New 2008 Civic

J

Jareb

New member
My wife just purchased a new Civic and the Honda dealer is trying to sell her a "Poly" sealant for $399. They state that it is guaranteed for 6 years and that love bugs will simply rinse off with water.{we live in Florida}. I'm more than a little sceptical in that I've been here for 20 years and know that love bugs dont simply rinse off. They have ruined more than one paint job for me! We are not in a position to wash the car every day but do take care of our vehicles. What do the experts here recommend? Is there a good wax/poly type product that I can apply myself and keep the paint etching away or is the only alternative to cover the car in vaseline:grinno: I dont mind waxing or applying something once a month or so but need to have protection on the finish where I dont have to wash off the bugs within 12 hours to keep the paint nice. Any help or suggestions is appreciated. BTW, The car is white.

John
 
I wouldn't waste my money on a $399 sealant from the dealer..Its just a money maker for them with fancy marketing to get you to buy. I would let the Florida guys chime in on what they like, they are your best source for that climate
 
Cleaning fool makes a good point about waiting for the Florida guys to give their expertise on particular products. I don't see any reason to pay 400 bucks for anyone to apply a sealant. Have you looked into the costs of having a clear bra installed? Protecting the whole front end would certainly reduce the risk of etching from the love bugs.
 
Get a clear bra. Best spent money for any car option IMO.



I have a few nicks on my bumper, and it's all on the clear bra. I will have that peice replaced sometime soon. I'd rather spend that $400 on a clear bra. Protects the front from bugs and chips.



I live in Florida and the love bug season is going on right now. I keep a couple layers of Zaino on my clear bra, and once the love bugs makes contact, it's only a matter of the sun and heat for them to dry "stick" on the finish. There's no way a sealant can protect love bugs from staining or ecthing the paint without proper care.



I'd learned to live with a few nicks, and stains., but it's well worth the money spent vs. a new paint job that can go wrong. I'm actually looking forward to buying a brand new bumper peice.
 
I'll look into the clear bra option. Is this usually a dealer supplied or after market item? The car just came off the truck yesterday and I brought it home before the "Detail" guys at the dealership got their hands on it. The paint is virgin so to speak. What would you guys recommend as a first course protectant before the clear bra? I was thinking maybe Zaino CS or is there something better to get this car off to a good paint protection start.

Thanks

John
 
When you get it home give the car a clay. Then apply your favorite sealant (Zaino CS, Ultima, Opti Seal) in no particular order. Invest a portion of that 399 that you would have spent into a pile of microfibers, some drying towels, and the finish products of your choice.



But none of them will ever last for years :) Only a man with a gold watch and a clip on tie would tell you that, never believe the stealership!
 
Jareb said:
I'll look into the clear bra option. Is this usually a dealer supplied or after market item? The car just came off the truck yesterday and I brought it home before the "Detail" guys at the dealership got their hands on it. The paint is virgin so to speak. What would you guys recommend as a first course protectant before the clear bra? I was thinking maybe Zaino CS or is there something better to get this car off to a good paint protection start.

Thanks

John
Click to expand...





You can get it at the dealership. The clear is a different company that installs their products on new cars.



Usually, clear bra is installed once the car gets off the loading truck. The ownder told me you'll get your first rock chip within 2 weeks, so it's critical to get the clear bra installed ASAP.



Zaino or any wax protectant will protect your paint from the sun, air pollution and such... but when it comes to road debris, it's helpless.
 
As for the dealership, you can always negotiate with prices... INCLUDING the clear bra.



The prices are steep. (i got mine for $500 including installations) but at the end you'll thank yourself.



If you don't want to go through the dealership, get the number from the company, and make sure it's legit. There are hacks out there that say they install clear bra, but it's window tint which flying paper can scratch the surface.



I would have them install it because it's a pain in the butt to do so. It can be done, but there's a lot of patience involved.
 
I'm in Houston.



When my new cars come home from the dealer they get clayed, polished and sealed.

My current favorite is Menzerna Final Polish II, Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze and Menzerna FMJ. This, coupled with the Menzerna detail spray after washes should keep the car pretty shiny for 3-6 months. I'm about to try the Ultima line of products.



My last honda had that sealant stuff on there (i didn't pay for it) and I didn't see any difference compared to an unsealed car.
 
Definitely go with the clear Bra solution . The precut kits are not that difficult to put . Just a little patience . The new 3M one is very good . THERE IS NO paint sealant that will be able to go head to head with the love bugs .
 
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