IsNYC

Hi All,

I traded in my 2001 IS300 for a 2004 RX330 in Black Forest Pearl, which I'll be picking up on Saturday. I can't remember how long I waited with my IS...when should I wax the new RX? Are there any pro/cons to waiting a month or two before my first polish/wax?

Sorry if my questions seem dumb.

Thanks.

jfelbab

You can wax it immediately. I'd strongly suggest you clay it first to remove any rail dust that might be bonded to the finish. I clayed mine, polished with #81 and then two coats of NXT Tech Wax 24 hours apart.

One thing that I noticed with the new Lexus is that the paint is very brittle. It chips every time it even sees a stone. You might want to order a touch-up paint pen or consider having one of the clear bras installed.

Good luck with your new RX330. I sure love mine.

mooretorque

Absolutely concur with jfelbab. No need to wait to wax since factory paint has already oven-cured. Clay bar is also an excellent idea tho a pain in the butt from a time standpoint.

I'm a Zaino believer myself but their are a number of good polymer based products, of which NXT and Zaino are two.

Enjoy your 330!

lexite

Congratulations!!!

As others have already mentioned, clean it up and wax right away with your choice of wax. Keep in mind that black is the most unforgiving color. So, pay attention not to add light scratches/swirls in the cleaning process. Some good quality microfiber towels would be a must. Enjoy you new ride!

IsNYC

Thanks guys. That's the answer I was looking for!
I appreciate the quick replies!

MeehSoFly

Now why would you wanna wax a brand new car bought from a dealer?? Isn't the paint already clean enuff?? It took me three weeks b4 my car got dirty from the dealer to wash it.

lkirchner

I purchased a new LS 430 approximately 2 months ago. It took me about 20 hours of effort with compounds, glazes, sealants and wax with an orbital buffer to correct the horrendous condition that the car was in. Keep in mind that the dealer is not a detailer; he sells and services cars. When I complained to the salesman, he was kind enough to offer to have the car brought back in to their "detailer" to which I replied why bring it back to the person who scewed it up in the first place.

Just because the car is new does not mean it is clean. We all have different tolerance levels on the condition of our cars. A good example is that it took you 3 weeks before your car got dirty enough to have the dealer wash it. I would be climbing the walls in that time period and would never let a dealer wash my car. My feeling is, if you want it done right do it yourself.

jfelbab

I'd remind you that wax is a sacrificial barrier. People put it on their cars to protect the paint. If you want to wait until your paint is damaged before you protect it that kind of doesn't make sense. Wax is cheap and paint is expensive.

I've also never got a new car that didn't have rail dust bonded to the surface and I've owned over 30 new cars.

You can do what you want with your car but I keep mine in mint condition as long as possible. Here is one of mine that is 14 years old and looks factory fresh.

SDLexus

IMO, the best time for a first wax on a new car is the first weekend after purchase. I also agree with claying the surface to rid the paint of embedded contaminants. If there are some light scratches in the finish then I'd follow the clay with a polish and finally top it with your favorite wax or sealant. My favorite topper ATM is NXT x2 with at least 12 hours between coats.