Best way to keep my recently acquired, one-owner, garage kept 2004 F150, 63K miles (not a scratch on it) looking new, as much as possible, without hand waxing?

• Southwest Ohio location.
• Undercarriage is very clean.
• Any brand of undercoating recommended?
• Giving it to a detail shop a good idea?
• F11?
• No garage to keep it in.
• Can I use a long-handle car wash brush with optimally soft mop to give its first wash? Lots of rain lately has been keeping it looking fairly clean, at least as opposed to the hard water from my garden hose.
• When the snow flies, what do I knock it off with?

 

I don't have salt here in Southern California to deal with, so I have no help there.
But, I can help with this, do not use a brush car wash or mop. That is the best way to start getting scratches and swirls in your paint. It has not so much to do with the softness as much as dirt and debris getting stuck in the fibers.
And you mentioned no hand waxing, not sure what you have against that, but waxing, by hand or buffer is the easiest way to keep your paint looking good.

 

Well you asked, 5 Star Shine. One and done. Did mine ten years ago, only use the car wash spray and have had it buried in mud every spring. Never been in a garage, sits out in Wy winter every year. Scroll down here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...country-2.html for recent pics. It's probably time to do it again.

 

Nice truck! You and I could trade, and you wouldn't even have to give me any cash! Keep it in mind... Thx much for your help.

 

Thx much for your help. Looks like I should do a car wash sprayer initially, then do the 5 Star Shine thing.

 

So follow their instructions to the letter. I did mine at night to avoid direct sunlight and high temps. Use distilled water for the step one wash and go slow on step two. Do each section top to bottom then move on. Your truck looks great already, so you don't need their deluxe package. Just get the basic kit. Avoid getting it on the black line like sections on the roof that go from the top of the windshield back. This is some plastic like stuff that covers a seam. On mine it didn't look that good a few years later. Also don't get it on the side badges or the front and back emblems.
Winter snow removal, I use an old ice scrapper that has a brush on one end. Very gently of course.
"do not use a brush car wash or mop. That is the best way to start getting scratches and swirls in your paint. It has not so much to do with the softness as much as dirt and debris getting stuck in the fibers."
This is why I only use the spray at the car wash. Who knows what the last person was using that brush on.

 

Cool beans... I've printed your instructions, thx !

 

Keeping your rig clean goes a long way to keeping things looking new.

I joined one of those monthly car wash memberships. $35/month and I get one wash per day and unlimited vacuuming. Kinda felt stupid doing it at first, but the car wash is really good and they're $15 each without the membership. I have 3 cars and they each get washed at least once a week (usually twice/week), whether they need it not, lol. I figure I'm getting about $150-200 worth of washes per month for only $35.

But - you have to do more than just wash it all the time to really protect it. There are lot's of spray on, wipe off waxes out there that are actually pretty decent. I use a Mother's quick wax on all my rigs and they always look great. Takes about 10 minutes per vehicle. I also clay bar my rigs once a year, which helps keep junk from building up on your paint.

 

I have to respectfully disagree. Over washing is what does the damage. My first new truck I washed it like you, 3 times a week. With rags and soap, sometimes with the drive through car wash. At about 5 years the paint was all but gone in places. No amount of quick wax or clay bar would have helped. The damage comes from the physical action of the rag or wash bar in the auto wash that traps dirt and grinds/scratches the clear coat and into the paint. If you are washing and drop your rag or clay bar you must not use it, as it will pick up dirt and scratch your paint. At 10 years that truck was primer gray. I noticed that my mothers truck at the same age looked great. She said she only washed it when it was dirty and then only the car wash spray, soap rinse and whatever clear coat setting they had. It had never been washed with rags or by hand and had never been waxed or clay barred. It sits out on a main road in the sun and weather and at 16 years it still looks great. When I bought my F150 new it had the dealers Auto butler treatment. They tried to sell me that service, but I refused. Seemed to expensive and I hate getting billed monthly for things like this. I only wash it when it needs it. First 3 years all I did was spray wash. Than I did the clay bar and 5 Star Shine. Ten years later and I've only spray washed when it was dirty. Truck still looks great. I am now starting to see some fading on the hood and roof. My truck sits on a hill facing the sun. I plan on giving it the clay bar and 5 star shine this fall and look forward to another 10 years of easy cleaning.

 

Maybe you shouldn't use rags and scrub so hard...washing a vehicle very frequently doesn't rub your paint away. BTW, the vehicles I'm referring to aren't brand new. My newest is an '12 that has been babied and washed at least once, usually twice a week in a brushless car wash. Water and soap only. I put a soft brush on it maybe once a month. My '06 F150 has been washed like this since new and the paint still looks as good as new. I also never buff an polish my vehicles. Keep 'em clean and clay bar'd and your paint will hold up. FYI, clay bars don't wear your paint down.

I guessing you need to learn how to properly wash a vehicle if you're paint is "all but gone in places"

 

Rags should not be used to wash a vehicle, a soft microfiber wash mitt or a sheepskin mitt is what is needed. To dry use a microfiber cloth or chamois.