How soon after getting the new truck should you add a good coat of wax, etc? Day one?

[huff2462]

How soon after getting the new truck should you add a good coat of wax, etc? Day one?

Also, does anyone have products they recommend?

 

[texas.yankee]

It's been so long since I've owned a vehicle that I care to keep clean... I'm curious too.

 

[Gondul]

Paint is 'baked' on at the factory so you should be able to clean it up right away...

Personally I kinda like spending a day washing/waxing my vehicles... these aren't show cars and I can't see ponying up the money for a ceramic coat.
I'm keeping this thing for 10-15 years and it is gonna get used.

I plan on getting some Iron Removal... some 'cheap' and effective products are Eagle One BLACK & PLASTI COAT Wheel Cleaner, Meguiar's Ultimate All Wheel Cleaner, Auto Fanatic Foaming Wheel Cleaner ... all are clear coat safe and will removed any embedded iron particles from transport.

For this first wash I'll probably use Dawn or some such to strip whatever wax they have on the truck
Then Iron Remover to remove any embedded particles
A quick clay (probably won't need it)
Then check the paint to see if it needs any correction
If it does, I will compound and then polish
Once that's done a nice layer of wax

I just use Meguiar's Ultimate line of products (readily available and work well) , a Porter Cable dual action polisher, and some foam pads from Harbor Freight.

This was the wife's Fozzie after I was done.

 

[bobohio]

Paint is 'baked' on at the factory so you should be able to clean it up right away...

Personally I kinda like spending a day washing/waxing my vehicles... these aren't show cars and I can't see ponying up the money for a ceramic coat.
I'm keeping this thing for 10-15 years and it is gonna get used.

I plan on getting some Iron Removal... some 'cheap' and effective products are Eagle One BLACK & PLASTI COAT Wheel Cleaner, Meguiar's Ultimate All Wheel Cleaner, Auto Fanatic Foaming Wheel Cleaner ... all are clear coat safe and will removed any embedded iron particles from transport.

For this first wash I'll probably use Dawn or some such to strip whatever wax they have on the truck
Then Iron Remover to remove any embedded particles
A quick clay (probably won't need it)
Then check the paint to see if it needs any correction
If it does, I will compound and then polish
Once that's done a nice layer of wax

I just use Meguiar's Ultimate line of products (readily available and work well) , a Porter Cable dual action polisher, and some foam pads from Harbor Freight.

This was the wife's Fozzie after I was done.

View attachment 306

Any recommendations for my black truck?? I've never had a black truck b4...I hate seeing swirl marks, I was thinking about F11?

 

[Gondul]

Black is a bear to maintain...

Honestly, you are going to have to find a product that you like the best... for me that was Meguair's... readily available and not terribly expensive.
The important bit, regardless of product, is to minimize anything that may cause swirls in the paint...

I usually rinse the car off to get most of the dirt off first, just one of those micro fiber wash mops
Use two buckets to clean your truck, one with clean water and a second to rinse off your mop/sponge after every pass
This keeps grit out of you wash water and whatever you are using to wash the truck

I use my leaf blower to get the majority of the water off the truck
Microfiber clothes to fishing drying

Meguair's makes a Black Wax specifically for dark colored vehicles, I'd use that and then top off with Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax
You can use Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer in between washes to keep it clean... I'd still be very careful by using spraying the microfiber towel and the car.

 

[bobohio]

Black is a bear to maintain...

Honestly, you are going to have to find a product that you like the best... for me that was Meguair's... readily available and not terribly expensive.
The important bit, regardless of product, is to minimize anything that may cause swirls in the paint...

I usually rinse the car off to get most of the dirt off first, just one of those micro fiber wash mops
Use two buckets to clean your truck, one with clean water and a second to rinse off your mop/sponge after every pass
This keeps grit out of you wash water and whatever you are using to wash the truck

I use my leaf blower to get the majority of the water off the truck
Microfiber clothes to fishing drying

Meguair's makes a Black Wax specifically for dark colored vehicles, I'd use that and then top off with Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax
You can use Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer in between washes to keep it clean... I'd still be very careful by using spraying the microfiber towel and the car.

Thanks!! I pretty much do all of that when I hand wash my truck now...I was thinking about Meguair's but wasn't sure...I use some of their products and am happy with them. I just wasn't sure about the F11 since it's so expensive. I will get on Autogeek.com and check out the Meguair's. Thanks for your help!

 

[Gondul]

There are all kinds of expensive products out there... some may be worth it, but until someone (not the manufacturer) can show me a difference that is proportional to the price increase, I'm good with what I'm using.

Enjoy!

 

[jakebrake]

Nu Finish in the shade, let dry ( 30 mins. ), take off with a tee shirt . do the whole truck in 1-3 hours, once a year. One bottle will do two large trucks. $8.00 at Wally World

 

[boom3198]

I do my 3500 SRW in Mothers CMX Ceramic every two weeks after a wash. You wont believe the way that water will just jump off of the truck once you get 2 or 3 layers of the ceramic on. $20 for a bottle of it on Amazon. Have done my truck 3 times and the DW Durango SRT twice and still have half a bottle left. spray on with the vehicle cool, spread with a clean microfiber, let sit for a min or two, wipe haze away with a different clean microfiber. goes on quite smooth and really brings out the depth of the paint. Since water doesnt hang out on the paint, it seems that the truck stays cleaner longer between washes (once a week).

 

[archer75]

Have a ceramic coat put on. It will last MUCH longer. Professionally. It lasts way longer than the off the shelf stuff.

 

[ghaynes754]

Week after I picked up the truck, Ceramic Pro for everything. When washing I only use Deionized water, no spots even in bright sun. Foam canon with Americana Ceramic Aftercare soap. Final rinse with the deionized water and I am done.