Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

[strader327]

Hey guys, out of all the Meguiars product line, which wax or sealant offers the best protection specifically for darker colored cars in harsh environments like extreme heat and harsh uv rays from the sun? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Murr1525]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

The best would be previous steps to have lots of polishing oils, to keep the paint from drying out.

[strader327]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Well let's see. Every month I wash, clay, go over it with cleaner wax, polish it, then wax it. Then every week I either wash and detail it or if it only has a fine coat of dust, I dust it and then detail it. All with Meguiars stuff of course. Now would that be enough to keep my paint protected by extreme heat and uv rays during the summer or do I need to do something else additional to it, like as you said, use more Meguiars polish?

[Murr1525]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Well, I see one issue already...

Thinking through the steps you are doing, it looks like this:
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean
4. Polish
5. Wax (3-5 being the Cleaner/Wax)
6. Polish
7. Wax

As you can see, you are repeating yourself, instead of progressing through the steps in order.

If you like a more full detail (5 steps or so), you would want to think of this:
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean/Polish - Ultimate Polish
4. Wax
5. Wax

That will give you a better cleaning step with more polishing oils.

[Poki]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

What are you calling extreme heat? So. Cal. desert where it's 115 degrees for days on end and the car is outside 24/7? Just my opinion but claying every month sounds over the top and probably not necessary unless you are trying to achieve a show car finish. Is this a daily driver? I think it would be easier to answer your questions if we had a better idea of exactly what it is you want to accomplish. Show car finish, swirl free daily driver or a very clean shiny pretty much swirl free daily driver???

[strader327]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Yeah, my car is pretty much a daily driver. I would love to make my car's finish a showcar finish, but I think my best bet is to go with a very clean shiny pretty much swirl free daily driver.

I guess where I'm from (southeastern Kentucky) it's not so much the heat it's the humidity. I got nervous about what the heat does to my car last summer when I left my car out in the sun all afternoon to come back and see that my rear view mirror came unglued and fell off my windshield.

My car's color tends to draw in heat since it's "electric blue" (or more like a bright blue metal flake finish). I'll post some pictures and video of it later if anyone is interested in seeing it.

[strader327]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Well, I see one issue already...

Thinking through the steps you are doing, it looks like this:
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean
4. Polish
5. Wax (3-5 being the Cleaner/Wax)
6. Polish
7. Wax

As you can see, you are repeating yourself, instead of progressing through the steps in order.

If you like a more full detail (5 steps or so), you would want to think of this:
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean/Polish - Ultimate Polish
4. Wax
5. Wax

That will give you a better cleaning step with more polishing oils.

Just curious, I've seen people talk about applying two coats of wax to their car. What is the difference between one coat a month (if you are applying one coat a month anyway) versus two coats in a two or three day period?

[strader327]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Ok, in the "show off your detailing" section, I posted a couple of links to some video footage of my car.

[Murr1525]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

The idea of 2 coats is to get even coverage.

You could do one coat regularly, or two coats at first, then one coat regulalry. Starting with 2 coats at least would ensure even coverage from the begining.

If you cleaned, then 1 coat.... cleaned, then 1 coat.... cleaned, then 1 coat, etc, you would always just have the one coat.

[strader327]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Oh, something else I was wanting to bring back up in this thread (since it was my original question) is which specific Meguiars products past and present, are especially good at protecting a car's paint finish in extreme heat and uv rays? I've read that m16 (which I was very lucky to obtain a can of recently) was and is very good at keeping your car's finish safe from heat and uv rays. But how do other products like Ultimate Liquid/paste wax fair along with products like Meguiars Carnuba, Gold Class and NXT 2.0 waxes? Thanks again for your time.

[tcope1]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

You need to read info at the following link (#17)

http://www.meguiars.com/faq/index.cf...18&section=_18

"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."

Link contains more info.

[wifpd4]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

Here's another quote you may find interesting:

The amount of UV protection you can layer on top of the clear coat is measured in microns, thus instead of looking for some type of miracle product that makes claims it can't actually live up to or substantiate, find a product you like and use if often to maintain your car's clear coat finish.


__________________
Mike Phillips
Office: 800-869-3011 x206
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek.net
"Find something you like and use it often"

That was from a discussion in 2008

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22422

[STG]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

The longest lasting last step product I've ever used, through Mojave summer and Wyoming winter is Finish Kare 1000p High Temp Wax (synthetic sealant, really). It's made by the other member of the Meguiar family.

I can tell you from personal experience that one application (two coats) will last through a Palm Springs summer.

I applied it to my F250 in October and ran the truck through a Northwest Wyoming winter. I think I managed to rinse the truck off twice between October and February. I finally was able to properly wash the truck in late April. I swear I looked Like I just waxed it. I've used M21 since it came on the market, and 1000p is more durable year 'round.

I live at 5,000 ft. elevation and spend a lot of time at 7,000 ft. plus altitudes. There's a lot less atmosphere at these elevations and a lot more UV rays (less air to filter the UV) than sea level.

Even though 1000p is available only in paste form and M21 liquid is easier to apply, it's my favorite last step product because it looks great and lasts longer. Unlike many here, detailing is not my hobby. I'm anal about my vehicles so they must look great, but I hate the work. Anything that looks great and last a long time (= less work) works for me.

[chillerman]

Re: Protecting your car's finish from extreme heat and uv rays

I feel your pain. I have a 2003 Sonic Blue Ford Lightning. I have avoided using products containing carnuba, especially during the hot summer months in south Louisiana, as they seem to melt and get sticky which seems to attract and hold dust, pollen and the like. I favor sealants, even though i used to use carnuba over sealant for the extra impact on dark vehicles. If I were entering in a car show, I might apply the carnuba, especially if it were indoors, but in the 100+ heat, I use sealant. Just my $.02 worth.