I was just talking to my dad about putting on some Zaino after I get the car, and he told me it was a bad idea. He said that the paint needed to cure out for about 60 days before I do anything to it. Come to think of it, when I had the fender painted on my current stang last summer, they told me to wait 60 days as well. On one had, my dad is an old car guy....built and raced muscle cars in the 60s (1965 and 1970 442s). I have seen him take apart, blueprint and balance, and put back together entire cars...something I could not dream of doing. On the other hand, I am not sure if he is up on new paint processes out of factories. Any guidance on if I need to wait awhile until I put something on the paint when I get it?

 

Tim, I have read on here that the paint is cured by the time the car is received. I waxed mine shortly after I picked it up and all went well!
Michael

 

Same here, I Zainoed mine about 2 weeks after I picked Nancy up!! Looks beautiful

Matt

 

Even Zaino's site recommends waxing the car as soon as you get it.

 

Welcome to the 21st century
Things have changed.....

 

Per the Meguires web site, a new factory painted car can be waxed as soon as you receive it. This is because they use high heat to cure the paint. But a car that has been repainted at a body shop needs to cure 30 - 90 days before applying wax because it is not heat cured.

 

The HUGE difference between factory paint and aftermarket paint is the bake step. Most (reputable) aftermarket paint companies WILL "bake" the paint after it is applied. This is generally done with heat lamps and it is only for a few hours. The heat lamp treatment does cure the surface, but the inside of the paint is still soft (not wet, just soft) and it will take a while to fully cure and during this time, it is out gassing, so you probably don't want to seal the paint.

The factory BAKES the paint. It is basically in a huge oven. And when it comes out the other end, the paint has cured all the way down to the sheet metal. No more out gassing, so feal free to polish it up!

 

Quote from the FAQ and Answer guide on this site:

"How soon can I wax my car after I get it from the dealer?

Response from Sal Zaino:

Thank You for your interest in Zaino Bros' Show Car Polish Products.
I am a custom painter by trade for over thirty years and very familar with Dupont and PPG and all other paints.

Todays paint technology uses a chemical reaction caused by a catalyst to cure the paint. Factory paint is fully cured in 36 to 48 hours. Polish your car as soon as you get it. That factory paint is already cured and needs protection against airborne contaminants and UV rays."

 

I personaly would wait about a week just to be safe. Even though the new paint drys and cures very fast (less than an hour) it still may have gasses in it. If your're not sure I would wait just a little bit.