newly painted car care plan!

[Murr1525]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

Just a matter of terminology....

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean - SwirlX, ScratchX, UC as needed. Hopefully just SwirlX
4. Polish - SwirlX is a cleaner/polish, so a pure polish like DC2/#7 would be optional.
5. Wax
6. Wax

[S-T-R-I-K-E-R]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

finally finished with the 90 day period!

there are some contaminants such as road grime, little bit of sap, and a few minor scratches. im thinking of washing - clay bar - polish - wax - wax. did i get it right or should i cut before polishing? of i polishing = cutting?

[BarryK]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

you can try the orbital with the Swirlx but honestly you would probably be better off using it by hand. An orbital buffer is generally useless for anything other than applying wax.
A good DA buffer would be a great tool for you to have, but the orbital buffers are basically worthless for anything other than waxing and simply don't work well enough for paint corrections

[S-T-R-I-K-E-R]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

I got my swirlx today and I just found out that its used by hand or da.

can i use an orbital on it or should i get something else. thanks in advance!!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

Vikas, you're fine with the Final Inspection, you just don't want to apply a wax or sealant for 60-90 days. Just to be safe, stay away from UQW and UQD during that time period as well. Even they shouldn't cause any problems, but you really want to give that paint every chance to out gas by not sealing it at all. Final Inspection doesn't really leave any protection behind, or much of anything else that can seal the paint. Not to worry.

[sontakke]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

In the consumer line about the only thing really safe for fresh paint is Deep Crystal Polish. In the Mirror Glaze line there are many products that can be used but most involve some sort of cleaning action and are probably not what you're looking for.

Products like M105, M86, M85 etc were designed for use on fresh paint to remove sanding marks and generally just bring up the gloss on a new paint job. M205, M09, M83 and M80 are just later steps in the process of refining the finish, but they are still safe for use on fresh paint.

Pure polishes like M07 (by far the most popular), M03 and M05 are also safe for use on fresh paint and provide little or no cleaning ability - they just add gloss to the finish.

Basically you want to stay away from any wax or sealant for the first 60 ~ 90 days, so products like Deep Crystal Carnauba, NXT, Gold Class, M26, M21, etc should be set aside until after that time.

Is Final Inspection M 34 OK? I just bought and already used it on new paint. I sure hope I did not make a mistake :-(

- Vikas

[JimboB5]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

#7 is Show Car Glaze... can get at Pepboys, Advanceautoparts, etc.

[S-T-R-I-K-E-R]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

is M07 = show car glaze?

[Eddie6th]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

Great write up Barry K.

As Michael said,you can test the smoothness of the surface. Chances are,if your car is parked outdoors,it will need claying after 2-3 months.

DC2 is a great product. I use it a lot....when I'm not lazy

[Michael Stoops]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

In the consumer line about the only thing really safe for fresh paint is Deep Crystal Polish. In the Mirror Glaze line there are many products that can be used but most involve some sort of cleaning action and are probably not what you're looking for.

Products like M105, M86, M85 etc were designed for use on fresh paint to remove sanding marks and generally just bring up the gloss on a new paint job. M205, M09, M83 and M80 are just later steps in the process of refining the finish, but they are still safe for use on fresh paint.

Pure polishes like M07 (by far the most popular), M03 and M05 are also safe for use on fresh paint and provide little or no cleaning ability - they just add gloss to the finish.

Basically you want to stay away from any wax or sealant for the first 60 ~ 90 days, so products like Deep Crystal Carnauba, NXT, Gold Class, M26, M21, etc should be set aside until after that time.

[sontakke]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

I would like to know which of the consumer products are safe to apply within the new paint period. I believe there is a nice chart of all the products listing their relative paint correction ability. It would be good to have a field saying "safe for new paint".

Thanks,
- Vikas

[JimboB5]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

not sure if it hazes, haven't used it myself; does say on properautocare that it will white-stain trim and rubber if left to dry. Hope that is some help.

[S-T-R-I-K-E-R]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

does the nxt tech wax 2.0 dry clear?

[JimboB5]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

Absolutely, not by the average consumer... like myself. I did, however, repeat the advice given by Meguiars on fresh paint care. I guess in that since, the advice is intended to apply to the average person. Thanks for the correct information.

[akimel]

Re: newly painted car care plan!

Are you on water restrictions out in Vegas? I notice you are washing your car daily. You might want to consider adding Optimum No Rinse to your detailing arsenal. You may find that it will decrease your wash time and dramatically reduce the formation of water spots, as well as saving you many pennies on water usage.

The frequency of washing is one of those difficult decisions that we black car owners face: the longer one waits between washes, the greater the chance that contaminants will bond to and perhaps even damage the surface, but the more frequently one washes (or quick details) one's car, the greater likelihood of instilling swirls. Do check out the articles on car washing cited in Internet Resources for Detailing Newbs. You may even want to consider investing in a pressure washer and foam gun, as well as a water de-ionizing system. It all depends on how detail-obsessed and protective of your car you want to be.

My black car recommendation: touch the paint surface as infrequently as reasonably possible. I never apply a quick detailer to my car in-between washes, except for emergencies like bird bombs.

I don't know if anything in this article would be relevant to your situation, but you may find of interest Your Daily Driver: A Simple Wash & Wax Regimen.

I second Barry's recommendation to get high quality microfiber towels. I like both the Supreme Shine and Ultimate Wipes from Meguiar's, but my favorite waffle weave drying towel is the Ultra-Soft towel from PakShak.

Black paint is an absolute joy, but it will also break your heart.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Al