How Long After New Paint To Wax
 

I am picking up my car today , how long do I wait until I can wax it...I have the wax ready to go Zaino is the best by the way...dude at work said 2 weeks!!! Icant wait that long I want to protect my new paint job.Thanx

I was always told to wait at least one month. If you wax to early, it could trap some of the chemicals as it dries and the paint may haze.

1 month and I will die...have to get the zaino on but I wont sacrifice new paint job ...thanx for your input.Anyone know from experience?

I think it's longer than a month. I heard 18 weeks. This allows the paint to cure correctly.

I assume those numbers are off the build date. I bought my car with only 25 miles on it in Nov of 04, but it was built in July of 04, so I would think most cars are ready to wax by the time they ship over here, sit on the lot and get purchased.

60 days is what I have been told. I just had my stuff repainted to get rid of the rockchips and the place that did it (Does all custom cars and hotrod restorations) said 60 days for everything to cure.

I just rinse it off everyday with deionized water and it stays clean and shiny.

I am assuming he is picking up his car from a body shop. If you are picking your new car up from the dealer, then I would base it on the built date.

New car paint can be claybarred, waxed, etc. the day you get it home. First and foremost, the paint is oven baked to cure it. No waiting required. Even if it did need some cure time, it's been on a boat, train and truck to the dealer over the previous month or two.

If you're getting something from a body shop, then you need to check with the shop. Depending on the paint they used, the conditions it was painted and dried in, that would affect the wait time before you could wax, etc.

Ask the people who painted the car?

DavesZ#3 is right, any real bodyshop is gonna "bake" the paint after they apply it, meaning it is cured when you get it. Paint (I think most people know this) is porous (sp?) though. Supposedly, the paint is still going to need to 'breathe' to release detergents and solvents that are in the paint when it is sprayed. If you wax too early, this can turn cloudy and require you to buff it off, causing you more work.

This is what I was told by my bodyshop...

30 days is the standard.

i agree w/ Dave

this is a frequent question that always pops up...wax it as soon as you want...i wouldn't rec. glazing or polishing yet, but the clear coat is definately sealed at this point. no question.

wax it the second u get it home...look inside the door...thats the day it left painted...and than look at todays date...at least 3 months diff

Does it really vary as far as a repainted car goes? I know a brand new car is good to go but im going to be repainting my entire car in addition to painting a good portion of it for the 1st time ( kit ). Secondly i have intentions to install a clear bra. Is there a time frame i need to adhere to prior to having that installed? I'm in florida for the most part so can I "cure" the paint my simply keeping it clean and baking in the sun in the mean time? Or is that not nearly the same affect. I dont know if the shop i will prob go to has the ability to do this for me.

I just picked up my Z from the body shop after it was damaged by an uninsured motorist. GRRR!! The offical word is if they baked the car then the curing time is only one 5 weeks. It is not recommended to wax or install a clear bra until that time. If they do not bake the car, then allow triple that time, 15 weeks. Since I plan on installing a clear bra myself, i'm going to keep the Z protected from rock paint chips until then. Maybe i'll do a write up on how to install a clear bra.