brand new car

cflammi said:

help,
i just picked up my 2002 530i in jet black...
should i clay bar first.....already ordered the zaino stuff but unsure if the paint is too young....
please advise

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You will remove contaminants if you clay bar a new car, so I would recommend it. I took delivery of a Jet Black 330i in March and started with Zaino clay bar, followed by Z1/Z2. You don't need to use the Zaino clay bar with the Zaino system, you could go with Mother's or another brand. The car has been through a lot by the time you get it and you won't be disappointed you bought the clay when you see what it pulls off.

--gary

I've actually heard that you should leave a new car alone, even washing, for awhile.

in_d_haus said:

I've actually heard that you should leave a new car alone, even washing, for awhile.

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By the time a BMW arrives, it has had weeks for the paint to cure, probably 5-8 weeks of being built, waiting for a ship, getting on a ship, sitting at the VPC, sitting at the dealers lot. Generally, you can go to town as soon as you take delivery.

--gary:thumb:

Tough One

I have heard very conflicting opinions on the whole paint cure theme. The dealer says don't worrry but many purists say wait 2 months....what is a fanatical owner of a Jet Black to do???? Also is it possible that the clay will hurt a new car?

Regardless the clay shouldn't hurt the paint.

in_d_haus said:

Regardless the clay shouldn't hurt the paint.

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Unless it's filled with gravel, of course. :lmao:

From What i've read on Meguiars.com, When you get a new car, When it is painted it is baked at higher temperatures than a resprayed car (because they are painting the panels and shell etc. without any interior or rubber bits on the car yet). Thus, you should be able to wax right away to protect that show-room or new car shine, because it should have cured by now.

This is the link to the write-up.
http://www.meguiars.com.au/ameguiars_FAQ.htm

Re: Tough One

cflammi said:

I have heard very conflicting opinions on the whole paint cure theme. The dealer says don't worrry but many purists say wait 2 months....what is a fanatical owner of a Jet Black to do???? Also is it possible that the clay will hurt a new car?

Click to expand...

A lot depends on the paint. Modern clear coat cars are painted with urethane clear coats, and once they cure (a few days) they don't change any more over time.

The wait recommendation comes from painting with paints that relied solely on solvent evaporation to dry. Like lacquers, enamals and non-catalyzed acrylic enamals. And since the surface dried first, that slowed the rest of the layer from drying.

Urethanes cure by a chemical reaction. The solvents are only there to get the viscosity to a point it can be sprayed. The sovents flash off pretty fast.

New Car

Dave and Nat are right. You can go ahead and wax your car right away when you receive it. You don't have to wait for weeks or months. Once the car is painted, it is cooked in high temp so the paint sets in. If I were in your shoes, I would wax the car right away to keep the shine and take all the stuff off the paint that has gotten on while it was shipped. If you need help, you can email me [email protected]