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Im going to take a little different aproach, but still probably get to the same destination..
I know there are some people that can keep a car looking good for years. My bro had a black car that never saw the first drop of wax/sealant for over 2 years....it still looked like new....I would never recomend that though.
Yes it is possible to keep it looking good for a time..some factors like living in the far north can really change the picture...not that the south doesnt have its issues as well.
So ultimatly I wuold seek the services of a detailer. There are factors that the cunsumer doesnt know exists. (probably better that you dont or your car would never leave the garage hehehe)
I wouldnt find just a shop, but a person in a shop. Usually theres only 1 person in there that really cares. Having a personal relationship with the detailer is a good thing but probably discouraged by most shop owners, to their loss. Knowing the customer means your car is no longer a hunk of metal on wheels, and the detailer will do a better job. Kind of like getting a hair cut, anybody can do it but theres only one that you really trust.
To my knowledge there is no product that will last 5 years, and probalby require repeat visits 2 times a year to keep any warrenty valid. read the fine print.
having the right tools and chemicals, like bud said, is a biggie. A detailer can do more in hours than an average person can do in a days. be prepared to give the detailer time to do the job right, any rush will result in a less than satisfactory and possibly damaging job. think of it like this, next saturday your could...........clean your car..........or go salmon fishin (or something) lol...
as for undercoating...I hate it...Industry standards now are pretty much double sided galvanized steel or composit material. unless the galvanized coating is breached (i.e. your car gets wacked, hit, or commonly refered to as, being in an accident) it shouldnt rust. thats for unibody construction. If you have a frame like a truck or van, that will eventually rust. It comes with a wax coating that eventually wears off. Granted the vehicle will be crushed into a little cube long before it becomes an issue, it is ugly while you have it or trying to sell it. The frame is the only thing i would consider undercoating. As for sound insulation, I doubt you will notice a difference.
some suspension componets may rust with any vehicle but they shouldnt be unercoated.
things to look for in a shop...........dang thats a hard one.
1. someone who cares
2. someone with experience
3. someone with the right tools (hard for a consumer to really know)
4. someone who will spend the time with the car.
5. throw in some luck in finding a good one.
a long but hopefully helpful response
pmack</HTML>