Applying an Extra Clear Coat

Ok so I'm not sure if this is BS or not so I'll see if anyone else has heard that Toyota switched to a water-based paint.

The dealership warned me to only use soap designed for autos - that's what I do duh.

So couldn't I go to a body shop and have them apply another layer of clear coat?

 

You could have another "layer" of clear coat added to your truck. Any reputable shop will want to totally disassemble your truck to repaint it. That way there will be no paint edges to peel up in the future. I would figure in the 9-10k range depending on labor rates in your part of the country. As you are basically repainting the whole truck, plan on them having it for about a month or so.

Right now, these newer water base paints are just as good, if not better then any of solvent ones on the market today. Most times the base's are still solvent, and only the clear is water based.

 

I'm very much an amateur detailer, but I've cut my teeth on black BMWs and black Subarus, so I've got decent experience with a range of hard and soft paints. In my experience with my grey '20, the paint is surprisingly tough. I'll be doing a correction of some dealer-installed scuffs and swirls, but I'll be topping with the CQuartz UK 3.0 coating.

My expectation is that will do a LOT to improve the UV durability, as well as resistance to etching from water-spots, bird-dropping, and bugs. Nothing will stop rock chips or other major damage, except if you wrapped the whole car in like a 3M protection film ($$$$), but I also wouldn't worry too much about the longevity of the paint if you're washing it regularly (and properly) and maybe even having a coating applied.