Hi All -

I am a new proud owner of '08 RX400h (bamboo pearl). I really wanted to keep my car looking as new as the day (2 days ago) I drove it out of the show room, but living in NYC and having no dedicated driveway, makes car maintenance (washing, waxing, apply sealant) a new challenge for a new working mom.

The dealer offered a Door/Ding package which would apply a sealant on the car annually for 5 yrs at the cost of approx. $700. After reading this forum, I didn't take up the package just because it seems the sealant would need to be applied at least once every 3 months. Is this something that you gurus would recommend in my situation?

With winter fast approaching, I would really like to seek your advice on some realistic work that I can do for my new car to prepare it for the potential harsh winter.

Yes my car will be housed in the building garage, and chances are I will use it for at least 4~7 times a month so it will not likely be facing snow unless I am driving in it. I hope the car is not that delicate to just erode away, still... my last car didn't do so well under my care.

Thank you in advance for your help.

- Aim

Welcome to the site!

I always feel for people who care about their car's condition and live in NYC. Thats got to be one of the most nice-car-unfriendly places on earth.

The package your dealer offered you was most likely a paint sealant, wouldn't help against door dings and isn't worth it.

One question only you can answer, how much time are you willing to devote to your vehicle on a weekly and quarterly basis? And at what level do you want to maintain the vehicle's finish?

It may make the most sense for you to hire a professional to maintain the car for you.