving away from the edge of the film" motion, as opposed to "bumping the applicator up against the edge" can go a long way towards heading off any problems (I use paste products with PPF with no real issues).