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Does NEW vehicle paint need more than waxing?

4K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Jumbo Jet 
#1 · (Edited)
Does NEW VEHICLE paint need more than waxing?

I've had new cars and trucks before, but never do more than wash and wax them. Now I have a new 2015 Tundra and have a chance to start over. Do you ever need to clay/Nanoskin and/or polish a new vehicle's paint....let's say, in the 1st year? :dunno: Is there call for that, or is that just obsessing over nothing? For simplicity, let's assume there are no scratches/swirls of any significance.....


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#2 ·
Usually you don't want to wax your truck's paint up until a month after the clear coat has been applied. After that, i wax her up and make her shine like she's supposed to! I also had a clear bra put on the front of the truck as i am on the hwy a crap ton. It really helps as i can see all kinds of chips and crap etched into the clear bra instead of my clear coat!
 
#3 ·
I read this when I purchased my Leer Cap last month.

Why do I have to wait 90 days before I wax my new LEER cap or tonneau?

Our paint suppliers make this recommendation to allow their paint to fully cure and harden; they make the same recommendations for new car and truck paints. Because of our rapid delivery schedules, LEER products are often delivered just days after they are painted. Waxing has the potential to damage the fresh paint until it is fully cured.
My Tundra was built in February, 2015 per the door sticker, and I put my first coat of NuFinish on it in April, so I "hope" I waited long enough. Will wait to seal the cap in July.

When the water no longer beads on the paint is when it is time to reapply the wax/sealant of your choice.

If on the other hand you are spending more time in your garage than your house because it is "quieter" there, you will find a massive thread here (and everywhere else on-line) of worshipful acolytes to the great god "Detailing" and oh, what a demanding b****h in both time and treasure that god can be!
 
#4 ·
I don't know how long you should wait with Tundra paint. It's not a clear coat product, it's water based with integrated clear (at least I think all colors are because of the damn EPA regs) . But I would clay bar to make sure there is no rail dust (metal dust from rail transport) and then use a synthetic sealer about every 6 months. Maybe strip, clay, defect correct (scratch/swirl remove), then seal every 18 months to 2 years.

Read a lot in the details section and you'll find a ton of info.
 
#5 ·
The waxing issue has to do with solvent evaporation from the paint surface and any blistering or cratering that may be caused by sealing the surface before all the solvents that were mixed into the paint to allow it to be applied in liquid form have evaporated from the surface. It is more of a concern with aftermarket body repair or any paint job where the paint is allowed to air dry or baked at low temperatures prior to the vehicle going back to the owner. At the factory a vehicle is painted and then baked at extremely high temperatures while there are no melt-able items such as seals, wires, computer circuits, or interior parts installed yet. Most of the solvents are gone by the time the truck rolls out of the factory and whatever is left will dissipate in the few weeks to a month or more it takes to make its way to a lot and get sold. It's generally safe to wax a new vehicle the day you drive it off the lot.

Aftermarket body shops paint and bake the car with most melt-able components still installed, and therefore bake at lower temperatures to not turn wiring, seals, and computer components into goo. Enough to harden the paint sufficiently for the car to go back to the owner, but still requiring a couple months for full curing to happen. Aftermarket accessory paint jobs can be done in a number of different ways from low temp painting to air drying, and are also better left un waxed for a few months to be safe.
 
#6 ·
I think maybe I stated my question with too much emphasis on "new paint"......what I meant is a "new VEHICLE".


Do you guys do any other special prep work, like clay/Nano and polishing, on newer vehicles (under 1 year....no blatant swirlls) other than wax? Or is there rarely a need to do anything more than waxing?


Sorry for any confusion....


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#7 ·
After cleaning it thoroughly, closely inspect and feel your paint. If you see or feel contaminants, then clay or nano to get that off. Personally, I lightly compound my truck and wax it after going over it With the nano twice a year, early spring and late fall. I have super white paint though, which is a royal PITA to maintain.
 
#8 ·
Dude you should be fine with just waxing her for the first couple of years. If you have some crap on your paint, then go ahead and clay bar the truck, then wax, wash etc. I clay bar once a year (Late summer) and wax twice a year (Late summer, early spring). Other than that, i use carnuba based soap and wash once a week. Have fun keeping her looking nice, you can always tell when a person takes care of their paint and when they don't lol.
 
#9 ·
I took delivery of my new truck two weeks ago. I had ordered it back in February, it was built on April 22nd and delivered to the dealer on May 11th. I asked the dealer to just back it off the truck and park it until I arrived. I requested NO dealer prep. I got it home that afternoon and began 'unwrapping my present". I washed and clayed, and after inspection under the light the paint looked incredible, so I skipped any polishing steps. My plan was to Opti-Coat the truck that day, but I forgot to order another syringe, so I just put a layer of Power Lock on. Later that afternoon my Xpel installer arrived and did a full front and top wrap of Xpel Ultimate. The next morning I got up early and washed again and applied a layer of Collinites 845 just for fun. Truck looks amazing.
 
#12 ·
I had 3M on the last truck. It looked great for quite a while but began to deteriorate after a few years.

I'm excited to have the Xpel. It's actually more transparent than the 3M. There is hardly any orange peel on the film, which makes it nearly invisible.

I paid $500 for a full front wrap. He did the hood, under the head lights, A-pillars, leading edge of roof and all the door cups. He had some extra raw material left so I did my door sills the next day. Everything came out great, I'm very happy with it.
 
#11 ·
Ok, so the quick answer is to clay/Nano the new truck...then inspect for swirls... before sealing and/or waxing. Thanks guys.


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#13 ·
That's not too bad. My truck / paint has too much wear to merit such treatment but I'm definitely going to keep this in mind next time I get a new one. Thank you for sharing about Expel. I assume it can be taken off years later to reveal pristine paint?
 
#14 ·
Yes, it can be removed. When my 5 year old 3M began to deteriorate, he did a re-wrap under 3M's warranty. I helped him peel the old film off. After 5 years, the paint underneath looked absolutely perfect, just like the day I bought it. I was a believer after seeing that. Living in Florida, it's nice to never have to worry about Love Bugs anymore.
 
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