Originally Posted by Pedro367

My 4R is Classic Silver, but here is what I have been using for mine with what I feel are good long lasting results. Would love some opinions as I have no professional experience, but always took great care of my vehicles and detailed them when I could.

- Hose down vehicle well
- Wash with very soapy Meguiar's Gold Class Wash and Microfiber mitt. I use a different MF mitt for the wheels
- Air dry with leaf blower and then a Meguiar's water magnet microfiber towel that I wash after every use. Let air dry for a bit and pull into garage.
- Coat of Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Sealant with orbital buffer and MF pad.
- Coat of Car Guys Liquid Wax with supplied foam pad by hand. Let dry for a few hours and remove with the MF towel Car Guys supplied.
- For the Softex seats I just got Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Conditioner and it is awesome (cleans great, seats have a nice soft feel, and smells amazing). Invisible glass for the windows, Armor all for the dash, but that leather cleaner I found works great too.

Looking forward to doing it again when it warms up a bit more and get the final road salt off the car from the winter.

Originally Posted by RobS10

Is that all applied by the local dealers, or at the port?

Originally Posted by Rack

I have had Red trucks and white trucks and blue trucks but never a black truck ( Black is not a color its a hobby)

Originally Posted by Too Stroked

I've detailed vehicles for over 25 years out of my home. I just retired last year as the lead detailer at a medium sized Toyota dealership. That said, I've been there and done that with Barcelona Red and just about any other Toyota color.

First off, congratulations on your new T4R. Barcelona Red is one of the sexiest colors available on a T4R - and it's also fairly easy to take care of. Your desire to protect it immediately is admirable. Here are a few things you might want to think about.

1) Protecting your paint is only half the battle. The other half is not doing things that will damage your paint. How you wash and dry your vehicle is right on top of the list. Lots of good information on what to do (and not do) on places like Autogeek.com.

2) For protection, you basically have three choices: 1) Traditional wax, 2) Synthetic sealants, and 3) Ceramic coatings. Wax is the least expensive, but doesn't last very long. Figure a couple of months tops. My favorite is still Collonite 845. Sealants last longer, and go on / come off easier. Figure 3-4 months tops. My favorite is still Menzerna / Jescar Power Lock. Ceramic coatings are the most expensive, but properly applied, last much, much longer. They also provide a much richer / deeper shine. A good, professionally applied coating can last years. BTW: Do not fall for the "spray on / wash off "ceramic coatings. They look great - for about 2 weeks.

I could go on for hours on this topic, but I'll stop here. Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by Predatorsniper2005

I saw your post and experience. Can I not purchase a good ceramic coating and apply it myself if I follow the instructions to the letter? If so, what do you recommend? I have a new 22 ORP in bound.

Thanks Much,
Mike

Originally Posted by Too Stroked

PM sent.

Originally Posted by Humble Leader

I'm not sure where mine was installed. ask your dealer for the genuine ppf they can probably install it if they have a detailer

Originally Posted by RobS10

I'll ask the dealer and the detailer I linked.
How well does the film hold up to washing and waxing over the years? Is the transition fairly invisible?

BTW, I like your philosophical tag line ;).

Originally Posted by mc813

Personally I'd go to someone who does PPF/paint corrections/detailing for a living to have it done. There are different brands like Xpel/Suntek/3M/etc...I've had Xpel on two 4Runners, and have Suntek on my second vehicle. I can't tell the difference between either brand. I have Suntek on a white vehicle, and Xpel on my nautical blue 4r. PPF film nowadays usually has a warranty period of ~10 years where if the film yellows/cracks/lifts it will be removed and replaced free of charge.

On a dark vehicle (if you wax it) you will inevitably notice the transition if you have a film seam on your hood/fender since it's easy for dried wax to hug the very fine edge made by the film and create a thin white line. For this reason I opted to have the entire hood and entire front bumper done on my 4r. I'm thinking of going back and having the A pillars done as well since they're picking up some rock chips and I plan on keeping the 4r indefinitely.

Originally Posted by RobS10

I'll ask the dealer and the detailer I linked.
How well does the film hold up to washing and waxing over the years? Is the transition fairly invisible?

BTW, I like your philosophical tag line ;).

Originally Posted by Too Stroked

Let me see if I can answer all of your (good) questions. First, the difference between a wax and a sealant is that waxes are (generally speaking) carnauba based. Sealants are polymers. Many folks think waxes give a "warmer looking" shine while synthetic sealants give a "Saran Wrap" looking shine. Personal preference there. Personally, I'll take easier to apply and lasts longer - which is the sealants.

Your washing routine is not bad, but I'd recommend the "two bucket method" (Google it) and ditch the chamois for some high-quality microfiber towels. I'd also dump the brush and sponges for anything but wheels and use nothing but microfiber mitts on any painted surfaces.

Finally, the only ceramic coatings I recommend are applied by professional detailers and yes, they cost quite a bit. As somebody else has said, the biggest component of a professionally applied coating is the hours of prep work required to coat a vehicle correctly. Done correctly by a competent detailer, they look awesome and last years.

I recently lost a potential customer when I quoted him almost a thousand dollars to correct and coat his vehicle. (It was a roach.) He laughed and said he could buy the coating at Walmart for $3.99 a bottle and do it himself in less than an hour. I wished him well. (At least he was a happy idiot.)

Originally Posted by RobS10

Are the soft brushes with the "exploded" bristles OK? Only use a stiff brush on tires. That's the one I've been using since it's on a pole that makes doing the roof a lot easier and faster.