# How long before I detail new paint.



## Tigermad (Aug 3, 2013)

Hello. Bought my car just over a week ago. They repaired a few minor dents and scratches before I picked it up. They also did some repair work on the bumpers. On Friday I am having both wing mirrors resprayed. 
I have just purchased some snow foam. Cherry glaze and banana gloss shampoo. Do I have to wait months to use these to wash my car? Didn't realise until reading on here that it may be a problem, was gonna leave it until a week after the wing mirrors.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Washing it should be fine, its paint sealents you can't apply to new paint for around 10/12 weeks, we advise our customers its fine to wash your car and polish it, as most bodyshops will flat and polish the new paint. Just leave it fir three months before a sealent is applied, as the new paint will still be curing over that period of time. Even tho most of our customers don't even use wax or paint sealents. :thumb:


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## Tigermad (Aug 3, 2013)

Cheers Andy. So I can use all the products I mentioned above but don't wax it for a while? Cherry Glaze is an aio so thought it would be similar to wax.


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## Tigermad (Aug 3, 2013)

My wing mirrors are being sprayed today. Can I snow foam, shampoo and cherry gloss next weekend or would you wait longer? Also can I clay and use citrus cleaner for the bugs?


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## Scoobycliff (Feb 3, 2015)

Been looking for an answer to this question as my car is due to return from the paint shop this week. 

On a similar area of expertise, I'm going to wash etc but the polish I have is auto finesse triple. As that has a "wax" in it is that a no too for a couple of weeks? 

Thanks


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## Sutty 90 (Aug 24, 2014)

You can wash it as soon as you get it back, any decent bodyshop will have washed it before you get it back anyway probably the same day it was painted. Tripple is a polish and wax in one.

Sutty.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

Scoobycliff said:


> Been looking for an answer to this question as my car is due to return from the paint shop this week.
> 
> On a similar area of expertise, I'm going to wash etc but the polish I have is auto finesse triple. As that has a "wax" in it is that a no too for a couple of weeks?
> 
> Thanks


Don't apply any wax or any sealant for at least a couple of months (and the longer the better while we still have colder damp weather)
The reason for this is that the lacquer will still be 'gassing off' (evaporating solvents).
It's when you trap the solvents in that problems occur.


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## greymda (Feb 16, 2014)

was wondering the same. tomorrow should be getting my weekend car with a wing resprayed.

so only snow foam and that's it till summer, then.


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## SunnyBoi (Apr 25, 2013)

Make sure you use only the "body shop safe" products during the initial 10-12 week period till the paint cures.


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## greymda (Feb 16, 2014)

does snow foam should say this too on the bottle? because mine doesn't.


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## *TQ* (Jun 1, 2012)

Out of interest why does this process not apply to new cars?

I'd assume the majority of brand new cars were painted less than 12 weeks before purchase so why is it OK to wax on day of purchase?


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## The_Weasel (Nov 23, 2006)

Best thing to do is ask the people that do the work as they know the exact products used and how long they take to cure properly.

I had some paint work done by BMW and they said it was fine straight away, but I still waited a couple of weeks.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

*TQ* said:


> Out of interest why does this process not apply to new cars?
> 
> I'd assume the majority of brand new cars were painted less than 12 weeks before purchase so why is it OK to wax on day of purchase?


The paint and lacquer will be applied to an exact thickness and therefore the drying process can be very accurately worked out - all performed to pinpoint precision in a state of the art factory where there isn't any form of human error.

But you'd be surprised how long a new car might take from getting painted in the factory to forecourt - especially when made overseas (which most are)
Firstly once they are painted, lacquered and baked they still have to be bolted together. 
Then they probably sit in a compound, then onto a transporter, then into a another compound at the docks and then onto a ship. 
They are then sailed to the country of destination. 
Then they go into another compound, then onto a transporter before finally turning up at a dealership. 
I would imagine in most cases that's about 12 weeks.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

*TQ* said:


> Out of interest why does this process not apply to new cars?
> 
> I'd assume the majority of brand new cars were painted less than 12 weeks before purchase so why is it OK to wax on day of purchase?


As squiggs has said. But also when a car is sprayed at a body shop a spraybooth is low bake, when painted by the manufacturers its high bake at higher temperatures.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Not sure if this has been seen before, but this is the paint process at bmw.


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