What can I use on fresh paint?

[ep3]

Just had some paintwork done on the passenger side to repair a few scratches.
The body shop said to wait a month before waxing!!
I’ve been waiting since January to clay, polish and wax.
I was really surprised when he told me this.
When my Mercedes was repaired they said I could wax it that day.
I’d really like to do something, since it looks like the body shop washed it with pumice soap and a brick.



So here are my questions:

Is it safe to use clay on the area that was just painted?

What polish (by hand not machine) would be safe to use and also most effective at hiding fine scratches?

Thanks

[Maserati Mario]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

Yes you can clay
You need to let the gasses escape from the paint, ususaly a month
You can put a pure polish on
Ultimate Compound or Scratch X should remove your scratches
Any Pics?

[akimel]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

Fresh paint must be allowed to cure and out-gas--hence the command not to wax or seal the new paint for X amount of days. The time needed for outgassing varies from paint system to paint system. It is important for you heed whatever the body shop tells you on this, lest you void the warranty. I just had my passenger door re-painted a couple of week ago. I was informed that I needed to wait 90 days before waxing.

In the meantime, you may apply any of Meguiar's pure polishes (#3, #5, #7, #81, DC2) on the freshly painted panels, though it sounds like your time limit is now passed and you are free to wax to your heart's content.

M80 can also be applied to fresh paint to provide modest polymer protection: M80, Paintable Polymer, and Fresh Paint.

As far as polishing, you may polish the freshly painted panels just as you would the rest of the car, though I was advised that it would probably be best to wait three months to allow the paint to harden before polishing. Begin with the least aggressive polish and do a test spot.

[ep3]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

Yes you can clay

Any Pics?

Thanks for the info.

Passenger side BEFORE a few of roof shingles from my neighbors house decided to land on it.

Basically looks the same after being repaired.

[ep3]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

though it sounds like your time limit is now passed and you are free to wax to your heart's content.



M80 can also be applied to fresh paint to provide modest polymer protection: M80, Paintable Polymer, and Fresh Paint.

.... though I was advised that it would probably be best to wait three months to allow the paint to harden before polishing

Thanks for the info.

Sorry for the confusion.
I’ve been wanting to detail the car since January but it was damaged and repaired last week.
So I still have to wait until I can apply some wax.


So it’s safe to wash, clay and polish the whole car NOW.
That’s great.

From the link you posted it seems that you were in the same situation as me.
Why do you advise against polishing before the 90 days are up?

[Maserati Mario]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

...I was advised that it would probably be best to wait three months to allow the paint to harden before polishing...

This is just not true
Body shops work on paint the minute it's dry
JUST DON'T SEAL IT UP with a "wax"
Use a Pure Polish AFTER you've rubbed it out.
you can rub it out all day long, you just can't seal uncured paint, but you can put a "pure polish" on uncured paint, it allows the gas to escape.

[akimel]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

This is just not true
Body shops work on paint the minute it's dry
JUST DON'T SEAL IT UP with a "wax"
Use a Pure Polish AFTER you've rubbed it out.
you can rub it out all day long, you just can't seal uncured paint, but you can put a "pure polish" on uncured paint, it allows the gas to escape.

The fact that body shops will, e.g., wetsand and buff a car soon after it's been painted doesn't necessarily mean that one should not allow the paint to harden up a bit before polishing the paint for purposes of eliminating swirls and micro-marring. The person who gave me this advice appears to know his stuff, and I trust his judgment. His concern is that the softness of the paint makes it more difficult to polish without marring. But I know that experts can do things that beginners like myself should not attempt.

[Maserati Mario]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

I concur
just wanted him to undersand he could

[Tim Lingor]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

This is just not true
Body shops work on paint the minute it's dry
JUST DON'T SEAL IT UP with a "wax"
Use a Pure Polish AFTER you've rubbed it out.
you can rub it out all day long, you just can't seal uncured paint, but you can put a "pure polish" on uncured paint, it allows the gas to escape.

You can not rub out a fresh paint "all day long". Where did you get that erroneous idea from? Body shops do not work on paint the minute it dries as the paint will out gas and will be softer underneath the top "skin". So while the surface may appear dry, they still have to wait until the paint underneath has dried sufficiently or as soon as you start sanding, the paint will ball up on the sand paper.

Wet sanding fresh paint is much easier than dealing with cured paint; hence the reason it is done then. But caution must be used as it is also easier to place deep tracers into the paint that will be difficult if not impossible to remove.

I think a warning needs to be mentioned here. As of late, I have seen a lot of people repairing small scratches and or touch up paint using wet sanding etc. Please keep in mind, wet sanding a scratch is VERY different that sanding a whole vehicle. As you yourself Mario noticed how easy it was burn through the clear coat to the base coat. While this may be OK to some on an older car or truck, but if a person burns through a ceramic paint job or a $20K lacquer paint job, the damage is enormous and VERY expensive to fix.

On fresh paint, Meguiar's M80 Speed Glaze is the correct product to use. It has a special paintable polymer that allows the paint to cure while providing a little protection to help until normal waxing can commence.

Tim

[Maserati Mario]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

yea, your right I ment after it's sugnificantly dryed, not so much to touch. I was going on experiance with dryed paint and not "just" dryed paint.

[Maserati Mario]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

Well talked to a body shop guy today and they said as soon as the paint is dry they sand it.
Also said sanding helps the gas escape faster do to the paint being opened up the sanding. And CC has hardeners in it and he likes paint to be a little soft, easier to work with.
So I guess as long as it's dry you can sand it.

[G Force]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

Wondering how new vehicles can be waxed without delay.
could it be due to different procedures ?

thanks

[Mike Phillips]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

Wondering how new vehicles can be waxed without delay.

Interesting how this is actually a real common question, the answer is simple and that is new cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles have the paint baked on at the factory as the body is moving down the assembly line. The main body is painted and baked before any of the interior or wiring is added due to the high temperatures the paint is baked at.

By the time the car leaves the assembly plant the paint is fully cured and hardened and you can wax it that day if you like or months down the road after it's sold off the show room floor of your local dealership.

Makes sense?

[G Force]

Re: What can I use on fresh paint?

thank you.if the vehicle are part of it is repainted in a spray-booth oven would it be alright to wax without delay ?