Hi all,
I just took delivery on my truck last June and was told by the salesman I should wait about 6 months before I put a coat of wax on it (something to do with the clearcoat). Does he know what he's talking about, I mean, it's just wax? I'm sure there's already something on the truck, but I don't know about the quality...
I have a black truck, so I want to put a good coat of wax on it as soon as possible to protect the paint. At the same time, I don't want to harm the paint/clearcoat if the salesman was right. What should I do?
When you all took delivery on your trucks, how soon was it before you applied that initial coat of wax?
Thanks a lot.

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'INTIMIDATOR' Black '99.5 F150 XLT 4X2, R/C, SS, 5.4L V8, 3.55 LS, Superchip, Dual Chamber Flowmaster, LineX Bedliner, Keyless Entry, 4W Disk Brakes, Sl Rear Window, Trailer Towing Pkg, P255 OWL, Cast Aluminum Wheels.

 

Tina, HI!
Didnt you say that you use a cleaner/wax first, then a coat of carnuba wax each time you wax your truck? Each month? After about six months or so the cleaner wax is a good thing, right? I value your opinion cause you wax your truck so much, it must look excellente! thanks for the info..Oh, one more thing, do you ever use a polish?
You can just guide me to the post where youve already gone thru this if nec, thanks!

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J Randall
elktag1az@aol.com
Arizona F150 4x4 SC '97


[This message has been edited by ELKTAGAZ (edited 08-12-1999).]

[This message has been edited by ELKTAGAZ (edited 08-12-1999).]

 

Well that salesman doesn't know what he is talking about you can wax your truck as soon as you get home from the lot or have them do it when they prep the truck only if it was in a body shop to have repairs and repainted then you need to wait about 6 months before waxing.

 

Elktag: NO!!! I only use the cleaner/wax less than twice a year. Acutally I just now had to use this product this year for the first time. I think having well water and being on the coast of NC must be a lot harder on the paint causing terrible water spots. Over use of a cleaner/wax can also be just as harmful to your paint. I use a carnuba wax by Royal every month. This is a wax only product. And inbetween waxing IF I see a spot, like under the side push out window, that maybe has streaks running down, or say a lot of bugs on the front end. Then I will wash that spot and add a little wax there. But the cleaner/wax just sits in the garage most of the year!! About polish: I don't use one but I've read post of others here that do and they all seemed very positive.

 

Tina! Thanks for the info. I thought I had read that somewhere.. I just used Meguires cleaner/wax on my truck. Well, it'll sit where it is now for quite a while.. Does it strip the paint or what is really bad about it? I hope I didnt hurt it.. I will put the carnuba on tomorrow first thing.. Do you use a buffer for that truck of yours? Well, thanks again!

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J Randall
elktag1az@aol.com
Arizona F150 4x4 SC '97

 

Car salespeople NEVER know what they are talking about and should not be relied upon for even commonly known information. I thought I had already made myself clear on this point.

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Ben Mc.----'99 XLT 5.4 SC SB ORP Dk. Red/Dk. Grey----Fact. Cab Steps/Tonneau/Slider----Straight Duals, Superchip, Airaid/KN (non-sag), Ungo Autostart/Keyless Remote, Prime Designs Air/Bug Deflector, Weathertech Wind/Rain Deflecters----PPI 4240 Amp,McIntosh 6x9's w/crossovers front, Polk DB 5.25's rear---Tuessssdayyyy Affffternoooooon----gotta love it!

 

Well here's what I've been told on that issue. First new vehicles do not need to "cure" before being waxed. This is because they are baked until they are cured at the factory. However if you have a car repainted, they cannot bake it in as high a temp, therefore the car needs 6 months to cure. All I can say is this had better be the case, because the weekend after I got mine, I waxed her. So I were you, I'd crack open the wax and have at it.


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1999 Lariat SuperCab Flareside, Amazon Green with Silver trim, 5.4L, 4x2, 4 wheel disc/ABS, 3.55 limited slip, towing package, sliding rear window, captains chairs, keyless entry with alarm, spray-on bed liner, and K&N. http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~bfriesen/truck.html

 

I waited 1 month to wax but that was only because I picked up the truck in StLouis and traveled to Detroit then to Wilmington NC and finally to Wash DC. Otherwise I would have waxed it sooner Also, just use a very good wax only product. Not a cleaner/wax!! Congradulations on the new truck, now get to waxing....

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

Thanks for the info.
Even before I took delivery on my truck, I already had the 3 step Meguire's system... A bottle of cleaner, polish, and wax.
The polish bottle says use it every time you wax, but that's a little too often I think. I'll wax every other month and polish every other wax or so. Cleaner will only be used about once a year... depends on how rough the surface gets. I hear good things about glazes instead of polish, too. I'll have to look into that...
I found out how big the truck was the first time I washed it (compared to a 4x4 Ranger). Now I'll really see how big it is! I love it!
Thanks again!

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'INTIMIDATOR' Black '99.5 F150 XLT 4X2, R/C, SS, 5.4L V8, 3.55 LS, Superchip, Dual Chamber Flowmaster, LineX Bedliner, Keyless Entry, 4W Disk Brakes, Sl Rear Window, Trailer Towing Pkg, P255 OWL, Cast Aluminum Wheels.
Coming this weekend... BFG 275/65s on Pro 57 16x8s
Next weekend... Alpine CDA-7845 and CHA-1214 (12 disk) to add to my Infinity Kappas and 65x4 USAcoustics amp!
Next mod... Anti-sway bar

 

Elktag: what I heard about cleaner/wax is that they do have some type of grit to them, be it ever so fine. That's where you get the "cleaner" from. It's how the product actually works. Which is fine when you have a build up of who knows what, on your paint. But a constant use of this could eventually mean that you are rubbing through your clear-coat. And that you don't want. So, using once or twice a year to remove build up of oxidents is benificial to the paint. I personally wouldn't do more than that. About a buffer, Nope, I do the ENTIRE truck by hand. And I think the truck gets bigger each month I have had to do different things on seperate days, like wash Friday,& Tires, crome & Black trim Sat. It was just too much for me to do in one day. Plus the heat here really slows me down.

 

Tina, Thanks again.. I got up early today and put the Meguire's yellow carnuba paste wax on my truck, I think the truck doubled in size!. I get so tired I start getting sloppy and getting it on the black trim(not too bad though..! Gotta find some of that back to black people keep talking about.. anyways, thanks for the advice again.

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J Randall
elktag1az@aol.com
Arizona F150 4x4 SC '97