How cold is too cold?

Two guys waxing a brand new silver Porsche Turbo with Turtle Wax, because "it has a picture of a Porsche on the bottle". I sped home and gave them the rest of my Blitz. I also buffed out the fingernail marks underneath the door handles of their `96 Carerra with some Finesse-It; they couldn`t believe how well it worked.



Seeing Saturns and Hondas with poor detail jobs is distressing enough, but when I walk down Union Street here in San Francisco, and see Bentley Turbo R`s, CL55 AMG`s and Z8`s with swirls and dirty rims... that will make a grown man cry.

[Don2000g]

Have to agree with you there Beau. By the way, good to have you back. Laters.

[bmerjorge21]

I second Don!! Good to have you back buddy!!

[grimmster]

I was driving home the other day, and saw someone waxing there new dark blue Subarban with TW out in the sun, with the good ol` circular motion Of course they also washed it in the sun, it was about 3:30 pm about 80 degrees out.....No shade anywhere to be found for this poor truck

[sd37]

Is there a temp limit on when you should not detail your car? It`s about 51 degrees outside and I am considering doing a wash/dry, clay bar and applying 2 coats of wet diamond. Would the temp outside mess up this process?

[imported_Luster]

Is there a temp limit on when you should not detail your car? It`s about 51 degrees outside and I am considering doing a wash/dry, clay bar and applying 2 coats of wet diamond. Would the temp outside mess up this process?

No problem! Below 50, sunshine will warm things up nicely. Rockymountaindetail has washed and detailed down in the 20`s!

[sd37]

thanks, will give it a try. oh i do have one other question. i have a bucket of used snappy clean back from when I polished my car. how do I dispose of this stuff?

and lastly...the car i am detailing is new. do you still have to wait 30 days for the paint to cure (as I have heard in the past) before you can wax/seal it?

[imported_Luster]

thanks, will give it a try. oh i do have one other question. i have a bucket of used snappy clean back from when I polished my car. how do I dispose of this stuff?

Can`t answer that one... Anyone know?

and lastly...the car i am detailing is new. do you still have to wait 30 days for the paint to cure (as I have heard in the past) before you can wax/seal it?

New vehicles are sent to a "curing" booth immediately after the paint booth. This cures the paint with heat before the customer receives it from the dealership. You shouldn`t have any problem detailing it right away.

However, if it is new, it shouldn`t need much correction. There are exceptions, but it should be in pretty good shape.

You should be fine for wax/sealant.

[sd37]

well...i decided to forgo the process. instead i just washed/dried the car. was going to clay bar and seal but i wouldnt have had enough time. guess i`ll have to wait til spring when it`s warmer.

[imported_Flash Gordon]

Is there a temp limit on when you should not detail your car? It`s about 51 degrees outside and I am considering doing a wash/dry, clay bar and applying 2 coats of wet diamond. Would the temp outside mess up this process?

51 degrees...Dang, you gotta heat wave going on don`t cha :devil:

No problem! Below 50, sunshine will warm things up nicely. Rockymountaindetail has washed and detailed down in the 20`s!

RMD= :notworthy:

When Armmageddon comes. I`m heading to Huntsville, Utah

well...i decided to forgo the process. instead i just washed/dried the car. was going to clay bar and seal but i wouldnt have had enough time. guess i`ll have to wait til spring when it`s warmer.

^^^^^^

[rockymountaindetail]

[QUOTE
When Armmageddon comes. I`m heading to Huntsville, Utah
^^^^^^ [/QUOTE]


Careful.... I live way up in them thar hills and I got lots of guns to protect my womens and my foods from fancified city slickers when the end comes!! :biggrin:

[imported_Flash Gordon]

[QUOTE
When Armmageddon comes. I`m heading to Huntsville, Utah
^^^^^^

[/QUOTE]

Actually I would fit right in. My Family has deep roots in small/large game hunting. It just never stuck with me. I think I could shoot a burglar in the forehead easier then shooting bamby in the heart. I`ll leave all that bloody mess to u :StarWars:

Don`t misunderstand, I`m all in for a Juicy Steak/Porkchop/Sasuage Link/Bacon/Chicken...:drool5:

As for the women folk, ur women are safe w/me. I already have the 1 I can`t figure out. I couldn`t imagine trying to double that mess :cursing:

[TOGWT]

[...the car i am detailing is new. do you still have to wait 30 days for the paint to cure (as I have heard in the past) before you can wax/seal it?]


Polymer Sealant or Waxing New Paint

a) New cars

The most often asked question and a subject that results in a great deal of confusion regarding polishing or waxing fresh paint (for repainted panels see (b)).

Paint curing process; new cars go through the painting and baking process without any of the rubber, plastic, and cloth components installed. This is why they can expose the cars paint to such high temperatures, these high temperatures and special paints used at the factory level ensure the paint is fully cured by the time the car leaves the assembly line.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) water based paint and its clear coat are cured at high temperatures; sometimes as high as 300oF in multiple oven zones where the paint is baked with radiation and convection heat so that 90-95% of the paint systems out gassing has taken place, the additional 5-10% will cure within 2-3 days and the vehicle?s paint can be waxed the moment it is rolled out of the manufacturing plant.

By not applying some sort of paint protection soon after purchase the customer is actually damaging the paint surface instead of helping it. Salesmen that advise a customer not to wax a car for 3-6 months are relying on old paint methods and are misinformed about the latest paint technology.
The newer paints are catalyzed (a chemical reaction that cures the paint) lacquers and enamels needed an extensive time for the solvents to release, with modern water based paints this is not necessary.

This is a huge problem in dealerships because customers tend to take the advice offered by a salesman who usually knows nothing about paint, rather than a trained paint professional. This goes a long way to understand why fairly new vehicles paint surfaces are in such bad shape even after a relatively short period of time.

Cosmoline (now only used on imports i.e. Porsche, Volkswagen, BMW, etc) but is no longer used in the US as it is not environmentally sound; apart from that it is much harder to remove than the shipping/storage wax modern car manufacturer?s use. A large percentage of new vehicles, both domestic and imports have either a shipping/storage wax applied (5:1 emulsion of paraffin and synthetic wax) which effectively ?seals? the paint surface more than a polymer due to its formulation.

Place your hand in some paraffin wax; once the wax has dried (approx 1.5-2 hours ) you`ll notice that your hand starts sweating profusely because the pores have been ?sealed? by the wax, these coatings are applied within one to three hours after the vehicle is assembled, and after the painting process is complete, this protective sealant coating (sealant means what it says)

It really does seal and protect the paint from the environment, a lot different from the detailer?s polymer ?sealant?)it should only remain for 90 - 120 days maximum; otherwise it becomes very difficult to remove (Auto International?s AutoBody Prep ?

Vehicles from the USA, EU and many European builds, use the plastic transit film, however vehicles from Brazil, and some Asian models, still use shipping wax.

Notes:
1. Abrasive polish should be avoided until the paint has cured (an abrasive polish will not necessarily harm the soft new paint but unless it?s absolutely necessary I would avoid it) Although using a high sped rotary, an abrasive compound, wool or a dense foam pad and heavy pressure is not recommended; as this combination can cause paint to ?twist?; this occurs when dynamic friction (heat) is created along with heavily applied pressure combine to alter the bond between the paint and its substrate, which can cause the paint film (or paint containing flex agent) to ?twist? and delaminate from the substrate.
2. Vehicle washing is encouraged but avoid car wash concentrates that contain any harsh detergents, alkali, acids or wax (recommended products- Zaino Z-7? Show Car Wash, Groit?s Car Wash) also avoid car washes that uses a high-pressure spray or wax or harsh detergents.
3. Do not use a car cover until the paint is fully cured
4. A paint film surface is a delicate thin coating easily dulled and very easily scratched, so choose carefully the advice you listen to and most importantly what advice you act upon.
5. The body-shop / paint manufactures know their products; seek their advice so as not to void any warranty. Paint manufacturer have specific technical guidelines on how to use their products to affect a warranted spot/panel/ repairs or a full repaint. This preserves both the paint manufactures and factory warranty.
6. Some Carnauba wax contains paraffin wax, which effectively ?seals? the paint surface more than a polymer due to its formulation

An extract from one of a series of unbiased ?Detailing Technical Papers? ? TOGWT ? Ltd Copyright 2002-2009, all rights reserved.