| Protecting your pride and joy and one of your largest | | | | take several coats to insure that the protection last |
| investments this winter. The automobile has become | | | | longer than three months. It is best to put on several |
| an extension of its owners personality as well as | | | | coats and then re-apply in three months. If you do |
| representing a huge chunk of our hard earned | | | | not feel that you want to do this yourself you can |
| income. Lets face it, as Americans we love our cars. | | | | call several companies that provide onsite service at |
| We want them to look good, cruise smoothly and | | | | home or office. National Detail Systems at has over |
| last a long time. Then of course there is the weather. | | | | 300 dealers. Ask for polymer wax and ask for a |
| Man is constantly adapting to his environment and | | | | multiple coat discount. Expect to pay $65-90 plus |
| adjusting to his climate. We put stuff on the roads so | | | | $15-25 for each additional coat from National Detail |
| we can drive in any weather without fear of | | | | Dealers. It will vary significantly from dealer to dealer. |
| becoming the next human driven hockey puck.During | | | | The Car Wash Guys have standard pricing and |
| the Winter Months different agencies apply different | | | | charge $35 for an exterior polymer coat and charge |
| things to the roads to keep them drivable like salt, | | | | $10 for additional coats. Many car washes also have |
| sand and chemicals such as de-icing chemicals, which | | | | express detailing service starting at anywhere from |
| are environmentally friendly but can destroy a regular | | | | $35-55. To get a listing of car washes go to the new |
| wax job. Magnesium Sulfate works great to keep | | | | J.D. Powers Car Club website. This site is quite helpful. |
| cars from sliding into the guardrails and ditches, but it | | | | The website will give you a map to the nearest |
| plays hell on an automobiles finish. With rust and | | | | carwash based on the zip code you put in. You can |
| corrosion threatening to destroy your investment and | | | | print it out and drive down and get your car waxed. |
| reduce the value of your car by thousands of dollars | | | | Fixed site carwashes vary so much from operator to |
| the stakes become high. We may not be able to | | | | operator it is hard to say what additional coats might |
| control the weather quite yet, but we can give you | | | | cost, it may even depend on the day of the week |
| the tips from years of experience and industry | | | | you go, which manager is working and how busy |
| knowledge to help you minimize your risk, fight back | | | | they are that day. You should try to go on a |
| against jack frost and work with mother nature to | | | | Tuesday.You may wish to put a protective coating |
| co-exist and cruise successfully through winter. How | | | | on your cars carpets. The very popular product |
| can you win the war on winter?Winter is coming and | | | | ScotchGuard was taken off the market this year due |
| will soon be in full swing. Roads will be packed with | | | | to environmental problems in manufacturing and is no |
| vacationers and outdoor sports aficionados. You and | | | | longer available. Blue Coral does make a similar aerosol |
| your car need to be ready. We know from | | | | product although not as good as the former 3M |
| experience that bare metal will rust when exposed to | | | | leading brand. With new genetic woven splicing of |
| moisture and harsh elements. Take a look around | | | | nylon into cotton plants we are seeing a new breed |
| your car, are there paint chips? Even small chips can | | | | of interior carpeting in vehicles. It is more durable |
| allow moisture to get underneath your cars finish and | | | | easier to clean and holds up well under multiple steam |
| work its way all the way through the metal. Holes in | | | | cleaning passes. Perhaps a simple plastic cover over |
| your car needless to say will not improve your | | | | the carpets might be your best bet. Most modern |
| chances for good resale value. And if your car is on a | | | | day min-vans come standard with plastic covers and |
| lease they will be hitting you hard on its return. There | | | | if yours did not, you can buy plastic covers for next |
| are several things you can do to take care of these | | | | to nothing at any auto parts store.There are also |
| chips now. To find a chip repair person go to and find | | | | some very high tech solutions to automotive |
| one of their 500 mobile chip repair dealers. If you | | | | protection. For window glass there is a hydrophobic |
| have a fiberglass body or a primarily plastic car such | | | | treatment called Diamon Fusion. There is a company |
| as a Saturn it may not be as critical if you have a | | | | at , which can apply this for you. It prevents chips in |
| chip or two.Every car that drives through harsh | | | | the window and allows you to drive in heavy rain |
| winter climates needs some type of undercoating. | | | | without use of wipers. A simple solution may be |
| There are many options. You can go down to your | | | | RainX, which can be purchased at any auto parts |
| local auto parts store, buy a can of undercoating and | | | | store for about $5. All of the companies listed in this |
| spray it on yourself or you can go to any auto | | | | article can also put on RainX for you. Be sure to ask |
| detailing company and have it done for about | | | | them to apply it to the interior windows also because |
| $80-100. There are a few detailing companies who | | | | it prevents unnecessary fogging when you do not |
| have a number of stores throughout the country as | | | | have your defroster set exactly right. The coating |
| well as mobile units, which can provide this | | | | industry has evolved and out of the NASA Space |
| undercoating for you. You can also go they have 216 | | | | Program came a glass coating used on the tiles on |
| stores Nationwide. They have been closing stores at | | | | the bottom of the Space Shuttle, which can be put |
| a fast rate of about 30 per year. They charge about | | | | on at room temperature. It is put on 2 to 4 |
| $200-300 and will touch up the undercoating job free | | | | milimeters thick. Glass of course is impervious to |
| each year. They use this as a gimmick to get you in | | | | moisture. For more information go to This new |
| their store next year to sell you more stuff. Their | | | | revolution in ceramic technology is also being |
| guarantee is of questionable value since if the store | | | | perfected by the Japanese. PP&G, the leading |
| closes then who will do the guarantee wok. Another | | | | automotive paint company, is also on the cutting |
| problem with the lifetime guarantee is that most | | | | edge of this new field and we may soon have a new |
| people do not own their cars for their entire lifeIf | | | | and more advanced clear coat for cars for the 21st |
| you own a truck or a cargo van you may consider a | | | | century. That is the good news. We may see a new |
| lining. There are a few different types of linings. Rhino | | | | clear coat for cars coming out which will make waxes |
| Lining at has a rubber like lining. An average bed runs | | | | obsolete in the next few years. The bad news is |
| about $300. There is Line X, which is a harder liner at | | | | that for now there is no substitute for waxes, |
| and Permatech at which has a really good liner that is | | | | coatings and undercoating. You can pay now or pay |
| between the hard Line X liner and the softer a Rhino | | | | later. You really should consider protecting your |
| Lining. All these brands have hundreds of franchisees | | | | investment. If you neglect to take this opportunity |
| and dealers. You can conveniently search their | | | | to plan your winterizing strategy, Mother Nature |
| websites to find a location near you. The going rate | | | | already has a plan of her own and she is coming |
| is around $300 for an 8 ft bed and you can negotiate | | | | soon.Many people are only going to keep their car for |
| a little with your local dealer.What can you do to | | | | two years on a lease and then trade it in for a new |
| protect your cars paint? Several things. It is | | | | model. So if there are no chips in the paint, you may |
| important to understand the different types of wax | | | | only need a single coat of polymer wax and new |
| and how they perform against salt spray tests. | | | | windshield wiper blades before Winter. If you are |
| Carnauba the most popular wax name amongst | | | | going to keep your car for many years however |
| consumers, will not hold up well under harsh salt | | | | protect your investment against the inevitable Winter. |
| conditions, de-icing wetted areas or on magnesium | | | | Please realize that most manufacturers warranties on |
| chloride soaked roads. It does however work well | | | | bodies and paint do not cover salt or environmental |
| against roads, which have been covered, with sand. | | | | damage. If you pay attention to these simple things |
| Teflon and silicone waxes do not work well in any of | | | | you can cruise through winter with no problems |
| these conditions or in colder climates. So what is the | | | | providing your tires dont get recalled and you can still |
| best modern wax for these Winter environments? | | | | afford the gas.Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank |
| Polymers work best, but are usually put on in a liquid | | | | forum board. |
| form and therefore goes on in thinner coats. It may | | | | |