Exterior Finish & Trim Care Q's

Hello!
I recently purchased a 2020 Tacoma TRD Off Road. Really a nice truck and no complaints so far.

I'm not someone who wants to spend every Saturday detailing my truck but I do want to take proper care of it and keep it looking nice.

Unfortunatley, when I took delivery, the detailing and cleaning was less than stellar. From what I can tell, they got wax on the plastic, black fender trims and regular washing hasn't removed it. I tried the eraser approach but that didn't do much and in fact, seem to leave the areas that I tried it on a bit sticky.
I'm open to suggestions from folks that have had the same issue and have a satisfactory solution.

I want to keep the finish looking good and protected but as I said, I don't want it to be an all day affair.

I've been using McGuires Gold Car wash for washing but that's pretty much it.

I'd like to wax it before winter hits which is coming fast!! I've heard that the spray wax approach yields a decent result and is fast and easy. Thoughts?

I'm open to suggestions folks!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

Take it back and let them fix it.

 

I already did that once. They "washed & waxed" it and must have put something on the black that masked the white haze until I washed it. They didn't instill confidence to say the least. at this juncture I'd rather do it myself.

 

I use turtle wax hybrid ceramic on the paint, glass and plastic. You might can try it on your discolored plastic and see how it does

 

You wax the windows?

 

yes it seems to be easier to just wax them too with the spray wax instead of trying to keep it off them. The spray wax goes on so easy its not a problem.

 

Use a carnuba wax that is hard to the touch. Those are the ones that last the longest. Spray waxes are easier to come off if it were to rain.

 

Most new detailing products are good for all surfaces glass and plastic included. However not all products work well on all surfaces, paint coatings for example bond best to paint. Glass specific products will work better on the windshield for example because the wipers will abrade a paint coating off quicker than a dedicated glass coating. So an old school product like Aquapel will work better than a paint coating on the windshield.

As for getting the wax off the plastic something like a wax and grease remover (Prep-All)may be what you need. Think the magic erasers may work but you'll want to spot check it. Definitely don't rub it on the paint, it will certainly scratch it.

Spray waxes are alright for a followup on a weekly or biweekly wash regimen otherwise you want a paint sealant like Wolfgang Deepgloss or Jescar Powerlock for multiple months protection. Lite paint coatings are nice like Carpro Cquartz Lite or Gyeon Can Coat (ease of use). Paint coatings like Carpro Cquartz UK are good for a year or two.

 

Heck yeah. I use Beadmakers on my glass. Works great.

 

If you're looking for some longer term solutions, I'd suggest a good paint sealant over a wax. Gtechniq C2V3 or Wowos Crystal Sealant would be fine. The Last Coat has a sealant as well, but it's rather pricey compared to the others. Waxes are good and will give you a little more gloss, but since it's winter, a good sealant will give you 2x durability. For the trim, The Last Coat has a product called CeraTrim that would work well. On the glass, Gtechniq G1 is a solid choice that will get you 12-18 months of protection (basically RainX on steroids). All of those would get you through winter without any issues--longer if you're garaging the truck.

For cleaning up the trim and other areas, I'd give it a decon wash before re-applying any protection. Adams Strip Wash or Chemical Guys Clean Slate would be fine for that. If you are still seeing some white staining on the trim, a little all-purpose cleaner on a microfiber towel should be enough to remove it.