Purple Haze

Hi. I will be getting the entire passenger side of my car repainted completely thanks to some punk taking a key and deeply gashing my car along the side. My question is, how should I take care of the new paint job? How long before I can wash it? How long before I can wax it?

silentdancer

i'd like to know the same thing because my car just got repainted and i got it out of the shop yesterday. thanks!

MikeyC

You can wash your car right away. However, you should ask your body shop guy how long before you can wax it. It can vary depending upon several variables.

silentdancer

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=434773

to the OP, i read this thread and it was helpful.

Purple Haze

Thanks for the link, that's a long time to wait to wax :90 days! it concurs with what my body shop told me.

VintageMac

It IS good advice. I know it is tough to wait, but it is better than screwing up your paint job (and not having it covered by warranty because you didn't follow the manufacturers requirements).

Look into the 3M clear bra to protect the front. You also have to wait 90 days to have that installed. It takes that long for the paint to outgas completely.

Jsmply

Actually, I started a thread like this a while back when I had my car painted, and my body guy actually told me the new paints dry MUCH faster than older paints and the 90 day wait period really doesn't apply to newer paint and paint technologies. Mine was waxed after about a week by the bodyshop that painted the car.

Like others suggested, speak with your body guy.

shotiable

speak with your body shop guy. paints vary widely, but mostly, you can wash right away. i got my car keyed a couple months ago too, the guy said i could wax right away. before my s2000 i had a miata got in an accident, the body shop said i can't wax it for 90 days. my friends evolution got crashed, his body shop told him to wait 3 weeks. it all really varies. try to follow what they say. o yea, make sure to get a great body shop. and try not to get a $hitload of body panels repainted... my NFR's door panel got keyed by some punk, they painted the whole door+rear quarter panel. watch out when they take out the rear bumper... those fckers ruined the paint on my bumper

Purple Haze

Yea, they will have to repaint the entire rear and passenger door side panels. They will have to take off the rear bumper. How did they ruin the paint on your rear bumper? It seems like a body shop would know how to take car of your paint, not harm it.

shotiable

they said "the bumper was fitted on pretty tightly, so when we pulled it off from the rear quarter panel, the paint was stuck to it... naturally it peeled off as we removed the bumper" now its a little less than perfect because the paint at the very edge of the bumper is chipped up and haphazardly repaired with touch up paint and sanded/buffed down.

lesson learned: GO TO A GOOD TRUSTED BODY SHOP!