Cleaning between painting and first waxing.

[JCE]

I just had the several gravel chips and door dings cleaned up - the shop sprayed and clear coated several small areas on the car. I don't plan on waxing it for 45-60 days, but am ready to do the first minor exterior clean. I normally use a california duster and Final Detail with a microfiber when the car is just lightly dusty like this and doesn't need a complete wash. George at the Mequiar's hot line, however, said to use Final Inspection instead of the Final Detail, which he said contained silicon.

I will get some Final Inspection, but is there anything else I should know before washing or waxing? The car was last professionally detailed about 6 months ago (NXT), and I added one coat of NXT, one of Gold Class about 4 months ago, and one coat of NXT booster about 3 months ago. It is normally handwashed about every other week, and Final Detail at about 4 day intervals between washes.

Any tips on maintaining it until it can be waxed in a couple months would be appreciated.

John

[Mike Phillips]

Hi John,

The reason you don't want to wax or seal fresh paint is because fresh paint contains ingredients that need to outgas and products like wax or paint protectant tend to coat over and seal the paint with protective barrier layer that could potentially prevent this outgassing from fully taking place.

George recommended M34 Final Inspection because this is a product that is body shop safe and safe for use on fresh paint.

If you want to wash and polish the fresh paint on your car with products that are body shop safe then you can wash with, #00 Hi Tech Wash, polish with #80 Speed Glaze or any of Meguiar's pure polishes as they are all safe for use on fresh paint. After the 45 to 60 days are up, (whatever your painters recommends), then you can and should apply a protective coat of wax.

Mike

[JCE]

Thanks, Mike:

I will wash it with the HiTech wash as needed, and use the final Inspection in between washes until I am ready to wax it or have it detailed.

John