The top of my trunk is starting to show signs of fading on my SS coupe. Is there anything i can put on to protect from UV and keep it from getting worse?

Unfortunately I have to park outside and I'm sure the summer sun isn't going to help much. I usually wax with Meg's high tech yellow wax because its easily available. I have no idea if that protects against UV though.

 

Are you sure it's fading, or is it just oxidation? Could you post a pic?

In my experience, once fading (signs of clear failure) starts, you can't do alot to improve the apperance that won't make it fail faster.

But that's assuming things from your description. Pics would be great.

 

It's is kinda difficult to see unless you are at the right angle, but i tried to get the best pic I could. Having to compress the pic makes it even harder, but you can kinda make it out. It's a slight, blotchy discoloration covering approximately the middle 1/3 of the trunk lid. Sorry I couldn't get any better picture than this.

 

Those look like water spots, but I could be wrong.

EDIT: I see it now. You can still try to polish. At this point, what do you have to lose? It's going to fail if it is CC failure, but maybe it can be corrected.

Do you wash your car and not dry it or leave it parked next to sprinklers? Just wondering.

Try polishing or seek help from a pro detailer. You're looking at about a min of $300 bucks to get into the machine polish game to DIY.

 

I don't think the clear coat is failing so you most likely just need to polish and protect the paint. Polishes will help permanently fix the situation and shine the paint. A sealant or wax will then protect the paint and enhance the way the paint already looks. Here's a quick outline of two of the most critical steps you should take.

Polish - This is the step where you really restore the paint to like new again. You can permanently remove swirls, oxidation, etc. not just temporarily hide them. I highly recommend you consider getting a Porter Cable (PC) as they are so easy to use, vastly improve your results while saving you time and energy. We have some affordable kits that give you the PC, backing plate, pads and polishes you would need here DI Packages Porter Cable 7424XP, Meguiar's Polishes and Hydro Pads Starter Kit or DI Packages PC 7424XP with M105, M205 and 5.5" pads. Both kits give you the M105 and M205 polishes with the PC that are going to help you really restore the paint to like new. Best of all the PC is easy to use and completely safe even for a first time user. Again check out our detailing guide for step by step instructions and other helpful hints.

If you prefer to do a hand application I generally just recommend a one step process with a foam applicator and Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205.

Protection - After polishing protect and enhance the shine with a sealant or wax. Waxes last about 2 - 6 weeks so we generally recommend a sealant which lasts 3 - 6 months. The Blackfire Wet Diamond with Polycharger is my favorite sealant. It provides a remarkable shine with durable protection while easy to apply. You can apply it by hand or use a blue pad and your buffer. If you really want to you can apply a wax on top of the sealant for added protection and shine, but sealants are enough by themselves.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Greg @ DI

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely try the DIY first. I was beginning to shop around for a starter detailing kit anyway. We'll see how it goes.

 

I love Detailed Image, but would recommend if you're just starting out to get the 4" pads. They are easier to work with on the G, and I've been getting longer work times (it's very hot out right now) while still being able to do about the same sized area.

105 will dust - a lot. So you may want to look at different polish options, but that is just my opinion.

I would also recommend ordering 3 or 4 of the same pads if you're polishing the whole car, and having plenty of snappy clean handy -
http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Co...d-Cleaner-P62/