Best type of wax to use?

[Kit Sullivan]

I just had my car painted. Its a 1990 Thunderbird Super Coupe.
It was painted black, using the DuPont 'Chroma Premier' paint system.

It looks fantastic, but the painter told a couple of things that I'm not too sure about.

First, he told me that it could not have ANY wax applied for a minimum of 90 days so the paint would fully cure. The DuPont web-site claims 120 days, but since I am in Florida maybe 90 days is sufficient.
The car is parked outdoors and I have a car cover, but he said not to use it for 90 days while the paint is still curing.

Finally, he said NEVER to use a wax or polish with any kind of silicone in it. He says the silicone completetly seals the surface of the paint and will not let it breathe correctly, shortning its life.

Any truth to any of these 'facts'?

[TrufflePig]

Re: Best type of wax to use?

yes you do have to wait for the paint to cure.

90 days seems about right. then you can go at it with your favourite wax.

[BlueZero]

Re: Best type of wax to use?

That sounds right to me about the paint cure time.

Hey, lets see some photos, I bet it looks sweet.

[Murr1525]

Re: Best type of wax to use?

I dont see how smearing a microscopic layer of wax that is meant to wear away completly seals anything.

But it is best to follow the painters advice till it is finished curing, and then clean/polish/wax as usual..

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Best type of wax to use?

I agree with the wait time before waxing, and before using the car cover. I had the same issues with one of my cars when it was painted a couple of years ago.

As for the comment about never using a wax or polish with any silicones in it......I wouldn't be too concerned. Body shops don't like to have silicones around because it causes potential problems in a paint environment. But as far as a wax with silicone shortening the life of the paint......I'm not so sure about the validity of that comment. Just give the paint some cure time, then polish and wax as you would normally. Nothing in Meguiar's polish and wax lineup is going to hurt your finish, as long as you use it correctly.

[Kit Sullivan]

Re: Best type of wax to use?

Hey, lets see some photos, I bet it looks sweet.

It has crappy-looking wheels and tires right now, but the factory wheels are being refurb'd now and with some new tires it will look complete. I'll post some pics then.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Best type of wax to use?

Most painters are experts at mixing and spraying paint and the majority of their time is spent in this area.

Applying waxes is never done in body shop environments so no time is spent doing this or learning about this, his comments about silicone are the usual comments most painters have been telling people for decades and all they do is help to mis-inform the population.

Silicones are inert they wont' hurt anything. You can't completely seal a surface with something you pour out of a bottle, whatever you do apply will wear off with wear and tear, (washing the car), and over time. (That's why we re-wax).

Once the paint has cured, it's not going to breathe any more, actually the term is outgass it's just that painters don't have the time to sit down with you and explain paint technology with you so they dumb down the idea and use the word breathe.

Read this,

Paint Needs to Breathe


Hope this helps...