Preventative Measure?? (trip up to cottage)

[cwp_sedan]

Is there anything that I can do to help protect the paint for my trip up North other than a good waxing? I know I will get a lot of bugs on the way up but I'm not too worried about those. What I am worried about is tree sap and leaves/pine needles. Is there anything I can do to help protect the car when it's sitting outside??

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. :)

[WeatherB]

I'd say give it a nice wash after you get up there (or back home depending on how long you're staying there)... Don't want the bug guts sitting there too long.

[condor888000]

Painters tape?

[cwp_sedan]

I'd say give it a nice wash after you get up there (or back home depending on how long you're staying there)... Don't want the bug guts sitting there too long.

Yeah I will only be there for 3 or 4 days so it's not that bad. I will definitely be washing when I get back home.


Painters tape?

I may do that on the fog lights and my lip but we'll see.

[mit-gee-mui]

http://www.mazdastuff.com/custom/productzoom/m3_car_cover_5dr_bg.gif
Source: http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=289615&postcount=1

??

Edit: HAHAHA! I originally suggested
a tarp,
painters' tape and
leaving the 3 at home and renting something else,
but erased it. Guess I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines.:chuckle

[Noisy Crow]

There are few options on this page:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/mazda-3-future.html


:gone:gone:gone:gone

[cwp_sedan]

http://www.mazdastuff.com/custom/productzoom/m3_car_cover_5dr_bg.gif
Source: http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=289615&postcount=1

??

Edit: HAHAHA! I originally suggested
a tarp,
painters' tape and
leaving the 3 at home and renting something else,
but erased it. Guess I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines.:chuckle

:chuckle


There are few options on this page:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/mazda-3-future.html


:gone:gone:gone:gone

:chuckle

[kaval]

Quite a few things you can do.
- Tape the edges of your hood, and carry the tape up about 5 inches. Do 3 layers of tape on the edges to ensure that rocks don't penetrate through.
- Tape the lip, and fog lights (if you aren't going to use them)
- Tape the edges of the grille
- Tape the lower fender areas
- Tape the bottom side portion of the rear bumper (if you don't have mud guards)
- Seal the paintwork with a few coats of protection. Make sure you are using a pure wax or sealant, and nothing that has cleaners. If you use something with cleaners, each time you apply another coat, you'll essentially be removing the coat you had just put on previously.
- Wash the car when you arrive to your destination. It's a HUGE pain to take off bugs and stuff after a trip. Just stay ontop of things that catch your eye.

[M3Nick]

+1 on tape! I saw a thread somewhere around here where somebody taped up their entire car for a route 66 road trip.

Also I saw this:

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/shield.html

Don't know how useful it is, have a look though!

[kaval]

^That looks like a pretty cool product!

[x_o_k_x]

May I recommend this?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2056/2183905193_026c2675ec.jpg

[Mafty]

lol you guys would really tape up the front of your car to drive on the highway?? man i drive 140km every day and never worry about stone chips or bugs. just wash the bugs off, and stone chips, well they're going to happen like it or not, even if you dont do a lot of highway driving they happen, and i think tapping the front of your car up like it just came from the dealership (off the lot white tape) would look strange. but to each his own i guess :loco

but i think a car cover for when your car isnt being driven is an excellent idea, tree leaves and sap and etc do suck. but good luck taping up your car :P

EDIT: also if your budget suits it, why not get a clear bra done from a tint shop, i dont think they run too much, and youll have it for the rest of owning your car and wont have to tape up your car

[ZeroChalk]

When I go up North I just try to avoid trucks. On a dirt / gravel road I drive at a crawl (30km/h?). Don't really have to tape up the car... now in the winter it is a different story. I probably got more chips then I have ever seen from heading north each weekend.

[cwp_sedan]

When I go up North I just try to avoid trucks. On a dirt / gravel road I drive at a crawl (30km/h?). Don't really have to tape up the car... now in the winter it is a different story. I probably got more chips then I have ever seen from heading north each weekend.


I do/did the same this past weekend. I actually didn't have too many big trucks and stuff but if I did I just left space or got by them quick.

I parked away from the pine trees too which saved me a lot of hassle with sap.

[kaval]

How did your trip go?

[cwp_sedan]

How did your trip go?

It was great man. Nice to get away and relax. I got some golf in and it was awesome weather. This pic was from our last night there. Amazing sunset with no photoshop done to the pic at all!

Oh and the car wasn't that dirty at all... :P

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb106/cwp_sedan/cottage_sunset.jpg

[kaval]

^Wow! That's gorgeous!!!!!!!

[cereal83]

How about just drive the car as is? I live in the great north and nothing bad happens to my car, ever. I go up north usually every 2nd weekend also. lol city people!

[Videcak]

Its a car, drive it...taping is for noobs and pussies IMO... unless you have something that is a super rare part that is one of a kind that is only on the car for 1 day for a show...

[stormin84]

Got up to my cottage last night and I looked at my car this morning and I can't tell its a black car from all the bugs on it.. It needs a good wash when I get back tomorrow

[Videcak]

Spray some quick detailer on the bumper over the bugs and let it sit for a few minutes, then wash with soap and water like usual, works good...

[bubba1983]

jus drive the damn thing, yeeeeeeeeeeesh!!

[cwp_sedan]

I did and the trip was fine.

[narcolepticus]

i just returned from Lion"s Head .. my car was fine, mind you i avoided all the trucks if i could, though the bugs were easy to get off.. a nice wash, coat of wax before the trip worked excellent \m/

[1flycdnM3]

wow that pic really looks similar to the lake my cottage is on (Kahshe), but i doubt it really is... GREAT SHOT!!!

I never do anything to protect my car like what has been mentioned, just wash it afterwards and all is good :)

[cwp_sedan]

wow that pic really looks similar to the lake my cottage is on (Kahshe), but i doubt it really is... GREAT SHOT!!!

The cottage is on Whitefish Lake in Seguin. Thanks. The shot turned out better than I thought it would. :)

[Olestra]

Amazing picture.

As for bugs, just keep a bottle of quick detailer and extra microfiber towels in the trunk so you can spray and wipe any sap/bugs. Only wipe the stuff that comes off easily, trying to scrub off a peice of tar may end up scratching the paint. If you want the harder stuff to come off easily, bring a clay bar as well.

[mazdamania]

beautiful photo, missin' summer already.

[crystal8484]

It was great man. Nice to get away and relax. I got some golf in and it was awesome weather. This pic was from our last night there. Amazing sunset with no photoshop done to the pic at all!

Oh and the car wasn't that dirty at all... :P

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb106/cwp_sedan/cottage_sunset.jpg

OMG that is absolute heaven. Where is that??

[crystal8484]

ha, nevermind, saw your post below.. d'oh!! :bang

[JazzLix]

lol just set that as my destop. cottage shots ftw :)

[kaval]

Here's another cottage shot. My parent's cottage in Penetang. Taken with a Point & Shoot...got lucky! lol

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j31/kvilkhu/P7293694.jpg