if you guys could give me some good input on this it would help me alot! i live in central florida in a condo and unfortunately i have no garage or carport.:( the previous owner garage kept the jeep all the time and the paint is immaculate. i want to protect the paint from fading, rain, tree sap, sprinklers and all the elements. im not up on the newest paint sealants and waxes, and im not sure what the best product is for protection. also how often should i use it and is there a good soap to use? thanks. chris

Hey chris.. i totally hear ya.. the sun is what drive me more nuts actually... your jeep a DD? i would definitely suggest a car cover (california car cover) if it wasnt... however, after you get the hang of it you can take it off and on really quickly... I have a stormweave cover from them and it really works great..for 225 bucks (shipped) i got the cover, bag and locking device... the quality is far superior to others and it fits like a glove around the jeep...it has a high UV rating and repels everything... water beads right off it and the jeep doesnt get wet at all

www.calcarcover.com

have you ever used a clay bar? so simple and they work really well on removing particulate debris and contaminants that waxes etc apparently cant.. than a nice wax like a carnauba which has a high heat tolerance works well...

Or if you want to get crazy (which i do from time to time) try a 3 step process which entails a pre wax cleaner... a sealer and glaze and than finish off with step 3 with carnauba wax... that works awesome.. mothers and meguiars carries this

Have you ever used NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 Paste? its not the easiest to work with b/c of its consistency and difficulty to remove but if you take your time Daaaaaaaaaahhhaaaaaaam is this stuff sick... my buddy who use to own a body shop swears by it.. i was so impressed when i used it... pastes work best but they take longer to use.. thats basically why all the liquid waxes hit the market years ago

as for car soap they all pretty much do the trick.. just stick with a car soap and not dish washing soap or hand soap etc :)

The best way i determine when its time to wax my cars is when i see signs of water no longer beading on the hood etc... when the water beads on your rig shes still protected from your previous wax job... no rule about waxing your cars to much !! just make sure you use some good material like lambs wool mitts etc and some good polishing cloths and microfiber applicators etc

now get to work guy.. !!!!!!!!!! ha

thanks for all the helpful info bro. ill check out that cover and probrobly go that way.

Mine stays out in the florida sun too and its a pain to keep clean, especially in the summer with all the rain we get. I've thought about a car cover but I'm worried about surfaces scratches with taking it off/on daily.

HarrisonZ, Scottina, and CenTexHemi all have threads with "paint correction" tips and products they use...just search the quotes and their screennames and you will find numerous tips.

Ah Oh... Dont Even Get Me Started About Surface Scratches From Covers.. I Will Put Up A Thread About My Story ! I Didnt Get Any Scratches But Thinkin About My Story Got Me So Revvvved Up

Zaino Brothers Is What You Need...........google It,that Is What I Use Even Though My Jeep Sits In A Garage.

For protection from the sun = wash, clay and wax or sealant, for over the counter Meguiars NXT 2.0 wax is good for UV. Apply as neede and keep it working with Meguiars quick detailer. There are others for protection but you have order them online.

If your not driving a car cover a great but check with the company and find out there gaurantees/policy if they scratch the truck.

what would be better in my case after i clay bar? wax or sealant?

Sealants tend to protect the paint better but don't last as long as a good carnuba wax.

Sealants are synthetic in composition, and require a little more effort in application. They dry harder than a wax and actually last longer, hence why they cost more than most waxes. Wax itself is not totally tolerant of heat, and will to a slight extent reliquify. This is why you see lots of older vehicles with hood, roof, and trunk paint fading whereas the sides will still be in rather decent condition. I don't park mine inside either, and given the drought here in atlanta the sun is giving mine a fair beating. Just take the time to keep it clean, wax it every 2-3 months, or seal it every 4-6 months, and you'll be golden. Unless you can feel some sort of contamination in the paint, aka sap, tar or overspray, you don't really need to clay bar it. The best way to tell is to wash it well, then put three fingers in a cigarette celaphane and run that over the finish. The celaphane will amplify your ability to feel imperfections in the surface. Try and wash as soon as possible after rain, especially if you are near a larger commercial area in FL as the fallout that gets in the rain will etch your windows and paint over time. If you need any more in depth help, I can lead you in the right direction. There are a couple websites I can point you to that are run by detailers I know where you'll always get the answers you're looking for and in a very timely matter.

thanks i plan on detailing the jeep in a few days and ill keep your info in mind. what brands did you find to work well?

thanks i plan on detailing the jeep in a few days and ill keep your info in mind. what brands did you find to work well?

Well, I'm on the professional end of the business so I have alot of stuff thats not available to retail customers, though most of it is nearly the same. The best product available off the shelf is the Meg's NXT Tech Wax 2.0 in my opinion. I'm not a fan of the paste, its an outdated process in my mind. The liquid version is much easier to work with and provides the same shine and protection. I personally use Meg's #66 on my GC since it resides outdoors most everyday and night (i park it inside sometimes on weekends, depending if I drive my wrangler or not and if it has the top and doors on, which it rarely ever does) 66 is a good all around product, designed for high paced high production levels. Its a light reconditioner, meaning it removes some surface contaminants and oxidation, and provides a good deep glossy shine. I use the 66 because I wax my GC frequently, more frequently than needed really but since its outside and I'm in a fairly poor air quality area with lots of enviromental fallout (acid rain and the such, per se) Its a very quick setting product and you can wax and wipe in less than 30 minutes total time. (really less than that, but I like to let it sit for a bit) You will need some shade to apply any of these products though, as you don't want the product to "flash" dry on you. When that occurs, the top layer of the wax product dries and the underlying wax doesn't, and its a real PITFA to get it all off. Make sure you use a good car wash concentrate too, never use kitchen dish detergent.

well i just went and picked up some meg's and ill let you know how it turns out. thanks bro

Good luck with it!