I've read mixed things on the internet about this.


A few people have said to immediately wash and wax your car after you pick it up from the dealer because whatever is on there will be crappy. Other said you can wait a few months to wax and just wash it in the meanwhile.


What's the right answer?

 

You don't need to wait months to wax it but you might give it a few weeks to make sure the paint is fully cured.

I don't know if Ford bakes the paint on the cars like they used to way back when or how long the type of paint they use takes to fully cure if they don't bake them.

I'm sure you will get lots of opinions thrown out at you from the people on here.

 

Wash? Wax? HA! I'm getting mine painted as soon as the guy can start the job.

 

I would do some research online to see how long it takes for fresh paint to cure. Once you are past that timeframe, I'd probably wash, claybar, polish, and then top it off with a wax.

When washing you should make sure you are doing whatever you can to avoid swirl marks (good wash mitt, good car wash, two bucket method, gritt guard, microfiber drying towels, etc..). If you get in a habit of doing this from the start, it will cut down on the time it will take to keep your paint looking perfect.

If you really are picky about the paint and don't want swirls, STAY AWAY from car washes. In the winter use a product like ONR or worst case scenario use a brushless carwash to get the salt off.

I usually do a full detail (wash, clay, polish, and wax) once in the spring and once in the fall. Then after each wash I use Duragloss Aquawax (find it online or at CarQuest) and it keeps the paint smooth and shiny.

 

I envy you guys with your paved streets. I live on dirt/red clay/mud and gravel roads. It's nearly impossible to keep a car clean and shiny for more than a day or two. It's either dusty or muddy. I was at the drag strip once, and they pulled me aside and made me wash the underside of my 90 LX. Everytime I launched, it would drop dirt.

 

They are "baked" and therefore have the paint cured when they leave the plant. You can wash and wax immediately.

 

I'd go ahead and do it. Just think about when your car was finished, it's probably been a couple weeks.

 

+1
Go right ahead

 

I'm going to wait two or three months before i do a good waxing. I did research a few months ago on 'when to wax a new car'. Most of the things i read said, "wait around one month before waxing so the new paint will have time to cure".

 

i'd drive it first

 

A few months is way too long. If it is baked on at the plant, then no curing time would be required. If any time would be required, it would only be a few weeks.

I'd suggest getting something on there sooner than later.

 

Ask the dealer not to use a roll wash on it and then take it home, wash, clay, and wax the car immediately. It'll look better than the dealer ever would have done.

I just did this for my friend's 2010 Escape she picked up. Dealer prepped it, but the paint was still a little "sticky" (not smooth/silky like it should be). After a quick wash/clay/wax, her Sterling Grey paint looks immaculate!

 

Thats the one thing I want the most during the delivery of a new car, DON'T WASH IT. I'll take it dirty on the outside. Save the water please.

 

LOL, I told them that when my car came in to DO NOT EVEN TOUCH IT! If you find any of my early pics, you'll see that they delivered the car to me with the plastic still on the seats, floors, steering wheel... protective stickers on the radio, etc.

 

You won't believe the amount of rust on the paint on a brand new car. Rail dust too. Clay it day 1.

 

Yeah, I don't want a lot porter touching my new car. I'm going to specify that it not be cosmetically prepped at delivery.

When my daughter bought her GT vert in black, it was perfect. Someone had really been careful with it. We had walked through the garage at the dealership and I had seen the wash bay and the two porters standing around, they certainly didn't look like they cared. We went into the salesman's office to finish paperwork and then walked out to where the car had been parked. The salesman, a buddy of mine, says, " I sent it in to be washed for you." Oh, poop. Black car, dirty towels, porters who didn't care, you know the rest.

I'll wash my own car this time, thank you.

 

What was on the paint? Plastic?

 

They are final coated with a clear coat...you don't even have to wax anymore unless you want to 'fondle' your new toy..my family hauler is a 2003 Sable that has been outside for 7 years and after a good washing the paint looks like new..never been waxed.

 

Yes, rail dust is a PITA to get out of the paint. Clay + elbow grease will do it, but it's amazing how much of that you see. I'm glad the cars are so local that they never sit near the rail yard.

 

Nothing looks as good as a freshly waxed/polished car.

You can keep it looking pretty good if its garage kept, handwashed, and away from the elements. But eventually it will lose the showroom bling after years of exposure to the elements. You'd be surprised what your Sable would look like with a nice claybar, polish, and wax job.