Advice sought on paint protection

[peterpanner Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peterpanner]

Hi
My mate has a Hilux that has a strong clear coating over most of the vehicle paintwork. It is tough and does not scratch easily. My graphite 150 shows the tiniest scratches and a small encounter with twigs is enough to gouge the paint.

I am considering have the side panels covered from front to back. Has anyone had experience with a good paint protection coating?

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

What colour is the Hilux and is it the factory finish or something he has had put on? There are nano finishes and premium quality (and cost) waxes that you can apply but these will not stop the paint being damaged from sticks and lantana etc. Even an additional clear coat will be damaged by this.

If you are getting minor scratches and marks you can buff these out with a quality random orbital buff and polish but each time you do that you are taking some thickness off the paint. Professional detailers, good ones, will measure the thickness of the paint before they start just to make sure there is enough to work with.

For a car that sees the bush and gets scratched just keep up the wax to protect the paint from deposits and forget about the scratches. If you plan on keeping the car for 5 or 6 years then at most buff once a year but even that will reduce the clear coat. Better to leave as much clear coat on as possible and then buff it before selling. My 120 never saw a buff in its life. My cars on the other hand get a tidy up now and then but the only time they are scratched is when the dealer has some ham fisted person wash the car for me after a service. Something that I ask not to be done.

Good quality cleaning products and waxes are your best friend.

[peterpanner Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peterpanner]

The Hilux is a gold colour and the clear coating is noticably thick and quite hard. It is as if the car has a clear hard plastic coating. It resists scratching really well. Unfortunately my buddy is overseas right now so cannot find out what coating was applied or when. Thanks mjrandom.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

I would expect that the metallic colours from Toyota also have clear coat. Having said that I haven't looked closely at the Prado. I am in the process of tidying up a Navara we acquired (long story, part of a bulk purchase of stuff and the thing was grossly unroadworthy). I asked the guys I buy my cleaning stuff from what is the minimum thickness below which I shouldn't use the RO polisher and they advised about 60 microns. But Nissan is notorious for varying thicknesses of paint over the car and even panels. The worst this guy had seen was 75 ` 320 on one panel! When I check the paint thickness on the Navara I will check the Prado too.

[jss Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close jss]

I was talking to a yacht builder I know the other week, he's going to vinyl wrap the hulls of his boats from now on. Even on the boats it's some ridiculas guarantee like 10 or 15 years which is unreal compared to redoing a glass hull. on a 60ft power cat the cost was only about 12,000 (nothing on a 2-3 million dollar boat).
Anyway he was saying that 2 mates of his bought a couple of 200 series and went off to the cape and NT for a trip for a few months but got the cars clear wrapped before they left. Then when they got back after their tour they peeled the wrap off and the cars looked brand new and they sold them.

For REAL paint protection I think that's the way to go.

Cheers
James

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

A mate of mine has a business that applies the premium paint protection film for exotics( Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche etc...) Once applied of course, you cannot tell that it's there. To apply this stuff to a large vehicle such as a Prado would be almost the same cost as a total respray though.
Here's his website for anyone that's interested.
http://www.theracingroom.com.au/page...ard.asp?pid=56



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[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

I scored numerous bush pinstripes on my last outing, they're really obvious on the silver pearl paint. I wonder if this paint on clear film is any good?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CAR-BRA-S...item27d2e789c1

BlkD4D uses something similar and it can be peeled off afterwards, not sure if it's the same product as in the eBay listing though.

If this stuff does what it says and looks OK once applied then it's worth the asking price, the vinyl wrap type film rolls would work out quite expensive and you'd probably see all the joins.

Then there's always plastidip if you don't mind a matte finish paint job.

[hulbyw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hulbyw]

Opposite Lock sell a similar product which I used on my Black 120 (for sale). It dries matt so it definitely changes the look of the car. I rolled mine out too thin (trying to save some for next trip) and although it protected the paint extremely well, it was a nightmare to get off. I have been told that it will peel off, but not very easily if you spread it out too much. You also need to apply it several days before going out in the rain to allow it to dry. That was another mistake I made and when it got wet it went milky white. When it was wet and then we drove through red dust, the dust stuck to the coating and the Prado looked like something out of Mad Max. Does the job though but not quite as the sales people describe it
Cheers......Wayne

[hulbyw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hulbyw]

Sorry, double post

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Was the product you used one you're supposed to leave on or does it only last for so long? I'd hate to have to do it for every day trip!

[hulbyw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hulbyw]

There is no way I would do it for a day trip. We were away for two months and were 4wding for 3 weeks so it was worth it. The coating I used is designed for a big trip then clean it off. It lasts quite well but you wouldn't want it on all the time as it makes your Prado look fairly ordinary whilst it is on there. Best for a day trip is to try and travel on well used tracks that are not overgrown. There again, it is a 4by, not a show car, so you have to expect some pinstriping (although I will still be a little miffed when I get the first scratches on the new 150)
Cheers.....Wayne

[droggy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close droggy]

I have been looking at a product now available , Google Hexis, sounds like the hilux has, Its a type of very hard plastic coating kind of like window tint film comes in a heap of colours or clear.I have looked at the demo cars they have done, looks great, but thought for me too time consuming and pricey to put on
John

[Mortoyz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Mortoyz]

Hope this info helps ...

Hi Peter.

I have a paint protection film on my 150 series Prado (Pearl White) & it is basically invisible. You could walk up to my car, get in it & not even know its there...

The Kakadu is completely covered short of the roof which helps it being invisible and other than not being able to mechanically buff / polish the surface, it behaves pretty much the same as your painted surface.

Its an exceptional product for preventing stone chips & scratches to your car & in my experience (i've had it on the last 5 cars I have owned ...) it doesn't fade, deteriorate or damage the paint surface in any way (the Prado replaced a Black Territory which had the film on it for over 5 years).

My wife pushed a 65kilo pot plant (accidentally she tells me ...) with the territory 8 months ago and we were able to simply trim off the marked plastic film (it had some serious scratches in it but the painted surface below was undamaged) and put another section in its place. It cost me $130 from memory which would have been way cheaper than a bar respray I suspect.

That said, to cover your Prado as I have isn't cheap but after having a couple of toddlers draw all over the side of one of my previous cars with sharp sticks then this was a far better option than a respray!

To do say the front of the car to prevent stone chips costs less than respraying your front bar (in my experience that is - being very careful to try & not offend anyone here! ).

Anyway, if this sounds like what you are after let me know and I can post some more info for you.

Cheers all.

M

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

I am looking into a nano glass finish product. Looks pretty good on the web so I will check it out more thoroughly and report back.

[Pradodiesel Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pradodiesel]

Just scratch it and enjoy

Trade it in on a rainy day
All good