New Paint!

djerickd · 04-03-06, 08:23

Hey guys I've posted here before but I'm a n00b with a fresh paintjob on my WRX. I want to start it's life of in the right foot so can you reccomend my next steps and products to use to make it really shine. I know the bodyshop just did a quick wet sand and polish but, I think I can get it even smoother with some elbow grease. All I've done with the paint so far is to keep it clean with NXT car wash. Thanks in advance!!

P.S. Anyone reccomend Zaino's line of products?

xtremeclean · 04-03-06, 10:04

I have a 95 Honda Passport (dark red) that I had to have repainted a year and a half ago due to a hail storm. Since the repaint it has had nothing on it but zaino. The initial process is very long, but also very rewarding if done right. If you go the zaino route make sure you follow the steps as outlined in the instructions. Like you, I had mine cut and buffed also.

My initial process was as follows:
1. Wash with dawn liquid soap
2. Clay entire vehicle (body, glass, bumpers, everything except tires)
3. Wash with Z7 car wash
4. Applied Z-5 with ZFX accelerator additive (x 2)
5. Wipe down vehicle with Z-6 between coats
6. Applied Z-2 with ZFX accelerator additive (x 1)

Total time 9 to 10 hours. I detailed other area of the Passport while waiting on for zaino to cure about 30min each coat.

Tips I have used:
1. Apply using straight back and forth motions and not circular motions. This took a while to get used to, but now I apply all of my LSP's this way. Not a swirl one in my Passport in a year and a half.
2. Take your time and do it right. Follow every step.
3. Apply very thin layers. If you can see it going on the car then it is to thick. I can wipe down my Passport in less than 15 minutes to buff of the haze after zaino dries. Remeber to use straight back and forth motions to remove.

Once done, it will leave a super slick surface and a highly reflective "show car" shine surface. So far I have 6 layers of Z-5 and 3 layers of Z-2 on it.

Having said all that, I am not a zaino convert. I also have a 2 Toyota Tundra D-Cab's (Natural White) that I use carnauba wax on. This gives me a rich, warm glow that I am looking for and makes the paint look wet, which is hard to do on white IMHO. I recieve compliments all the time on all 3 of the vehicles.

I guess it comes down to personal preference on what look you are trying to achieve. Just remember you can get most LSP's to look good on any color if you have done the prep right. To me, achieving stunning looks and jaw droping paint is 95% prep and application and 5% products.

djerickd · 04-05-06, 04:51

Thanks for the advice!

Any other ideas from anyone? I really wish Zaino was sold over the counter...

djerickd · 04-07-06, 06:32

I took a look at my paint the otherday and I saw a TON of swirls going from the front to the back of the car. All I've done since the car has been painted was wash it using NXT car wash using a soft wash mitt and drying using my absorber chamois, AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG to cause all these light scratches? You can only see them in the right light they are so fine, but they are all over.

djerickd · 04-07-06, 10:39

I do have a bottle of NXT Tech wax, this stuff is decent right?

Accumulator · 04-07-06, 10:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by djerickd

I took a look at my paint the otherday and I saw a TON of swirls going from the front to the back of the car. All I've done since the car has been painted was wash it using NXT car wash using a soft wash mitt and drying using my absorber chamois, AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG to cause all these light scratches? You can only see them in the right light they are so fine, but they are all over.

IMO almost all such marring comes from washing. Think of the basic problem: you're trying to move potentially abrasive dirt off the paint. If you press said dirt *into* the paint while moving it, you'll get marring.

As best I can tell, dirt doesn't really migrate up into the mitt, away from the paint (at least not *all* the dirt). So you end up rubbing the dirt against the paint, causing the kind of marring you've discovered.

But how do you avoid putting some pressure on the dirt- forcing it against the paint- while moving the mitt

The only way some of us have been able to avoid this is through the use of a foamgun, which can provide constant lubrication and flushing while you wash. It's a "dislodge and flush" approach to washing.

Also, if you miss any dirt when you wash, the Absorber, which has no deep nap, will rub it into the paint during the drying.

I wouldn't apply wax/stuff like NXT on fresh paint until it's finished outgassing. The paint makers say that takes 30-90 days. I use a fresh-paint-safe-glaze in the meantime.

djerickd · 04-07-06, 12:58

thanks, I think I'm going to throw out my absorbers (I've got like 5) and go for one of these:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/mf-200.html

Any reccomendatons on a fresh-paint-safe glaze?

Accumulator · 04-08-06, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by djerickd

Any reccomendatons on a fresh-paint-safe glaze?

I pefer Meguiar's #5, but their #3/#7/#81/Deep Crystal Step #2 are good too. Another one is 3M IHG, but I prefer the #5 by a wide margin.

djerickd · 04-08-06, 01:01

Even urethane paint needs a month? I'm at 3 weeks. I'm thinking about just using up the rest of the bottle of NXT Tech Wax then so with some Klassee AIO and S100 wax...

Accumulator · 04-08-06, 05:13

At *least* a month. When MirrorFinishMan queried the paint manufacturers they *all* said to wait several months in all cases (any kind of paint, baked, etc. etc.). It's just the nature of the stuff...it takes a while for the outgassing to happen. You can often *smell* it.

I know how hard it is to wait

seems like we always have at least one vehicle that I can't wax for this reason. But auto paint is soft enough as it is, I don't want it to turn out any softer than it's supposed to.

djerickd · 04-08-06, 05:45

I wonder if since it was so soft thats why I've got all the holograms?

Accumulator · 04-09-06, 08:46

Could be. When I have something repainted, I don't do any correction right away unless it *really* needs it. After the paint cures and hardens for a few weeks, *then* I consider taking out any marring. But if something's really awful I'll work on it, keeping in mind that I'm dealing with softer-than-normal paint.