My dealer tried to sell me 'Paint & Fabric protection' for $600 when I bought my 06 HCH, but I declined since it seemed way overpriced and unnecessary. Now, I'm wondering if I should do something on my own while it's still new to protect it.

I'm guessing that basic waxing will take care of the paint(?), but what about the fabric? Should I ScotchGuard it (or some similar product) myself, or does it come with good enough protection?

Any advice on products to use welcome! Also, any experiences of how well your Civic wore over the years without any additional protection? I just want to keep my new car looking nice while I still have the chance!

Thanks

 

I got this protection with the purchase of my 06 HCH for about $300 (had to talk 'em down).

I had my 03 HCH for 65k miles and was starting to get little rust spots on the front end. I think this could be due to the bad new england weather but who knows. I hardly ever waxed the car. This was the main reason I got the protection on the new car, I figured that the paint finish/clear coat/my use of the car will be about the same.

I don't know if wax can protect against little pebbles hitting the front of your car, a 'teflon coat' at least SOUNDS like it protects better.

 

wax will be much better at deflecting pebbles than teflon. if you want to avoid chips on your paint, wax it, or at least buy some wash and wax cleaner to wash your car with.

this is your beloved hch - so take care of it! especially in your rough weather. teflon only prevents chemical reactions with the paint and the body - pebbles have nothing to do with chemical reactions.

 

we have a 93 civic lx with close to 200,000 miles. there has been some rust (didn't show up until i let hubby drive it in 2001), but the inside is still in great condition as far as wear and tear on the fabric. we have a lot of dust from our dirt roads, but no wear or tears......

my last car was a CRV. i owned it for almost a year and put 25,000 miles on it. when i cleaned it up to trade in on my HCH, i think you would not have believed it wasn't brand new. they really hold up.

 

The best thing you can do to protect the interior is to get the windows tinted as darkly as either permitted by law in your area, or as darkly as you are comfortable with. That will protect most everything except areas that are under that massive windshield. Getting a winshield sunshade and always using it when parked can cover that for you.

 

I've been a Zaino convert for the past 2 years. I was skeptical, price was rather high, but once I did the application, I was converted: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

 

While tinting will help against fading, it will do nothing for wear. DIY Scotchgarding may help with that; it will at least slow down the dirt, which if you have the ivory interior, will be quick to appear unless you're very fastidious about cleaning it regularly.

The other thing is the fabric itself, from what I've seen - it's a textured fabric, where you have higher threads / lower threads (almost like a berber carpet, which is a cut-loop pile). But those higher threads are loose - they can be moved easily. This is all from memory - I've only sat in an 06 HCH once so far, but I do remember the fabric is a bit different than the other trim levels. I do think it will wear quicker than the LX/EX fabric, btw - especially the armrest. Ivory interior will exacerbate this, I think.

I ordered mine w/ the dark interior, after seeing how my Ivory-colored Accord held up (leather, not cloth, although I'm fine with jumping into a cloth interior - just wish I could keep the seat heaters

Get some good floor mats - you'll eat through the drivers' side mat in no time; even with the 'premium' mats (extra plush, and they have the model embroidered on them - at least they did for my Accord). If you live in a snowy / muddy climate, then all-weather mats for sure. The Honda ones historically haven't had a raised lip to help trap mud / snow, so the water just runs right into the carpet - very bad. If you're not in a temperate climate, there are a couple of websites that make custom mats that fit side-to-side across the entire length / width of the footwell - with HD carpet (again, berber in some cases) that will wear like iron.

Exterior: Historically, Hondas do chip their paint easily, especially in more recent years. More noticable on lighter colors, of course. If you follow vehicles closely, and especially on highways / interstates, you're more susceptible.

Conventional bras will trap dirt, etc, under them, which can scratch the paint. Not to mention fading issues, if you leave them on all the time.

One product I've found useful is the 'clear bra' - 3M calls it 'stoneguard' or some such. You can go to their website and find an installation dealer. They sell the product in pre-cut kits, as well as in larger sheets, which your dealer may be stuck w/ using, given that the '06 sheetmetal is brand-new. But I will vouch for that product - I have no stone chips on my front end / mirrors, and I've had the product about 2yrs (by comparison, after 3 years with my prior Accord, it looked like it had been hit with a sandblaster (ok, exaggerating, but slightly). About $150-$500, depending on amount of material used, coverage area, and difficulty of application (curved surfaces & intricate cutouts are harder (think: bumper cover / lower grill area).

Once it's on, it won't come off (it can be removed if you need to repaint the car; ie, collision damage), and you can't tell it's on there unless you're within a foot of the car. That was extremely important in my decision to get it. 3M warranties it for 5yrs, IIRC.

For the inevitable touch-ups, HandAaccessories.com sells a paint pen - it's a LOT easier to apply than the standard brush / bottle. About $7-8, IIRC. Color is matched w/ Honda's color codes, so it blends in well.

 

On this note, anybody know a good place to get tinting in Silicon Valley?

 

good point, i had forgotten that. i have tinted the windows on all my cars since my first honda, and it does make a difference. also, the air conditioning doesn't have to work as hard.

 

Some years ago, an article said that white fades the least, followed by light colors. Silver fades the worst, but five years later, my paint job is looking good. Think the reason is automakers are using the same kind of silver paint used on airplanes.