To wax......or not to wax?

[WhiteNBlack08]

Originally Posted by Old smart

When I picked up the Outback at the body shop after a rear bumper repair (new plastic bumper cover, painting and clear-coating), I mentioned that the next stop was the detailer up the street for the fancy, complete showroom-perfect job. He warned me to tell them not to put any kind of coating, sealer or wax on the new bumper - the clear-coat has to cure for 90 days.

smarts come clear-coated, both the metallics and the MICs. It may be wise to not touch a new-from-factory smart for the first three months.

You need to remember your talking about two completely different animals here. A factory finish is baked on, a body shop repair, at best, is put in a heated dryer for a couple of hours. It is true, that a body shop repair should not be waxed for 60-90 days. Paint that has not been through a factory curing will release solvents for several weeks. I've done enough body work, and I have the tech sheets for the paints I use which explain this process.

Generally speaking, a factory paint job is baked at about 350-400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes to cure it. A body shop repair is usually specified for heat cure at 120 degrees for 1.5-2 hours. Big difference. In fact, my smart center told me they waxed the car during prep, and I did it again myself a couple of weeks later. But when I repaint a car for someone, I always tell them to wait 90 days to wax, I also tell them to park the vehicle in the middle of an asphalt parking lot to help cure the paint for the first couple of weeks after they get it back. Usually the biggest gripe I get about my paint jobs is the smell while the paint is curing!

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by WhiteNBlack08

Generally speaking, a factory paint job is baked at about 350-400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes to cure it. A body shop repair is usually specified for heat cure at 120 degrees for 1.5-2 hours. Big difference. In fact, my smart center told me they waxed the car during prep, and I did it again myself a couple of weeks later. But when I repaint a car for someone, I always tell them to wait 90 days to wax, I also tell them to park the vehicle in the middle of an asphalt parking lot to help cure the paint for the first couple of weeks after they get it back. Usually the biggest gripe I get about my paint jobs is the smell while the paint is curing!

I wonder if that is also true for plastic pannels. That kind of heat seems a bit out of expected operating range for plastics.

I don't claim to know myself, but an just tossing out the question.

[HerrZ]

Brakes BREAK me up!

[SubSlr88]

Since it was cloudy today and relatively cool (for FL) I washed and 'waxed' Lil Red today. Used Meguiar's NXT polymer finish after washing with their sudsy wash. The NXT goes on quickly, requiring only a very thin coating to work properly. If it's too thick it gums up and is tougher to remove. Final finish is great - and one thing I noticed that's nice - it removes from the flat black plastic without leaving white residue behind. I even went nuts and 'waxed' the wheels to keep the #$%^ brake dust off them.
Originally, the car was given a 'paint protectant' at the dealer before delivery over a year ago and it's held up well and still beads and shines good. . . but I thought it was time for a "refresher."
LATER~!

[JohnnyM]

Go ahead and wax your new smart!! Use quality wax. If your car sat at port as long as mine (month) there is no worry about paint curing etc.

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

I wonder if that is also true for plastic pannels. That kind of heat seems a bit out of expected operating range for plastics. ...

I agree and had that in the back of my mind when I wrote - I should have included it and expanded the thought. The replaced, painted, and clear-coated bumper fascia is very much like smart's (hate to say the word, but...) "whimpy," thin panels. If I put a piece of my wife's best Tupperware plastic in a 375F-400F oven, it would be distorted if not a puddle. Are smart panels diswasher-safe if not placed on the upper rack?

[Karl Roth]

With "factory" enamel paint this is close to the "truth" tis almost 2010
karl

[Neonspinnazz]

What's a good wax for the roof?

[The Rigger]

Originally Posted by Neonspinnazz

What's a good wax for the roof?

If you mean the clear panorama roof, any product created for plastic windshields on motorcycles and aircraft; RejeX does the trick, as do cleaning/protecting products from Cycle Care, Cee Bailey's, &c.

[jwight]

Originally Posted by Neonspinnazz

What's a good wax for the roof?

Cleaning the Makrolon Webasto clear roof It's all here, folks.