Keeping Car Clean Advice

[brett05]

Just bought a new 2013 Honda Civic LX and would like some advice.

1) They offered this package for $1500 for undercoating, paint protection, and interior stain guard. Is that a good deal? Should I get it somewhere else?
2) In the mean time I got bucket seat covers, rear seat bench cover and all weather mats for the floor (got it at Meijer) for $80
3) OK that last was just a statement really, but what would you recommend for me to keep the car clean inside and outside? I have never been a clean car guy, but suddenly like a new father I have a huge desire to keep the car in tip top cleanliness.

Thanks and I will be doing a write up on my car shopping experience.

 

[Sunbiz1]

I'd have them undercoat, the rest you can do yourself.

Scotch guard is $15/can at your nearest auto parts store. So is polyurethane, which is better than wax imo and works even better when applied in direct sun...sold under the brand name Nu Finish.

Nice choice on the new ride.

 

[brett05]

So you would get the undercoat?

 

[Crystallas]

Depends on what undercoating they do. For $1500, it better be a zinc-epoxy glaze. Otherwise you can undercoat your own car for $30 with rubber undercoating spray.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...ndercoating-16-oz-3m_7141477-p?zoneAssigned=1



What you're really weighing with these add-ons, is getting an extended warranty on the body and interior. Is that worth the money? IDK, I'm a DIYer, so no. But maybe it is for you.



As for scotch guard, wear a respirator.

 

[Sunbiz1]

So you would get the undercoat?

Yes, only b/c every municipality in the area still insists on salting roadways whether needed or not during winter.

Plus you're not the type to flip cars, so I'm guessing you'll be keeping it up here for a decade or 2.

 

[brett05]

Thanks.
So would you then get rid of the seat covers? (btw, the back seat is awful to do.)
I am someone who keeps the car, this one will get me 450 miles per week.
So I am thinking I can get anyone to do this, not just the dealer. Without a lift, I am not sure I can do the undercar.

The extended warranty is something we thought about. They want $1800 for a 8/120K.

What about an after market warranty?

 

[JosMin]

Just bought a new 2013 Honda Civic LX and would like some advice.

1) They offered this package for $1500 for undercoating, paint protection, and interior stain guard. Is that a good deal? Should I get it somewhere else?
2) In the mean time I got bucket seat covers, rear seat bench cover and all weather mats for the floor (got it at Meijer) for $80
3) OK that last was just a statement really, but what would you recommend for me to keep the car clean inside and outside? I have never been a clean car guy, but suddenly like a new father I have a huge desire to keep the car in tip top cleanliness.

Thanks and I will be doing a write up on my car shopping experience.

$1500 is absolutely outrageous. Call around to local detail shops that specialize in undercoatings and vehicle protections, they'll be able to get you a much more aggressive price on this. Undercoatings generally take about 3 hours. As for paint and interior protection, a very good coat of wax or polyurethane every three months is much better then the phony products they're going to try and sell you.

I've been in the car business (sales manager for a large independently owned pre-owned center and brokering firm) for nearly 4 years and have been "into" cars and detailing vehicles since I was old enough to walk. I personally use Mother's and Meguiar's products for the exterior of the vehicle, 3M products for seats and upholstery and Armor-All wipes for the dash and door cards. Make sure you buy microfiber towels when wiping down the vehicle to avoid leaving water streaks and
potentially rubbing hidden dirt into the paint.

As for the warranty, it's a great idea if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a long time and want some piece of mind. Factory-backed warranties are much better than aftermarket ones. Service departments are generally much easier to work with if they know the manufacturer is backing the warranty. In their eyes, it's easier for them to get reimbursed for warranty work. Some locations won't accept certain third party warranties, so be mindful of that as well. Make sure you get a "wrap" or comprehensive warranty instead of just a powertrain warranty. If you bought a Honda, you shouldn't have any issues with the powertrain. It'll be little rinky dink electrical stuff that will nickel and dime you down the road. Just make sure to be on top of your maintenance and make sure to do PREVENTATIVE maintenance. Don't wait for things to break, if it's suggested in your owner's manual to do the work, make sure to do it. The biggest killers of vehicles are not doing your oil changes on time and putting off the major service intervals.

 

[brett05]

It looks like Delta Sonic an do it for around $500 inside and out.

 

[DC]

Put the $1500 into a Roth IRA instead.

 

[Crystallas]

Only because I want them to get more business, I'll give up one of my secrets for detailing products.

Mothers and Meguiars are good, I wont say they aren't. They're very good. But here, http://www.chemicalguys.com/ much better. These guys are detailing gurus. I've been using their stuff for years. Some of it has a learning curve to it, if you don't know what surface and finish reacts to which wax and finish. With a little bit of knowledge, you'll be blown away. Yeah, for a Civic, who cares. But if you have a car that is truly an investment from all perspectives, this is the stuff you need to use.

Also, http://www.evanscooling.com/ is one more people should know about. Want to get another 50,000-200,000 miles out of a car, Evans is the first liquid you should put into your car. All of the oils, trans fluids, ect on the market now are pretty decent, so a mid-range and a high-end wont get you quite the same increase in benefit(well, unless you use shit oils), as swapping to a legit coolant. One thing though, you can't add Evans to your car, it has to be flushed and dry before adding evans. Once it's good, it's good for a LONG time.

 

[Globetrotter]

If you want to keep the paint nice, I recommend you search junkman2000 on youtube.

Learn how to properly wash a car, clay it, machine apply a sealant..not the BS wax you buy at an auto part store. Like dude said, chemical guys makes good stuff.

Congrats on the new car, by the way.

 

[Crystallas]

Wow, thanks for the junkman suggestion. He has some awesome DIY videos. This guy should be on SPEED tv.