Waxing a new car

[brzzz]

Do you wax a new car right when you take it home from the dealer? Should there be any waiting period?

[mikenap]

No waiting period. Factory paints are as cured as they're ever going to be before they ever get to you. Repaints are a different story.

[whataboutbob]

I just waxed for the first time since I picked up mine on 5.30. Looks great!

[genometuning]

why do you need to though? the paint looks beautiful rolling off the paint booth

[C. Charles Hahn]

Originally Posted by genometuning

why do you need to though? the paint looks beautiful rolling off the paint booth

Yes, the paint looks great when the vehicle is new. However, the minute it rolls out the factory doors, it is being exposed to the environment. Road grime and dirt, splattered bug guts, bird excrement, rail dust, industrial fallout, acid rain, road salt and/or liquid de-icers, harsh sunlight/UV, etc.

Each and every one of those exposures will over time cause degradation of the paint finish, leading to its eventual failure. It is absolutely imperative to protect the paint from these environmental assaults, and that is what the function of waxes/sealants/coatings is -- to act as a sacrificial layer of protection on top of the paint to prevent contaminants from degrading the paint itself, mitigating failure.

Wax isn't just for looks. Making a car look great is just a positive side effect of protecting it and prolonging its life in the long run.

[JoeyV]

All new paints as of 2010 are water based, so the "long cure time" we were used to with older paints does not apply anymore. You can wax a car pretty much 2-3 days after it's been painted as long as the shop that did it uses water based paints.

[russv]

Feel the paint when you first get the car. If it doesn't feel slick, wax it. Dealers sometimes put a cheap spray wax on before selling it and usually comes off after the first wash. After my first wash I waxed it and waxed it again a week later. But then I'm a bit OCD.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Originally Posted by C. Charles Hahn

Yes, the paint looks great when the vehicle is new. However, the minute it rolls out the factory doors, it is being exposed to the environment. Road grime and dirt, splattered bug guts, bird excrement, rail dust, industrial fallout, acid rain, road salt and/or liquid de-icers, harsh sunlight/UV, etc.

Each and every one of those exposures will over time cause degradation of the paint finish, leading to its eventual failure. It is absolutely imperative to protect the paint from these environmental assaults, and that is what the function of waxes/sealants/coatings is -- to act as a sacrificial layer of protection on top of the paint to prevent contaminants from degrading the paint itself, mitigating failure.

Wax isn't just for looks. Making a car look great is just a positive side effect of protecting it and prolonging its life in the long run.

well said. some people get this and some people don't. Some understand that wax is protection, and some thing a coat of wax will bring their neglected paint back from the dead. which isn't happening

Really pays to protect everything right from the start.

and like mikenap said, no need to wait. unless an area has been re-painted