Maintaining a New Car's Factory Paint Job

How do you maintain a new car's factory finish? What can you use year round, on new automotive acrylic paint, that will preserve the factory shine and won't dull, haze, or build up on the paint like wax will?

By Toni An from CA

Answers:

Maintaining a New Car's Factory Paint Job

I don't know if there is anything you can do other than washing and waxing. Car finishes are two stage and sometimes three stages. That means there is a color coat and over that is applied a clear urethane coat that is to protect the color coat. The urethane coating also helps keeps the car finish looking new so waxing becomes an option. I just wash my car and find waxing is a waste of time. (02/14/2010)

By Deanj

Maintaining a New Car's Factory Paint Job

The absolute best product I've ever bought for my car is the Porter Cable Orbital Polisher. You can't burn the paint no matter what you do. You can achieve a polished finish that is envious to car owners. I also use Mother's products which I have found are superior to Maguiers (personal opinion).

I can apply 2 applications to the car in record time and without tiring myself out. The best price I've found is at CoastalTools.com. My 1999 Honda Passport's finish is second to none. (02/14/2010)

By Cajun

Maintaining a New Car's Factory Paint Job

Read your owners manual, talk to your dealer and talk to Sherwin Williams. They are all knowledgeable in the care of new car paint. Some paint should cure for awhile before anything is put on. My father-in-law used polish, I think he used NUFinish which I haven't seen lately, but ArmorAll and others still make polishes, not wax, and the finish looks like new 15 years later. (02/14/2010)

By Dave