Sealant or Wax on New Paint.

B

Bert

Active member
Is it true that a new car (or a newly repainted) new car needs time for the paint to cure and harden and therefore you should not put a sealant or carnauba wax on it till about 6 months afterwards? Or is this a bunch of bull?
 
It's true but more along the 30 day line. 6 months seem a bit excessive.



You can use some products like Meguiar's #7 right away.
 
Megs & is a glaze. It is not an LSP and will not replace a sealant or wax.

To answer your inquiry you should probably wait 3 months on a "Repaint". A new car is baked at the factory and the factory paint is applied in a different manner which hardens/cures it so that you can use a sealant or wax earlier.

Also a new car is at least 3 weeks generally from paint to delivery at minimum
 
I would say for new cars you can apply a sealant or wax right away as the paint has been cured at the factory.



For repaints, I would wait 90-120 days before applying a sealant or wax to allow the paint to fully cure.
 
This is good to know, especially since I just bought a new car :).



Thanks for bringing up the topic, bert31!
 
jnick said:
This is good to know, especially since I just bought a new car :).



Thanks for bringing up the topic, bert31!
Click to expand...





Hey jnick, remember when I told you that you may want to hold off on putting a sealant or wax on your car - scratch that!:har:



I never said I knew everything.:grinno:
 
Ya, sorry for the misunderstanding. #7 is a pure polish and not an LSP. I've always heard that it was a good idea to put some on fresh paint. I guess it's a 'better than nothing' sort of deal.
 
Technically speaking, what would happen if you were to put a sealant on a one week old paint job? My biggest concern would be if a bird took aim on that brand new finish, I'd want to have some sort of protection on there!
 
Patman said:
Technically speaking, what would happen if you were to put a sealant on a one week old paint job? My biggest concern would be if a bird took aim on that brand new finish, I'd want to have some sort of protection on there!
Click to expand...
It could hinder the paint from curing properly and you might wind up with softer than normal paint to deal with. The best alternative is to use a "new paint" safe glaze like Meg's #5 (very easy to use). I'd reapply it often and even though it won't last much longer than through a wash it offers some protection and is very easy and quick to apply.



There are some sealants that claim to be safe for new paint, but I don't know if anyone has actually tested them out in that respect or not. I choose not to gamble and bought some Meg's #5, used it often for about 4 months, and was pleased with the results.
 
smprince1 said:
I would say for new cars you can apply a sealant or wax right away as the paint has been cured at the factory.



For repaints, I would wait 90-120 days before applying a sealant or wax to allow the paint to fully cure.
Click to expand...



not always true. cars that are damaged during shipiping will go to body shop and get repainted. i have seen it done. i work at body shop.
 
keep_it_clean said:
not always true. cars that are damaged during shipiping will go to body shop and get repainted. i have seen it done. i work at body shop.
Click to expand...



Aren't that baked in the dealers ovens?:nixweiss
 
Probably 8 years ago or so I needed some painting done and went to a bunch of body shops. From what I remember only one had a oven. He said he didn't use it all that much. I don't have a clue how hot they get but would think that you can't just stick a whole car in it. Other stuff would melt if it was too hot. Most of the time then don't take off panels for a touch up. Just some thoughts.
 
BlueZero said:
Probably 8 years ago or so I needed some painting done and went to a bunch of body shops. From what I remember only one had a oven. He said he didn't use it all that much. I don't have a clue how hot they get but would think that you can't just stick a whole car in it. Other stuff would melt if it was too hot. Most of the time then don't take off panels for a touch up. Just some thoughts.
Click to expand...



That is what I was thinking. At the manufacturer, when they bake the paint, either a) the panels are either not attached to the car's frame yet or b) nothing that could be damaged from extreme heat is in the car yet such as tires, upholstery, wiring, the plastic dash, etc..



I just can't see how a dealer body shop could afford the cost of one of these ovens and to go to all of the work to remove the panels. That overhead cost would result in the paint job costing thousands of dollars.
 
stiffdogg06 said:
Aren't that baked in the dealers ovens?:nixweiss
Click to expand...



dont know if dealers have ovens. but what difference would it make if they did? we have done a complete repaint on a 2007 BMW 7series back in june. dealership never knows if its been to bodyshop before they see it. all i was trying to say is just because you buy a n"new" car from a dealer the paint can still be just a few days old
 
bert31 said:
That is what I was thinking. At the manufacturer, when the bake the car, the panels are either a) not attached to the car's frame yet or b) nothing that could be damaged from extreme heat is in the car yet such as tires, upholstery, wirring, the plastic dash, etc..



I just can't see how a dealer body shop could afford the cost of one of these ovens and to go to all of the work to remove the panels. That overhead cost would result in the paint job costing thousands of dollars.
Click to expand...



all body panels are on the car and that is it. the is gutted. which is why the factory can bake them at 500 degrees and not melt anything. after the paint is on then they get stuffed with everything
 
stiffdogg06 said:
Aren't that baked in the dealers ovens?:nixweiss
Click to expand...
Lots of body shops have what you might call an oven, but the difference (as some have mentioned) is they aren't nearly as hot as what they can use at a factory on a bare car/panels.



The ovens I have seen recently are incorporated in the paint booth and are mainly used to kick start the curing process. I was only painting a set of fenders and a hood at the time, and even though the booth we used had the oven feature it didn't get all that hot. With a complete car in there too much heat would destroy the tires, rubber stripping, and interior components.



Hey stiffdogg06, you ever eat a Massey's Pizza up there in Columbus? That's where I grew up and it's still my favorite pizza.
 
keep_it_clean said:
not always true. cars that are damaged during shipiping will go to body shop and get repainted. i have seen it done. i work at body shop.
Click to expand...



I suppose that's true ... my statement assume new vehicle with factory paint. Your situation is basically a repaint and then I'd follow those guidelines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top