New Paint
08-30-04, 08:16 AM
#1
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
New Paint
My car has been at a lexus dealership for the past three weeks getting a new bumper and quater panel put on. I have blax onyx with a clear coat on it. I got it saturday and it just rained, but the guy at the dealership said not to use a shampoo and not to use a heavy dishwashing soap for atleast 45 days. So im confused as to how to clean my car. any help?
08-30-04, 10:43 AM
#2
I honestly never heard of body shop paint (baked or not) having any problem tolerating car wash shampoo and water, and I'd ask for a second opinion on that. Dish soap, well ok, that's highly alkaline, so I can see why they'd suggest you avoid that, but a bucket filled with 1/2 cap of PH balanced car wash shampoo can't hurt much, unless you let the water spot. As long as you're careful with drying it fully, you should be fine.
Yes, new paint can etch and water spot easier, because it's soft for a while, so you have to be more proactive at keeping things from taking hold on it, - water, bugs, sap etc.... But a gentle wash isn't much different than having simple RAIN fall on the car. In fact, RAIN is fairly acidic these days ( ~4.6 on the PH scale on average throughout the U.S.), so that's probably more harmful than some Meguiar's Gold Class car wash shampoo and water in a bucket. I'd have them explain to you why they want you not to wash it.
Unless they assume you're going to use dish detergent (a LOT of people still do-surprisingly) I see no rationale for that caveat.
P.S. You CAN apply a hand glaze ( i.e. Meguiar's #7 ) to it. It will offer *some* protection and contains zero wax etc( it won't seal the paint in) ., but it will wash away whenever water hits the car, so you'd have to reapply it frequently.
Yes, new paint can etch and water spot easier, because it's soft for a while, so you have to be more proactive at keeping things from taking hold on it, - water, bugs, sap etc.... But a gentle wash isn't much different than having simple RAIN fall on the car. In fact, RAIN is fairly acidic these days ( ~4.6 on the PH scale on average throughout the U.S.), so that's probably more harmful than some Meguiar's Gold Class car wash shampoo and water in a bucket. I'd have them explain to you why they want you not to wash it.
Unless they assume you're going to use dish detergent (a LOT of people still do-surprisingly) I see no rationale for that caveat.
P.S. You CAN apply a hand glaze ( i.e. Meguiar's #7 ) to it. It will offer *some* protection and contains zero wax etc( it won't seal the paint in) ., but it will wash away whenever water hits the car, so you'd have to reapply it frequently.
Last edited by Guitarman; 08-30-04 at 10:45 AM.
08-30-04, 12:24 PM
#4
should i just take water to it and then pat it dry if i get bug guts or tar on it?
Rinsing it down with the hose is fine too, just make sure you dry it because it's more susceptible to spotting when newly painted. Same for rain- rinse it down with the hose after it gets wet from rain ( to get any grit off it) , then dry before putting it away. I'd rather you add a little car wash soap to the mix if the car's dirty, but if you're afraid to, the water alone will suffice for the short term.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post