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How to care for brand new paint?

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:03 pm
by bb1boy
Hi guys,

Do any of you have any tips for glazing/waxing/polishing a freshly painted car?

Should I wait any particular length of time before I polish it or anything? Is there any order of doing things properly to prolong the paints life?

I know this is a little premature as I'm not getting it back til Tues/Weds next week but I am sooo excited :) hahaha how sad am I??! :? :lol:

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:05 pm
by indigolemon
I believe you'll want to avoid any polish or sealant for a month or so.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:11 pm
by lewd lude lover
Let it cure off for a month or so then start on a soft polish and see how you go. has the clearcoat been flatted and mopped at the sprayshop? probs needs a bloody good gentle polish.

best care is a good sealant (imo) nowadays

something like Finishkare 1000P

this

I used to use collinite 915 but this stuff beats the pants off everything for the price. very long lasting, iv had the same tin for two years now.

Hand application is the best way to put wax or sealant on your paintwork. get some worked into your palm and work it into the paintwork. experiment with it. If your not sure go to a mirror and apply some of your product with whatever cloth you would use. then use your fingers. This will show you all you need to know about smooth consistant economical application ;)

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:27 pm
by Shiny
You can polish straight away, the bodyshop would have polished it anyway before it left them, although generally that means buffer trails! lol!

Personally i'd wait though. You need to wait before waxing or sealing as the paint need to "gass off". Some say a couple of weeks, i'd wait at least a month, when my Prelude was done i waited 2 months, then polished it to perfection and topped it with a glaze and wax.

You could consider one of the new ceramic sealants, like Opticoat 2.0 or Ceramishied, you will need to do an IPA wipedown after polishing and before you apply the sealant. Expensive, but are supposed to leave a coating harder than the original paint and last a good year.

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/optimum-o ... oating.php

I'm still trying to decide on Opticoat or Ceramishield as Honda paint is butter soft and hopefully it will help reduce the marks that i get even from careful washing.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:34 pm
by bb1boy
A month?! whoa - good job I asked! There is no clear coat, its just Frost White paint.
That FinishKare sealant looks good and reasonably priced. I'll get some and practice like LLL suggested. Do I polish the car, buff it off then rub in the sealant and just leave it? No extra buffing off afterwards?
Thanks for the repiles guys.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:50 pm
by Shiny
Polishing by hand is hard work. You need to rub away at the paint to remove a very very fine layer to remove scratches and marks. The garage may have already done a decent job, but if not and you know someone with a DA or Rotary and some decent pads, that will be a better approach to polishing.

FK sealant is like wax. You apply very thinly, allow to cure, then buff off. Add another layer of sealant for extra protection.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:53 pm
by Supermarine Blues
lewd lude lover wrote:Let it cure off for a month or so then start on a soft polish and see how you go. has the clearcoat been flatted and mopped at the sprayshop? probs needs a bloody good gentle polish.

best care is a good sealant (imo) nowadays

something like Finishkare 1000P

this

I used to use collinite 915 but this stuff beats the pants off everything for the price. very long lasting, iv had the same tin for two years now.

Hand application is the best way to put wax or sealant on your paintwork. get some worked into your palm and work it into the paintwork. experiment with it. If your not sure go to a mirror and apply some of your product with whatever cloth you would use. then use your fingers. This will show you all you need to know about smooth consistant economical application ;)
I've had the same tin of Collinite for about half a decade!

Do you think the synthetics really give a better finish than Collinite? Things have probably advanced a bit since I bought it...

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:23 pm
by Shiny
Swings and roundabouts, some swear by waxes, other by sealants. It is down to personal preference.

The general take is that a decent wax will offer a better finish but be less durable. But some sealants, such as Zaino Z6 followed Z8, look awesome on dark cars.

The industry is moving fast, i reckon it won't be long before the new hydrophobic coatings will be ready to go on car paint.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:40 pm
by Gayno
I use Zaino, t'is the dogs danglies.

G Techniq have just released a new sealant as well, and they're stuff is very good

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/gtechniq- ... 410-ml.php

£125 and it's enough to do about 3 average sized cars!! :oops:

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:47 pm
by 4thgenphil
i dont know how you boys do it, i hate polishing! :lol: i' do 2 cam belts changes over polishing one car :lol: