What to do with the paint on a brand new car

[ACR]

Junkman? What should we do, Clay, polish, seal? (Not cut ie skip M105). Or just wash it and seal it?

[Junkman2008]

In my 5-part paint maintenance series, I define "gauges" that one should use to direct them on what a paint job needs as far as maintenance is concerned. These gauges mostly consist of using your eyes. If a car is dirty, you wash it. Your eyes are directing your action. If your paint fails the baggy test then you clay. The bag is your gauge. If water does not bead then you need to apply some type of protection. It's not rocket science and most new car owners WAY OVERTHINK what they should do.

So using the gauges that I laid out in my 5-part series, you tell me what you need to do. Not what you THINK you should do but what you KNOW you should do because of the readings that you are getting from your gauges. I will see if you understand the entire process of paint correction by the answers you provide. If you do it this way, you will have a MUCH better understanding of how to care for your paint because no one can give you a perfect answer to your question unless they are standing there with you and looking at the same exact car you are looking at.

[Vprbite]

I like that write up, junkman. I mean, we have gauges to tell us engine temperature, oil pressure, tach, speedo etc...why not use a "gauge" for the paint? We wouldn't assume what our oil pressure is, so why assume it needs clayed if the "bag gauge" doesn't tell us so?

I appreciate it. And the world appreciates anything you do to save me from overthinking stuff. Me and overthinking just doesn't end up well. Throw in some good Irish Whiskey and nobody comes out victorious. Highly entertained, but not victorious.

P.S. I'm actually surprised that more dealerships aren't doing the ceramic coatings on brand new cars. Seems like it would be a good money maker for them. I'm not totally on board with them yet because I need to do some more of my own research.

[Junkman2008]

Thanks Vprbite. I love teaching this stuff and my answers always force people to think for themselves. If I just told people what to do, they wouldn't have a clue as to why they are doing it. By forcing people to use nothing but common sense, they not only figure out what to do but they RETAIN what they learn. This is how I was taught by a teacher who was as passionate about solid state technology as I am about detailing. He challenged and actually gifted me the ability learn what I did and when I went out into the real world, I was able to trouble-shoot and resolve issues with equipment that I had never seen before and didn't have a clue as to how it worked. That man is responsible for my ability to work 2-3 days a week and spend as much time as I do chasing women, sleeping and watching mindless TV. Not to mention, loving on my 4-wheel woman.

[BlknBlu]

Not sure of the cure process with new cars, but I like to wait at least 6 months from the manufacturers build date before getting aggressive with products on the paint.

Bruce

[ACR]

Thanks junkman. I will revisit your series to refresh. Your teaching methods are what I employ at work as an engineer, spoon feeding folks is terrible

[Junkman2008]

Not sure of the cure process with new cars, but I like to wait at least 6 months from the manufacturers build date before getting aggressive with products on the paint.

Bruce

You don't have to wait that long Bruce. The paint is baked on at the factory and is FULLY cured before the car leaves the assembly line. What people don't realize is that a car is painted BEFORE it is ever assembled so the temperatures that are used to bake and cure the paint are MUCH higher than it would be if the car was assembled first. I love touring assembly plants. You learn a lot about cars when you watch them go together and the painting stage is rather fascinating.

Thanks junkman. I will revisit your series to refresh. Your teaching methods are what I employ at work as an engineer, spoon feeding folks is terrible

I'm an electronic engineer so I agree with you big time.

[Vprbite]

True. Getting your car repainted at a shop vs painted by the factory are different.

[WillyPrep]

Can a link to the vids you are referencing be posted? I am taking delivery of my ACR and have no clue what to do. Normally i dont care, but I am trying to make an effort this time. I find working on cars, even just cleaning them is zen for me. Keeps my mind off work.

[Junkman2008]

It's more than just the videos that I spoke of earlier in this thread, you need to take in the entire concept of paint maintenance AND paint care. It does you absolutely no good to learn how to fix paint if you don't know how it's getting damaged (especially if YOU are the one damaging it). So what you need to watch starts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tcw...ZDRjGHmR-CbWJR

That is my 8-hour college course on paint maintenance. If you watch and understand every bit of it, you are going to end up spending a LOT less money and doing a LOT less maintenance to your paint. Most people come to learn what I teach in those 8-hours WAY AFTER the damage has been done. Don't be that guy. Learn all the pitfalls FIRST and you won't have to deal with the aftermath.

[1TONY1]

Junkman, I watched your videos last month. One question I have is: (since I scratched a black 911 ALL OVER when I clay bar'ed it)

Since the Vipers (I'm working on a 2014) were shipped enclosed and not by rail, do we still need to clay bar ? Black car with light swirls all over. I think from poor washing etc.
I enjoyed the videos and need to place my order for the machine, 5" back plate, 5.5" pads, meguires, Mr. Gary Deans spray, Ziaon towel (what's that spelling ?)
Yes, I took notes ;-)

[bluesrt]

for black paint, after its cleaned, I clearbra the whole car with self heal exspel, no more swirl marks or spider scratches, looks like glass all the time

[Junkman2008]

Junkman, I watched your videos last month. One question I have is: (since I scratched a black 911 ALL OVER when I clay bar'ed it)

Since the Vipers (I'm working on a 2014) were shipped enclosed and not by rail, do we still need to clay bar ? Black car with light swirls all over. I think from poor washing etc.
I enjoyed the videos and need to place my order for the machine, 5" back plate, 5.5" pads, meguires, Mr. Gary Deans spray, Ziaon towel (what's that spelling ?)
Yes, I took notes ;-)

If you took notes, answer me this. How do you tell if your paint needs to be clayed?

for black paint, after its cleaned, I clearbra the whole car with self heal exspel, no more swirl marks or spider scratches, looks like glass all the time

And how long it maintains that look will be directly related to how you touch the paint. There is NO protection that is scratch proof. Clear coat last a lot longer than any of these protections being offered and clear coat can be scratched so that should tell you that a coating is NOT the all to end all. I don't use any kind of coating and rely on nothing but common sense to keep from constantly having to fix my paint.

[1TONY1]

If you took notes, answer me this. How do you tell if your paint needs to be clayed?

That's simple.......go back and watch the videos again !! :-)

Oh wait......plastic bag !! (??) :-)

[1TONY1]

for black paint, after its cleaned, I clearbra the whole car with self heal exspel, no more swirl marks or spider scratches, looks like glass all the time

How much is that ?

[Coloviper]

You don't have to wait that long Bruce. The paint is baked on at the factory and is FULLY cured before the car leaves the assembly line. What people don't realize is that a car is painted BEFORE it is ever assembled so the temperatures that are used to bake and cure the paint are MUCH higher than it would be if the car was assembled first. I love touring assembly plants. You learn a lot about cars when you watch them go together and the painting stage is rather fascinating.

Understand and apply the logic of reasonability. However for the Viper, the Body Panels are not started nor is the car painted first. Actually all the painting of the panels are done by a 3rd party (prefix), then installed on the car very late in the build process. I think it is a valid question as to the cure time of the prefix paint. Touring the factory, I did not see a "Porsche Factory" super bake oven like they do. They definitely bake it but didn't look like a super bake oven but more like an easy bake oven. I exaggerate to clarify but you get the point. I don't have a GEN V but is there something in the manual on this. I always used the 6 month rule as well. Sometimes those tried and trusted rules like changing oil often when a new motor, they implement practicality over some of these other methods. But I am a lolly BSEE as well. This is chemistry stuff.

[Greg Good]

That's simple.......go back and watch the videos again !! :-)

Oh wait......plastic bag !! (??) :-)

Yeah, pull it down over your head and cinch it up tight!


Ha Ha!!

[Junkman2008]

That's simple.......go back and watch the videos again !! :-)

Oh wait......plastic bag !! (??) :-)

So if you are to use a plastic bag to check and see if your paint needs to be clayed or not, who is the ONE PERSON in this thread who can answer that question better than ANYONE in this thread? It ain't rocket science!

[Junkman2008]

... Touring the factory, I did not see a "Porsche Factory" super bake oven like they do.

That's because the actual painting of the panels is done at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, the old K-mart that's off Joslyn Ave (Pontiac/ Auburn Hills border). That is where the paint is baked and cured at 185 degrees so curing is done before the car's panels make it to the actual "assembly" plant. So by touring the assembly plant, you would have never seen the ovens that actually bake and cure the panels.

[Coloviper]

I toured Connor plant and toured Prefix. Pretty sure panels are painted at Prefix, just don't remember a super hot oven like in other "manufacturers" facilities. I am sure they bake it a bit but there is a bake, then a BAKE.

[Junkman2008]

You're under the misconception that baking is the only determining factor as to how long it takes paint to cure. That is incorrect. The materials used are JUST as important to the curing time. I painted my bumper inside my garage and it took less than a month for the paint to cure. Had I baked it, the paint would have cured in less than a week. The paint that I used alone ran $300 a quart. Drying time is a factor of ingredients/time/temperature, not just heat alone.

[1TONY1]

Yeah, pull it down over your head and cinch it up tight!

Ha Ha!!

I have tried that, I have kept rusty razor blades in stock......nothing seems to work !!

- - - Updated - - -

So if you are to use a plastic bag to check and see if your paint needs to be clayed or not, who is the ONE PERSON in this thread who can answer that question better than ANYONE in this thread? It ain't rocket science!

JUNKMAN !!!!

[BlknBlu]

I don't believe Prefix bakes the paint. I am not up to speed on current coatings but in the past some primers could take up to 6 months to cure and impact paint. For peace of mind I prefer to just wait 6 months before getting aggressive and adding any clear bra products.

Bruce

[Junkman2008]

... JUNKMAN !!!!

I can't help it! That's the way I was taught everything that I actually retained. When I was forced to learn something, I never forgot it. If someone just gave me the answer, I could never remember it. So now I force people to think for themselves and they always end up thanking me later.

My memory is so bad that I can't remember a woman's name thirty seconds after she has told me. I called a girlfriend of mine by 3 different names before I got it right. It's a miracle that she stuck around after that because it wasn't like she didn't have better options!

[ViperPete]

I recommend getting the clear bra ASAP.

I've had my car nearly a year now and a little over 4k miles. I can think of at least 6 stone chips in the front bumper, bottom of hood that piss me off every time I wash/wax the car.

These cars have such a beautiful stunning exterior and I have spent a lot of time washing/waxing the car and still have ZERO swirl marks. You cannot prevent stone chips and other crap like that other than having more protection on the car.

21 coats of wax (so far) hasn't prevented the paint from being damaged. I keep it waxed to make it easier to wash and prevent dirt from sticking to it. Ive washed it about 90 times so far.... junkmans videos are absolute gold.

I wish I had the entire car covered in a clear bra but cant afford it right now.