Skyhawk27

My new Grand Sport is suppose to arrive next week.
It was built on March 7th.
Can I clay Bar and wax it right away? or do I have to wait a while to let paint cure and thoroughly dry?
Skyhawk27

guido7834

Congrats! You'll love it. It'll be a great car, it was made on my birthday! lol

lakemg

It's cured before it leaves the plant...go for it!!

Congrats on the new ride and be sure to post photos of your new baby...

Gearbox22

Amazing how fast they build these cars, mine started to pull parts on 3/6 and finished the same day. WGG? As for the paint, it should be fine. Most dealerships would add Xpel on ordered cars soon as they receive them, so if that doesn't hurt them, I doubt wax will. But modern automotive paints will dry to the touch in a few hours and can be compounded shortly thereafter. But technically the paint actually is still drying up to about 30 days. I would let it sit for another week before clay baring it so it gives a chance to fully cure.

jimmie jam

The clear coat is cured when it comes out of the paint shop...it's not going to get any "dryer/harder" by waiting. Go for it but you should not have to clay the finish if it's coming to you immediately and not sitting around. I thought that I saw a photo that indicated they put a wrap on the cars for shipping now. Enjoy the new ride.....

L8ter

Much quicker, and easier to work with than traditional clay bars.
http://www.mothers.com/02_products/1...DD1CQ3e0HPL.97
Congratulations on the new ride!

dvilin

Congratulations on your new Vette. No need to wait before you wash, clay, polish and wax. Enjoy.

Corgidog1

Why would you clay and polish a brand new unblemished finish?

Larry/car

Your car will arrive with a few transportation cover marks that will polish off relatively easy. Both my previous 2014 and now the 2017 had a few light scratches from the cover. Initially I went over the car with a quick detailer product and polished out the cover marks. A few weeks later I used a one step cleaner wax, that is all that I have accomplished on my Admiral Blue convertible. My car's paint job is very good and a clay bar procedure wasn't needed.

cv67

no reason a new paint job needs this
wash and drive

Foosh

I recently had the owner of a high-end body shop tell me that waiting 60-90 days is a smart thing to do. He said that though modern paints "cure" very quickly, there is still some "outgassing" as part of the curing process, and that further hardening does occur for a couple months after new paint.

It's probably a minor difference, but I've always waited at least 3 months after a build date before doing anything other than a light polish.

AORoads

In the relatively recent past, paint does cure quickly (primer, paint and clearcoat). But still, there was the caution to wait 30 days. Could it be longer? Sure. I'd go with opinions of paint industry persons, just like when a car is painted after the factory. To the best of my recollection, I've not heard a paint shop tell me to go out and do whatever I want with the car's surface immediately after painting. jmo

2fastnow

I just wax them from time to time from the start. All that other stuff people do is for cars that get no attention...meaning no one on this forum!
If you get a used one then soup to nuts. All my cars have been driven and waxed. No need for deep cleaning a car that's always clean or quickly cleaned. All that extra stuff takes the clear or paint off the car.

Skyhawk27

Just in case contaminants stuck to it on the transport across the country.

Foosh

I'd just do a light spray wax, which should be enough to remove what little stuff is on a car built and painted a month ago. The kind of contaminants that the clay bar process is designed for is stuff that builds up over a year or more.

Zymurgy

Since the OP is in California, that means his GS is being shipped by rail (unless he bought from one of the big East Coast dealers and is having it trucked to CA). Rail auto-transports are NOT fully enclosed and LOTS of rail dust (metal particles) WILL find their way onto the paint. You'd be amazed at the amount of crap that the clay bar will pick up on a "brand new" "just painted" car.

cv67

x2
The companies that encourage all to wash it 3 times and put 7 different types of wax a month on wont tell ya that

Fwiw my painter is insistent on waiting about 90 days to start waxing
If I had the $ and time id be colorsanding and adding mutliple coats of clear to give it a finish that corresponds wiht the price
Some of the close ups that show up here....orange peel is real bad.

Dont own one of these but man to pay say 60k that paint better look the part!

Foosh

Yeah, but the cars are shipped with protective wrap. Even if they weren't, the contaminants wouldn't be baked on over a long period of time.

I'd still just do thorough hand wash with a good auto shampoo, check smoothness and do a light coat of wax to protect the paint and let it continue to cure for 60-90 days.

CriticalmassGT

use nanoskin. It's faster and IMO better than Claying. But unless the paint feels rough. I'd just polish and seal and call it a day.

JerryU

I plan to the same thing as soon as I get my Grand Sport being built the fist week in April, home. Told the receiving dealer NOT to wash it.

I'll wash and clay bar lightly. Did that with my 2014 for the first time since "experts" on cleaning and polishing (I am not) said just as you state, in case stuff was picked up in transport. Easy enough to do and quick. Then I am using Zaino Z-2 polish followed by Z-CS (clear seal.) Both are not waxes so even if there is some further out-gassing will not be an issue-wasn't with my 2014.

As mentioned, today's paints are cured before leaving the factory.