Protection plan for new Scion FR-S

[vsquaredbyrho]

I'm asking for feedback on my plan to protect a new silver Scion FR-S. Details that might influence your thoughts:
- I have a enclosed garage to park in at night and to work in (but it's not heated or cooled). I have a short commute of about 10-15 miles per day, but it snows in the winter and the roads are salted/sanded somewhat regularly.
- I'm not looking for show-car-shine. I just want it to be protected from every day dirt, rain spots, etc. This is my daily driver. I plan to keep the car for a very long time and want it to look nice years down the road.
- Ease of application is key for me. Products that can be easily applied/removed and don't take special techniques and tips/tricks are ideal. I've two-bucket-washed, clayed, and waxed cars before, but I'm still learning. I've used Zymol cleaner wax before and find it all but impossible to keep off my trim. I do like the results (and smell) though.

The car will be about two weeks off the delivery truck when I'm ready to put my plan into action:
1) If it looks noticeably dirty, I'll take it to the local do-it-yourself car wash for a quick spray of soap and water to remove the worst stuff. Using their own soap from the spray gun.
2) Drive home, park in garage. Allow car to cool down.
3) Use Blackfire Wet Diamond Waterless Wash (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-waterless-wash.html) to clean body panels, windows, headlights, and wheels. I expect to use about 4 microfiber towels for this.
4) Apply 303 Aerospace Protectant (http://www.autogeek.net/16oz.html) to tire sidewalls.
5) Use a clean microfiber towel to dust the interior hard surfaces.
6) Clay body panels with Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit (http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-smooth-surface-clay-kit.html). I've clayed cars a few times, and I think I have the hang of it. I promise not to be stingy with the lubricant. I'll also clay the wheels using a fresh piece of clay.
7) Polish/Seal paint and wheels with Klasse All In One (http://www.autogeek.net/klasalpolsea.html). I've tried KAIO before and haven't been impressed with the results. I think I was using too much product, I'll try to be more restrained this time. I really like that I don't have to be careful about trim pieces with Klasse!

Relevant guides:
Waterless Wash (http://www.autogeek.net/how-to-use-waterless-wash.html)
Clay (http://www.autogeek.net/detailing-clay-bar.html)
Klasse All In One (http://www.autogeek.net/klasse-usa.html)

Maintenance Plan:
Every week or two, repeat steps 1-5. Every 3 months reapply Klasse All In One. Once a year, repeat entire process I have about 10 quality microfiber towels and a bottle of Pinnacle Micro Rejuvenator to wash them with.

In the future, I might try to put a wax on top of Klasse. For now, I think I'll see how KAIO holds up all by itself. Once my supply of KAIO runs out, I'm thinking about trying out the Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection.

Specific Questions:
The FR-S is built in Subaru's plant, so I assume the paint will be "Subaru paint". What's the general reputation of Subaru's paint?
Is there an easy-to-apply wax that would go well on top of Klasse All In One?
Should I just find a local professional who can apply Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 and call it done for a few years?
Am I missing anything critical in my steps?

[mjlinane]

If I wasn't going to traditional wash, I would rinseless. Can take on dirtier cars than waterless. BF Wet Diamond Rinseless, CG Hose Free Eco Wash or DG Rinseless with Aquawax are great products.

If you want ease, a WOWA like BF Crystal Seal or UPGP would be excellent choices.

Subaru paint tends to be soft.

Opti-Coat is good stuff.

[glen e]

I second the BF Crystal Seal or UPGP...it's the best protection for the buck when you factor in ease of use. I would put these on after the KAIO and then every 6 months - they are amazing...I'd replace the KAIO with Blackfire Total polish and seal....

[ShinyRex]

Welcome, the BRX/FR-S is a nice looking ride I got to see several at a local Subaru event.

The general perception or Subaru paint is that it is soft and thin. I'm sure if I glare at mine long enough it will mar or chip.

So Opti coat or a clear bra would be a very good idea in my book.

I don't think I would bother to coat your wheels with an AIO. I'm not sure about the link but there was a thread on here about coating wheels and most waxes not being able to deal with the higher temperatures.

If you are just trying to make clean up easier then sticking to a weekly routine will be enough with OEM clear coated wheels.

just my .02

[Rsurfer]

Opti-Coat!:nomore:

[vsquaredbyrho]

Thanks for all the great opinions. It sounds like most people are enthusiastic about Opti-Coat for a daily driver. I'll have to see if there are any local professional detailers that can apply it.

In the meantime I might pick up a bottle of a rinseless wash to try out if I'm not satisfied with the results of the waterless wash. I live about 5 blocks from a river, so I thought waterless washes would be better about keeping stuff from running down the storm drain to the river. Now that I look into it, I can see that a rinseless wash is just as "zero drainage" as a waterless wash.

As for coating the wheels, I thought I remembered reading about waxing/sealing wheels being a good idea. But I can see the point about wheels getting too hot for some waxes. They are factory wheels, so I guess I'll just give them a good cleaning with a soft wheel brush and see how well it works.

[glen e]

many here have opti coated wheels....as a matter of fact, because I like to strip and reapply, I don't use opti coat on anything EXCEPT my wheels....

[vsquaredbyrho]

Results report:
The local do-it-yourself car wash did a good job of removing most of the dirt and dust I had collected over the past 2 weeks. On my drive home most of the leftover water blew away, making me think that the dealer did a decent wax job before I took delivery.

The waterless wash went pretty well. There were some water marks left on my windshield, but I think that's because the towel I was using was too wet. Next time I'll switch out towels more often.

I started out my clay bar step on the roof panel, but after trying about a third of the roof there was absolutely no resistance to the clay. I looked at the clay and it was perfectly clean, so I decided that my paint job didn't really need that step this early in its life.

I almost convinced myself to try a 50/50 comparison of KAIO and some Zymol cleaner wax that I had, but I decided against it. Applying the Klasse All In One was the most difficult part for me. I started out too thick and had to buff one panel many times for the streaking to disappear. I also probably should have switched microfiber applicator pads halfway through because by the time I was done the one I used was saturated and showing some dirt. I was impressed at how the KAIO made the windows perfectly clean (after the spots left by the waterless wash). I coated the entire vehicle except the wheels (paint, windows, headlights, trim). I was working in a 90+ degree garage with stagnant air, so I decided to call it a day.

Today I drove through a quick summer shower at about 45 mph. The KAIO windshield treatment worked much like Rain-X, but the water beads weren't quite as big and I felt like it wouldn't have worked at a lower speed (FWIW, Rain-X usually kicks in at about 35 mph in my experience).