Automotive Paint Care

Many years ago before Auto makers started using Base coat Clear Coat I read an article about Paint finishes. Lacquer / enamel paint suppliers stated that paint surfaces on all vehicles although have a baked finish and the paint surface is hard to the touch the paint takes about a full year to totally cure underneath the baked outer shell.
They recommended only hosing the car down with cold water during the first year or ownership. Not to use soaps or waxes on the surface at all during this time period. Technology changes and with the introduction of Base Clear coats application techniques have also changed but the one thing that has not changed is the baking process of plant production.
Paint suppliers still recommend allowing the paint up to a full year to fully cure before using any cleaning solutions or chemicals on the paint surface. However it is rare that todays vehicles will deteriorate before the warranty expires.
Most owners today wash and wax their vehicles within a very short time of ownership and neglect or omit the most vital step of cleaning the painted surface. This step is Polishing the vehicle.

A good Polishing compound applied to paint surface after washing is vital. Using an orbital polisher with a sponge pad with polish and water leaves a very hard smooth swirl free finish to your cars paint surface and will not allow the wax to penetrate the glossy polished barrier. The wax will rest on top of the polish and eventually wear off. The more polish build up the deeper the reflection and better protection from the sun and weather conditions.
So hose off, wash, rinse, polish, then wax to keep those paint finishes looking new.

 

Polish them, not wax, The polish I use is Purple in colour and is made by PPG, same stuff they use in plant, looks like watered down tooth paste. It actually removes the scratches, swirl marks in the clear coat. I use an air powered orbital rotary sander with a 6 inch diameter x2 inch thick sponge pad and water, looks like glass, then wax over polish if you want to protect polished finish. and the hard work you put in. Will Last 6 months or more.

 

Your Car looks Dang good if your pics are any indication, a good polish would double the depth of the reflections, and zero swirl marks, search the net PPG or 3 M polish. a good air or electric orbital 6 inch sander / polisher . do 1 panel at a time you will be shocked at the difference.

 

And what about all the coatings that are being applied these days?

I have seen them called different things...
i.e. nano coatings, ceramic coatings, molecular coating, there are probably others

I dunno it they are all basically the same thing or not.

Some dealers do them before they leave the lot.

 

I don't know anything about them, all I can say is if the plant uses PPG and 3 m products to remove paint defect e.g.. dirt in top coat, overspray, orange peel, to blend spot paint repairs it has to be for good reason. I tried the polish on my Bee and was sold on it after 10 minutes.
Mist the panel apply polish to pad and polish panel, none of this wipe on wipe off crap. works on all painted surfaces. When you find a product that works, stick with it.

 

See,
I don't really know anything about them either, just that they are applied well within that first year.

 

Not a rubbing compound, polish for buffing liquid.