Quote:
Originally Posted by xdavidx
I've had my 86 almost a year now. When I got it, first thing I did (as I do with all new cars) was to thoroughly wash, clay bar, prep, and seal the paint. I used wolfgang sealant from autogeek as I have on my past several cars. I wash my cars every week or two for the most part with a very anal process to ensure no scratches and top it off with a spray wax. Car is always garaged and in southern california away from the ocean. While sometimes I will reapply sealant soon, this has always kept paint in really good shape for up to a year. Normally when I redo the process, I find it doesn't really need the clay bar.
This car has totally broken that. The paint is so bumpy with contaminants that no washing will make it feel smooth (i'm thinking it will take some seriously clay barring to remove) and it is covered in light surface marks from bugs, birds, trees, and water spots. If I didn't have so much confidence in the wolfgang sealant from so many prior applications successes and that fact that it has remained very shiny and beading water, I'd think it had no paint protection at all for a year. Nothing serious and noticeable to anyone but myself and nothing that shouldn't buff out with a light pre sealant polish, but I guess I am just shocked that it needs anything at all considering my process has worked great on every other cars paint.
I'd heard the paint on these cars was not very great, but didn't give it too much thought as I take such good care of my cars that I never have issues. Anyone else particular about their paint care that has had one of these a long time and can tell me what I should expect in future years? Maybe if I have a heads up I won't be as upset when it starts showing more wear than I'd like. Also open to other sealant suggestions if someone has had good success with something else on our paint.
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I have a 1/4 mile long gravel and dirt driveway. So I wash my car twice a year, whether it needs it or not. I also live in central KY so we get enough sun that my 2013 headlights are yellowing. But the paint is like new.
I've never waxed it. Mine's the metallic white.
The front is a bit beat up from bugs, but not many rock chips, mainly because, though I drive a lot, most of it is on back roads with no cars in front of me, so I'm mostly hitting bugs.