[Gripster]

My work is moving offices shortly and there will be no covered parking available meaning that my car has to get baked in the SoCal sun every day. I will try to figure out the shady spots when we move, but wondered if anyone else has to deal with this.

I recently tinted the windows and have a sunshade for the windshield both of which will help, but I'm worried about uv damage to the paint and rubber seals. The car is going on 7-years old now and I've managed to keep it in new condition by garaging it and keeping it out of the sun. Any tips?

[houbmw]

I was thinking about getting some Opticoat and applying it to the car after I did a full paint correction.

[rogers08m3]

Gripster - with the tint and sunshade you should be ok. BMWs show remarkably little dash fade over time. If you're really concerned you could tint the front glass with a clear tint like 3M Cyrstalline (which is optically clear, but has ~99.9% UV reflection). If you really want to go crazy grab some 303 aerospace protectant and apply to all surfaces - they call it sunscreen in a bottle for your car.

[Gray_Panther]

+1 for the 303 aerospace on trim.
+1 for opticoat for paint
Cant go wrong!

[Gripster]

Thanks. I know I'm being paranoid, but this I've had the car since new and it still looks that way (with surprisingly little effort, just TLC every now and then). I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that it is has been garaged and I've always used covered parking when available. The sun really does a number on paint, seals and interior. UV is what ages everything including people...

I will check out opticoat and 303 Aerospace.

[FI PETE]

+1 303 aerospace protectant (don't over do it cause it will make everything really shiny (unless that's your thing), wipe it on on a mf towel, flip the towel and buff off the excess)
+1 opticoat 2.0 (if you're doing it yourself, make sure you follow directions to the T, if unsure, pay a professional that has EXPERIENCE with this product to do it)

You can also do 2 coats of Blackfire paint sealant..It'll protect you for about 6 months in your climate(must wait 8hrs for it to fully cure between layers)

[grafiksguy]

Originally Posted by FIPAD

+1 303 aerospace protectant (don't over do it cause it will make everything really shiny (unless that's your thing), wipe it on on a mf towel, flip the towel and buff off the excess)

Actually I must disagree with the "shiny" assessment. That's one of the great things about the 303 product. No silicone. I've only ever had it leave a soft, matte luster, never shiny. That said, I don't flood it on, just spray and wipe off with a soft cloth. My 2¢.

[rogers08m3]

It can be shiny if you use a lot and don't buff it off properly; but if it is shiny it just means you're over-applying. One or two light mists on a cloth, wipe, then buff off with a separate cloth. It should leave almost no finish at all, just a clean looking surface.

[FI PETE]

Originally Posted by grafiksguy

Actually I must disagree with the "shiny" assessment. That's one of the great things about the 303 product. No silicone. I've only ever had it leave a soft, matte luster, never shiny. That said, I don't flood it on, just spray and wipe off with a soft cloth. My 2¢.

If you read my statement you'll notice the very first thing I said was "Don't over do it", you will get the natural matte finish when used properly.

[AW328i]

What about a car cover? My father covers his 335is outside at work every day, stays beautiful.

Edit: Also another thread in here about good car covers... OEM BMW and California Car Cover are the best.

[Gripster]

Originally Posted by AW328i

What about a car cover? My father covers his 335is outside at work every day, stays beautiful.

Edit: Also another thread in here about good car covers... OEM BMW and California Car Cover are the best.

Hmm... I had a car cover for my Z4 and used it when I parked it outdoors for days at time. I'd find myself hassled to do it every day. Plus I barely get to work on time never mind the couple of minutes to pop the cover on. That said for peak summer it might not be a bad idea.

[inline6ix]

This opticoat, from what I am reading, is supposed to be a permanent product? Would it change the finish of the car or make it easier to maintain/get swirl marks out of/etc?

I'm also interested in this subject as my car is going to be parked outside of work around peak hours of the day in the hot Florida sun.

As for the interior, I wouldn't be too worried about the plastics and dash wearing down, my old E39 528i with 200k miles and a great interior being an example. I'm definitely not a professional, but from seeing older cars that were subjected to lots of sun, you're gonna wanna keep the seats and leather conditioned and protected, and you're also going to want to find a way to protect the wood trim (if you have it) from fading.

[psnt1ol]

Originally Posted by LordLev

This opticoat, from what I am reading, is supposed to be a permanent product? Would it change the finish of the car or make it easier to maintain/get swirl marks out of/etc?

I'm also interested in this subject as my car is going to be parked outside of work around peak hours of the day in the hot Florida sun.

As for the interior, I wouldn't be too worried about the plastics and dash wearing down, my old E39 528i with 200k miles and a great interior being an example. I'm definitely not a professional, but from seeing older cars that were subjected to lots of sun, you're gonna wanna keep the seats and leather conditioned and protected, and you're also going to want to find a way to protect the wood trim (if you have it) from fading.

Once the coating is properly applied (surface must be thoroughly clean) and cured, it will not come off under normal circumstances (much like your paint) unless you purposefully remove it through chemically or mechanically means. This layer is harder to scratch (scratch resistance not scratch proof) but it could be scratch. It's main goal is to protect the paint beneath.

Opti-coat is not very slick in comparison to a traditional wax or sealant and water spots is still could be a concern. Many would apply a sealant like CarPro Reload over the coating to give it a bit more slickness as well as keeping the surface hydrophobic.

The coating will make cleaning much easier since it does a better job of releasing dirt but remember this.... it is still a protective layer not a "FORCE FIELD" and all proper maintenance procedures should still be follow.

There are many other coatings out there (Cquartz, Gtechnig, 22ple) and they all have there pluses and minuses. They all will protect your car better than a traditional wax or sealant.

Good Luck.

[HK8888]

I'm gonna try my 303 on the trims.

[Bighorns]

I have a cover in transit since i live in the desert, and the sun here is brutal on everything.