Brand New car, to use sealant or not sealant

WillSports3 said:
There's always minor swirls, a lot of it is because the person who sanded and buffed the paint at the factory is on a time constraint. Your car may look fine but assuming that the dealership got their grubby paws on it, it just might all be glazed over.
Second thing, if body shops knew all about paint care, there wouldn't be people who paid their mortgages by fixing the body shop mistakes.
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Factories use machines to paint cars and body panels get dipped. I don't think anyone from the factory is buffing and wet sanding lol.
 
Actually cars like a lexus gets wet sanded usually three times and buffed before release.

Edit:

You are right though it does depend on the manufacturer.
 
On the higher end Lexus models, they apply multiple layers of colour coat, clear coat, and tinted clear coat with wetsanding inbetween to create their finish. It's why usually on the higher end lexus models after 2008, you won't see too much orange peel, or a lot lesser than a lot of other manufacturers.
 
WillSports3 said:
On the higher end Lexus models, they apply multiple layers of colour coat, clear coat, and tinted clear coat with wetsanding inbetween to create their finish. It's why usually on the higher end lexus models after 2008, you won't see too much orange peel, or a lot lesser than a lot of other manufacturers.
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not questioning you, please don't take it that way...

where does one get this info? i try to google this kind of stuff all the time and can never find it.....hahahahha
 
cleanmycorolla said:
not questioning you, please don't take it that way...

where does one get this info? i try to google this kind of stuff all the time and can never find it.....hahahahha
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It took me about 5 minutes of searching to find out lol. Lexus actually still uses human hands at times to perfect the paint during the manufacturing process. I'm a little surprised because Lexus paint doesn't really pop to my eyes. Not like German paint, and Germans use strictly robotic arms and dipping procedures.

https://lexusenthusiast.com/2010/08/04/lexus-manufacturing-master-of-paint/

this is is a slightly older article so we can't really say for sure they still do it this way.
 
There may be a few minor swirls in the paint. The dealership may have applied a glaze to hide them and may not appear until the next couple of washes (especially if the paint wasnt layered with a wax or sealant).

James
 
The only reason I know that is because when I walked into the lexus dealership, I asked for their most knowledgeable sales guy who turned out to be their sales manager and asked him why I should pick up a lexus instead of an infiniti or a bmw, or an audi. The paint is one of the reasons. Lexus paint looks amazing when properly polished, it's got a nice mirror shine from further away and crazy flecks upclose.
 
Sorry for late reply had to travel for work. was in a 1g area for a long time had internet withdrawls.

custmsprty said:
What color is it?

My buddy just took delivery of a new 2018 Audi A5 Sportback. As you've seen on the highway when they are delivering their cars they have covers on them. His still had light swirls on it. It's dark gray so easier to see. It sill has swirls on it LOL. But that's another story.

A light polish as noted would do wonders to bring out the shine in the paint.
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My truck is Ruby Red, the official color from Ford. It is basically a darker metalic red, in the shade it looks maroon, in the full sun it looks kind of like a candy apple red.


Mike Phillips said:
Is this new truck going to live in doors or is it going to be parked outside most of the time?


:)
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Half and half, I do a have a garage it will be in however this is typically going to be at night. It is my daily driver and the parking lot at work has no shade so it will be full sun during the day.


idriveblackcars said:
Factories use machines to paint cars and body panels get dipped. I don't think anyone from the factory is buffing and wet sanding lol.
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You are actually very correct. I work for the auto industry. Being I custom ordered my truck and my connections with Ford I got to go to the factory and walk the line and watch my truck being built. F150's are built here in Michigan at the Dearborne plant. When painting trucks or pretty much most cars these days they are dipped into a giant tanked and then rolled over while under the paint to get any air bubbles out. This is the primer paint which is all the same color underneath. The thickness of the paint is controlled by the electrical current flowing through the metal body. Doors, hoods and so on all come in from their own lines painted separately. I do not know though how clear coat is applied, but it is probably sprayed by robots, i didn't get to see that part. I know the primer is dipped. Then there are robots that spray the main colors. However I can also tell you the tailgate, the hood, the doors, are not all painted by the same tanks of paint or robots at the same time. At least not on the bigger trucks. Cars it is possible. I don't know all the lines. so it is possible some car assembly lines are done differently. So it is possible that say doors have different thickness of paint and clear coat than say the hood or the body. Like everything there are tolerances. Just throwing random numbers out there since I do not know for sure. But say paint thickness 4-10 mm as a tolerance. Your body may be 4mm your doors may be 10, your hood may be 5. as long as it meets the specs it is considered good. Not to mention all the little painted pieces and parts like color matched doors handles and so on. We don't do paint in the part of the auto industry I am in, we do heavy metal and steel, structures.

If you have never been to a auto manufacturing plant you should go to one that has tours, it is quite fascinating. It is an orchestrated ballet of assembly. Car doors are assembled in one place, tails gates another, it all starts with the frame of the vehicle which starts upside down. They put on the entire underside of the truck first, shock and brake lines and suspension. Later on it gets to a spot where it gets flipped over. Down comes engines and transmissions and things from overhead. Later comes cabs and so on, interior put in. Later on the doors and stuff that was assembled and put together elsewhere comes in. It always amazes me how they keep everything straight. Cars are assembled in the order the order is received. So you may have a Red XLT crew cab 2 wheel drive followed by a Blue Platinum short cab 4 wheel drive, Followed by a black extended 8 ft bed followed by a king ranch with 2 tone pain and leather interior.

When each car is completed it does go into room with special lighting and the paint is all visually inspected by several trained inspectors. If they see anything out of the ordinary they circle them with something. I am not sure a wax pen or something. When they come out if a car or vehicle has been flagged with a paint issue it then goes off to another area where the pain will get repaired. Mine was not flagged so I know the paint itself was not touched by anyone at the factory. Mine did have something wrong with the instrument cluster so the did pull it off the line and replaced that.

Anyway, I watched the whole truck being assembled up to where they took it out to the lot to await delivery. 1 week later it arrived at the dealer. The dealer did wash it, but I picked it up the next day. So I am pretty sure on it wasn't touched all too much.
 
All it takes is that one dealer wash to instill swirls. You may want to consider a light polish.
 
I would recommend it as others have said as well. Protect the paint as soon as it gets, IMO.

Talking of SWIRLS... To ALL: how to avoid those suckers... how do they appear? I read somewhere it's from water sitting to long on the paint???
 
Shadowworldz said:
Talking of SWIRLS... To ALL: how to avoid those suckers... how do they appear? I read somewhere it's from water sitting to long on the paint???
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Water has nothing to do with instilling swirls. They occur when dust/dirt is wiped/dragged across the paint without sufficient lubrication.

Dirt is far worse than lack of lubrication though.. Because you can actually wipe your paint with a dry microfiber towel as long as your paint is completely clean when you’re doing so i.e. drying the vehicle or wiping off polish, compound, wax, etc. It’s only when dust/dirt comes into play that swirls can be instilled in the paint.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Water has nothing to do with instilling swirls. They occur when dust/dirt is wiped/dragged across the paint without sufficient lubrication.

Dirt is far worse than lack of lubrication though.. Because you can actually wipe your paint with a dry microfiber towel as long as your paint is completely clean when you’re doing so i.e. drying the vehicle or wiping off polish, compound, wax, etc. It’s only when dust/dirt comes into play that swirls can be instilled in the paint.
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What you use to dry/wash the vehicle can have an effect beyond any grit getting rubbed across the paint. If it isn't soft, the simple act of washing and/or drying will cause swirls. For many years I used an Absorber towel for drying my vehicles and was always dismayed by the swirls which would start to form over time. Once I switched to MF towels, it was no longer a problem.

The hardness of the paint can have a big part in the swirls as well. On our Toyota, I once manged to leave some marring with my finger tip when I did a swipe to admire how slick the clean paint felt. On paint that soft almost anything touching the paint has the potential to cause swirls or marring.
 
Desertnate said:
What you use to dry/wash the vehicle can have an effect beyond any grit getting rubbed across the paint. If it isn't soft, the simple act of washing and/or drying will cause swirls. For many years I used an Absorber towel for drying my vehicles and was always dismayed by the swirls which would start to form over time. Once I switched to MF towels, it was no longer a problem.

The hardness of the paint can have a big part in the swirls as well. On our Toyota, I once manged to leave some marring with my finger tip when I did a swipe to admire how slick the clean paint felt. On paint that soft almost anything touching the paint has the potential to cause swirls or marring.
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True, but I’m of the belief that any sort of post wash drying is happening on 100% clean paint. If I go immediately from the sheet rinse to towel drying there shouldn’t be a possibility of dirt while drying the paint.

Dirt on my drying towel only happens in known locations. Windows, window trim, windshield cowl, bumpers, etc. But IMO it shouldn’t be possible for dirt to still be on any painted surface after the wash.
 
I think your plan is perfect. New cars would benefit the most from a layer of protection. They create a shell and you apply with a pad that has zero cut... so your buddy is confused. Even factory paint jobs aren't perfect though, so maybe you could do an AIO like 360 or hd now and then a good extra seal in the fall?
 
right.. so before I forget..its always sealant than wax. when do I do the polish? still confuses me... (new car here as well). I have some tiny patches (like pinpoint_) drips on my hood which could be tree sap not sure,yeah on a car with 91miles... kinda stange. should I try to clean and then polish those out???

thanx mates.

~~SW~~
 
Shadowworldz said:
right.. so before I forget..its always sealant than wax. when do I do the polish? still confuses me... (new car here as well). I have some tiny patches (like pinpoint_) drips on my hood which could be tree sap not sure,yeah on a car with 91miles... kinda stange. should I try to clean and then polish those out???

thanx mates.

~~SW~~
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To keep it simple stupid, there's sort of 3 or 4 steps after you've washed and clayed.

1. correction (swirls, scratches, halo etc). Generally only needed in spots on newer or well cared for cars.
2. polish (ligh swirls and scratches) also brings out shine in all vehicles. Generally needed after correction too.
3. seal or wax (protect all that work you just did. You can use either or here. Today most tend to go with a sealant as it is a longer lasting protection than most waxes)
4. optional - wax over the top of seal (personal preference. wax can bring more shine and glow to top a sealant. By this time I'm too freaking tired and more than satisfied with the shine i'm getting from a sealant. Not sure if you can seal over a wax, i think that's not as common or recommended. The seal will need something to bond to and your wax will prevent that).

there's also paint cleansing and wipe downs and other things people do. Just the basics above. If your car is in decent shape you can also just do a 1 step All in One (pick your brand). You can still do a 1 step after some spot correction as well.
 
I had the dealer polish the hood cause of the (Somewhere I mentioned those spots in this thread). They seem to be gone. so now almost time for the sealant.

Do you guys recommend at all like a Flex to apply a sealant? cause this is usally a tougher job (by hand) than waxing, IMO.
 
I use my DA to apply a sealant. It's a real time saver and I feel the application of product is much more even.

I'll use a soft foam waxing pad and keep the pad speed REALLY slow.
 
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