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