it is a mild abrasive ... just don't use it every day and you'll be fine. i wash and wax more often than i polish ...

 

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=17 - about polishing

http://www.bettercarcare.com/topics.php?topicId=17 - other detailing how-to's

hope this helps some, Tacoma Dude

 

Ah, I see...
Looking at the Griot's diagram and it looks like a good 3 polishings would scrape all the paint off.

 

okay ... sometimes i can hardly get an old wax mark off the trim ... so i doubt that the polish would scrape all the paint off ... maybe close though

 

Peanut butter!!!

 

so i hear! i just washed the truck this afternoon ... so maybe tomorrow i'll see about the peanut butter!

 

Maybe I'm just lucky, I had Touch of Class paint sealer put on the Runner by the dealer. Obviously they try to overcharge you when you buy it, so I waiteda month and phoned, got it for less than 1/2 price atthe same dealer!!! Interesting.

Well we have a hand carwash place in San Jose, it costs $30 for a premium wash. SO they wash the RUnner by hand, vacuums it, dry it properly, clean the windows inside and out with window cleaner, polish the tires, cleans the inside of the doors and hatch (actually opening the doors andcleaning where it shuts), and also does all the plastics surfaces inside. Money well spend I think. I have been happy with, and I normally take my Runner every other month to get cleaned, sometimes once a month. And I'm happy and not worth even trying to do it myself, the water is hard here and it's b&*ch to dry it.

Every 6 months I put on the touch up of the paint sealer kit on the outside, and treat the leather seats and plastic inside with the kit that came with the sealer. Works like a bomb and car looks and smells like new every 6 months.

 

Edge,
You are right, there is a catch with the rear door rubber seal. dirt does collect on the rubber trim however it is not a big deal to simply rinse it out, for me anyway.

Also, you have to consider some of the design characteristics of a body on frame designed truck. Not that all suv's have this particular quirk but if you owned an Xterra for example, you would be REALLY pissed because opening the rear passenger doors exposed a good 4-6 inches of sheetmetal from roof to floor that got covered in dust and dirt. It also caught enough dirt and muck inside the fenderwells to add more than 10 pounds of muck.

In normal around town driving, I don't have any issue with dirt or grime- or at least not that I notice. I notice it when I off road but then the truck is so dirty, I just assume I'm going to be washing all day.

 

i take my runner to regular car washes... i got it used and it came to me with some scratches and swirls as is, so it doesnt effect me much.

this summer im taking my runner here:http://www.ecdetail.com/sr_wax_job.htm

im gonna get the wax job. i know its pricey, but from then on i can finally maintain it myself... up till now, theres been almost no point. im gonna clay my truck at some point this summer as well.

 

Around Chicago there are tons of really nice car wash places. It's not like this is some exotic sports car (which I also see at the car wash places). I only hand wash the S2000 because I don't want the wheels scratched by the rails at the car wash.

I do prefer going to hand wash places. There's a place near my house that does a great hand wash for $16, well worth it in my opinion. 4Runner looks great everytime.

 

I agree 100% Edgeman. Funny that the people that tell you to stop bitching live in areas that wouldn't know a snow plow if it ran them over. In any case, I agree with you about how hard it is to keep clean and the freaking rear doors store make a great storage bin for road sand/salt. I live in an area with a lot of trees. The gap between the hatch and the body is huge. I am constanly pulling leaves and twigs from them. I take mine through the 'cloth' car wash on a regular basis. For $10 I get a halfway decent vacuum, wash, and wipe down.

 

I brought my 99 thru the car wash once and never again. It was mid winter and I was heading out to a formal event and the trruck was a mess. Well, the stupid dryer dragged up the hood and put some nice surface scratches the length of the hood. I now run a line to the hot water side of the washing machine to wash it now.