I've been reading several post about various polishes, waxes, and sealants which got me to wondering. Is there a certain length of time when a new car owner should just wash the car and not detail the paint any further? The factory clear coat should be pretty sturdy, so I wouldn't think you'd need to enhance it with anything until it begins to degrade. Any suggestions for a time period? Or is it better to just start early and detail it fully from the first month. I'm just asking because my wife and I are looking to get a Pilot soon.


BTW: I have an older car which had its clear coat compounded off, what would I use to replace it? Any particular product?
Thanks

 

If it's a brand new car, I'm 99% sure the paint is already cured. So all you have to do is to put AIO then top it off with SG (if you have Klasse).

 

But doesn't AIO have abbrasive particles? Is there a need to use abbrasive material on new paint?

 

~One man’s opinion / observations~

Klasse All-In-One is a chemical (as opposed to an abrasive) cleaner. I would advise that you use detailer’ clay though

~Hope this helps~

Knowledge unshared is experience wasted [each one / teach one]
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ JonM

 

He's right. You should clay the vehicle to get rid of any dirty crap. You can AIO if you want since the paint is brand new but SG it.

 

Polish or Waxing New Vehicle:

New cars with OEM water based paint are cured at high temperatures, sometimes as high as 300 degrees in special baking ovens and can be waxed the moment it is rolled out of the manufacturing plant.

New cars go through the painting and baking process without any of the rubber, plastic, and cloth components installed. This is why they can expose the cars paint to such high temperatures. These high temperatures and special paints used at the factory level ensure the paint is fully cured by the time the car leaves the assembly line.

Newly re- painted vehicle- How long do you have to wait before you can polish or wax a newly painted vehicle surface? A glaze (3M Perfect-It III Show Car Finishing Glaze) contains a protective polymer that is completely safe for fresh paint, as it allows the solvents to evaporate. Abrasive polish should be avoided until the paint has cured but vehicle washing is encouraged (avoiding harsh detergents or any car wash that contains wax)

I do not know of a single paint manufacture that recommends applying wax, or any type of paint protect ant (sealant) until a minimum of 30 days has passed and sometimes longer. You can wash but don't use a quick detailing spray (QD) as they usually contain a wax.

Dupont standard is to wait 90 days if the vehicle is out in the elements and to wait 120 days if it is kept in a garage most of the time. It can be argued that catalysed paints are cured chemically and there is no need to wait for 30 days, the manufacture knows their products best, seek their advice.


~Hope this helps~

Knowledge unshared is experience wasted [each one / teach one]
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ JonM

 

Thank you for all the information...

Any answer to the other question about how to re-clear coat a car that was compounded totally off?

I'm also looking at a body kit now, which means that I'll probably have to get my TL painted so this polish question also relates to my TL as well as the Pilot (when we get it).

 

Abrasives sound bad, but the type used in products like AIO and other cleaner/waxes are quite benign, and break down quickly (also known as jewler's rouge). Chemical cleaners are as stated not abrasive at all. It is the abrasive polishes (the word "cutters is the trade term, which the amateur detailer should avoid unless he/she has training it their use) that can get hackers into trouble.

I have never heard of break-in applied to paint, but i get your drift. Curing is the term you are looking for. Regardless, paint experts tell me that curing is not an issue with the water-based, or powder-coated paint application techniques used today. (I thought the TL body in white is covered with a paint powder, then electrically charged.)

In the old days, it was not uncommon for paints with lots of silicone trapped beneath the surface to "fish-eye". I have not seen it in years. So it could take 3-6 months for the various solvents to leech out of the paint.

A re-painted car does not have the technology of the factory systems, so i would follow the directions of the mfr or shop. They know their products.

Recall also that we are talking base coat/clear coat. The old paint systems had a "layering", where corrosion at the top could be polished away to reveal "fresh" surface beneath. Clear is the only thing standing between you and a ruined paint job. The good news is that clear is tough, has UV filters in it, etc.

I would imagine that the clear gets harder and more resistant to light scratches after some period of time - but the paint guys at PPG I contacted said you can wax away from day 1 - just go easy on "dry rubbing" - even mild abrasives should not be rubbed once the liquid carrier evaporates. And of course, dry wiping with any cloth is to be avoided. The expert i talked to said wait 30-60 days for a re-paint just to be on the safe side.

Detailing mists are safe because they lift the dirt and encapsulate it so it can be wicked into the cloth (cotton or microfiber). it does not re-distribute onto the surface, hence no scratching. But since many mists contain a liquified wax of some sort, and/or silicones, I would follow the same advice as waxing with a re-paint.

 

Clear coat is like another coat of paint (but it's clear). It's generally pretty hard to take all the clear coat off a car, but if it's gone a body shop should be able to do it for you - you should try to get the underlying surface as perfect as possible and free of any waxes or other substances before doing so to avoid locking them in. Clear coating is generally not something someone can do on their own, and it might not be worth it in the case of an old car. You might consider a good synthetic sealant or wax as an alternative.