how soon can you wash/wax new car?

britton2

today I hand-washed my new Corolla for the 4th time since I've had the car (almost 6 weeks) while drying it with a synthetic chamois, some paint came off the trunk-jam area, I'm positive it was paint (it was blue) - the last time I washed it - a small amount of paint came off the side of the car, almost the underside on the bottom - are you supposed to wait a certain length of time before washing/waxing a new car? I read that the sooner the better in order to protect the finish, somewhere else I read it's best to wait 90 days to give the paint time to "cure" - now I'm nervous that I have dimished my paint job - my car was built in February '01 - thank you in advance

gasguzz

at the factory. A dealer will normally always wash your car before handing you the keys (it's good business practice). The manual also makes recommedations on driving for the first few hundred miles. Shouldn't they mention the paint (since it's on the bumper-to-bumper warr).
The killer is... was your car damaged and repainted (and sold before it was cured)?
Is that the Rubbing Compound coming off?

britton2

I don't believe my car was damaged and repainted - it is brand-new and had 39 miles on the odometer when I picked it - it was brought over from another dealership though - someone else suggested that the clearcoat process was not done or did not take on those 2 areas - I'm not sure I know what "rubbing compound" is - my husband now also says I should have waited a few months before waxing - but like you said, this should have/would have been stated in the Owner's Manual if it were important...I guess what I'll do is wash it again in another week and just not apply any kind of wax for a couple of months - I am going to contact my dealer and see if I can find out about this paint coming off - thanks

namfflow

There are a lot of vehicles damaged in transport that are repaired at the dealer. They'll never tell you this. Why there are even cars that have rolled off trains before delivery and are just repaired and sold as brand new.

It sounds funny that you are having paint problems with a vehicle from a mfg whose reputation claims they are the best. (I don't buy it but that is another topic)

I would have it checked out by a good body and fender man and see what they say. You might have a claim agaisnt the dealer or the mfg.

The paint on a new vehicle even fresh out of the factory should not be coming off. The paint is baked on at the factory.

britton2

this is what's weird: using 1 damp and 1 dry white paper towel, I gently wiped the trunk jamb and underneath the side panel this morning just to see if some blue paint came off - it did not! So I'm not sure what to make of it now - I have been assured by many that the paint was cured when it left the factory as you said, and does not need time to harden before waxing - so I feel a little better - if this car was damaged in some way prior to my taking delivery of it - they did one heck of a job fixing it - I have visually gone over the car with a fine tooth comb - I cannot see anything (a bump, groove, indentation, scratch) that would indicate it had been damaged -
if I had to guess, my guess would be that those 2 areas were not properly clearcoated - but I'm not really sure...thanks

bretfraz

I'd take it to a body shop and have them offer an opinion. The paint on most new cars are basecoat/clearcoat and are cured at the factory in ovens. THe 90 days rule comes from body shops and for the most part is not applicable today as many cars painted at body shops are also clearcoated and baked. Back in the old days cars came with enamel paint jobs that needed extended cure times and those $99 paint and body places didn't take the time to ensure curing. So they just gave the cars to customers with the "wait 90 days" warning. This does not apply to factory paint jobs.

If color is coming off during washing, I'd think that's serious. An analysis from a reputable body shop will provide answers. Then go back to the dealer. Get everything documented and keep a diary. And good luck.

pblevine

I agree with bretfraz on this one: Take it to an expert to determine what actually happened and how it happened.