Just bought a '08 G35s, black on black. About a week after I got it someone rear-ended me (dealing with the body shop and insurance company is insanely frustrating but that's another post).

Hopefully I'll be getting it back this week, so what about caring for the new paint? Should I wait a certain amount of time before washing/waxing/etc.?

Thanks

 

You can polish and wash it, but you cannot wax it or anything else that is going to seal in the paint as the paint has to release gases and harden for a certain period of time. Ask them what the required time to wait before you can wax it is, it varies for different paints.

 

My 08 White was rear ended and I asked the body shop the same question when I picked it up. They told me 30 days should be appropriate since they bake the car after paint. I have heard this question asked a few times. I would hope that an Infiniti approved body shop would use factory paint and the times should be pretty standard, but really who knows. When you get the car back make sure you check all the lines and check for scratches in the paint. Whoever tried to polish my paint sucked and I refused to take the car until they repolished it. There were rub marks in certain areas. Make sure there is a light source when you look for the scratches. On my white car they were hard to find unless the light reflected just right.

One thing I did is use a body shop that owned by the same company as the dealer. This way if I have issues later with trim coming off (or anything else) I do not get into a war about whose fault it is and whether it is covered under warranty.

 

^^^
Yep, those are called holograms.

Ch'Pok, this is what they look like. The best way to spot them is to look at the bumper a couple different ways in the sun, it will look like a very clear oil that hasn't been wiped off.

http://www.racevaleting.co.uk/userimages/holograms.jpg

 

Yes, I've seen that on other cars, now i know what it is! Should be pretty easy to spot on my black paint, as long as I look at it in sunlight.

I've used a clay bar before but never polish. Any recommendations? Also, I've been searching the forums on waxes and the two most recommended brands seem to be zaino's and meguiar's gold class. Any difference between the two? I live in a pretty harsh climate with a lot of rain plus oppressive heat and humidity, so most waxes don't last as long here.

Thanks for all the info!

 

If possibly, I'd actually wait on driving the car for a couple weeks. After the paint is on, it's not fully cured so it needs time to do so, otherwise it's susceptible to rock chips and such easier, but since it's the rear that got hit, you don't have as much to worry about.

 

i have heard actually up to three months for certain paints before wax! but one month is definitely the minimum

 

If you aren't polishing with a machine then you really don't need to. It would take you hours to do a spot a machine can do in seconds, and it takes maybe 4-6 hours to go around a car with a machine so it's really not worth it.

As far as wax, I use Bilt-Hamber Auto Balm. The stuff is amazing, it fills in swirls extremely well, and looks amazing. I just detailed a Range Rover, and man that stuff looks good. It also doesn't stain trim, it actually darkens and protects it, and can also be used on your windshield like rain-x. It also lasts about 4-8 months I believe.

 

^Good point, there a lot of different paint lines out there so you need to know what they used and ask how long they say to wait.

 

Darkstar,

Can you really get 4-8 months of protection from a wax?? Is this with a sealer over it or not? I use Meguiars (I know not the best out there) and without my ZCS it lasts maybe a month at the most. Now add the sealer and it's for a few months.

Where can I find the Bilt? Never mind, I'm going to Google it right now!!

 

Meguiars NXT? That wax is pretty well-known for being great at beading and sheeting water and looking alright, but only lasting about a month.

Bilt-Hamber Auto Balm is a very weird, new wax. It doesn't even fall into the category of a wax or a sealant, it's pretty much on the cutting edge and is pretty new. There are a couple cons, if you consider them cons. It is currently only available in England, it hasn't made it's way to the U.S. so you will need to ship it over here. Also, it doesn't really bead like a conventual wax, which looks cool but leaves your car dirty, it sheets the water off more than bead. I think it's worth it though.

Check this out:
http://www.detailingbliss.com/forum/...team-8653.html

Here's where I got mine from. Shipping took about 11 or 12 days.
http://www.carnaubawaxshop.co.uk/sho...category_id=14

P.S. if you do buy it, get a foam applicator and soft microfiber to buff it off, you don't want to use the applicator or towel it comes with.

Good luck!