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Wait before waxing after new paint?


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The front of my LGT was just repainted (warranty work) as was the right side and rear bumper a short time ago. The body shop told me to wait six months before applying any polish or wax. I'm wondering if that is necessary or if it's something held over from earlier days of painting. My car sits out under a tree that drops sap and bird droppings and I'd like to protect it.
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The paint will gaiter? What does that mean?

 

Does paint really require 6 months before it is fully cured?

[URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/proper-flip-key-interesti-159894.html"]Flip Key Development Thread[/URL] "Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." - E. Hubbard
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I've been told many times in the past to wait after having body work done. I would listen to the body shop, its not worth the risk.

 

From Meguiars:

 

A new car with a factory paint job can be waxed the moment it is rolled out of the manufacturing plant. Cars that have factory paint jobs are cured at much higher temperatures, sometimes as high as 300 degrees in special baking ovens. At a factory level, the car goes through the painting and baking process without any of the rubber, plastic, and cloth components installed. This is why they can expose the car and it's fresh paint to such high temperatures. These high temperatures and special paints used at the factory level insures the paint is fully cured by the time the car is completely assembled.

 

After-market paint finishes however, are cured at a much lower temperature to ensure the method of baking or heating the paint doesn't melt non-metal components such as wiring and vinyl. For this reason, it's best to follow the specific paint manufactures recommendations for care and maintenance of fresh paint. Most paint manufactures that supply paint to the refinish industry recommend that you allow anywhere from 30 to 90 days curing time after the paint is applied before you apply the first application of wax.

 

http://www.meguiars.com/faq/index.cfm?faqCat=paint+care&faqQuestionID=54&section=_54

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To gaiter: when the top seals before the inside, the inside tries to cure, it breaks the surface because of the pressure of curing and leaves small cracks.

 

might not have to wait the full six months but obviously with colder temps it may extend the curing process.

 

Interested to see how it works out. GL!

 

The paint will gaiter? What does that mean?

 

Does paint really require 6 months before it is fully cured?

Updated parts list since original part-out here.

 

Original Full part-out of my LGT HERE!

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Interesting. I've never heard of that. Thanks for the info!
[URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/proper-flip-key-interesti-159894.html"]Flip Key Development Thread[/URL] "Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." - E. Hubbard
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Every auto body shop place and car enthusiast I've spoken to has said the same thing.... Do not wax immediately after painting because it needs to fully cure.

 

Last time I had my bumper done, I was told not to wax/seal for 60 days. And this was from a place that actually removed my entire bumper and baked it after painting at a I think 150F or so. They still told me not to do it.

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iNVAR - I think alot of places have policies that say certain things no matter what.

 

It's like telling pregnant women they can't even have 1 drink of alcohol. No matter that that has nothing to do with science, it's just an easier policy to follow.

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Part the reason to wait is because of the curing time, but another piece has to do with warranty. If you wax or polish the part before the recommended amount of time and you do damage to the paint or it starts to peel off, then they are just going to blame it on what you did instead of taking ownership for shoddy work. It is best to wait and see if their work is done right before doing anything to it. Espeically if they are repainting your factory pieces. If it is a new piece they only had to prime and paint, then I would be less worried about it, but if they didn't prep an already painted part before repainting it, then you can get some pretty serious problems.

 

Besides, new paint is pretty damn shiny. You aren't going to improve it a whole lot in the first 90 days by waxing it. It will survive without protection for that long, so don't stress too much. ;)

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6 months??? Now that is a little extreme. They may have said six weeks. 90 days is the longest period of time I would wait before waxing anything. But if they say 6 months then you should wait it out. That just seems like a really really long time for paint to cure.

_________________________________________

“Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.”

O C D E T A I L S . C O M

OCDETAILS BLOG

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6 months??? Now that is a little extreme. They may have said six weeks. 90 days is the longest period of time I would wait before waxing anything. But if they say 6 months then you should wait it out. That just seems like a really really long time for paint to cure.

 

Yup, the body shop that I brought mine to said 6 months. Then again, that was last November and through the winter. I hadn't washed my car until last June, where I found the paint was like a fine orange peel and a couple paint drips. Not only that, but my rear bumper (which was damaged) was off alignment with the tail lights (there are uneven mm gaps between the two). A pretty convenient 6 months :rolleyes: Ah well, at least it wasn't the whole car.

 

Anyways, since school started, I don't have time to detail/winter prep the car myself. So it looks like I'll have to pay someone else to do it for me.

 

OCD, mind flying out here? :lol:

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I just had one of my Subaru's front bumper repainted and the body shop mangers (also a Subaru guy) told me I had to resist a whole 90 days to do anything to that bumper. Not just wax but also harsh chemicals as well. He proceeded to tell me that if I can, just to try to use plain water to wash the front bumper.
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OCD, mind flying out here? :lol:

 

Ya should have asked me that a few weeks ago. I just got back from CT. My family lives up there and I went out to do some winter prep on their cars.

_________________________________________

“Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.”

O C D E T A I L S . C O M

OCDETAILS BLOG

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I just got mine whole car painted. I was told 1 (one) month (30 days) before wax. 6 months seems kind of long. It's not "gaiter". I think he was abbreviating "alligator", Which is as he described. The paint cracks-looking like an alligators back.
RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles
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Ya should have asked me that a few weeks ago. I just got back from CT. My family lives up there and I went out to do some winter prep on their cars.

 

Tartar sauce :(

2006 SWP 3.0R 5EAT VDC BBQ

 

2008 OBP 2.5i 4EAT BBQ [RIP]

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I just got mine whole car painted. I was told 1 (one) month (30 days) before wax. 6 months seems kind of long. It's not "gaiter". I think he was abbreviating "alligator", Which is as he described. The paint cracks-looking like an alligators back.

 

Hmmm....first time I've heard it described as that. Unless he is describing something totally different, the common industry term is 'orange peel' since it looks like the surface of an orange.

 

This is orange peel on a $.20 orange:

http://www.bonappetit.com/images/tips_tools_ingredients/ingredients/ttar_orange_01_h_launch.jpg

 

 

This is orange peel on a 100K BMW:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/DSCN0913.jpg

_________________________________________

“Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.”

O C D E T A I L S . C O M

OCDETAILS BLOG

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To gaiter: when the top seals before the inside, the inside tries to cure, it breaks the surface because of the pressure of curing and leaves small cracks.

 

might not have to wait the full six months but obviously with colder temps it may extend the curing process.

 

Interested to see how it works out. GL!

He was not describing orange peel, http://www.ehow.com/how_12120329_fix-alligator-scales-paint.html

please read thread before jumping to conclusions

RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles
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