My car just got painted. Can I wax it?

[JBougie]

I *just* got my car back from the body shop on Friday with a newly painted front end. So, can I wax it? I thought he said not to use a silicon-based wax, but uhh ... that's like every wax on the market. :/

I am going back in a couple weeks to get my stars ghosted in on the fenders (why I didn't have him do it while he was blending, I have no idea...) and I don't want to use something that will make it more difficult either.

Help please :/

Oh, and I usually only use Mequires products. I don't like even going anywhere near anything else :)

[CTScott]

Check out this FAQ from Meguires' (#10). They recommend waiting 30 to 90 days to wax after a repaint, but recommend some of their products that are safe in the meantime.

http://www.meguiars.com/faq/index.cfm?faqCat=paint+care&faqQuestionID=54&section=_54

[YarisSedan]

I would wait atleast a month before waxing. Leaving the car parked in the hot sun helps it cure faster. If you wax it it greatly inhibits the paint from fully curing. It can take a year then before it gets fully cured and hard. I would avoid driving in areas where your more prone to rock chips as well. As the paint is still soft.

[Stove]

It would probably be best to ask the shop that's doing the paint work. They would probably have the most knowledge about what specific brands (if any) you should use.

[henry98]

You have to wait for some time may be 2 or 3 weeks.

[umi000]

You won't be able to use most waxes, as they will hinder the outgassing of the paint. You need to use a new-paint-safe glaze, such as Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish or Meguiar's Show Car Glaze #7 - your only issue with products like these is that they have no durability at all, one wash or rain and they're gone. An alternative is a product called Optimum Car Wax - it is a spray wax with durability outlasting most OTC paste and liquid waxes. The company founder is a paint chemist who has confirmed that this product can be used on newly painted panels.

[Klink10]

I would ask the painter for the specifics/characteristics on materials used. My mirror repaint from Toyota was polish and waxable in 24 hours. When I detail a customer vehicle I am sure to ask if any work done recently and where on the vehicle. If they don't know I'll ck with the painter.

[Hamster]

I would wait atleast a month before waxing. Leaving the car parked in the hot sun helps it cure faster. If you wax it it greatly inhibits the paint from fully curing. It can take a year then before it gets fully cured and hard. I would avoid driving in areas where your more prone to rock chips as well. As the paint is still soft.

Hey, now that you brought this up, I've got a question. My car recently also had some paint work. I got my car back a couple of months ago. The owner of the body shop told me that I needed to wait three weeks before I could wax the new paint. However, since my car is locked in my garage virtually all of the time (I take public transportation to work) and is therefore hardly ever in the sun, do I need to wait even longer for the paint to cure? I still haven't waxed my car, because I'm not typical in terms of driving. I decided to err on the cautious side and not to wax the car yet. Does the paint take longer to cure if it's rarely out in the sun? If so, how long do I need to wait before I can wax it?

By the way, +1 for Optimum Car Wax, and all Optimum products for that matter. You need to buy the stuff online, though, because it's not sold in stores.