Grace period before first waxing?

[apbling]

So, just got a 17 explorer sport in black. Of course it looks awesome, and like my 2 other black vehicles, looks good for the first 15 min after washing, then its dirty haha.

Anyway, the thing was built in Feb/Mar this year. Is the old wives tail of waiting a certain period of time before waxing still applicable or is that a farce?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[peterk9]

Good morning Andy. I've never heard that about a new car but I was told to wait a period of time after I had some body work done on a Highlander about 10 years ago. I don't recall how long the body shop said to wait but I don't think it was more that a couple weeks. I think it quite unlikely that a newly built vehicle would find its way to a new owner in that time frame. I don't know if the dealer does any waxing or similar treatment when preparing the vehicle but I never waxed my 2011 for the first 2 years and the water was still beading on the hood after it rained.

Peter

 

[Exit32]

Within a day or two of taking delivery, I waxed my 2016 Explorer using Collinite No. 845 Insulator Wax, and I've done it every six months since then. No issues whatsoever.

 

[Mattncsu]

My understanding is that new cars have their paint cured at the factory, so no need to wait to wax a brand new car.

It's a different story for cars repaired at a body shop, most shops don't have the ability to cure the paint as quickly as a factory.

 

[Napalm]

for most of the body panels on the car they are cured by the time of final assembly. so no you don't need to wait on a newly made car. I do however like to wait atleast 1 month past it's build date just to be sure - but often that passes before you pick up the car.

Now something I will tell you to do that is worth tonnes this first time run. CLAY bar that joint. Right now before other crap builds up and etc. Take the time to do the following - and yes it's effort, yes it's time, no you won't see the difference the day you do it - it makes worlds of difference at year 5.

1) wash the car with dish soap - yes dish soap - clean off all the protective silicone sprays and other junk.
2) rinse the car again - yes again all the way to the wheels.
3) clay bar kit - I like meguiars but there are others don't spend money on the super expensive stuffs no need.
4) (optional) light swirl remover - I like optimum products swirl remover but I use a machine so that's another issue.
5) polish - not a wax - polish - distinction, your new paint is a polymer you need to protect it with another polymer. On the easy to purchase scale I like Meguiars NXT tech wax 2, on the higher side I like Optimum products finish (it's blue).

6 - repeat. from then on wash with some sort of car wash soap - if you use meguiars product, buy their soap. And after each wash use some detail spray to keep up the polish coat and sheen. Again same brand as the polish you used. Personaly I use optimum products stuffs and when I've washed I use their spray wax.

 

[apbling]

I am a meguires guy myself. I have always clay barred, then used their paint cleaner, then polish, then wax - have been using the NXT or whatever the super fancy one is.
It really brings older paint's back to life and leaves it sooo smooth. Plus that claybar takes out a ton of impregnated crap, tar, sap etc.

 

[Napalm]

I used to be a meguiars guy too but I swapped to a few of the higher end detail products - mostly having gone to car shows and being given samples and the like. and a few of them - really do work better, in some ways. Not all.

What I like about optimum products is their spray wax and their finish product - so I use the rest of their products too - they are also local to me.