Cupra_Mark

Active Member
Jun 15, 2006
71
0
South Wales
I had my car back from the body shop yesterday afternoon - had a new rear bumper put on. When will I be able to give the car a good wash and polish please? Any ideas?
 
slimjim said:
If they have given it back to you, the paint will be dry.

Why would you be waiting to wash and polish it? :shrug:

Or did they WARN you the paint wasnt dry? :fool:

Slim

After painting it appears it takes a while for the paint to fully 'cure' if that's the correct term? It's not as hard as normal so you need to be careful when washing, polishing etc for a while afterwards. I had exactly the same situation recently and appears I may have bloody scratched my new paintwork due to exactly this reason :redface:

And I'm guessing Mark wants to wash and polish it to protect the new paint ASAP ;)

Mark

I may have PM'd Iain about this, I can't recall but seem to remember seeing 3 weeks being mentioend somewhere? Sorry I can't be more specific. Would suggest you do the same if he doesn't comment on this thread directly
 
slimjim said:
Right ... though the "kilns" they put the cars in sorted all that out?

3 weeks? Bloody hell....

I'm no bodyshop expert mate but think the paint has to harden in some fashion over time, seemed wierd to me when I read it first time around :shrug:
 
Well, the body shop will use polish on the paint before they give the car back to you!

If you're worried about it 'curing' (personnaly i wouldn't be) just wash and wax it for a while. New paint shouldn't need polishing anyway, like i said the bodyshop will have done it to ensure a smooth finish before giving it back. Any non-abrasive cleaning product will be fine.
 
OK, new paint answers.

Washing, yes, but use very mild and gentle techniques. Deffo two bucket method..

Polishing - NO, NO and NO! Polishes contain cleaning agents as a minimum and will damage/mar new paint.

Waxing - Yes, BUT, it MUST be a pure wax, eg Natty's blue, Nattys, Pinnacle Souveran, etc etc. A pure wax does not contain any abrasives and so will be fine to use after three weeks curing.

Hope this clarifies?

Any Q's shout!

Iain
 
FinerDetails said:
Polishing - NO, NO and NO! Polishes contain cleaning agents as a minimum and will damage/mar new paint.

Iain

Hmmm how long does it take for new paint to cure before full treatment.

As you know Iain my LCR is getting your expert touch on Saturday. However the rear bumper was replaced on the 3rd of June. Some idiot slipped off the clutch behind me [:@]

I hope this won't cause a problem. Will we just be able to work around it if it is?

I suppose I should have mentioned this but I thought a few days to cure and that was that.
 
FinerDetails said:
OK, new paint answers.

Washing, yes, but use very mild and gentle techniques. Deffo two bucket method..

Polishing - NO, NO and NO! Polishes contain cleaning agents as a minimum and will damage/mar new paint.

Waxing - Yes, BUT, it MUST be a pure wax, eg Natty's blue, Nattys, Pinnacle Souveran, etc etc. A pure wax does not contain any abrasives and so will be fine to use after three weeks curing.

Hope this clarifies?

Any Q's shout!

Iain

Hi Ian

My understanding was the other way around, polishing is ok, but shouldn't be needed.

Leave fresh paint a few weeks before waxing, as the wax acts as a seal and prevents the solvents from leaving the paint, thus slowing down the cure rate.

I am as always ready to be corrected.

Cheers
Ali