Whats the best Sun protection?

[OnixPanther]

Hi all

Ok I am wondering what is the best product to use to protect my car from sun damage and the salt air of Hawaii. The car is a 1996 Camaro RS. I wil be working out in the sun as I wash and wax. Thank you for all your help

[ethereal45]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

From the Meguiar's website:


Some waxes do contain UV-protection agents, but the amount of protection that a microscopically thin layer of wax can provide is limited
The primary goal of a wax is to protect the top layers of paint that contain UV-protection agents from the paint manufacture. If you wash and wax your car regularly, your paint will be protected and you should suffer no major UV damage over the normal course of the life of the car.

Don't be fooled by some companies that lead you to believe that it is the UV protection in a wax that protects your car's finish from fading and failure, this is dishonest and simply not true. Taking care of the paint you presently have will go further to protect your finish than relying on protection supplied by a liquid you pour out of a bottle, or a wax you scoop out of a can. UV protection in a car wax formula is only an extra-dose of preventative maintenance, not the end-all, cure-all that some companies would lead you to believe.

UV protection for paint is much different from UV blocking ingredients for human skin. The two formulas are nothing alike and work in drastically different ways. There is no correlation between the ratings applied to the different levels of sun blocking protection for products intended for use on human skin and the ingredients available for use in an automotive wax formula. Sad to say, much of what you see advertised about the protective qualities of most car care products on the market today is simply over-exaggerated hype used to separate you from your hard earned dollars.

[OnixPanther]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

And there in lie's my confusion. With all the products and product clames it is hard to know what is true and what is not. And that is why I came here. Meguiars is a trusted name. With so meny diferant products what one is the best for what i need? I understand that car care must be done on a regular schedule if one want to make the the car last. I am use to a much diferatn climate (WA state to Hawaii) and want to make the right choices to make the paint last as long as I can.

[ethereal45]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

I don't think climate affects the process of paint care, only how often you have to do it.

Wash, Clay, Polish, Wax & maintain and you'll be set no matter where you are.

[Murr1525]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

Ult. Wax would bethe most durable wax.

Using a pure polish before the wax could be a good idea, to try to keep the paint from drying.

[JET_Fusion]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

With all the products and product clames it is hard to know what is true and what is not.

There does seems to be a myriad of options out there. But this is the right place to ask your questions because we all use the Mequiars products, so we're not just whistling dixie. I'll never forget the first time I used Ultimate Polish. I've used many, many different polish/swirl remover products over the years and all of them seemed to take a lot of work to use. A quick couple passes with Ultimate Polish using my DA polisher and then a final wipe and the paint looked amazing!

[ffboy]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

There are many options, here at meguiars alone you can choose from a lot of waxes/sealants. From Consumer line to mirror glaze, there are many options. If best protection is your top priority, Ultimate Wax is your top choice maintained with the ultimate quik detailer and ultimate quik wax.

And really the best is to keep your car clean to prevent the contaminants from sinking its teeth unto your paint.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

A lot of sun and a lot of rain can be hard on any wax/sealant. Being forced to work in direct sunlight can cause some issues as well since some products (most, really) don't like being used on warm surfaces. Our Ultimate Wax is a 100% synthetic sealant and as such is our longest lasting, best protecting wax/sealant. And since it can be safely and easily be used in direct sunlight on a warm surface, it should nicely fit the requirements you're looking for.

Of course, there's a lot more to the overall appearance of any vehicle than just the wax, so you'll want to look into claying (at the very least) and maybe even some defect correction with a liquid paint cleaner. Check out our 5 Step Paint Care Cycle for more info.

[Top Gear]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

Bump

I too fret about sun damage, being in a hot, humid area. Whether in parking lots or at home there's very little to shade to hug, and that's only in the late afternoon after the damage is done. My last car's paint was ruined over years of being baked in the sun with humidity, hard water, etc, and this despite regular washing and care. I tried everything and only seemed to make it worse (one reason I love on the black car so much!). Another current 2004 car is showing those same edging and "fractal" clear coat failure patterns as well, both my previous and this one are Toyota cars (I know Toyotas and Hondas were sold for years with lousy paint coatings, so they all fade out and have to be repainted)

My Genesis is still new-ish, but being black on black, I'm desperate to prevent oxidation and clear coat peeling from getting started. Maybe the paint won't fade on this one, maybe I'm fooling myself. I've not yet resorted to a car cover, but is that what I need to do? Is it really going to work, or is it just a feel-good that creates other issues?? Mainly I shower the cars with QD and QW regularly and keep them clean of contaminants. However, with the older 2004 car, I can tell it's a losing battle!

So, friends, the question remains, for a non-garaged daily driver and precious little shade, what are the best ways to prevent heat and UV damage from the Sun??

[Stephan]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

Mainly I shower the cars with QD and QW regularly and keep them clean of contaminants.

You have to wash the car(s) more frequently. QD is for removing light dust, not dirt, rain, bird stuff, etc.

The simplest way to achieve that if water availability is an issue, is a rinse free product. Look at mail ordering D114 Rinse Free Express Wash or to add wax (sounds like you should), the new D115 Rinse Free Express Wash and Wax. You can try Ultimate Wash and Wax Anywhere (may be available locally), that is somewhat similar to D115.

You should also use Ult Wax when possible, the Quik Wax is really for topping in between wax/sealant application. The D115 would negate your need for the QW.

[Top Gear]

Re: Whats the best Sun protection?

Ahh, I should have been clearer, washing was of no help on this problem for the other two cars, and even accelerates the problem due to rubbing with the mitt. I've used different soaps, mainly RainX and lately the ArmourAll Gold Wash-n-Wax, very similar to Meg's Gold Class. Yes, outright washing is great for morale and for non-damaged areas, but does not seem to help the older one (where the damage is), and tends to create swirls.

As we've all discussed in other threads, I tend to rinse-only and blow dry completely then finish with Gold Class QD/QW as needed, which work very well, unless there is unseen damage I can prevent. Both cars were done with the full DA 5-step in Feb (see my sig), and are about due for another (except for the ridunculous heat/humidity right now). Again, the Genesis is fine for now and the Toyota is fading quick, but is older, anyway.

I've been looking at car covers but don't know if it's really worth it due to rain, wind, mold, sprinklers, daily installation and removal, etc