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  1. #1

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    Before I ask - I apologize if this has been posted before. I used the search function but could not find the exact information I was looking for. Maybe I`m blind, maybe computers are stupid, I don`t know..



    Anyways,



    I`m going to be getting a 2000 VW New Beetle that was recently involved in an accident. The previous owner sold the wrecked bug to my mechanic, who fixed it up nice and restored it to driving condition. This involved having to get the replacement body parts painted. My mechanic decided to go the whole 9-yards and just had the whole Bug repainted so everything would match.



    My question is, what is the best / easiest way to keep the new paint looking clean? I`m not looking into getting into major detailing like you folks are, just some general maintenance. I heard somewhere that one should not wax or wash the car up to 3 weeks after a paint job. Is this true? Also, are there any other things I can do to keep the car looking clean inside as well as out?



    Thanks for the tips!
    2000 Volkswagen New Beetle; 2.0L GL Batik Blue

  2. #2

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    This *has* been discussed to death; we oughta have a sticky. Sorry, I *did NOT* intend that as a :nono Frapp, just venting about how this always-asked question doesn`t have an easy-to-find answer. You`re not blind and your computer`s not stupid, we just don`t make this info as easily accessible as it oughta be.



    Now that I`ve got that off my chest ...



    MirrorFinishMan queried the major paint manufacturers a little while ago to get the official word, and they confirmed what some of us have been saying for years.



    The new paint will continue to outgas/cure for 90-120 days. It`ll be a little soft for the first three weeks or so and will gradually attain maximum potential hardness. Waxing/sealing too soon will compromise that hardness so don`t do it.



    You can wash and polish right away, just be gentle as the paint`s still a little soft and don`t use polishes that contain waxes (e.g. those from 1Z). I generally don`t polish fresh paint unless there`s some marring I just can`t live with. I figure it`ll get a little more marring over the rest of the curing period and so I do it once when that`s over, before I wax. But anything really nasty *is* easier to deal with while the paint is still a little soft.



    Don`t wax or seal for three-four months. That`s how long it takes to cure/outgas even if it`s baked. Yeah, I`m repeating myself but I want to be perfectly, explicitly clear.



    In the meantime use a fresh-paint-safe product. Examples include Mother`s Glaze, 3M IHG, and Meguiar`s "pure polishes" #3/#5/#7/#81/Deep Crystal Step #1. You can use Meg`s #80 if you want something that also contains mild abrasives. There are a few more that I`m not thinking of, but my favorite is the Meg`s #5. These all wash off so you`ll have to reapply them after every wash. The #5 is *so* easy to use that doing this won`t be a huge hassle, not *nearly* as bad as it sounds.

  3. #3

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    FWIW, I`ll toss in what I found out from Finish Kare. They finally responded to my email and said that their 425 QD is fine for new paint, but they also recommend their 2180 sealant as being new-paint safe. Anyone is free to dispute that, i`m just passing along what I heard from FK1. As I understand it, 2180 is generally used as an undercoat beneath LSPs like Pink Wax or 1000P.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by velobard
    FWIW, I`ll toss in what I found out from Finish Kare. They finally responded to my email and said that their 425 QD is fine for new paint, but they also recommend their 2180 sealant as being new-paint safe. Anyone is free to dispute that, i`m just passing along what I heard from FK1. As I understand it, 2180 is generally used as an undercoat beneath LSPs like Pink Wax or 1000P.
    They told me the same thing. I have both products plus Megs #5 which I applied 1 month ago. I would like to be sure before I apply the Finish Kare products that the info they gave me is accurate and true. Please give me your expert opinions.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Frapp
    Also, are there any other things I can do to keep the car looking clean inside as well as out?


    I would recommend a deep clean and then it is just a matter of a quick clean every month or so - depending on conditions, usage etc

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by skipperw
    They told me the same thing. I have both products plus Megs #5 which I applied 1 month ago. I would like to be sure before I apply the Finish Kare products that the info they gave me is accurate and true. Please give me your expert opinions.


    Dunno how "expert" my opinion is but my $0.02: I`ve heard the 2180 is OK too, but I`ve never heard a convincing argument explaining how the sealant can allow outgassing. I`m *NOT* saying it isn`t true, just that nobody`s ever given me a satisfactory explanation. Until I *do* hear one, I`m gonna err on the side of caution. As long as you keep up on the maintenance for the curing period I really don`t see a downside other than the hassle.



    People have said the same thing about other sealants too, but again, no proper, detailed explanation...So I`m all ears; if anybody *does* have a good, detailed explanation. Sorta funny how companies like Megiuar`s and AutoInt don`t make such claims about any of *their* sealants and IMO that`s a pretty big clue If I ever *do* hear a plausible explanation I`m gonna run it past some people at those companies and see what they have to say about it.



    I can`t help but think that since most people don`t have a clue how hard their repaints could/oughta be anyhow, so in most cases nobody`s gonna care one way or the other (which sorta implies that people can say whatever they want with little fear of come-backs, *not* to say that`s what`s necessarily happening). But having experienced first-hand the way my Audis` repaints got so much harder I take the whole curing-period thing very seriously.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator
    Dunno how "expert" my opinion is but my $0.02: I`ve heard the 2180 is OK too, but I`ve never heard a convincing argument explaining how the sealant can allow outgassing. I`m *NOT* saying it isn`t true, just that nobody`s ever given me a satisfactory explanation. Until I *do* hear one, I`m gonna err on the side of caution. As long as you keep up on the maintenance for the curing period I really don`t see a downside other than the hassle.



    People have said the same thing about other sealants too, but again, no proper, detailed explanation...So I`m all ears; if anybody *does* have a good, detailed explanation. Sorta funny how companies like Megiuar`s and AutoInt don`t make such claims about any of *their* sealants and IMO that`s a pretty big clue If I ever *do* hear a plausible explanation I`m gonna run it past some people at those companies and see what they have to say about it.
    I posted a question about this on the FK1 forum and here`s the answer I got from their tech support moderator guy.

    The paint manufactures we work with ask the same question. Its in the product formulation. It basically creates a molecular structure that appears like a web. This webbing allows the paint to breath while protecting it from contaminates including acidic compounds and ferrous particles which will penetrate into the paint system and cause damage.



    Fresh paint is especially susceptible to environmental damage so it is highly recommended to apply a coat of 2180 once the paint has been allowed to dry for aprox. 24-48 hours.
    Makes it sounds like chemical Goretex for paint.

  8. #8

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    velobard- Thanks for posting that, it`s pretty much what I expected them to say. I don`t want to get into a :argue and I`m not gonna say, uhm....well, I won`t say anything except this: I`m gonna stick with the fresh-paint-safe-glazes that I`ve always used.



    Somebody oughta run their explanation past Ron Ketchum at AutoInt. I`d be interested in his opinion, but I`m probably not intersted enough to call him up and ask him. I`d give some really good odds on what he`d say

  9. #9

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    I`m not about to try to argue their claim one way or the other, I`m just passing along what I heard.



    Just curious, is there an objective way to tell how hard a paint is and whether it`s fully cured? Aside from the obvious answer of general `scratch-ability`.

  10. #10

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    velobard- I didn`t mean to sound like I thought you were taking a side and I`m just glad you posted their official line on this. Despite my opinions on the subject I`m trying *not* to say anybody`s right/wrong on either side of the matter.



    I dunno if the indicators I`ve gone by are really gonna be universally applicable :nixweiss After a few months I could still smell the outgassing on the S8 (whenit`s cured ou won`t smell it nearly as much as I could) and when I polished it I had to get increasingly aggressive to effect correction.



    Those indicators are pretty vague though and I was able to pay very close attention to it (plus I have a lot of experience with both the OE paint on those cars and the resprayed paint used by that shop).



    IMO the only safe advice is to wait the 3-4 months if you care about attaining maximum hardness.

 

 

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