To restore a faded finish you can use Meguiar's #7 Showcar Glaze followed by
their Yellow Wax, or if it isn't too bad, their #6 Cleaner Wax. They are
both formulated for hand use, so they are safe to rub hard with but not for
use with a buffing wheel!

I never use the car wash at all.

Happy Vanagoning!

On 10/15/06, Mike Bucchino <mbucchino@charter.net> wrote:
>
>   I've heard from my bodyman, that they're great for today's shine, but
> bad
> for tomorrow's re-paint.  Same as Silicones; just try to remove them
> completely to prep for a new paint job.  You can't ever remove them, even
> sanding down to bare metal just grinds the stuff into the surface of the
> metal.  Paint won't stick and fish-eyes impossibly.  Snake -oil quick- fix
> in my book.  Anything that easy is either too good to be true, or there's
> some greater price to pay somewhere down the line........
>
> A painter's out there to add a second opinion here?
>
> Mike B.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matt Drew" <t3vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2006 1:17 AM
> Subject: Protectant Advice
>
>
> > Howdy Volks!
> >
> > Well first off, the FANTASTIC news is that Blackbeard, my new (to me)
> '90
> > GL
> > Weekender arrived bright and early this chilly morning!
> >
> > It's been some time since I last piloted a Vanagon, so I don't have to
> > tell
> > you how absolutely WONDERFUL an experience it's been getting
> reacquainted.
> >
> >
> > Whilst tooling about online, I ran across a link to a product called "5
> > Star
> > Shine", which the website touts:
> > "is not a car wax. In fact, it contains no waxes of any kind. Our
> patented
> > PPS formula protects your paint with PTFE (the same substance that makes
> > nonstick cookware so slippery) for *unbeatable shine and protection
> > guaranteed to last for years!*" . . . . "main ingredient, PTFE, is one
> of
> > the most protective coatings known to man.", etc.
> >
> > Sounds great, right? Maybe a little too good to be true?
> >
> > http://www.5starshine.com/ppc/index.html?cache=5
> >
> > I dunno.
> > Has anyone used ... or even heard of this stuff before?
> >
> > I know that we all care about our 'loafs of love' and want to take the
> > best
> > care possible, so I guess my SECOND question is . . . does anyone use
> > anything OTHER than the 'protective wax' setting at the local
> > do-it-yourself
> > car wash?
> >
> > Cheers!
> >
> > Matt
> > '90 GL "Blackbeard"
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com