I'm getting a newly painted front and rear dumper, and a cowl hood put onto my car soon. Now, how should I treat these new parts with Zaino. Should I simply start out with a good clay bar (just in case), apply some Z1, then Z2, and then finish it out with some Z6?

Is there a better way or different Zaino products I should treat newly painted pieces with? If the paint shop waxes after paint should I tell them not to and simply apply some Zaino directly to the paint?

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1993 Black Camaro Z28 LT1 T56 6-Speed (M29), Jacobs Pro Street Ignition, JBA Shortie Headers, Star Spec Stage 2 Clutch, Powerstop Rotors, Star Spec Corvette Aluminum Flywheel, ILE Elbow
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Michael Arndt, Northern California
mike@film.tierranet.com

 

I would hate to think a paint shop would apply a wax to a freshly painted part. Wait 1-2 weeks and then Zaino away. Clay it lightly IF there is overspray, if not and it is smooth just Zaino it. I've even known folks who applied Z-2 or Z-5 before taking it out of the shop, but do NOT use Z-1 or ZFX for the 1-2 weeks.

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Kevin Villier, 2002 SS #186 - 6M with Hurst and "short-stick", TT, navy blue, chrome SS wheels, Bilstein suspension, SS grill, STB, SLP loudmouth, Direct-Flo lid with Holley filter and Mallory polished MAF ends.

Louisville, KY

 

I'm curious as to why. Shouldn't that leave the paint exposed and easier to damage?

 

The reason for waiting is to allow the paint to fully cure, it won't do that as well if you seal it up with wax.

A paint expert can provide a better technical explanation.

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Kevin Villier, 2002 SS #186 - 6M with Hurst and "short-stick", TT, navy blue, chrome SS wheels, Bilstein suspension, SS grill, STB, SLP loudmouth, Direct-Flo lid with Holley filter and Mallory polished MAF ends.

Louisville, KY

 

I would wait longer than 2 weeks before I put anything on the paint. Depending on the paint type used it can take upto 90 days for the paint to fully cure. There is no single answer, and only the people who painted your car can tell you how long to wait because they know what they used. Using most PPG and DuPont products I have found 2 months in moderate to hot weather to be sufficient. Highly humid and colder weather will increase that time.

During the cure time solvents and by products of the curing process are leaving the paint. Some known as isocyanates have been found leaving the paint months after it has been sprayed. If you wax or coat the paint during this time you seal in these chemicals which can slow down the curing process, stain or cloud the paint, or cause other damage.
To keep it simple, think of paint as a plastic film (which is very close to the truth) that is sprayed as a liquid and then hardens. Modern paints are made of two or more components, one of which is a hardener. Mixing these components before spraying starts a chemical reaction that changes the liquid to a solid. Different paints are formulated for different results such as gloss, smoothness, durability, chemical and abrasion resistance. Manufacturers use different formulas to meet these needs, and often time they effect how the product cures. As an example, most clear coats that are designed to finish out (dry) very smoothly take longer to dry ( A paint can be dry but not cured). This is because in order for the paint to become smooth it has to move around. Just like a disturbed pool of water that eventually looks smooth as glass. Imagine instantly freezing that pool of water while there are still ripples. It won't be smooth. Same with paint. If it dries too fast it doesn't get the time needed to lay out flat and smooth. There are other factors that affect this as well such as temperature, humidity, paint technique, etc.

Because you have newly painted bumpers, the painters most likely added a flex agent to the paint. This may not be the case if the bumpers were painted on the car. A flex additive actually slows down certain stages of the paint curing process so that the paint remains flexible enough for the plastic parts to be installed with out cracking the paint.
If a flex agent was used, your total cure time on those parts will be much longer. Eventually the paint will get as hard as paint w/o the flex additive. These will be susceptible to scratching for some time and will require carefull washing techniques.

The most damage I see to new paint is from washing. The paint can be easily scratched for the first 2-6 weeks. Even a soft mitt can leave spider webs or swirls. Use a high quality terry cloth mitt. Remove all loose dirt and dust as you can with the hose before you start. Wash the fresh painted areas first with a new/clean mitt and use another to wash the old paint. That way your mitt will last longer and stay cleaner. DO NOT SPRAY TIRE OR WHEEL CLEANERS AROUND FRESH PAINT! These often contain acid or bleaches tha can easily attack new paint and fog it. Car covers and bras should also be avoided.

Some shops use products like Meguiars #7 and/or quick detailers if they have had to cut and buff the clear. You will need to remove this before Zaino.

Jeff