Hey, The only thing bad that happened at the Hummer Happining in Memphis is the mud I got on my H3 has took the gloss off the plastic. Not on the metal but every where it hit on the plastic ...front finder flares...air intake box's on hood. I have washed it several timed thinking it might buff out but with no luck. Any body ever have this happen? and what can I do to bring back the shine.

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That was some tuff mud... This is what I looked like after the first washing..



After washing 2 more times I could still see evidence of it on the fenders... I'm just glad the folks at the rental place didn't look to close when I took it back...

Rob

 

Mine did the same thing. It took a little time and patience but eventually the dullness went away. Just keep up with your regular washing/waxing and it should go away.

 

Slap some armor all, or a likewise product, on the plastic and it should spring back to life. A good waxing on the painted surfaces will do wonders too. Besides, it makes the mud sluff off a little better when it's cleaning time anyway.

 

If you can afford it , a professional detail a couple of times a year will go along ways toward keeping the paint looking fesh and "wet." It will aslo remove whatever grime you have that is dulling your finish. The wax typically used by professinoal detailers is hard stuff and will last a long time too, especially if the paint is well cared for in between details.

 

Well, dirt's abrasive, so the heavy dirt from playing in the mud is going to be rough on any finish. There are some teflon-based paint treatments that might help. My 01 Audi has something called "AutoArmor" and after six years the still paint looks virtually new though it sits in the hot SoCA sun 8-9 hours a day 5 days a week and has been through maybe 200 car wash cycles. Its one of those "dealer installed" items they put on all their cars to bump the price...I raised h#ll and got him remove the 2/3 of charge (about $400) from the invoice, but I'm really glad its there. As a matter of fact, I've been meaning to have the H3 done by the same shop.

 

My H3 had something similar put on by my dealer, just like yours, they do it to all of thier cars. The first time I buffed the scratches out of the paint, though, it was gone. It fills in the pores of the paint to keep dirt form getting in there, but once you run a buffer over it and remove the oxidized layer of paint, it is gone too.
For something that will go offroad, I think those products are a waste of money, but if it is a street queen, then probably worth every dime.

 

Interestingly enough this doesn't look like as much like scratches and dulling as it does lime deposits from hard water.. And in that area it's very likely.. Which kinda makes me think maybe CLR bathroom cleaner might get it off.. Diluted in water and checked first in a small inconspicu... inconspi.. A small out of the way spot of course...

I will guarantee you that is the first time the truck I had saw ANY MUD...



This mud was wet enough it wasn't going to much scratching without some help... The mud on the paint "mostly" just dried up and flaked away in the wind... It acted completely different on the glass.. It dried there, it stayed there.. The stuff I had caked up under the truck I took a VERY HIGH PRESURE AND VOLUME hose to and it wouldn't knock it off.. The stuff dried overnight and fell off on it's own.. I had an easy gallon of dirt on my driveway under the truck the next morning... Even after three washings and scrubbings the tires were still blue from the mud..

Rob

 

Before you go ruining any part of your paint job, I would ask around at some detail shops, or body shops about what to use to get rid of hard water spots and calcuim deposits. There is a product that wis made for this, but after doing my math homework my brain is fried and I cant think of anything right now.

 

I have been using Meguiars' products since the early 80's. Would recommend their Mirror Glaze or Gold Glass products (including car washes). Gold Class Trim detailer keeps the black black. Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner (#40) keeps things rich looking - not wet/shiny. Hi-Tech Wheeler cleaner (#36) keeps the wheels nice.

This combination has made cleanup between waxes go faster. They have never let me down and last for a long time.
I am able to remove small scratches with little effort.

One other thing - leaf blower. Blows water out of the areas where it collects (like between door joints) and makes drying efforts easier...