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Topic: Best method for buffing the exterior (Read 3640 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #20 –
Speaking of a lot of work to keep gelcoat looking good, Cindy continues to tell me how MUCH easier it is to keep our painted coach shined up. Car-wash soap, water (change often), microfiber, wipe dry and red bucket. When necessary, touch-up with her favorite high quality "Klasse All-in-One" non-abrasive cleaner/polish.

Cindy has saved hours and hours since having our coach painted. The clear coat is so good that after 8 years it continues to look like the day it left Xtreme and with mainly just car-wash & water. Money well spent. Painting the roof with one-step gritted paint also makes keeping the 'difficult to keep clean' roof clean, also much easier with a couple of buckets of car-wash & water. And keeping roof clean, keeps the sides of the motorhome clean.

Better quality car-wash leaves the coach with a slick shiny polymer surface.  Doing one 3-4' section at a time, washing, turning rag, and drying immediately with microfiber towels.

Each bucket has a (cut-down-smaller) Grit Guard on the bottom to help keep dirt out of the water.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #21 –
I learned, the hard way, of course, why so many folk store their coach indoors down here in the 'Deep Desert'. For full-timers, that's impossible: our decals, after six years, are just about shot on the nose and heading out on the sun-side. I've tried every product, talked to the installer, talked with 3M and they all give me the same runaround: "They will not last long in full sun, whatever you apply." Of course the shade side is fine, but anywhere I get sun is starting to (and has) failed. So I guess, 10 years is the life expectancy? BTW,  I have new paint/ gel  (also done in 2013) that is doing fine. I'm not surprised to see so many coaches that have the 'Prison Bus' look. The installer said he'd re-do the nose (something about the angle makes it the worst) for $250.00. Not bad, but, that would buy a lot of Jamesons! ^.^d

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #22 –
Quote from: mike leary –
I learned, the hard way, of course, why so many folk store their coach indoors down here in the 'Deep Desert'. For full-timers, that's impossible: our decals, after six years, are just about shot on the nose and heading out on the sun-side.

I've spent a lot of time studying our new home, and at first I thought that the diagonal black marks, on what remains of our decals, were "art."  After a couple of just right morning dew visits I realized that the metal frame had worked as a heat sink for the ink on the decals and what I see is the frame.  That frame.  One of the reasons I jumped on this RV.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #23 –
My Xtreme paint job still looks like new so I have never buffed it.  I use Wash Wax All after washing it.  For the cars and boats I have a DeWalt professional variable speed unit with soft start.  Slower speed is better.  If you have never used a buffer before a random orbit unit will work best for you as it's easy to burn the finish.  Look on YouTube for videos on how to do it.  There are a few tricks you need to know.

Keith

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #24 –
Quote from: Old Toolmaker –
I've spent a lot of time studying our new home, and at first I thought that the diagonal black marks, on what remains of our decals, were "art."  After a couple of just right morning dew visits I realized that the metal frame had worked as a heat sink for the ink on the decals and what I see is the frame.  That frame.  One of the reasons I jumped on this RV.
I see those on the rare occasions we get dew. Like Brett told me, "If you don't see them, you are in BIG TROUBLE!

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #25 –
Best method, in my opinion, is to have it done this first time by professionals that know what they are doing and have done it before. After that it is up to you to maintain the glossy exterior.
I have found that one pays for experience one way or another.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #26 –
Yes our coach is original white with the original and not in great condition stripes, so I assume it has the quality gel coat finish.
we have booked it int Xtreme go November 1 but thought I might give it a bit of a shine to get it through the summer.
It sounds that by the time I get the time to work on the exterior it will be too hot put the necessary effort into it and I should let Xtreme do it, and then keep it up.
After all I want to be away week ends enjoying good food and cold beer, a Foretravel is designed to leave the back yard on summer days off.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #27 –
I like nighthawks idea. By the time one invests in the "pro" quality buffers and such. Your likely to be about on par with having it done up by a pro. Then maintain using a much cheaper orbiting polisher and a good layer of wax.

But then again, Some like the challenge of restoring it on their own.

I know it would have been a wash had I just spent the money on fuel to go somewhere to have my wheels polished. Took me two days $100 in supplies (electric drill and pads)  Then some major league sore back & hips & tennis elbow. But the wheels looks ace now.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #28 –
"I should let Xtreme do it".  They don't do the buff and shine as a service last I checked.  Xtreme will send you down to Precision Detail on University in NAC.  Precision does a fine job, it was $1300 when they did ours, probably still under 2 CB. 

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #29 –
What ever it costs here, Mexico will be about 25% as much. Paint too.

P

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #30 –
I'll do like Mr. Miagi,get a couple of "Daniel Sans" and wax on wax off,or as Pierce says,"Jose Sans"

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #31 –
Is there a place in Mexico close to the border that you know of?
Is it safe down there?

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #32 –
Probably still under 2CB's for a buffing.
Boy was I off in my thinking about how much it may cost for a buff. But I often am off on the cost of coach stuff. I need to start adding one or two zeros. :))

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #33 –
There are lots of folks that will shine up you coach for $400 or so.  Precision does a complete fluff and buff detail. Precision spent three whole days on our coach.  They washed it, compounded the roof (needed it) and the rest of it and then waxed and polished it. They polished all of the aluminum awning arms and awning covers.  They cleaned the insides of all of the bay doors.  The cleaned and painted the insides of the wheel wheels.  The did the tires with 303. They cleaned the wheels, caps and lug nut covers (no polish on the Durabright Alcoas).  They cleaned all the windows.  They even cleaned all of the bay door handles grooves with a small brush (tooth brush).

It is the difference between an automatic car wash and a full on detail shop. You get what you pay for.  It was good for us. 

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #34 –
Quote from: Irish –
Is there a place in Mexico close to the border that you know of?
Is it safe down there?
Unless you deal drugs, it's much safer than here. No kids shooting each other in school, drive by shootings, etc. Our trip last week was close to my 100th time down since I was 14 1/2. Have never heard a shot, lots of firecrackers though.

Yes! If you want to stay on this side of the border, there are a couple of shops in Algodones (Los Algodones) that have excellent reputations. They will come over to the U.S. and give you an estimate as it's right on the border. Do a Google search plus there are YouTube videos on their work. Here is a video of Navarro's Paint Shop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACwiiwoINdI If interested, I suggest you give him a call for buffing prices.

For a bit of a vacation in a Mexican city on the beach, Puerto Peńasco is one hour from the Lukeville border with an excellent overnight before crossing at Organ Pipe Natl. Mon. They come to the RV parks to do the work. Figure about $175/wk for the RV space. Anytime you cross the border you must have Mexican liability insurance. I purchase a driver's license policy for $100 is good for a year and covers US$335,000. PM for details.

Glenn just came back from an extensive trip in their coach. Contact him for his take on everything.

Mexico paints a good percentage of our airline fleet. Our plane badly needs paint and the cost in California is about $13,000. While we were in Lake Chapala last week, we went to Aero Club Chapala and looked at their paint jobs. Google Maps: Report Inappropriate Image . About $3700 total for a strip and repaint.

They build and paint the planes at this really small airport at the edge of the lake. Photos are of a couple of RV aircraft they built and painted.

For anyone considering retirement where the weather is perfect the year around, restaurants are inexpensive but outstanding, big ex-pat population and inexpensive but excellent medical/dental facilities, this is the place.

Pierce

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #35 –
I was at FOT last year (Nov), I called precision out for an estimate to polish and detail my coach. He was there within the hour, and the entire detail would have been exactly what Roger described. But it was far from 2CBs, he wanted 4.5CB, so I passed of course.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #36 –
Quote from: OffTheGridRVs –
I was at FOT last year (Nov), I called precision out for an estimate to polish and detail my coach. He was there within the hour, and the entire detail would have been exactly what Roger described. But it was far from 2CBs, he wanted 4.5CB, so I passed of course.
For many of us on a fixed income, $4,500 is astronomical, especially on an older coach. As the years go by, Many of us can't do as much as we used to and when faced with prices like you posted, we are faced with deferring the work, paying but no longer being able to afford some other things we enjoy or finding an alternate way of getting the job done without breaking the bank. Yes, it's easier to just pull out the card but with a little "thinking outside the box", getting the work done for a reasonable amount can be even more rewarding plus add a little adventure to one's life.

Pierce

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #37 –
I agree Pierce, I've done some wet sanding and polishing in the past, by I'm not a pro at it by any means. I'll keep searching for now, and may end up doing it myself after I remove the vinyl decals.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #38 –
I suppose price depends on the condition of your coach.

Re: Best method for buffing the exterior

Reply #39 –
Looking at the pictures - RV-12? DO they contract build them too or just paint? Nice work.

US EPA regulations, workers compensation insurance and US labor costs, rent, etc. contribute to much higher US costs to do this work.

Sadly, this paint kills people if proper protection not used, hopefully the over the border shops don't scrimp there. What I saw on the beach at PP was SCARY! to the person painting, plus it was painting in the open air on the beach, no way not to have dust/grit in the clear coat.

Looking at the video - differences vs Xtreme obvious - they mask most of the coach in the video, extreme removes everything - ladders, awnings, windows, lights, etc. Xtreme has a high tech paint booth which would reduce the amount of dust in finished product vs. home made paint tent made out of plastic. Finally, it may be customer preference, but paint scheme is pretty basic and "lineal"

That being all said, for most of the coaches represented on the forum, a $30,000 Xtreme Full Body Paint is not economically practical.  (of course what about a luxury motor coach is economically practical.....)  While I was underwhelmed with the quality of work at Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) with regards to "paint on the beach" service there, this type of shop and cost makes a ton of sense for the $30- $70K coach, especially if you are looking at a 3-5 year ownership horizon.