[Dukat]

I've had several people tell me you're not supposed to polish/wax a new car for several months to allow the paint to cure.

Is this true?

If yes, would it be okay to apply a sealant (like the Klasse High Gloss Sealant) right away or should I wait before using that too?

Thanks

[11x35SapphireBlk]

go for it. The paint should have cured plenty between the bakes it received in the assembly line and the open air time it had before you took delivery.

[Lotus7]

Originally Posted by Dukat

I've had several people tell me you're not supposed to polish/wax a new car for several months to allow the paint to cure.

Is this true?

If yes, would it be okay to apply a sealant (like the Klasse High Gloss Sealant) right away or should I wait before using that too?

Thanks

BMW uses an eco-friendly, water based paint like many new vehicle manufacturers to reduce factory volatile hydrocarbon emissions. Not only is it substantially softer than the older solvent-based paints, it takes longer to cure. Most estimates are between 30 and 45 days depending on temperature and UV exposure to reach full hardness. Adding a wax or an acrylic sealant like "Klasse Sealant" will just slow down the curing process.

Given current warm to hot temperatures, waiting 3 or 4 weeks wouldn't hurt. Just be very careful when washing the car since the paint is "soft". Putting on an acrylic sealer sooner certainly won't do any damage (dealers do it all the time), but the likelihood of getting tiny swirl marks is increased slightly because of the potentially softer paint. In the "old days" when all cars were painted with volatile solvent based enamels or acrylic lacquers, and then baked for hours, the paint cured in a week or less, that's not the case with the new "water paints".

In some US states, the sale of the "old-style" solvent based auto paints, and/or the spray equipment to apply them, is either highly regulated or prohibited entirely. (Liquid, uncured paint - not painted vehicles which have dried)

[LEDZEP]

Wax it immediately!! In fact, quit reading this post and get your ass out there and start waxing! ANY factory baked paint is ready to be waxed immediately. The "wait about a month" rule only applies for body shop work - and sometimes that might not even apply.

BMW paint is among the worst in the car industry, you need all the protection you can get on it.

[VikingOne]

I have paid and extra £449 GBP for the Vehicle Protection Programme offered at the Dealer.

3 Years Guaranteed Paintwork Protection
The Professional application of a high gloss paint sealant maintains your vehicle's showroom finish for longer and therefore helps maintain its value. If you vehicle's paintwork has lost its lustre, the guarantee provider will pay for the re-application of the paint sealant

3 Years Vehicle Upholstery Protection
Your vehicle's fabric/upholstery and carpets are fully guaranteed against everyday spills and stains. Should the application, which will be made to your upholstery, fail to prevent a stain, the guarantee provider will pay the cost of engaging a professional cleaning organization to endeavor to remove the stain.

http://www.premiasolutions.com/

Is the above a load of Bull, or should I continue with the purchase?
Also anyone know if I should still wax as well as wash on top of the sealant?

[11x35SapphireBlk]

Oh and BTW my dealership waxed mine before delivery because they left residue in a few spots. WAX IT! I have driven every new car i owned home and waxed it the next weekend. I have never had a problem. Between my wife, son and I we have purchased 18 vehicles new.

[Lotus7]

The comments expressed in my original post are based on personal communications with a PPG paint engineer when I asked him about applying wax/sealer in 2005 after purchasing a car with a water based finish. His recommendation was to wait 60 days before applying anything that might interfere with the paint's complete curing (including wax or sealant).

You might want to take a look at these:
http://www.ehow.com/about_4679730_new-paint-jobs.html

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...aint-Cure-Time

I'm no paint expert, but do respect the opinions of the manufacturer of the product, who should know if anyone does.

[Lotus7]

Originally Posted by 11x35SapphireBlk

Oh and BTW my dealership waxed mine before delivery because they left residue in a few spots. WAX IT! I have driven every new car i owned home and waxed it the next weekend. I have never had a problem. Between my wife, son and I we have purchased 18 vehicles new.

With all due respect, between my wife and I, we've probably purchased 40 new vehicles (lost count long ago) which, of course means nothing in this discussion. I also would wax any new vehicle immediately after purchase and never had problems. BUT, times change, materials change and the optimum way to treat a new vehicle's finish might also change.

On the other hand, applying a protective coating right away for some immediate protection from the caustic environment we all have to live in, might be a fair trade-off for a slightly poorer long term durability of the finish.

[Dukat]

I was planning on applying Klasse sealant, waiting 1 day, apply a second layer, wait 1 more day and apply Collonite wax.

If the dealer waxes it before they hand it off, that would need to be polished off for the sealant to adhere to the clearcoat.

It sounds like polishing it a week or 2 after production may not be a good idea.

Even washing a car has become complicated.

[jsublime]

Originally Posted by Dukat

I was planning on applying Klasse sealant, waiting 1 day, apply a second layer, wait 1 more day and apply Collonite wax.

If the dealer waxes it before they hand it off, that would need to be polished off for the sealant to adhere to the clearcoat.

It sounds like polishing it a week or 2 after production may not be a good idea.

Even washing a car has become complicated.

There is a whole detailing section here http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13

[Dukat]

Wow, great wealth of information. Picked up some new techniques

[clivem2]

The paint curing discussion makes me wonder about 2 aspects;

1) the paint curing is under the clear coat and therefore how the clear coat cures is the the most important thing.

2) we put all sorts of of protectorants or acids on our wheels, they are painted with BMW Titanium Silver and clear coat, no different to the car body. Brake dust, protectorant or acid - it's a no win situation for whilst the wheels may be produced ahead of the car they'll still be very new due to the JIT manufacturing processes.

[Nahoa]

It would surprise me to find that a product that changed so quickly from liquid to something solid enough to adhere to the surface and not easily be brushed off -- even if baked to get there -- could take so long to reach a sufficient cure that it would be of any concern to us with regard to waxing and sealing.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by Dukat

I was planning on applying Klasse sealant, waiting 1 day, apply a second layer, wait 1 more day and apply Collonite wax.

If the dealer waxes it before they hand it off, that would need to be polished off for the sealant to adhere to the clearcoat.

It sounds like polishing it a week or 2 after production may not be a good idea.

Even washing a car has become complicated.

No need to polish!! Just thoroughly wash the car with DAWN dish detergent. That will remove any wax or sealant that is on it. Polishing is a DESTRUCTIVE procedure, albeit sometimes necessary. A new car should not require polishing.

Before the first wax, you might also want to use a clay bar to remove additional contaminents and dirt. It will also remove any remaining cosmolene, which is otherwise very hard to get off.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

No need to polish!! Just thoroughly wash the car with DAWN dish detergent. That will remove any wax or sealant that is on it. Polishing is a DESTRUCTIVE procedure, albeit sometimes necessary. A new car should not require polishing.

Before the first wax, you might also want to use a clay bar to remove additional contaminents and dirt. It will also remove any remaining cosmolene, which is otherwise very hard to get off.

+1 on clay bar first then wax

[richardew]

I went ahead and waxed my new X3. I've had it for 10 days. That's the longest I ever waited to wax a new car. I didn't like the rough feel it had. One coat of Meguiars carnuba wax and it's slippery and I'm happy. I didn't want to take it on a road trip (tomorrow) without a coat of wax on. I plan to kill a lot of bugs with the front end and don't want them staining the paint. The Meguiars website states that there is no reason not to wax a new car since the first thing they do is paint it and then bake it at high temperatures. A body shop can't do this because they would melt the plastic components of the car at those temps.

A new car with a factory paint job can be waxed the moment it is rolled out of the manufacturing plant. Cars that have factory paint jobs are cured at much higher temperatures, sometimes as high as 300 degrees in special baking ovens. At a factory level, the car goes through the painting and baking process without any of the rubber, plastic, and cloth components installed. This is why they can expose the car and it's fresh paint to such high temperatures. These high temperatures and special paints used at the factory level insures the paint is fully cured by the time the car is completely assembled.

After-market paint finishes however, are cured at a much lower temperature to ensure the method of baking or heating the paint doesn't melt non-metal components such as wiring and vinyl. For this reason, it's best to follow the specific paint manufactures recommendations for care and maintenance of fresh paint. Most paint manufactures that supply paint to the refinish industry recommend that you allow anywhere from 30 to 90 days curing time after the paint is applied before you apply the first application of wax.

To maintain your cars fresh paint during the recommended curing time you can safely use any of the below Meguiar's pure polishes, which are not only safe for fresh paint but help to enhance the curing process while making your paint look it's absolute best.

http://www.meguiars.com/faq/index.cf...54&section=_54

[Bustofa]

Originally Posted by VikingOne

I have paid and extra £449 GBP for the Vehicle Protection Programme offered at the Dealer.

3 Years Guaranteed Paintwork Protection
The Professional application of a high gloss paint sealant maintains your vehicle's showroom finish for longer and therefore helps maintain its value. If you vehicle's paintwork has lost its lustre, the guarantee provider will pay for the re-application of the paint sealant

3 Years Vehicle Upholstery Protection
Your vehicle's fabric/upholstery and carpets are fully guaranteed against everyday spills and stains. Should the application, which will be made to your upholstery, fail to prevent a stain, the guarantee provider will pay the cost of engaging a professional cleaning organization to endeavor to remove the stain.

http://www.premiasolutions.com/

Is the above a load of Bull, or should I continue with the purchase?
Also anyone know if I should still wax as well as wash on top of the sealant?

I am considering this also and wondered whether you went ahead and whether any others had also taken it.
Any views out there on value for money?

[TuffLittleUnit]

Originally Posted by VikingOne

I have paid and extra £449 GBP for the Vehicle Protection Programme offered at the Dealer.

3 Years Guaranteed Paintwork Protection
The Professional application of a high gloss paint sealant maintains your vehicle's showroom finish for longer and therefore helps maintain its value. If you vehicle's paintwork has lost its lustre, the guarantee provider will pay for the re-application of the paint sealant

3 Years Vehicle Upholstery Protection
Your vehicle's fabric/upholstery and carpets are fully guaranteed against everyday spills and stains. Should the application, which will be made to your upholstery, fail to prevent a stain, the guarantee provider will pay the cost of engaging a professional cleaning organization to endeavor to remove the stain.

http://www.premiasolutions.com/

Is the above a load of Bull, or should I continue with the purchase?
Also anyone know if I should still wax as well as wash on top of the sealant?

The use of terms like "everyday" and "endeavour" would put me off straight away. There's no solid guarantee to return either the paintwork or upholstery to an "as new" or similarly qualified condition. I'm no lawyer, this is just my interpretation but if I can pick holes in it then the insurer will certainly have all sorts of wriggle room.

[Lotus7]

Dealer extras
Before they let you drive away, dealers may also try to get you to buy extra services that are usually overpriced. These include:

Rustproofing and undercoating
Don’t bother. Today’s vehicles are manufactured with good corrosion protection. In fact Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Surveys show that rust problems have almost vanished in modern vehicles. Standard rust-through warranties for most domestic and imported vehicles run five years or more, and many will cover you for an unlimited number of miles during the warranty period.

Fabric protection
This is the most expensive Scotchgard your upholstery will ever see. Instead, spend a few bucks on a can of fabric protector and spray it on by yourself.

Paint sealant
The dealer may tell you that an application of this clear coating will protect your car’s surface for years, but it’s little more than vastly overpriced wax. Just buy a good protectant from any auto parts store and apply it yourself.

VIN etching
This is a service that etches the VIN into the vehicle’s windows to deter theft. Some states require dealers to offer this service to customers, but none require you to buy it. It’s not unusual to find a charge for VIN etching already printed on the purchase agreement, as if it’s assumed you will pay for the service. We recommend that you refuse this charge, and if it’s printed on the contract, put a line through the entry. Even if you decide you want VIN etching, you can have it done less expensively elsewhere, or even do it yourself with a kit that costs about $25 or less.

See: Consumer Reports Paint and Interior Protection "Plans"

Of course, if you have 449 GBP's burning a hole in your pocket, go ahead and donate it to the dealer.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by VikingOne

I have paid and extra £449 GBP for the Vehicle Protection Programme offered at the Dealer.

3 Years Guaranteed Paintwork Protection
The Professional application of a high gloss paint sealant maintains your vehicle's showroom finish for longer and therefore helps maintain its value. If you vehicle's paintwork has lost its lustre, the guarantee provider will pay for the re-application of the paint sealant

3 Years Vehicle Upholstery Protection
Your vehicle's fabric/upholstery and carpets are fully guaranteed against everyday spills and stains. Should the application, which will be made to your upholstery, fail to prevent a stain, the guarantee provider will pay the cost of engaging a professional cleaning organization to endeavor to remove the stain.

http://www.premiasolutions.com/

Is the above a load of Bull, or should I continue with the purchase?
Also anyone know if I should still wax as well as wash on top of the sealant?

OW dear worthless complete con.
Go buy some collonite 476S double coat and get it on, forget there crap.

[Bustofa]

Thanks, everyone; sound advice.

For those that can't get excited about waxing their own cars - I know, I don't know how I dare suggest such a thing on this forum - there seem to be many businesses out there that will do it much cheaper than a BMW dealer.

[h0mersimps0n]

I learned a lot from a professional detailer in the e46 forums I used to hang out. He was the owner of detailed image.com and got me hooked on Poorboys products.

Personally after I take delivery of my f25 Oct 27 pdc style I'm going to put a coat of pure sealant (or two) and a coat of pure carnuba.

True sealants provide durable protection at cost of some luster. Nothing is smoother and more shine than a good carnuba.

Poor boys makes combo products - combo sealant/waxes and combo polish/waxes.

I would not clay bar or use any polish on new paint- way too harsh and completely unnecessary...

My n=2 is all the proof I have of my methods - my mazdaspeed has like new luster and is so well care for (poor boys spray on products after washes and between waxes) I can go through multiple rains before you can tell the car needs washed- really amazing...

http://www.detailedimage.com/Poorboy...-P27/16-oz-S1/

Good luck with your final decision - seems like you will have to consolidate opinions and go with best educated approach