Exterior woes.

[UnWoRtHy]

Since the dawn of automobiles, I'm sure that this problem has plagued car owners. The car runs and performs spectacularly, but it doesn't have the looks to back up the nice running-ness.

I've got a 95 Talon N/T, dark green and a tan/beige (whatever) interior. It runs beautifully and the interior is nothing if not immaculate. But my paint and body. GOD. I partially dread washing my car for fear of finding more scratches or pings. The car is still very presentable...glossy paint, nothing too faded. The driver's side of the car is perfect, but the passenger side has seen better days. Right at the edge of my front turn signal, a friend of mine accidently backed his truck into it and caught it with the corner of his bumper, leaving a dent/scuff mark that looks like someone threw a baseball at it. In that same fender is another dent that's been there since I got the car...who knows. Tiny, but it's an eyesore. In the door is one of those dreaded parking lot dents you get when someone flings their door open when they're parked too close. Assholes. And that's pretty much it for major damage. I'm fixing them all bit by bit when I can afford to bring it to my body guy (I'm afraid to do body work myself). My newest eyesore is a badly peeling/chipping trim piece. The one up above the passenger side window. Anyone else have the same problem?

Couple more exterior questions. Can anyone recommend a good wax? NuFinish? Mothers? Turtle Wax? And will that make some of those surface and clearcoat scratches disappear?

And one final question? Does anyone know where I can find the factory option foglights? Or an aftermarket set that's made to fit into the stock mounting points? I called the Dodge dealership where I bought my car, and they're telling me 200 bucks PER light, and that doesn't include the switch for inside. Where would that go, anyway? I have a spot under my rear defroster and hazard lights where there's a knockout for a button, but apparently the original owner didn't go for that option. Is that it?

Anyway...sorry for the novel length post. But thanks for any knowledge anyone can impart.

 

[Attack Eagle]

fog light switch goes on the left in the same area as the power mirrors. the blank you are referring to was not used on hardtops, i think the spiders use a top button there, who knows what the A/s cousins have there.


Your car sounds nice... I used to really like using eagoe one liquid wax, then using meguiars paste after everything looked good.

 

[Slipstream]

okay where to start?
how about that trim piece over the door...if it's the same one i'm thinking off it's about what 1-1.5" wide or so...if that's the one I just finished fixing mine up. I ran over them with some 600 grit sandpaper to take out the major dings and crusty parts, then over them again with 1000 and 2000 grit to smooth them out like glass...then I ran some tape underneath the trim so as to cover the roof and the window, windshield, door etc and shot them with good 'ol duplicolor. they aren't perfect but they look 100% better than they did.

foglights..go fish. but yeah the stock switch for them is on the dash on the left hand side of the steering wheel in one of those knock outs. (I'd junkyard salvage the switch...and hell maybe the fogs while i was at it)

wax...I like the wonderfully overpriced meguiars stuff. seems to do the trick. I don't know of any that will take clear coat scrathes. for that I'd get a clearcoat safe rubbing compound and a buffer....but be careful...clearcoat safe or not it will eat through it and the paint if you're careless.

 

[cuttheduck]

okay where to start?
how about that trim piece over the door...if it's the same one i'm thinking off it's about what 1-1.5" wide or so...if that's the one I just finished fixing mine up. I ran over them with some 600 grit sandpaper to take out the major dings and crusty parts, then over them again with 1000 and 2000 grit to smooth them out like glass...then I ran some tape underneath the trim so as to cover the roof and the window, windshield, door etc and shot them with good 'ol duplicolor. they aren't perfect but they look 100% better than they did.

I did the above too w/ that part ABOVE the window.,,just peel off that old black rubber molding,,, scratch up the 'chrome a little" Then painted w/ a high gloss black enamel. I used a tarp to cover the car and lots of tape. It looks a thousand times better. Also used the same paint on my sideview mirrors since they were peeling.

I used zaino wax last year and the stuff is incredible. Claybarred the car and the whole 9 yards and then spent a few hours waxing. Your car will feel like glass and be so smooth. Its good stuff but just dont half ass it. Everyone that I have heard use it says nothing can match it EXCEPT supposedly i believe theres some maguiars ZFX??? that is very similar.