Ok I got rear ended by a guy NOT paying attention at a stop sign, nothing huge but enough that my rear bumper is getting replaced. The body shop guy told my girlfriend on the phone that I cant wash my car for a few weeks after its put on (im assuming he meant because of the paint job) is that true? Ive never heard of that before i was told this time... just curious. I was gonna do a full detail on the car as soon as it got back from the body shop but if I cant ill have to do it before it goes in...

 

what kind of hack are you going to?.....the car should come back washed and detailed already but search the forums before you to a body guy next time....you could have gotten a kit out of it or we could have sent you to a better place

 

^ +1

they should wash it right before they give it to you so you shouldnt need to wash it for a few weeks anyway.

 

you shouldnt wash/wax because the paint isnt completely cured.
it is dry, but it doesnt work the same as factory paint, which is baked on.
they cant bake your car because it would melt the plastic/rubber.
So yea, for a few months, 3-6, just leave it alone. Its normal.

 

i dunno about your body shop but the one i go to bakes the paint like factory.......unless your at maaco or something

 

If the body shop has a decent paint booth, they will be able to bake the bumper and not hurt anything

 

even after baking, paint is still in a green state, you should not wash heavily or wax(anything with a high abrassive or rubbing action) for around three days,,, light washing is fine, but waxing will deffinately take a tax on on your top coat. this may not be visible at first but after a while you'll see a slight difference... just be patient....

 

So your saying this guy cant wash his car for 6 months??

Paint takes at the most 3 weeks to cure if its not baked

 

yeah i usually wait about a week after baking before doing anything other than a light wash.. solvent popping isnt fun...

 

lol this is definately not maaco, I have had them do work on my truck before, but being as it was an older truck, and it wasnt heavy work being done to it, it never mattered. It is a reputable shop, just not one that does kits, and they are mad expensive as far as paint goes. I wanted to do a kit and full body paint but his price on the body paint killed that idea dead. I can wait a few weeks, just not months. And the reason I want to do the work is that even if he just washes it, my car needs serious detail work done as the previous ownder did not take care of the paint job, it has millions of little scratches and stuff.

 

then definately detail before it goes in for paint....If you wait til after and you are happeining to use abrassives like ScratchX and polishes then you dont want to risk it,,, detail, then paint, then be patient for a week or so and then wash... GL

 

dont worry about the 'little scratches'' as when the car gets painted, he has to scuff it up anyway for the primer/base/clear to stick properly.... too smooth and youll have adhesion problems

edit: read the above post too quick... yes, detail the section NOT getting painted before the paint job.

 

As long as the clear coat is not sticky after baking its fine. I worked in a paint shop and did final paint work and finishing. Its fine after baking and dry.

 

I have had a couple cars painted. I have used 4 different paint shops and got the same shpeel from everyone. Do not wash the car for 2 weeks and do not even consider waxing for a month. After a month a very light, non abrasive, wax could be used, like that spray on stuff that you don't have to rub off when it dries. After a month and a half they said I could start normal waxing but asked that I waited until the 2 month mark. If you do not follow their directions they will not fix anything that might happen. I expect you will get the same sort of shpeel. I think they just want you to not touch the paint with a brush or sponge and possibly scratch the green paint. You may be able to wash the car if you don't touch your bumper...but then it might just look dumb. I would ask though.

 

they say that to cover their ***... so you dont do anything stupid and blame iton them, then they need to fix the car out of their own pocket... i usually wait about a month before waxing