Moving to Florida and UV damage

I keep mine waxed, to lazy to mess with car covers but do use window shades trying to protect the interior.
 
Sealants and Waxes offer poor UV resistance, the sun is intense here so they wont really do much in that regard.


For example Of 41 Ceramic Sealants tested here the highest was a 4.3% reduction of UV and a majority
So what you're implying is that any car of a certain age in Florida that has decent paint has either been garaged or used strictly a ceramic based paint protection? I don't buy that for a second.
 
So what you're implying is that any car of a certain age in Florida that has decent paint has either been garaged or used strictly a ceramic based paint protection? I don't buy that for a second.
What he's saying is that most waxes/sealants/coatings have minimal effect on UV protection. Garaging the vehicle is your best defense.
 
If its seldom used I would do the cover. I would rather have to polish paint than replace interiors.

As an aside - if your buying a condo make sure you look into the current recertification costs for condo's since that one collapsed near Miami a year ago or so. I have read of people getting $100K+ assessments for structural repairs on condo's - and not fancy condo's.
Will the association even let you cover your car? And it is true what you read about scratches.
I am in the Miami area and was just told I am getting a big a assessment in the near future after the condo commandos has their board meeting at the end of month. Condo Commandos get their way each and every time. Anything written in the contract...no matter how stupid it is....is strictly enforced and they will get a lawyer to make you move if you do not abide by them.

The board had a hissy fit awhile back when I rinsed off my vehicle [just a few short minutes] with their private hose.

I just wax my vehicle every 3 months to protect it. There are plenty of hand washing and hand waxing places around if you do not want to do it. I also keep a lot of Bounty Towels in my vehicle for the daily bird poop. You definitely need a Sun Shade for your Windsheild and dark tint [20% or less] all around. For the entire rear most put Limo Tint back there but just 20% in the front.

I am seriously thinking of selling my condo and moving back to Queens or New Jersey. I would rather have the cold weather then this constant never ending jungle heat. My next place will not have Condo Commandos.
 
What kind of car is this? I don’t think @gregk24 keeps his Accord covered.

Not sure Florida is much worse than anywhere else, they’re humid but not insanely hot or sunny.
Not hot like AZ but certainly very hot and generally very sunny. Unless the car was going to be sitting for months on end I’d probably not cover it. Even if put on a completely clean car dirt and debris will be blown in from underneath and cause marring. Keeping it washed and “protected” with some sort of protectant (wax/spray sealant/coating) is what I would do. Also, even though it’s not being driven regularly washing frequently will still be important. Water spots, bird droppings and other fallout will still do its damage if not cleaned off in a timely manner.
 
What he's saying is that most waxes/sealants/coatings have minimal effect on UV protection. Garaging the vehicle is your best defense.
Not really, the main implication I took from the comment is that sealants and waxes are insufficient to protect paint. And I disagree.
 
So what you're implying is that any car of a certain age in Florida that has decent paint has either been garaged or used strictly a ceramic based paint protection? I don't buy that for a second.

I'm implying that waxes/sealants/ceramics do not provide adequate UV protection. There is a high chance an old car with great looking paint has been garaged or not limited to recently having paint correction completed.
 
I'm implying that waxes/sealants/ceramics do not provide adequate UV protection. There is a high chance an old car with great looking paint has been garaged or not limited to recently having paint correction completed.
I actually think I misread your first post. So you're saying there really is NOTHING you can apply to your paint to protect it from the sun?

I don't disagree at all that keeping a car inside is the absolute best protection method, for more than just UV protection. But it's sure hard for me to accept the idea that any car with decent paint that's lived in the south has been stored inside.
 
South Texas has hot summers also. Basically you are trading lack of rust for the sun destroying the plastics.

It fogs headlights no matter what you do, and I have had weatherstripping trim melt and flake off. Also I buy a lot of wipers, and it doesn't rain too much here.

Good luck keeping up with that car cover, that sounds like a pain to cover up all the time.
 
Not really, the main implication I took from the comment is that sealants and waxes are insufficient to protect paint. And I disagree.
Not sure if I agree. The clearcoat on the roof of my Prius started failing around the 10 year mark. It has always been washed 1-2x/mo and protected with some sort of spray sealant or ceramic coating. The products made the paint easier to wash, but the lifespan of the clearcoat was no better than the vehicles that received zero care.
 
I'm in S. FL. The sun is brutal here and will destroy plastic headlights, paint and interiors. It's good to know that S. FL is considerably farther South than AZ and rivals S. TX in latitude.

Paint sealants and wax won't help, despite the claims. The good news is that unless you are on the beach, rust is not a problem here.

I suggest quality window tint, a quality car cover and doing your best to find a spot that has shade in the first half of the day, as it more often clouds up during the afternoon.
 
I actually think I misread your first post. So you're saying there really is NOTHING you can apply to your paint to protect it from the sun?

I don't disagree at all that keeping a car inside is the absolute best protection method, for more than just UV protection. But it's sure hard for me to accept the idea that any car with decent paint that's lived in the south has been stored inside.

Waxes and Sealants also improve how the paint looks if it is Oxidized until it wears away. Did you see the link I sent that measured UV protection from Ceramic Waxes?
 
I'm in S. FL. The sun is brutal here and will destroy plastic headlights, paint and interiors. It's good to know that S. FL is considerably farther South than AZ and rivals S. TX in latitude.

Paint sealants and wax won't help, despite the claims. The good news is that unless you are on the beach, rust is not a problem here.

I suggest quality window tint, a quality car cover and doing your best to find a spot that has shade in the first half of the day, as it more often clouds up during the afternoon.
So does any have a recommendation for a solid cover brand? I am ok spending a few hundred bucks.
 
.... The clearcoat on the roof of my Prius started failing around the 10 year mark. It has always been washed 1-2x/mo and protected with some sort of spray sealant or ceramic coating. The products made the paint easier to wash, but the lifespan of the clearcoat was no better than the vehicles that received zero care.
Mine did that around the 11-year mark, but may have spent most of its first three years garaged. Applied LiquidGlass ~3-4x/year. 34.8°N Latitude.
 
So does any have a recommendation for a solid cover brand? I am ok spending a few hundred bucks.
One of the best. ;)
 
Been in Fl since 06. Car covers don't last. Get a synthetic wax like FK1000 and you will get 4-6 months protection outside when used with Meguiars Wash and Wax (yellow stuff) Condos are a pain like HOA"s
 
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