A Love for the Bugs!

[Steve Smith 2]

I bought a 03 ST XLT in perfect condition with no scratches, new A/T tires, loaded and only 60k miles about a month ago. I decided to take it to Captiva Island for Memorial Day weekend with some friends. We loaded down the bed with supplies for the weekend and all four of us piled in for the ride.

It was a great ride until we got to SR/70 Okeechobee Road when the love bugs began to rain on my new ride. What a mess (as you can see below)! When we got to the island a police officer said that was the worst he had seen. lol.. I had to wash it as best as i could when we arrived at the condo but, only knowing that I had to go back the same way.

When I finally got back home Monday I spent 4.5 hours cleaning it! They covered the whole front of the truck, all over the radiator, the front chassis, the window seals, ugh!:angry: and it goes on!







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[Amber Clymer]

GROSS!!! Man that is amazingly gross!!! But it makes for good pics & stories.

 

[Woppy V]

HOLY CRAP! THAT IS INSANE! Thats something out of a movie....

 

[Todd Z]

EWWWWWWW.......



Make sure you clean the radiator real good.....



Todd Z

 

[Les]

Had the same problem on Alligator Alley between Ft. Lauderdale & Naples...

 

[Jenn D]

:lol: It's not funny, but you gotta love Florida in May/June. For those of you who have never experienced this, while utterly annoying, it is amusing. It sounds like it's raining there are so many slamming into the windshield at once. And, when you do pass through a swarm, please, whatever you do.....DON'T try to clean your windshield. It's futile. Those little bastards are like gummy, glue-filled disaster balls. If you attempt to clean the windsheild, you will just smear a nice opaque, almost-impossible-to-see film. It's not uncommon to pass hundres of vehicles that look just like Steve's.



The best, however, is when you are hiding behind a nice slow 16-wheeler on the highway (letting him take the brunt of the bug abuse) and some poor schlub zips past on his motor cycle.... one word..... YUCK

 

[EddieS'04]

The same thing happens here this time of year in southeast Texas. If you do much highway you need a screen on the radiator..:wacko:

 

[Drew Rousseau]

Alittle tip i`ve heard, when you know your going on trip like that, spray your front end down with pam cooking spray, it stops the bugs from sticking, but also comes off really easy itself.. lets see some after shots..great looking trac!!

 

[Eric H]

We did a vacation in Orlando last week and our rental car and half of the other vehicles running around looked like that!



Being a native Minnesota boy, I've never seen anything like those bugs! I guess they are the original members of the "Mile-High Club"!



I did do a Google on them and read that they are bad for your truck's paint job too.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Yes, those things are hard to remove. They were a big problem when I lived in Ft Walton Beach.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Yep, had the same thing happen to me about 2 years ago going to Harrisburg to visit my brother. Got near the river and the Mayflies were so thick at times, you couldn't see the road. The front of my ST looked just like yours. I was real happy since I just washed and waxed the ST the mornig before we left.

 

[Johnny O]

That's Florida for ya.:lol: Use Rain-X and a front end bra. Bon-Ami cleanser cleans the glass real well. The put a couple coats of Rain-X on. I have a bug deflector but it never deflects any bugs.

 

[Jenn D]

I did do a Google on them and read that they are bad for your truck's paint job too.

VERY true. Depending on how well you take care of your vehicle, these bugs can ruin in a paint job in as littls as 48 hours. If you keep up on waxing the paint on your vehicle, you can get away with wating a few extra days, but beyond a week, you get into the danger zone. These things will eat away the paint, quick.



I have heard lots of ideas. The most recent one I heard was to use WD-40. It makes sense, but I'm not sure if will it hurt any part of the front end....

 

[Josh Langel]

I have heard lots of ideas. The most recent one I heard was to use WD-40. It makes sense, but I'm not sure if will it hurt any part of the front end....

Funny... my father came up to Orlando (FL) today for a commercial shoot and when he arrived, his brand new truck was masked with them. I suggested WD-40... I've used it and I have never had paint issues...



PS: Jenn... close your bold tag.

 

[Jenn D]

Thanks Josh.



Speaking of lovebugs, I seem to remember someone showing up to an Orlando meet in 2003 with lovebugs all over his pristine white ST. I recall that this person had to take it to a local gas station and clean them off too...



You wouldn't happen to know this person, would you, Josh? :lol::lol:



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[Johnny O]

I have sprayed the entire front end with Armor All when I go to NY, the bugs wash off easier. Never tried WD-40.

 

[Josh Langel]

Jenn..



Ha Ha Ha! Those were the good ol' days when I COULD keep a car in pristine condition



Not anymore

 

[JK II]

I drove 300 miles for a car show in northern Florida.. My front end wasn't that bad but it still was covered in them.

 

[Steve Smith 2]

So, I did some heavy research on this and found out most oils that you put on your vehicle only make a mess and don't actually work. If it's worked for you than let me know what it was. There was a test that the rain-x did help but, still required mild soaking and cleaning.



Are there any meets anytime soon in central or south Florida?



Here is the ST before the Bugs. Haven't had time to take after shots yet.



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[user 62851]

Did you happen to count how many you killed?? We might have Guisness World Record Here.