Clear coat protectant and wax

Typically I wax my vehicles 2-4 times a year to help the clear coat last longer and protect everything as much as possible. I like to use hard shell turtle wax. I just don’t think the spray on stuff does much.

This is the first vehicle I’ve owned with the “clear coat protectant”, that clear plastic protection layer they put on most of the Toyota’s on the hood and areas where rocks are most likely to hit, like mirrors. Of course these don’t cover everything on these panels and the vulnerable edges are still exposed.

What do y’all do about this? Do you wax over the plastic, or around onto edges or not wax at all? Will using hard shell wax on top look bad on these areas or mess up that layer? I don’t want to remove them just to wax as they do a decent job of preventing damage from rocks, which is a major issue on the road I drive on every day because of all the big trucks leaving the port.

 

Yes you can can put a wax/sealant/coating on it.

Also spray on products have come a long way, there are probably over a few dozen spray on products that will be significantly better than turtle wax out of a tin.

 

Better products out there than old turtle wax paste wax. There are several products out there that are a spray on and rinse off. Technology has come a long way from the old pastel wax days.

 

I wouldn't use a paste or thick liquid wax on the plastic. It's just not necessary. The less you touch it, the longer it will stay looking new.

I would use a spray wax on it, though.

As far as edges, I don't like the look when you get wax packed in the edges. I'd either tape it off or just stay an inch or so away from the edges. And then when I was done, I'd hit the entire vehicle with a spray wax after washes.

 

Like the other guys said, look into the new sprays and if you wont the best check out some vids on ceramic coatings...
I use Cquartz UK by CarPro...

 

Thanks for the info everyone. Looks like the solution I’m looking for is to stop doing what my father taught me years ago and look into some of these newer products.

 

I learned the same way then I found Autogeek.

 

Waxes are outdated technology.

Basically its modern use is for show cars that are in garages sheltered from sun and filtered HVAC to prevent the slightest dust or dirt. They are used for color/paint effects and not protection.

Waxes really don’t last much more than 2-4 weeks. So you wax 2-4 times per year but still approximately 80% of the year your paint has no protection.

Plus every time you clay (which you should always do before waxing) or wax you introduce swirls and marring. You want to limit touching your paint as much as possible to keep it looking nice.

Synthetic waxes called sealers will last 6-12 months if applied properly and mainained with proper washing. Thus giving you complete protection throughout the year while minimizing contact your paint that causes swirling.

In regards to the plastic you can use sealers over it but waxes will likely haze over it. I would not use products over it, you want to avoid getting product gummed up around the edge.

I honestly would strip the plastic off. They tend to oxidize and scratch over time and look horrible but its your personal preference.
Those films typically cost as much as a repaint so IMO they don’t save you much hassle.

I stripped all mine off my truck.

 

If you're looking to protect the paint protection film (PPF), you can absolutely apply a wax or sealant on top of it. In fact it's generally recommended that you do so. I'd recommend a sealant, as it has already been pointed out that wax has a significantly shorter lifespan. Something like Jescar Power Lock will go a long way to further protecting the PPF and keeping the surface of it looking great.

Apply the product to a properly cleaned PPF surface. During the application I'd keep an eye on where your edge is to prevent product from catching in the edge. If you do get product on the edge (almost inevitable), use a soft bristled detailers brush with some quick detail spray to lightly pull the product out of the edge.

*Also, if you're applying product to the painted surface of the vehicle (non-PPF area), be sure to work away from the PPF edge to avoid pushing product into it.

PPF area | ----- work this way ---->

 

I'm a little bit confused as to what you're referring to when you say "clear coat protectant." Our Tacomas come with several different things that might meet that definition. First, there is a horizontal stripe of rough looking material right down at the lower edge (rocker panels) of our trucks. This is a sprayed on coating applied at the factory generally referred to as "chip guard" that's designed to fend off chips caused by rocks thrown up by the tires.

Second, there are a number of areas on the sides of our trucks where clear film "patches" have been applied. These are added in specific areas - over the paint -where rocks also get tossed up, most notably the front / lower edge of the rear fender flares and the front edge of the bed. None of these match your description of "on the hood and areas where rocks are most likely to hit, like mirrors." In fact I do not believe Toyota puts anything other than paint on Tacomas (from the factory) in the areas you mentioned. (They do on certain other models though.)

And on a related note, I have heard that certain Tacoma colors - Super White for instance - are still single stage paint and thus have no clear coat at all. (Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong here.) This doesn't mean you treat this type of paint any differently though.

So unless I'm wrong - or somebody added "Clear Bra" or similar material to your truck - you don't have anything special to worry about on your hood or mirrors.

 

I am now realizing that this is called clear paint protectant not what I was calling it in the first post. Sorry for the confusion. My truck does have this plastic type film on the hood and mirrors as well as the areas your describing on the lower sections of the side. I also have them on the edges of the doors. You may be correct that it is not included on all the Tacomas. I was under the impression that it was on pretty much all of Toyota’s vehicles since my girlfriends 4runner also has it in the same areas. It is possible it was just an option that my truck happened to have as I bought it off the lot.

 

Thanks for the info on specific application. At the moment I’m between spending the money on ceramic coating and using a sealant. Would anyone happen to know if ceramic coating could also be applied over the PPF or would I need to stick with a sealant in order to get it to adhere properly?

 

A properly applied ceramic coating is about as good as it's going to get. No need to ever use a wax or synthetic sealant for pretty much the life of the vehicle. Then again, this is a fairly pricey option. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed with the results and performance though.

A synthetic sealant on the other hand is much better than any conventional wax, not to mention easier to apply and remove. That said, you'll need to re-apply one every 6 months or so. Some - like me for instance - find this kind of work somewhat therapeutic. Others think it's just a PITA.

Getting back to ceramic coatings, I have heard of folks having a ceramic coating applied over a clear film. (In fact the did just this to a black late model Cadillac on a recent episode of Bitchin Rides.) But I would only try this if the same place did both the clear film and the ceramic coating because there's way too many things that could go wrong having them done in separate places. And if something goes wrong with either product, the finger pointing will go on forever. Most of the better ceramic coatings are hard enough to pretty much eliminate the need for a clear film though.

 

Companies are starting to release ceramic coatings that are specifically made for paint film. Carpro made an announcement at SEMA about a new product.

A coating is not the same as film. A coating cannot protect against chips like film does no matter how hard the coating.

 

Certainly it can be, question is would there be any point to it? I never mess with coatings, some of them may not wipe off as easy from the film as the paint. Not sure what they put on the Tacomas and I'm sure it's not as good as some of the self healing ones out there. Some of them with a little heat applied will pull the scratches right out.

 

Agreed 100%. And truth be told, I'm starting to question how many extra layers of "protection" over the factory paint are really needed.

 

My problem with films is how horrible they look.
Ceramic may not be able to protect from chips but the chips look better than the ugly line or the yellowing the film develops.

I can see if you paid to film the whole vehicle but... you scratch the clear film you have to rip the whole sheet up and reapply. So you end up spending as much as a repaint.

I accidentally tapped a concrete pole with my previous truck. Totally effed up the film on the bumper and looked bad. If the film wasn’t there I could just polish and move on. Instead I had to rip the film off and my paint came with it (old film).

If I had money falling out my behind I would do a pro ceramic coat. Not sure about the film.

 

As others have stated, yes, you can apply a coating over the PPF. I'd check with the PPF vendor and the coating vendor or the shop applying the coating though. While coatings have a come a long way there is still a lot of development in play (also pointed out in this thread) and I'd want to be sure of proper adherence to the PPF before spending the money.

If you do decide to go with a coating be sure to ask questions of the shop. While many will have you believe coatings are the end all be all to automotive paint protection, they simply are not. Are they a step above (or even multiple steps above) waxes and sealants, absolutely. However, they are not the impervious armor that many advocates will sell you on.

Questions I would ask:

• What coating are they applying and what does the application process look like? You can check this against the coating manufacturers recommended process.
• What does the maintenance process look like for the coating? Most people believe coatings are set it and forget it. You can certainly choose to not maintain it, but you will lose hydrophobic properties and gloss over time.
• Many shops will offer a multi-year or in some cases a lifetime warranty on the coating. Remember that whatever you're paying is covering the cost of this. Find out what it covers. If the car is in fact scratched will they do a correction and re-apply the coating free of charge? After all the coating prevents scratches right? (A little tongue in cheek there, but you get the point)

I'm not trying to push you away from purchasing a coating, but help prepare you. They are not cheap and for that kind of money its worth getting into the weeds a bit IMO.

 

Xpel offers 7-10 year warranty depending upon which level of film you buy. Probably enough to cover the length of time the average person keeps a vehicle.

 

google "jet seal".....................best stuff I've ever used for a paint sealer/ protectant.