dberladyn

Beau Oszman - haha.

mountainmanjoe - thanks foe the tips.

1. I have no idea where to get a clay bar. I looked yesterday in Canadian Tire. I never like asking for help. I left without a clay bar. I saw nothing at Princess Auto. Lordco parts had me leaving after seeing their solution for battery wire.
2. Power Tools. I watched a video on polishing. Not that I want to invest in any tools, but the use of a set for a day or two would great. I I am sure with the right about of effort I could get rid of most of my scratches and have it really shining.
3. Small scratches and dings, I wonder if it's worth taking to a body shop for repair touch up. Really that would probably result in a whole new paint job.
4. I wonder how shiny and last vinyl wrap is opposed to paint.
5. Must stop thinking. Must stop spending.

mountainmanjoe

This is my scratch/chip/ding touch up solution:
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/d...-0474900p.html

clay bars:
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/autom...clay-bars.html

dberladyn

I guess for $20 I can pen in the marks. It's looks worse sometimes when people do that, but.. I was curious today... thinking I should put masking tape on all the marks I want fixed and take some quotes. I found more deep scratches today. People are a$$-holes. No respect for others peoples belongings.

dberladyn

I have bought all kinds of waxes now. I think some of them are gimmicks. Over-priced bulk cremes. I guess the idea of waxing is that it basically just fills the tiny voids and leaves a smooth super thin surface coating. It doesn't seem to last. I had the hood and front fenders beading water when I started. I just washed the truck this morning to continue try to get rid of scratches and tree sap. It's not beading anymore. The wax is already gone. Maybe the black captures more heat, evaporating the wax?

I found a clay bar. Not exactly what I was expecting. I will try it on the hood today perhaps. I waxed some of the passenger side today again. It's a lot of work, but it's not that bad. It's almost like a chore. Just do it with pride. Wax on. Wax off. Except, it really hits the pride when I keep finding new scratches and new dings. Idiots in parking lots. That's partly my fault I guess. I am not parking way out back away from everyone anymore. People are stupid. Mind you, parking spaces really are too small. Ideally there should be door swing and room for shopping carts etc.

The 1960's must have been nice. Wide Open. Low Population. & Economic Wealth.

dberladyn

Ok. So the Clay Bar makes the paint super smooth. Takes away the stuff I was griping about. The tiny specs, the tiny raised grains of sand that the polish was catching on. However, it does absolutely nothing to the tree sap marks. That sap... it seems to me that it has either 'stained' the clear coat or it's done something to the surface of the clear coat. I think the only thing to try is power tools. I am not on terms with my neighbour who offered to teach me his learnings several years ago, so... the only thing is a detail shop like was suggested. I could buy my own polish kit and learn how to do it myself. I watched the videos. Doesn't seem that hard. Start course and go finer. I am finisher by trade, not near the same thing, but similar to body work in many ways. I grasp it.

I think I need to do other things besides tinker with the van. Maybe I should pay someone?

I have invested too much for too little return. Not entirely my fault, but maybe I am getting lucky and I am hitting an internal limiter. I have lots I can do before I dig in and spend on polishing as a hobby/chore.