Community Forums

Txice · 06-16-2016, 12:00 PM

Don't misunderstand me, I don't think my MH is a pig! This is (google) a rhetorical expression I'm using to covey my message.
I've only owned this MH for a couple of months and have spent a ton of money on getting it up to where we wanted it.
My dilemma is outside appearance. Just not for appearance sake but in keeping the finish in good shape. There is medium or worse oxidation and no evidence of recent waxing.
There are a couple of local detail shops that specialize in MH's. I got bids of $1300 and $1100 to hand wash, hand buff compound to take off the oxidation, then hand wax and buff out the finish.
I have adult kids that would willingly take on the job saving some serious dough. They are just not experienced.
Give me some thoughts. Price from professionals reasonable or not? Should I take the age (14 years) of the coach into consideration and go the kids route? I really enjoy the life so far and might want to upgrade in a year or two so I would want it looking nice to sell or trade. Just not sure it's worth the price difference. $1300 vs. supplies and free labor. Of course it won't be free, I'll have to feed them

Mike

wildtoad · 06-16-2016, 12:47 PM

Getting drd of heavy oxidation takes a lot of effort, and best left to those that know how, and have the right equipment. Hand waxing a 38 foot motorhome is a lot of work. Do a search on this site for "Zep" and read about using an acrylic floor product on old paint or fiberglass. After a very good cleaning, and applying 4-6 coats of the floor product, the shine is remarkable. The coats go on easy and if you start at one end and go completely around, by the time you get back to where you started, you can apply the next coat.

I did this to a 2000 Hurricane and it really shined and was difficult to look at in direct sunlight. I would not use it on a new motorhome but for a older, faded one it really makes them look nice.

Scatterbrain · 06-16-2016, 01:40 PM

For the entire rig I'd say that's a fair price. I paid $700 to have my rig washed, waxed, and the front and rear caps plus front fenders buffed out this past winter. The rig looked much better. The previous owner had done the floor wax thing over the rear cap and striping, leaving a yellow, peeling mess on the coach that looks a lot like lifting clear coat. The coach went from a dull but clean white to a nice, reflective shine. They even buffed out the mirrors and cleaned the roof. Well worth it in my opinion.

JohnBoyToo · 06-16-2016, 01:50 PM

Watch Groupon, there was a local guy that came to the house and detailed ours right out in the street for $250...

he lost money on that deal !!!!

Wow - that was almost a year ago
(and sorry about the dark pics, he and another guy worked ALL day on it)

Gerryl · 06-16-2016, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txice

Don't misunderstand me, I don't think my MH is a pig! This is (google) a rhetorical expression I'm using to covey my message.
I've only owned this MH for a couple of months and have spent a ton of money on getting it up to where we wanted it.
My dilemma is outside appearance. Just not for appearance sake but in keeping the finish in good shape. There is medium or worse oxidation and no evidence of recent waxing.
There are a couple of local detail shops that specialize in MH's. I got bids of $1300 and $1100 to hand wash, hand buff compound to take off the oxidation, then hand wax and buff out the finish.
I have adult kids that would willingly take on the job saving some serious dough. They are just not experienced.
Give me some thoughts. Price from professionals reasonable or not? Should I take the age (14 years) of the coach into consideration and go the kids route? I really enjoy the life so far and might want to upgrade in a year or two so I would want it looking nice to sell or trade. Just not sure it's worth the price difference. $1300 vs. supplies and free labor. Of course it won't be free, I'll have to feed them

Mike

Hi Mike,
I got your email and sent you a reply with my phone #. I'll be glad to walk you through what I did. My 2000 looks like brand new Gel Coat.

Last week we were parked across from a guy who did his 2004 with Zep wet look last summer. He came over and we examined both his and mine. Mine looks like a smooth new gel coat. His looked like a thicker coating. Not as smooth and it was peeling in a few small places, but it did shine.

I used the Poly Prep and the Poly Glow. When he left, he said he wished that he used the Poly Glow products. He was going to check to see what he would have to do to strip off the Zep and start again.

Also the Poly Glow has UV inhibitors that the Zep doesn't have. I didn't have to use it, but they also have something called Poly Ox for coaches with more serious oxidation.

Sweetbriar · 06-16-2016, 02:57 PM

I'm not sure but I suspect with the coach being a Monaco Diplomat it probably has a full body paint. If so there has been problems posted by owners that Zep didn't work out very well over paint. Rubbing out oxidation is pretty heavy on the labor side and takes a skilled hand/eye to do it right. To little and it comes right back, to much and your past the clear coat and into the paint. Plus you'll need to evenly work the surface over the length of the coach or it could look even worse.

If you have a bit more in you budget consider a trip south and have the coach repainted in Mexico. There are postings here on IRV2 and also on RV.Net. Just search for "Mexico RV Paint Shops" as a starting point.

Txice · 06-16-2016, 03:43 PM

Thanks all for your response.

Gerry, I did get your message and I'll be calling you to check out your technique. My kids (one Houston, one Austin) don't have a problem getting together to go fishing, (Galveston, tx today for instance) but we'll see when the old man beckons for the task at hand. One (Austin) will be here tomorrow, I'll see what he thinks and after I talk to Houston I'll make a decision. I might, and it's a mighty big might, be able to do the tires, maybe even the wheels but I ain't even going to think about tackling the rest. I'm just a few months younger than you, but I'm going on 80

Thanks, Mike

SpaceNorman · 06-16-2016, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txice

I have adult kids that would willingly take on the job saving some serious dough. They are just not experienced.

I'd go the kids route ... waxing a vehicle ain't rocket surgery or brain science. If you feel they need some training - YouTube is your friend! The 30 second clip below has been used to train oodles of prospective wax-on'ers and wax-off'ers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULNUr0rvEc

All kidding aside - just make sure you wash the unit well before you start waxing it ... and then get to work using a quality wax product.

I'm collecting old debts from my kids and a couple of their friends this weekend. They're all on the hook to help me wash and wax my coach. Last year - I figure it took roughly 24 man hours of effort to thoroughly wash, hand wax and buff coach, polish the rims and apply RainX to all the windows. The 24 hour of effort figure was with two 60..ish year olds working on it - I'm throwing three "20 somethings" at it this year and expect that number will be reduced. I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled to ensure the quality doesn't slip !!!!

Txice · 06-17-2016, 04:17 PM

Thanks Norman

I read quite a few of your posts. You give sound advice.

Brockx · 06-17-2016, 04:33 PM

Here is a good example of the ZEP treatment my first coach, 1996 Pace Arrow. Best to use auto wax on the front and rear caps, tended to flake on the caps.

srx-6 · 06-17-2016, 04:51 PM

We just had this done today at an rv park in Port Aransas Tx. Yesterday 4 guys washed by hand including roof took them about 2 hours cost $126. Today 3 of them came back and waxed took about 3 hours cost $250. I have no doubt you will get a superior job from the folks in Nacogdoches but I am happy with what I got as I sat on the beach and came back to a shiny motor home.

Steve Ownby · 06-17-2016, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srx-6

We just had this done today at an rv park in Port Aransas Tx. Yesterday 4 guys washed by hand including roof took them about 2 hours cost $126. Today 3 of them came back and waxed took about 3 hours cost $250. I have no doubt you will get a superior job from the folks in Nacogdoches but I am happy with what I got as I sat on the beach and came back to a shiny motor home.

Are you at Gulf Waters by any chance?

srx-6 · 06-17-2016, 07:36 PM

Yes. 303

Txice · 06-17-2016, 09:23 PM

Hi srx-6, DW has two sisters living in Port A. Have not been there yet in MH but no doubt will this year. How did you come across this service, it would be nice to know. Sounds like very good price. Do you get over to the island on the ferry? Feel free to call or text info to 936-554-7700. Thanks for the reply, Mike