In the old days, seems like the advice was to allow the paint several months to cully cure before waxing the vehicle. Is this still true? I went to my detailer and he said lets wax it in 3 months but i think that had more to do with him thinking it already had wax vs paint curing, but im not sure. Decided it would be goodmto ck with tou folks. My LE came from port, to dealership and in my hands a day later. It is now a month old
Wax, paint need more cure time?
- Thread starter Rdfish1
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Jessrin
New member
open the drivers door and see what date it was made. The silver sticker will have a date. This will give you a better month when it was made. Me on the other hand. I would wax it.. Hand Wax it, not Machine wax... I don't do those or have them done.. I hate swirl marks on the paint in the sun glare shine.. Most dealers wax it before it sold anyway.
blacksheep4
New member
I waxed mine the first day I had it that was over 60 degrees, when it was about a month old. My thinking was that I'd rather have a coat down to protect it from road salt this winter than worry about the paint curing. I'm no expert but I would think that by the time a new vehicle is taken for delivery the paint should be fine. A month later and my paint job still looks great
manofsteele2003
New member
That is the old myth, paint is cured at the factory via heating booths no cure time needed after delivery. If you have body work done you need to wait 30 days because they don't cure in a heat booth like the factory. Wax away.
<<<<
Senior Member
No sooner then 60 days according to Maaco:
"Caring For Your New Paint
FIRST TWO WEEKS
It is best not to wash the vehicle for the first 15 days. This is a guideline and not a hard rule. If your vehicle is dirty enough to annoy you during the first couple of weeks then wash it following the guidelines below.
FIRST TWO MONTHS
Caring for your vehicle new paint job is critical for longevity. Be sure not to wax new paint as it takes about 60 days to fully cure. This will allow the finish to completely dry and cure. Your paint needs "breath" to ensure a complete cure. This is a hard rule, don't wax it during the first couple of months!
WASHING
Wash the vehicle in the shade only - Never in the sun.
Do not dry wipe the vehicle. Always use clean cool water with automotive soap. Dry wiping can cause scratching. Use plenty of water first, then wipe with a clean, wet, cotton cloth or sponge to wash off dirt. Be sure to keep the surface wet to prevent scratching.
WAXING
Always use a quality wax approved for automotive paint. Do not use silicone containing or super polymer containing waxes or polishes. Silicon-based wax penetrates all layers of paint. Today's finishes do not need such extreme protection. Removal of such waxes is very time consuming and makes touch ups difficult.
Before you wax, give your paint a good washing. Use plenty of water first, then wipe with a clean, wet, soft cotton cloth or sponge to wash off dirt. Be sure to keep the surface wet to prevent scratching. Dry with a soft chamois cloth.
It's important to keep your paint waxed, as this helps to protect the finish from minor scratches. Most waxes incorporate UV inhibitors also, which helps to protect your paint from the sun."
"Caring For Your New Paint
FIRST TWO WEEKS
It is best not to wash the vehicle for the first 15 days. This is a guideline and not a hard rule. If your vehicle is dirty enough to annoy you during the first couple of weeks then wash it following the guidelines below.
FIRST TWO MONTHS
Caring for your vehicle new paint job is critical for longevity. Be sure not to wax new paint as it takes about 60 days to fully cure. This will allow the finish to completely dry and cure. Your paint needs "breath" to ensure a complete cure. This is a hard rule, don't wax it during the first couple of months!
WASHING
Wash the vehicle in the shade only - Never in the sun.
Do not dry wipe the vehicle. Always use clean cool water with automotive soap. Dry wiping can cause scratching. Use plenty of water first, then wipe with a clean, wet, cotton cloth or sponge to wash off dirt. Be sure to keep the surface wet to prevent scratching.
WAXING
Always use a quality wax approved for automotive paint. Do not use silicone containing or super polymer containing waxes or polishes. Silicon-based wax penetrates all layers of paint. Today's finishes do not need such extreme protection. Removal of such waxes is very time consuming and makes touch ups difficult.
Before you wax, give your paint a good washing. Use plenty of water first, then wipe with a clean, wet, soft cotton cloth or sponge to wash off dirt. Be sure to keep the surface wet to prevent scratching. Dry with a soft chamois cloth.
It's important to keep your paint waxed, as this helps to protect the finish from minor scratches. Most waxes incorporate UV inhibitors also, which helps to protect your paint from the sun."
4gin007
New member
Not true. I paint cars for a living and collision repair facilities do have a bake cycle that bakes cars at 160 degrees for 20 min, or what ever the paint manufacturer recommends. It is also recommended to wait 90 days after a repair to wax your vehicle as the clear coat can release solvents as long as 90 days out. Even if its baked.
manofsteele2003
New member
This is true but I believe that a factory finish is baked at a higher temp given that it's just a shell and not a complete car with items that would be damaged with a higher heat. Anyways I think you're fine as the owners manual speaks nothing of a cure time for the paint before waxing and I'd always think twice about taking the word of a salesman. Also as others have mentioned take a look at your manufacture date, it's probably over 90 days old anyhow.
Last edited:
blacktrdpro
New member
In the late 1980s, I took delivery of a special order Chevy truck four days after the build date. I could smell the paint in the garage for at least a month. It was an "old school" non-clearcoat acrylic enamel, dupont centari. Now, I suspect OEM paints have a waterborne clearcoat system that outgas in hours. Also, I would hope that Toyota applies some type of spray on wax or coating before oversea transport.
Blitzkrieg
New member
Quote: "No sooner then 60 days according to Maaco:"
1) Are they even still in business?
2) Would you take your vehicle there, ever?
Wax your 4Runner at will. It's spent more than enough time between mfg in Japan, on the boat getting here, at the dealer and getting prepped that the paint is as cured as it's going to get by the time it's in your garage for the first time.
This old wives tale dates back to the days of lacquer paint jobs (and was applicable then) but with modern paints is just not reality. A couple weeks, yes. Months? No.
1) Are they even still in business?
2) Would you take your vehicle there, ever?
Wax your 4Runner at will. It's spent more than enough time between mfg in Japan, on the boat getting here, at the dealer and getting prepped that the paint is as cured as it's going to get by the time it's in your garage for the first time.
This old wives tale dates back to the days of lacquer paint jobs (and was applicable then) but with modern paints is just not reality. A couple weeks, yes. Months? No.
Lexusbstrdchild
New member
Wax that *****!
<<<<
Senior Member
1) Yes, they still in business.
2) I would take my car there or any body shop that has been in business for a while.
Do you think every local Toyota has a Dealer based body shop?
It helps to do little research before flaming away around any forum.
Blitzkrieg
New member
I'm not flaming you. Maaco sucked 20 years ago when I was poor and looking for a cheap paint job and I seriously doubt they are anything better than a cheap paint shop today.
;-)
manofsteele2003
New member
Agreed, I have seen some nice stuff come out of there and seen some really horrible stuff. Guess it all depends on what you spend.
