Protecting Brand New Vehicle

[Monaro Joe]

I am about to purchase my first brand new vehicle, a 2016 Chevy Colorado in either Black or Red. My current daily driver, a 2004 Colorado, gets detailed twice a year and washed every week or so. Since I bought it 6 years used with 100,000 miles, there were obviously things that detailing couldn't fix.

 

I am looking for any tips to keep my brand new truck looking as good as possible for as long as possible. I own just about every Adam's product, but I live in Cleveland where the roads are covered in salt for half of the year. 

 

Aside from a few details a year and regular washing, does anyone have any tips?

 

I plan on buying a set of Weathertech mats since I am often on construction sites. I've heard of people coating the underside of vehicles, but don't have read many mixed reviews. I have also head of people putting motor oil on the frame to prevent rust.

 

I am also thinking about getting clear headlight protection film to protect the lights.

 

Any and all other suggestions are welcome!

[sahls01gmc]

A lil maintenance goes a long way!  If you properly wash and seal your truck (including headlights!!!!!!!) you shouldn't have any problems.

 

I would highly suggest coating your frame.  The 2 methods you mentioned are very popular, so I'd say do your research on which one you should do.

[Kingsford]

I put Paint Sealant on my 2016 Colorado before winter. Still beading pretty good. Didn't have much time before winter came barging in to do much else. I plan on doing a full detail in March when the weather gets better.

[TheWolf]

LPS on paint and headlights, then maintain with HGG.  Using the HGG is important since it also adds protection to plastic trim.

 

For the underside of your truck, I would undercoat it yourself with Amsoil MPHD.  I have seen undercoating done at shops with the black stuff and it is mostly eye-candy.  They spray the areas that are easy, and leave the places where salt and moisture will collect, like the nooks, cracks, inside the frame, suspension, axles, etc.

 

Check out this write-up I did over on the Ford Raptor Forum:

 

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f195/amsoil-mphd-heavy-duty-metal-protector-amh-17731/index7.html#post627136

[Kingsford]

I read that undercoating can speed up rusting because moisture gets trapped between the heated cab and the cold underside. So I have not gotten mine undercoated but I'm still debating.

[Ricky Bobby]

Does anyone on the forum have the new 16 Colorado/Canyon Diesel yet??? I'm all about them

[JDrach]

I saw one come in. I dont know how they drive compared to the regular gasoline Canyons/Colorados, but I'm around them alot at work and do love them. Only had 1 diesel come in so far. 

[BluedogGMC]

For this winter I would just wash,clay and use the H2O GG then in the spring do a very good seal and protect.

As far as the frame goes, if it is like the GM trucks it is coated with a wax like stuff that might or might not stay on that good so keep an eye on it if that is what you have. I got my new Sierra in October and that is what I did plus when I had a warm day I threw a coat of Buttery on it. Planning on a full paint correction in the spring, not that it's bad but after using the PC on it I know it will look better.

Edited January 23, 2016 by BluedogGMC

[Monaro Joe]

Thanks for the tips guys.

 

I do detail regularly, so I am not too concerned about the paint, trim or rubber. Adam's has me covered there!  Rock chips would be my biggest concern so I may look into protective film near the mud flaps.

 

As for the undercarriage, I am now leaning away from the undercoatings and rust proofing. I would hate to trap any moisture under the coating and they seem to chip relatively easy.

 

Although it can be cleaned in the spring, something about coating the underside of the truck in oil is really off-putting to me. I stumbled across a product called Fluid Film that I will most likely end up going with. It sprays on and and stays "wet" like oil, but with enough effort, I can get it off in the spring with a pressure washer and APC. Plus, I won't have the rainbow oil patterns all over my driveway whenever it is wet.

[Chris@Adams]

Post up some pics when you get her..........

[cchrider]

Enjoy your new Colorado. I had a 2015 for a while before trading it in on my gmc sierra. They are very nice trucks. Not sure if you plan to tow much with it, but I must say that little truck is a pull SOB. I pulled quit a bit with mine and it did great.

Also, I believed someone asked if the frames on the Colorado is coated in the tacky "wax" like product that has came on the full size trucks for years, the frames on the Colorado's, at least my 2015 was not coated, just painted.

[TheWolf]

Thanks for the tips guys.

 

I do detail regularly, so I am not too concerned about the paint, trim or rubber. Adam's has me covered there!  Rock chips would be my biggest concern so I may look into protective film near the mud flaps.

 

As for the undercarriage, I am now leaning away from the undercoatings and rust proofing. I would hate to trap any moisture under the coating and they seem to chip relatively easy.

 

Although it can be cleaned in the spring, something about coating the underside of the truck in oil is really off-putting to me. I stumbled across a product called Fluid Film that I will most likely end up going with. It sprays on and and stays "wet" like oil, but with enough effort, I can get it off in the spring with a pressure washer and APC. Plus, I won't have the rainbow oil patterns all over my driveway whenever it is wet.

 

The Amsoil MPHD does not trap water.  I have had it on my truck for about 1.5 years with no issues of moisture, and no rust.  The product sprays on like WD-40, but dries to a waxy-like coating.  It does not chip off, and will not wash off.  It cannot be removed with APC, rather it takes a solvent to get it off.

 

Application is easy, and forgiving.  You can spray it on quite liberally, to the point of having it drip off onto the floor.  This makes it possible to really coat the nooks and crannies without having to worry about drips like you would with an heavy coating like an asphalt emulsion.

 

The MPHD dries to a yellowish but mostly clear film.  When I put the truck up on jack stands, the film kinda gets rubbed off onto the stands, especially where the MPHD is thicker on the bottom of the frame.  When I am done with the jack stands, I just re-spray the area.