How long after painting before wax?

[zymolKK]

My car goes in monday to have an entire bumper and tail lamp replaced plus some major scratch repairs on the right rear body panel. I was wodnering how long it could be before i could wax this area again and is there any products that could help the appearance before i am able to wax it again. I have heard being able to use some glazes to keep it looking good, but im not sure. Tahnks for the info! Heres a pic:

[kimwallace]

Talk to your body shop man but most paint companies say 90 days.
A body shop glaze is usually safe to use
Meg`s #80, #3, #5, #7 should be Ok ... But check first with him.
I would wait at least the recomended time before waxing or sealing.
Bad things can happen to the paint if you don`t

[EBPcivicsi]

Originally posted by zymolKK
is there any products that could help the appearance before i am able to wax it again. I have heard being able to use some glazes to keep it looking good, but im not sure. Tahnks for the info! Heres a pic:

I would use meguiars #80, that is what it is designed to do.

[Rosso Scuderia]

I wouldn`t use anything whatsoever for the first week. After that, don`t use anything that will seal the paint. It needs to breathe in order to cure. I have heard a month after painting is adequate enough time to wait before waxing.

[groebuck]

Hey Zymol - it`s an Acura right? I had mine done - (hood roof and trunk) - I think the body shop told me 60 days (two months) but I could use a glaze after two weeks -

I hope it`s not going to Johnson body shop :( I had a bad experience with them (as did a friend!)...

[zymolKK]

Yeah - 1998 Acura 3.0Cl Prem

Oh man - dont tell me that one! Well me and my parents had a huge argument over this - lol. I wanted to take it back to the Performance Acura Dealership, which i think is hooked up with the Hendrick Collision Center - not sure. But yeah their estimate was $1600. They said that some spring in the rear behind the bumper needed to be replaced even without getting under there to see it. Well, my parents take it to of course Johnson`s and they didnt mention anything about a spring of any sort. They told my parents that "there may be somehting else back there we have to fix, but we are not sure until we take the bumper off". Their estimate was a few hundred dollars cheaper. So i wanted the acura dealership b/c i knew it would be right and if not i know they would make it right. I especially want people who are trained and experienced with my model - obviously johnson`s isnt and the acura place is! Plus, the guy hit me - its his money not mine! And my parents have never been concerned with their money like that so why are they concerned about someone elses - completely baffles me to this day! They better hope it comes out right or man, nobody will want to be around me for a long time! I love my car and have spent hundreds of dollars in car care products and kept it in amazing condition (for its age) - and to through it away b/c of a few hundred dollars between body shops -WOW! My paint better match perfectly and the scratches must be unnoticable to even the most trained eye!! Now, that im off that soap box, could you tell about your and your friend`s experience with Johnson`s? Im glad you told me this - maybe i can convince my parents at the last minute that its a terrible idea as i have said all along! Thanx groebuck! BTW, i think u mentioned u live in the durham area too, right?

[JimS]

It`s your car. Take it where it`ll get fixed right. Your parents will have to live with it. Don`t argue about it. Just CALMLY tell your folks that you heard bad things about Johnson`s and that you`ve decided to take your car where you are sure it`ll be done right. Above all, don`t argue or yell and DO NOT TRY TO JUSTIFY your decision. Don`t try to get them or anyone else to agree with your decision. They do NOT have to agree. It`s your decision.

[groebuck]

Zymol - here is my story - First Johnson is Honda/Acura Certified so it`s why I went there - I got my car (2003 TL-S) from Performance and I would not trust them any more than Johnson ...Loooong story short - they sold me the car with $1800 of acid rain damage on the paint as brand new. I had to fight for months to get someone to fix it. I was so dead set against Performance touching it that I called three acura/honda dealers in town to find out who they do their body work with. They all said Johnson. So that is where I took it. The first time I went to pick it up - it was august, they had just washed it to get the final compouding off...and left it sit in the sun! All that compounding+water dried on the freshly painted car. The told me to take it home and maybe it would wash off, and if not bring it back monday and they would fix it. Well I took it home and washed it and nope they did not come off. Further more - there were nibs and swirls all over the paint, there were two distinct black streaks in the hood - it was a terrible job. I called them monday to tell them I was not happy, explained everything that was wrong and that they would have to repaint the car again (and pay for my rental car). They did - second time I go to pick it up I make them pull it in the garage with the flourescents....well still had some nibs and there still were swirl marks where I identified them before. The hood looked better but I was doubting they repainted it. On top of that - they scratch all the metallic trim around the doors and windows (obviously they did not tape it off when they sanded/compounded)..they put a scratch in my driver side door..the list goes on. I made them fix everything I saw then - but even now - I can see scratches in the paint. Not in the clear coat mind you - scratches in the paint that they clear coated over and I will never be able to get out.....

Bottom line is I should have let the dealer do it - I would have had more leverage had I hated it...


p.s YUP I am in Durham - I live right near 55/54.

[kimwallace]

Each paint manufacture has different recomendations for waxing after a repaint.
Another variable is whether or not your local body shop bakes the paint after it is sprayed on your car.
Some do and some don`t ... baking changes the cure time of the paint.
FWIW ... Body shops cannot bake the paint at the same higher temperatures as the car manufacture because of all the adhesives, plastic and other heat sensitive equipment that is now on the car.
To be on the safe side ... ask your body/paint man if they bake the paint ... ask him how long to wait ...
if in doubt ... call the paint manufacturer`s help line.

[groebuck]

Zymol - where ever you take it - ask them if they guarantee no swirl marks, and what ever you do - don`t take it until you inspect it in the bay - not in the sun in the bay under flourescent lights!