Why Shouldn't You Wax a Freshly Painted Car?
- If you got a factory painted car, it's okay to wax it immediately but for a car you repainted (or had a shop repaint), you need to wait for the paint to cure. As part of the curing process, the paint releases solvents and completes drying all the way through. Waxing disrupts this process.
- According to wax manufacturer Meguiar's, you can wax new cars immediately because they get baked in special ovens (at heat up to 300 F). This speeds up the curing process so the factory painted car is completely cured by the time you buy it. Even a professional painting shop will not have the special ovens, so wait to wax.
- Most car companies recommend waiting for 30 days before waxing, though some companies prefer you wait longer. For example, VW prefers customers wait 90 days before applying wax and warns customers not to use waxes containing silicone.
