Car out of body shop, need detailing help

[KeithD]

I was in a minor accident a while ago (thanks to an idiot in a Corvette who doesn't know what a red light is). My car's in the body shop getting fixed, and it seems that everything in that shop has a coating of white dust, probably from body work on other cars nearby. My 04 Mustang is black, and it's damn near brand new.

What should I be considering in exterior care with all that dust and crap all over the place when I get it back in my driveway? Would this be a situation for a clay bar, wash, polish, and wax? Would it be a good idea to find a reputable detailer in the area to take care of it for me?

Never used a clay bar before, and not sure if this would be a proper application.

Thanks for the help!

 

[rjstaaf]

First you are gonna have to wait until you wax the freshly painted areas. Ask your shop but the general guidline is that you cannot wax fresh paint for at least 30 days and some shops recommend up to 90 days so ask your shop. You can use a glaze like Meguiars #7 show car glaze. You should be able to find it at any auto parts store. It does not offer much protection but, it is better than nothing at all.

I would not let the dealer wash or detail the car. You can do a far better job yourself.

I doubt you will really need to clay the paint at this point. The best way to test is to rub your hand over the paint after you wash it. If it feels rough than go ahead and clay.

To wash your car there are a few things to keep in mind. The goal is to avoid rubbing the dirt into the surface causing scratches. Washing and drying are the two primary sources of most scratches and swirls.

1. Use a wash mitt with long fibers that will pull debris away from the paint surface. Natural sheep skin wool mitts work best at this. Look inside the mitt, it should look like raw leather.

2. Use a good quality car wash. Suds do nothing to clean the car, you should be looking primarily for a car wash that has lots of slickness or lubricity to protect the paint from scratching. They all clean about the same. I happen to like Meguiars Gold Class car wash or Meguiars NXT Tech Wash.

3. Use two buckets, one for fresh water and the other for your car wash/water mix. Rinse your mitt frequently in the fresh water as you wash to prevent debris from making it back to the paint.

4. Before washing rinse the car with a host to remove as much debris as possible.

5. When you are done washing and rinsing take the nozzle off of your hose and starting at the top of the car let the water flow over the surface. This will cause the water to sheet off minimizing the amount of water left behind making drying easier.

6. I use waffle weave microfiber towels but, a good quality terry cotton towel will work as long as you blot rather than wipe the remaining water off.

There is really no way to avoid 100% of swirls unless you never touch your car but, hopefully these tips will help you minimize the severity and number of swirls that do occur.

 

[MyEarsHurt]

When I got one of my cars painted before they told me no waxing and no claying, nothing like that for at least a month. So i dont know if you should even attempt it yet, something to do with the paint settling? Got me, I didnt wax it during that time though...

 

[AndyG47]

Deatiling is easy. After I'm done waxing I usuall use a plain and simple toothpick. They're small enough and it doesn't mess-up the paint.

 

[x2cstang]

You don't really mention if it's overspray or just dust. If its just dust from the sanding process it will wash off with soap and water. If it's overspray I would make the shop take care of it.

 

[KeithD]

You don't really mention if it's overspray or just dust. If its just dust from the sanding process it will wash off with soap and water. If it's overspray I would make the shop take care of it.

I think it was dust from the shop in general... I can't imagine that stuff is the softest material to have sitting on my practically brand-new finish. I don't have the car back yet. I'm just trying to plan ahead and get it polished up right when I do get her back.

 

[UMDSmith]

99% chance its just dust, usually from body filler and the paint prep stage. Since you may not be able to wash it for a bit, just take a pressurized air hose at a few psi, and blow off the dust. As long as it is dry, it should come right off.

 

[maypo59]

Having had a car or two in the shop lately (tree fell on wife's Xploder last month..) when I went to pick it up, it was sparkling clean. Hopefully your shop will do the same for you..

 

[KeithD]

Sure hope so. She's been in since mid-July.