Sun Damage

I recently moved here from Michigan. I have seen quite a few cars with bad sun damage to them. Wondering how worried I need to be about my truck being sun damaged / how long will it take? I wash it regularly and plan to wax it soon. I work from home most days and park in a parking garage but my hood sees sun most of the day due to where my spot is. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

Just think of the sun as the lesser evil to Michigan rust. My wife's 2006 Sequoia started losing clearcoat about 2 years ago. Wax her frequently and if you lucky you'll keep your clearcoat for more than 10 years

 

Get the hood wrapped a matte black and the roof in white. Will protect the paint and the white on the roof will help reflect the heat and keep the cab cooler. Matte black on the hood will dull the glare when driving.

 

What color is your truck? The color makes a big difference. Black and Dark blue seem to be the worst.

 

Time to start finding a nice wax you like and add it to the regular routine. Maybe invest in one of those expanding sun tents for like picnics so you can keep the truck in the shade while you wax if you don’t have a garage.

I use mothers synthetic wax. Goes on liquid, buff out in a few minutes.

Good luck!

 

Black, hence why I am so nervous

 

Mine is an '06 as well, clearcoat seems to be okay still

 

Paint correction then ceramic coating !!!

 

Yeah, from my limited research, darker colors like black and navy don't hold up as well over time in the sun due to the extra heat generated. You could always put solar panels on the roof! I would start by trying to wax the rig at least once a month. Or get a paint specialist to weigh in on the effects of the extra sun.

 

FWIW I find red to be particularly bad. The sun is really hard on it if parked outside. My personal preference is white. Seems to hold up well.

 

Cars with sun damage or some sort of paint fade are quite common in Pennsylvania too. Honda and General Motors vehicles seem to be the most severely effected.

 

Red & Yellow are a pigment issue. Red & Yellow pigments aren't really strong to begin with.

 

We have the same problem in Charlotte. I'm sure it's worse in AZ. But see alot of vehicles with sun damage on the roofs and hoods. Washing regularly and waxing helps though. I have an 05 with very good paint still.

 

This is the only answer I can really side with thus far.

Regular application of wax, without properly preparing the surface underneath, is almost as bad as no wax. A simple wash does not dislodge particulates from your paint.

 

I've only been washing and waxing every 3 months. (Automatic car washes that touch that aren't touchless will do damage). So the only I wash is every 3 months. When I do it includes proper two bucket and clay bar etc. I also hit all the exterior and interior plastics and rubber with 303 aero uv protectant.

With that schedule and tan color, hoping the clear coat holds up.