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