TyKnight777

Hello all,
I got a 2011 f150 XLT with chrome trim and black paint. I have had this truck for awhile and im starting to notice the paint is just not a deep shine it was years ago. (No I have not waxed it in three years/ my fault)
Is their a diy way to restore the paint and trim to its previous glory without breaking the bank? The biggest problem I see is water marks that will not go away.

I wash the truck every two weeks, and I always clean everything including interior.
Car sits in the sun all day/ don't have a garage for it/ I live in Houston Texas so the heat and humidity are unavoidable

Any advice would be great!

scottmoyer

There's a way to fix it, but the question comes down to "who" will be fixing it. You can do it yourself if you're willing to put in the time. Otherwise, you need to pay a professional detailer. If the water spots are just surface spots, they can be removed using a rubbing compound and a rotary buffer or DA polisher. Obviously, using rubbing compound or heavy compound to remove the water spots will require a second polishing with different pads and polishes. If the spots have etched in to the paint, you may need to have the paint wet sanded and polished. I had a Mustang wet sanded and polished for around $500 last year due to water spots that were beyond my compounding ability. It turned out that the wet sand didn't help either and Ford had to repaint the entire car under warranty. If you do it yourself, you may be looking at similar costs for all of the materials, but then you'll own them for the next time.

Muskiehunter51

Its not hard to restore Black paint, wash dry, clay bar the entire vehicle (glass and lights also) then hit it with glaze, then wax then a sealant. It will look awesome

Pristine1

You are on the right track with keeping the truck clean. The truck just needs a good sealant at least 2x a year. Especially if its parked outside 24/7. Due to the age of the truck, and not keeping the paint sealed its had plenty of staining oppurtunity. Polishing can get some light staining off if it isn't deeper in the clear coat but it usually will be worse on non protected finishes. When staining still occurs on a protected cars finish it usually just needs light polishing as your temporary protection takes the brunt of the damage. I'm guessing some compound will be needed but test polishing some stained areas first. It may come out. Clay the whole truck with a fine grade clay. Heavier clays will mar your finish so unless you are good with a buffer stay away from the heavier grade clays. Claying can take away some water sportng if it's on top of the surface but won't take away actual staining in the clear.

Here's the order
Wash, Clay, Polish, Sealant.
or
Wash, Clay, Comound, Polish, Sealant

Don't use a rotary. Get a Dual Action polisher.

Can top with a good wax after the sealant for more protection. Do not wax and then sealant. You want the sealant at the base since its the longer lasting product. Make sure to use an appropriate cleaner to remove polishing oils before sealant so it adheres properly. Your own Isopropyl alcohol mix or something like Car Pro eraser. There are paint prep polishes too.

If you're not into a 1 or 2 day job and you just want some improvement. Maybe you don't want to get a buffer as well or invest much money into the project. You can always go with the all in one polish and seal products. It won't be nearly as good of a job and you will still have water staining most likely unless it' not severe. The thing you will have though is a better looking finish than you had with some protection. Oh and a sore arm if you really work it trying to get out the staining the best you can. It's more of a good enough for some and get you by type deal. Doesn' sound like your best option for the current condition of the truck but everybody has their own plan and maybe this works for now. I would still clay the truck before.

Hope some of this helps! It can be done. Just take it low and slow. Be especially careful if you have to compound. Oh and don't forget to tape and cover trim that can come into contact with your buffer.