How do I care for a newly painted car...bird poop specifically!

[EricaJane]

I own a 2002 Acura 3.2CL. I bought it last June and it had so many spots on it that had eaten through the clear coat that I could not get out. So I decided to have it painted. It's black. The paint job was spectacular. I'm wondering how long before I can wash and wax my car? It's gotten rained on and is all spotty. I've wiped it down with a rag, but it nees a good washing. In the past I've taken my car to a car wash, but I don't think those rough bristles are good for the paint job. Would a "soft cloth" carwash or "touchless" car wash be ok? If washing the car myself, is there a certain type of cloth to wash and dry it with it? I dried the rain off the car with a faux chamois...hope that didn't scratch it.

As for the bird poop...the day after getting my car back, a bird pooped on it. I wiped it off right away with a damp towel but the damage was already done. I have a huge mark on my hood where the poop was. Is this typical?? Am I going to have to have my car buffed every time a bird poops on it? I've never noticed this before on any of my other cars.

Any advice you can give on caring for a newly painted car would be greatly appreciated. Almost wish I hadn't done it...every little spot is going to drive me crazy :confused:

[Dubbin1]

Proper Washing and Drying Techniques (http://www.autogeek.net/video-wash.html)

[JonMiles]

As i'm sure you've heard before "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself", I say this because a machine like a soft touch or even touchless car wash does not know your paint is fresh or that it can hurt the paint with the wrong chemicals and techniques.

As dubbin posted, the thread will walk you through a 2 bucket wash and dry. It is the best way to prevent swirls and marring on the paint. New paint takes a little while to cure and will be soft for a few weeks. You may want to call the painter and ask when it is safe to seal the paint. I would hold off on waxing until you know for sure.

The bird bomb that got you the day after you received your car was acidic and may have eaten some of that soft clear that hadn't cured yet. The only solution for that is to properly correct the paint using a buffer.

As far as materials for washing and drying, a lamb's wool mitt is great for the wash and will be gentle on the paint, and a waffle weave microfiber, absorber, chamois or any other dedicated drying material would be safe of the paint as long as it is clean. The one thing about drying a car is that you don't want to rub the chamois on the paint, you either want to simply drag the material over the paint or blot the paint dry.

As Mike always says, use the least aggressive method to get the job done.

If you have any idea on what type of paint was used in the repaint, you can probably find the manufacture's recommended cure time to figure out how long until you wax it.

As I recommend to many of my customers, you should keep a good microfiber and a bottle of quick detailer in your car for when birds poop on it, that way you can just spray the area while the poop is fresh and wipe it away before damage happens. In the long run it will save you a lot of money on polishing out blemishes.

[gandblah]

Hi
I have a 97 Acura 3.2 Tl that also has the same problem - clear coat failure. Outside of that the car is a tank so I am planning to get it painted. If you don't mind, can you share where you got your car painted (national chain like Maaco or a local body shop) and how much did it cost?




I own a 2002 Acura 3.2CL. I bought it last June and it had so many spots on it that had eaten through the clear coat that I could not get out. So I decided to have it painted. It's black. The paint job was spectacular. I'm wondering how long before I can wash and wax my car? It's gotten rained on and is all spotty. I've wiped it down with a rag, but it nees a good washing. In the past I've taken my car to a car wash, but I don't think those rough bristles are good for the paint job. Would a "soft cloth" carwash or "touchless" car wash be ok? If washing the car myself, is there a certain type of cloth to wash and dry it with it? I dried the rain off the car with a faux chamois...hope that didn't scratch it.

As for the bird poop...the day after getting my car back, a bird pooped on it. I wiped it off right away with a damp towel but the damage was already done. I have a huge mark on my hood where the poop was. Is this typical?? Am I going to have to have my car buffed every time a bird poops on it? I've never noticed this before on any of my other cars.

Any advice you can give on caring for a newly painted car would be greatly appreciated. Almost wish I hadn't done it...every little spot is going to drive me crazy :confused:

[Dubbin1]

Hi
I have a 97 Acura 3.2 Tl that also has the same problem - clear coat failure. Outside of that the car is a tank so I am planning to get it painted. If you don't mind, can you share where you got your car painted (national chain like Maaco or a local body shop) and how much did it cost?

Well since he said the paint job was "spectacular" then we know it wasn't maaco.

[ScottB]

While modern paints dry and cure rather quickly its always best advice to follow the painter/shops warning. Washing should not hurt and removing any doo-doo immediately is ALWAYS good advice. Soon a great wax or sealant can be added for extra protection, but remember your clearcoat is designed to protect too. (when its there)

[detailjohn]

I have seen fresh paint jobs where the painter didn't put enough hardener in the clearcoat, and it didn't properly cure fast enough, and it can be very susceptible to staining from bird bombs. You will probably have to wetsand and polish the area where the bird attacked your car.

John

[richy]

I've got a couple of thoughts to share with you. First, wait about a month before sealing fresh paint. Although there are some fresh-paint friendly waxes out there to give you a little protection for the time being. Once that time has elapsed, I would recommend sealing the paint with Duragloss 105 and let it cure for 12 hours. (not dry, cure after buffing off). Then apply a coat of Collinite 845. This will give you the best protection you could ask for. Also, keep a spray bottle in your car with some ONR and a mf. Bird sh_it is acidic so you should wipe it off with the ONR (use LOTS) as soon as possible and then wash it as soon as practical. The ONR will not neutralize the acid. You will need car wash soap to do that. The key is good protection and timely removal.

[gandblah]

Well since he said the paint job was "spectacular" then we know it wasn't maaco.


Good one :)