Daily Driving a freshly painted truck. Tips?

[cleansquare]

Truck goes into paint friday. Apple red. All new trim or mostly new.

I drive about 80 miles a day, and usually park in a dusty gravel lot with 400 other cars. As of now, i wash the thing twice a week or so. I like it clean...

Ive had new cars and trucks, but i think 9 times out of 10, a factory paintjob will outlast a redo...thats debatable i know.

Im mainly worried about rock chips, normal wear and tear, what are your tips on keeping a daily driven freshly painted truck?

Is there a certain product you use, or maybe a clear plastic that goes on the front of the hood, tips on where to park? Lets hear em!

[Gumby]

Like buying a new truck, first thing ya do is dump a load of stone in the bed and get it over with.

Once done and the paint is cured, get there early and do donuts in the parking lot........

[Indian113]

Do like I do, park as far away from everybody you can so people can park right beside you!!

[Sillyoldman]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Do like I do, park as far away from everybody you can so people can park right beside you!!

Although mostly effective I gave up on that thinking. In '04 I bought my first new truck, spent 34k on it which I never dreamed I would. I took it to Home Depot and parked it so far out in the empty lot that I considered taking a bus to the store. Before entering the retail wonderland I turned around to get a glimpse of by precious rig. What I saw was a huge car parked close to the passenger side of of my truck. The car listed to its left as the door banged on my truck several times. It looked like the Titanic was giving birth to broadzilla through it's portside. It was dinged up pretty good in it's first two weeks.

[cleansquare]

Originally Posted by Sillyoldman

Although mostly effective I gave up on that thinking. In '04 I bought my first truck, spent 34k on it which I never dreamed I would. I took it to Home Depot and parked it so far out in the empty lot that I considered taking a bus to the store. Before entering the retail wonderland I turned around to get a glimpse of by precious rig. What I saw was a huge car parked close to the passenger side of of my truck. The car listed to its left as the door banged on my truck several times. It looked like the Titanic was giving birth to broadzilla through it's portside. It was dinged up pretty good in it's first two weeks.

Bahahahahaha

[cdowns]

if you see a big huge dump truck goin down the road with rocks flyin out make sure and tailgate him to get the new paint broken in quick

[D-man313]

Just have to stomach the fact that it will get scratched. Put the glass in my truck and the first road trip, it got rock chipped.

[brad_man_72]

Invest in clearguard. Grill (67-68) hood, fenders, rockers, behind the door handles, door sills, behind rear tires, and top of the bed rails.

[TJ's Chevy]

Always be driving behind a corvette....then his paint will get all the ruin while you have a nice clean road.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Buy a bottle of touch up paint and drive it. Keeping it well waxed really seems to help keep chips down, and don't tailgate.

...and crap just "happens." I was rolling down I-85 one day and I see a decent size rock bouncing towards me... thinking, crap, that's gonna suck. When I got to my destination I checked out what it had hit. I have the fog light bumper from LMC and the rock hit my PS fog light dead center and smashed it all to hell.

[JWall]

You could always have some clear paint protection film put on it.

[dan42]

I agree that factory paint jobs are always better than repairs - for some they chip and scratch easier. I also agree with everyone's view that if it's a daily driver get used to the fact that it will get some wear; just consider them battle scars, or beauty marks. You can't get around it.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I just drove my 65 Mustang about 500 miles this past weekend for the 50th Anniversary show. I was cleaning it up yesterday and saw a nice 1/8" wide chip right below the grille. I'll touch it up and move on

[cleansquare]

What is the clear paint protection stuff yall are talking about?

[Gumby]

There is spray on and stick on, like a clear film you apply that is hard to notice, unless you know its there and will take a beating and save the paint.

often done just down low on a car all around, if able to, up to a body line / shape change as it hides it very well as light hits those parts different as is, and is even less noticable.

Quiet popular on newer sports cars like the 5th gen Camaro, the newer car paints are nice but fragile.

[68C15]

I've had 3 cars painted and all 3 got damaged by idiots. The most durable one was the lowest cost. I may have helped it with my evening ritual each day after work. I'd park it in the shade and come back an hour later. A garden hose with no sprayer head for a good rinse down. I didn't even use a sponge for 2 weeks, just cold water. After a month I then started using Turtle Shell once a week.

[Gumby]

After a fresh paint, for a while thats all I do, cold water out of the hose end and use my hand to rub her down.

[cleansquare]

Whats the cold water do?

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by cleansquare

Whats the cold water do?

dunno, don't have a hot water hose spout on the house......

[Andy4639]

I'm waiting on a price for the front of mine. Hood front and front bumper. If it's cheap enough I will have it done before the 2014 Power Tour I hope!
Clear wrap for it. I did a wrap on the golf cart so doing just the front of the hood and bumper will be easy I think.

[68C15]

Originally Posted by cleansquare

Whats the cold water do?

I was told by the guy who painted mine that cold water in the shade slows the curing process making for a very tough finish. I didn't touch it with anything but water, not even my hands. I may have been a little paranoid about touching it. It's possible your hand with cold water would be fine but I wasn't about to take a chance with a big investment. (senior in HS=broke)

[Gumby]

I touch as I paint outside on nice days, and use my hand to gentaly rub away the tiny legs of bugs that tried to land but aborted.... and to keep it cool, I guess for slower cure. Though I didn't think of it in that detail, but I guess that is it.

no shade tree over drive way anymore.

[cleansquare]

I dont have any cold water spouts on the house outside.

When my house was built 10 years ago, a plumber crossed lines in a wall SOMEWHERE, creating a warm to hot feed to all my hose outlets. Drains my hot water heater and fills up my power bill.

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by cleansquare

I dont have any cold water spouts on the house outside.

When my house was built 10 years ago, a plumber crossed lines in a wall SOMEWHERE, creating a warm to hot feed to all my hose outlets. Drains my hot water heater and fills up my power bill.

there is a right and wrong way to do that, done in trailer/mobile homes often , I don't fully understand it but it helps in some way. Ours has that, only when pipes freeze can ya get hot out the cold tap, but once thaw, all is normal again.