Faded Paint

Meguiar's ColorX does a great job.

Your car needs to be waxed at least once a year (twice would be better). I too do not like all of the arm work involved, and purchased a fairly cheap (~$25 from O'Reilly) random orbital waxer/buffer. It works quite well and make the job easy.

It seems to be a typical drawback to the Corolla paint.

I have seen lots of 7th generation Corollas that have faded or peeled clearcoating and paint.

Try to park in the shade, when possible and get a cover for long term parking in the sun.

It seems to be a typical drawback to the Corolla paint.I have seen lots of 7th generation Corollas that have faded or peeled clearcoating and paint.

 

Try to park in the shade, when possible and get a cover for long term parking in the sun.

For this part of the country the car is in surprisingly good shape. The guy that bought it when it only had 20K on it parked it on the street and our winters are tough on a car (salt). The only rust on this car is above the from windshield, however the trunk and roof are faded, while the rest shines. I used clay, rubbing compound and wax last year just before winter and it looked ok, but the trunk is starting to look pretty shabby again. When I bought the car it looked pink, but after the lengthy cleaning it was bright red.

It seems to be a typical drawback to the Corolla paint.I have seen lots of 7th generation Corollas that have faded or peeled clearcoating and paint.

 

Try to park in the shade, when possible and get a cover for long term parking in the sun.

For this part of the country the car is in surprisingly good shape. The guy that bought it when it only had 20K on it parked it on the street and our winters are tough on a car (salt). The only rust on this car is above the from windshield, however the trunk and roof are faded, while the rest shines. I used clay, rubbing compound and wax last year just before winter and it looked ok, but the trunk is starting to look pretty shabby again. When I bought the car it looked pink, but after the lengthy cleaning it was bright red.

In bad climates (snowy winters with lots of salt on the road), keeping the car washed helps prevent rusting.

 

Eventually your paint will peel and the clearcoating will come off. It is not pretty.

In bad climates (smowy winters with lots of salt on the road), keeping the car washed helps prevent rusting.Eventually your paint will peel and the clearcoating will come off. It is not pretty.

So what can be done about the latter: peeling paint & peeling clearcoat? My Corolla was in pristine condition until ti moved from the "dry" inland to the salty beach coastal city. Now my clearcoat is peeling, and the underlying paint is fading on the hood and top and driver's door. However, I've had some dings and one major accident (hit & run by a city bus). I want to get the damage fixed and the car painted, but the settlement with the city was meager because my car is old (1988). Even my own insurance company totaled it out since it would cost them too much to repair it. But it runs even better now than when it had the accident (explained in another post on the starter/electrical stuff).

 

I don't have the expertise to do major body work (one door needs to be re-aligned, the other door needs to be adjusted, and the driver's side fender pounded out). So, does anybody know an inexpensive way to redo a paint job and clear coat? Are companies like Maaco, Earl Scheib, One-Day, and Miracle really that bad or good?

In bad climates (smowy winters with lots of salt on the road), keeping the car washed helps prevent rusting.Eventually your paint will peel and the clearcoating will come off. It is not pretty.

So what can be done about the latter: peeling paint & peeling clearcoat? My Corolla was in pristine condition until ti moved from the "dry" inland to the salty beach coastal city. Now my clearcoat is peeling, and the underlying paint is fading on the hood and top and driver's door. However, I've had some dings and one major accident (hit & run by a city bus). I want to get the damage fixed and the car painted, but the settlement with the city was meager because my car is old (1988). Even my own insurance company totaled it out since it would cost them too much to repair it. But it runs even better now than when it had the accident (explained in another post on the starter/electrical stuff).

 

I don't have the expertise to do major body work (one door needs to be re-aligned, the other door needs to be adjusted, and the driver's side fender pounded out). So, does anybody know an inexpensive way to redo a paint job and clear coat? Are companies like Maaco, Earl Scheib, One-Day, and Miracle really that bad or good?

You get what you pay for - cheap paint for cheap paint jobs.

 

If you really want to keep the car, get the body all fixed, then spend the $$$ for a quality paint job that will last.

Otherwise a cheap paint job will last long enough to get the car sold.

In bad climates (smowy winters with lots of salt on the road), keeping the car washed helps prevent rusting.Eventually your paint will peel and the clearcoating will come off. It is not pretty.

The previous owner must have washed it daily. In the neighborhood it was in and the snow we get in the winter, the car should have been all smashed up. It did have a replaced passanger fender, a result of an accident. I have been underneath this car, inside inspection of the trunk and engine compartments and there is no rust.

Of course we have the car about two months and my son gets hit in a parking lot. A woman pulled in the spot on the passengers side just as his buddy was opening the door. Messed up the door and bent the pillar. I figured as long as I am taking it in for repair, I will get the front fender done too. I have to take it up there this Monday to get a revised quote.

In bad climates (smowy winters with lots of salt on the road), keeping the car washed helps prevent rusting.Eventually your paint will peel and the clearcoating will come off. It is not pretty.

The previous owner must have washed it daily. In the neighborhood it was in and the snow we get in the winter, the car should have been all smashed up. It did have a replaced passanger fender, a result of an accident. I have been underneath this car, inside inspection of the trunk and engine compartments and there is no rust.

Of course we have the car about two months and my son gets hit in a parking lot. A woman pulled in the spot on the passengers side just as his buddy was opening the door. Messed up the door and bent the pillar. I figured as long as I am taking it in for repair, I will get the front fender done too. I have to take it up there this Monday to get a revised quote.

As long as the road salt gets washed off, the car should not get much rust.

 

Sorry to hear about the accident.

Hope you can get it all fixed - the car has many more years of use left in it.

Let us know how it turns out.

Well I picked up some Meguiar's today and it worked great. However I waxed a couple of guitars instead of cars. I would post some pics, but I guess you can't do that here.

Also found out later that Meguiar's makes products for cleaning and polishing guitars.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fen...iars?sku=420795

Maybe I'll try that on a car.

Well I picked up some Meguiar's today and it worked great. However I waxed a couple of guitars instead of cars. I would post some pics, but I guess you can't do that here.

Also found out later that Meguiar's makes products for cleaning and polishing guitars.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fen...iars?sku=420795

Maybe I'll try that on a car.

Yeah, but you can't drive your guitar!!

 

 

Yeah, but you can't drive your guitar!!

It's an addiction. I've been buying and selling them so fast lately that I don't even have time to really play them. I have a few "main" guitars that aren't for sale, but the rest are free to go. Two I only had less than two weeks and they are already for sale.

I haven't figured out a way to explain it to my wife, I certainly won't be able to explain it here. Think of it the same as you think cars - that's probably the best way to explain it.

Yeah, but you can't drive your guitar!!

It's an addiction. I've been buying and selling them so fast lately that I don't even have time to really play them. I have a few "main" guitars that aren't for sale, but the rest are free to go. Two I only had less than two weeks and they are already for sale.

I haven't figured out a way to explain it to my wife, I certainly won't be able to explain it here. Think of it the same as you think cars - that's probably the best way to explain it.

I hope you are making money on them.

 

My daughter (she used to play the drums and they are still in my garage), came home with a guitar.

I think she is teaching herself to play it.

I hope you are making money on them.My daughter (she used to play the drums and they are still in my garage), came home with a guitar.

 

I think she is teaching herself to play it.

I make decent money on them as a hobby. I've had about 15 total so far, down to five and made money on all but one that I sold. Nothing big, but it's profit and that's pretty good when a hobby makes a profit. Now if you want to know if I make money playing, only if they pay me not to play. I've only been playing for less than 2 years and I'm not good, but I enjoy it to the point I will stay up until 4 AM playing.

I hope you are making money on them.My daughter (she used to play the drums and they are still in my garage), came home with a guitar.

 

I think she is teaching herself to play it.

I make decent money on them as a hobby. I've had about 15 total so far, down to five and made money on all but one that I sold. Nothing big, but it's profit and that's pretty good when a hobby makes a profit. Now if you want to know if I make money playing, only if they pay me not to play. I've only been playing for less than 2 years and I'm not good, but I enjoy it to the point I will stay up until 4 AM playing.

Maybe you can trade them for some Corolla parts??