How to Care For New Automotive Paint After a Paint Job or Repair (2024)

FAQs

How to Care For New Automotive Paint After a Paint Job or Repair? ›

It's best to wait around two-weeks before giving the paintwork a gentle wash. Importantly, this should be done by hand, using quality valeting products and avoiding car washes or jet washed at all costs. Don't be tempted to skimp and use washing up liquid either!

It's best to wait around two-weeks before giving the paintwork a gentle wash. Importantly, this should be done by hand, using quality valeting products and avoiding car washes or jet washed at all costs. Don't be tempted to skimp and use washing up liquid either!

Applying a wax barrier is an excellent way to protect your car's fresh paint job from the elements. However, timing is crucial. You should wait at least 45 to 60 days after the paint job before applying any wax.

Regular trips through a car wash will keep your vehicle clean quickly and efficiently. Make sure to wait at least 90 days after any body work or paint work to prevent voiding the warranty.

Customers should try to keep the vehicle dry for the first two weeks and avoid situations that could cause dirt to stick to the vehicle. If dirt or debris sticks to the new paint, this should be removed with clean water and a clean microfibre cloth.

Your car may receive a new layer of paint after an automotive repair or just because your old paint was faded, chipped, cracked or otherwise damaged. After you receive a new paint job on your vehicle, it is important to understand that it can take 30 to 90 days for the paint to fully harden and cure.

In the first two weeks after new paint is applied, avoid washing the car. The paint needs time to cure and water and soap can disrupt this process. After two weeks have passed, you'll want to be gentle. Only wash the car by hand, as the brushes at a professional carwash can leave scratches and textured patches.

Fresh paint can take up to a month to fully cure on your car. There is the initial cure from the paint, which happens 24 hours after the first coat is applied. This means that the vehicle is then able to be sanded and polished once this initial curing period is over.

There is no reason to wait to wax your new car. Vehicle paint is fully cured when it leaves the factory.

What is the best treatment for new car paint? ›

The best paint protection for a new car is a combination of PPF and ceramic coating installation. Professionals apply PPF, a thin protective film, to painted surfaces to preserve them. It shields the car's paint from flying rocks and protects it from the factory's paint job's minor scratches and etching.

How Do I Paint Over Painted Walls? Covering a dark paint color with a lighter paint color will require multiple coats of new paint. It may make more sense to cover the old color in a primer, which is less expensive than your paint. This way, you will only need 1 to 2 coats of your new paint.

Use only a specially formulated, mild car soap (like Meguiars or Mothers). Never use dish soap on your car as it can dull the new paint finish.

Will rain damage a freshly painted car? Yes, rain can damage a freshly painted car if the clear coat hasn't had enough time to dry and harden, so it's best to wait at least two days after painting before exposing it to moisture.

Vehicle paint jobs usually take 3-5 days, but additional services selected, prep work that is needed and current workload at the location play a part in the turnaround time.

That means, for at least 4-5 months, your vehicle sat at the dealership unprotected, exposed to acidic rain and harsh UV rays and, during test drives, road hazards and debris. That's why it's so important to protect your car after taking it home – to keep it looking sleek and glossy.

A professional nano ceramic coating is the most advanced liquid polymer vehicle paint protection form. It forms a hard, durable layer on the paint's surface, providing long-lasting protection against damage.

This leaves the paint feeling smooth to the touch. Polishing: This step is optional for a new car but if there are any minor scratches or swirl marks, a machine polisher can be used to restore the paintwork to a high-gloss finish.