Paint Protection Treatments

[catinou]

Hi all,

 

We are collecting our new motorhome from the dealership on 1st September and are contemplating different paint protection applications. The one we are particularly interested in is DuPont, which comes with a 5 year guarantee on interior fabric protection as well as the exterior bodywork. We have looked at Supagard and Diamond Brite but are definitely leaning towards DuPont (a Teflon based product which is also environmentally friendly - application).

 

Has anybody had this applied to their van or had any experience of the product please? I am up for it and feel the protection from day one will help keep the van looking good for a long time, without too much effort from us! My husband is more cautious - could be the £600 odd cost involved!

 

Jenny :-S

[Brian Kirby]

I can certainly think of a lot of more useful things to do with £600!  It'll get sap streaked from roadside bushes, or worse, splashed with mud, covered in road grime on wet days, probably streaked by leachate form all its mastics and "rubber" seals.  You'll still have to clean it to get rid of these so, unless you intend to leave it parked at home all the time, I'd say its not worth the cost.

[Guest caraprof]

I have a friend who has a motor car dealership and he tells me that this is a big profit earner. He gives his salesmen large commisions to sell these extra finishes and reckons that a £250 exterior polish treatment costs him about £60-70 in parts and labour.

My advice would be: Cover the base of the interior seats with some nice material, consider covers for the cab seats and wash it regularly using a good additive such as Fenwick's.

The covers for the interior bunk/seats need only be cut to the size of the seat and laid over. You can if you wish make them big enough to also go over the backrest cushion. I'm not suggesting that you go to the expense of fitted covers.

If ever you come to sell it you could have the exterior professionally valeted. I would think that one of the many mobile valeting chaps would wash it thoroughly for about £50.

[Dave Newell]

Wash your 'van as frequently as required with a decent quality car shampoo, I've just bought a gallon of "Carnauba wash and wax"from Aldi for £4.99. I've used it before and it works well. Once or twice a year (depending on how keen you are) give the 'van a good polish with a decent quality product and you should have no problems.

 

D.

[Guest Syd]

I have always used Fenwicks products and I am very happy with the results, very happy indeed

[Frankkia]

We have used a product called Ultra Glaze. Made in the USA but available in the UK.

 

Put it on like any other polish and it lasts for 5 years! It wont stop the 'van getting dirty but it sure makes it easier to clean, shrugging off bug squash etc easily. Unlike the "specialist" car treatments it only costs £14.99 for an 8oz bottle which is sufficient to do either 2 cars or a fair size 'van.

 

[catinou]

Thanks to all above who have taken the trouble to reply - we are still "thinking" on this one but appreciate your thoughts. B-)

 

It's good to be able to "talk things through" and get others' ideas / experience - we have been following the various threads for some time, but now we have 6 weeks and 3 days before we get our hands on our replacement van (not that we're counting!) feel we can "join in" at last.......you have been warned *-)

[breakaleg]

well i have just spent £500, on this treatment with, paint seal direct.

i done this for the following reasons.

 

iam walking disabled, but can't climb ladders, we park on a very busy road with a builders merchants at the top of it, (builders seem to aim at step ladders)

 

I did treat my wife to a extending handled car wash broom, but she found its use difficult.

 

so eventualy i took the van to the local car wash, for a wash and polish, this cost £70 plus any washes after would cost £12, the chap across the road from me washed my van the other day and it done exactly what it said it would, come back to a show room shine without much effort, except for the very sides at the top of the van, (where i think they must have missed), as the black streaks would not budge.

 

I phoned paint seal and they said that someone would come out and sort it out, he turned up, cut back the streaks and reapplied the treatment.

 

when they applied the exterior teflon coat, they also done all the fabric and carpets within the van.now this was done to a new van last febuary, there is a five year warrenty on the work, so they will come and do it again if it dosn't live up to expectations.

 

I used to wash and polish my last van twice a year and tcut it about every five years, so at the car wash this would cost me £600.

 

I really do wish that i could do it myself, but i can't.

 

Iwill let anyone know (if their interested how it fairs over five years, oh! they sent me a free bottle of no water wash the other day (which dosn't affect the teflon finnish.

pete

 

[catinou]

Thanks Pete,

 

What you have said backs up what we were told when we contacted the company concerned. We have the same sort of reasons for thinking about this one - I will collect my buspass next year and have suffered from arthritis for about 30 years - worse at present in my hands. As we intend keeping the van for a very long time, we want to keep the "as new" look as long as we can, without too much difficulty. (We also live on a very busy road...)

 

We wondered if we were "being precious" about the new van but having spent years trying to keep a boat looking good, we know what can happen when over polishing happens (previous owner didn't sail much but obviously sat in the cockpit polishing the same area over & over again!)

 

Glad you got good service afterwards as well - very encouraging....

Jenny B-)