I didn't opt for dealers coating pkg. 'cause seemed expensive. What is best ext. coating also interior leather treatment?

 

There is no "best". They are a waste of money for you and a high-markup profit-maker for the dealer.

Your best bet is to use a high quality polymer wax/polish to protect it: Zaino, Crystal-Guard, NXT, etc. Applied every 3 to 6 months will provide all the protection that you need.

The same thing goes for leather treatment. If you use the recommended cleaner and apply a conditioner twice a year, it will stay soft and crack-free.

 

This might come as a shock, but this entire forum is about keeping you car looking new.

 

Actually I finally am going to get the dealer coating, 'cause they gave me discount to $688, plus a ck for $2400 that I wasn't expecting...also I got Lo-Jack XRW for $695 to eat up some of the credit due me. Does this make me a traitor to 350z people?

 

I'm almost afraid to ask, but what "coating" is the dealer putting on?

 

'Touch of class' is the name of the one I'm getting. Also, any ideas on radar other than the old ones I looked at? Never had a tkt but now, the cops are staring at me even going exact speed limit because I got the red 350ze. I LOVE THIS CAR!!

 

You might want to read through these threads before you invest in Touch Of Class:

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=60032

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=60044

When I was young and foolish, I wasted money on paint protection scams like this, Ziebart and Ultra Seal are two that come to mind. You have to get it "renewed" every so often and that will cost you more. I remember my Ziebarted car got water spots so bad they pratically had to strip the car of the clearcoat to remove them.

As several of the Autopians point out, for the same amount of money, you can get your car professionally detailed for a long time.

As for radar detectors, a lot of members here rave about the Valentine V1.

 

If you are convinced that a $688 wax job is smart, then there is no need for a poll. Just do it.

 

What do ypu mean by 'credit'? What did you trade in????

 

Dear DavesZ: You convinced me: I cancelled my Touch of Class order & am getting Zaino done by my detailer (a very excellent place) Every Detail on Lombard St in San Francisco. Am getting an $1800 Radar/Laser detector and bluetooth for car that runs thru car's own speakers for $600. I am still going to get the Lo-Jack system that calls the cops, 'cause although my neighborhood is not bad, I'm 24/7 on call at hospital when their garage is closed. Thanks Again, Normski

 

Good thing you canceled the order. Most likely that "UBER SPECIAL" coating would've been pretty much gone after 6-9 months.

 

"dealer installed sealants" are crap. my company which owns a bunch of dealerships sells stuff like this and I can personally say its worthless. they sell it buy saying you won't ever have to wax it or worry about fallout or bird crap or anything. but I've seen folks who took this to heart and didn't ever wax their cars and hardly washed them and they look like crap. the clearcoat, if its even still there is completely dulled and damaged. and when you put water on the car it just sits there. there is absolutely no sheeting or water falling off. they offered a self application kit to the company employees at $100 (they sell it installed for $500-$600) and I said no fricken way.

 

Not just dealers. Brokers sell this stuff too. Before I bought my car through costco auto program, I tried going through another broker. They tried to tack on $500 for this sealant crap. Sales pitch was kinda like this:

"90% of our customers opt for this sealant! Don't forget it has a warranty!!! Plus an interior sealant!!!!! If you ever spill anything inside your car, it will bead off and clean right up!!! Guaranteed or we will re-apply the sealant!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

Dealership make most of their profit from high-margin crap like this, as well as insurance or extended warrantys. Anything that they sell you that you can get from another source, you're better off getting it from the other source.

 

In the car business these bogus "protective coatings" are known as "Mop & Glow". Often, they add the cost of these coatings to the sticker as an item that they will negotiate away, letting the buyer feel like they got a "deal". Sometimes they don't even put the crap on, they just charge the suckers for nothing. After all, how would you know if it has received the miracle treatment or not?