I bought a new 2006 TL a month ago. I still have not done anything to the exterior other than wash it. I have used Zaino on previous cars and will probably do this to my new TL. However, the first step is always to remove the existing wax from the car. Since the car is new, I was wondering, do new cars --TL's in particular-- get waxed at the factory or the dealer?

I have a friend that just bought a Toyota Avalon and there were clear signs that the car had been waxed at the dealer because they missed removing the excess in some spots.

 

From the factory, highly unlikely. They use a transit protection film called RapGard. Here's an excerpt from a post by TOGWT;
When the vehicle gets to the dealers, they in turn, will remove surface coverings and literally clean the exterior. Most dealerships use bulk detailing products like CarBrite. When a vehicle is purchased/leased by a consumer, they will perform a detail making the vehicle look presentable. Some of the dealerships do have a dedicated detailer and some employ a 3rd party. When I got my 3G, one of the first things I did was an exterior detail - wash, clay, polish & seal.

 

Thanks for the info. It sounds like I don't need to do the wax removal. I will just do a regular wash and then do the rest of the stuff (clay, polish & seal).

 

You're pretty much doing that when you clay and polish.