New Paint Considerations

[LaTuFu]

I recently purchased a new car, and I need a refresher course on new paint considerations. I've always heard wait three months before waxing/polishing. Is that still a reasonable guideline?



I eventually plan to maintain a regular wash/wax/polish/detail routine with this car.



The car was built in 02/2008. It is a Volkswagen Passat Wagon.



Also, the Dealer washed and waxed the car prior to delivering it to me. Should I go to the trouble of removing the wax? If so, what would be a safe method of wax removal?



:thx

 

[Accumulator]

LaTuFu- Welcome to Autopia!



As long as the car has all factory original paint (no post-production damage that got repaired, so let's be optimistic...) you can polish/wax right away. Factory paint is cured by the time you get the car.



If it were mine (and I'm pretty particular), I'd wait until the dealer-applied stuff dies and redo it then. If it doesn't look OK to you as it is now that'd be different, and you could take off the dealer's wax a few different ways.



1) Wash it off with the first part of a decontamination system (from FinishKare or AutoInt).



2) Clean it off with a paint cleaner (e.g., Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step #1 Cleaner). Clay will also weaken, if not remove it and I'd clay before using the paint cleaner (or the polish mentioned below).



3) Polish it off with a mildly abrasive polish, which would also remove/diminish any marring (e.g., 1Z brand Paint Polish, sources: Welcome to Exceldetail.com! or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing, Auto Detailing Supplies, Auto Detailing Equipment, Auto Detailing Products, & Auto Detailing Accessories for all your Automobile Detailing ).

 

[LaTuFu]

LaTuFu- Welcome to Autopia!

Thank you!

As long as the car has all factory original paint (no post-production damage that got repaired, so let's be optimistic...) you can polish/wax right away. Factory paint is cured by the time you get the car.

Yes, it appears to be all factory. There are no post production damage repairs that I can detect.

If it were mine (and I'm pretty particular), I'd wait until the dealer-applied stuff dies and redo it then.

Yes, the dealer's wax job isn't horrible. A basic waxing to make it look nice, thats about it. Nothing wrong with it, I have no problem leaving it on until it wears off.