Care of non-factory paint q's
 

OK, so due to an untimely meeting with a deer last week, my Mini is going into the shop for a new hood and a few other pieces next week. This means a freshly painted hood and possibly the panel between the hood and the door depending on how much, if any, blending has to be done.

My apologies if this has been covered as I've been searching here and on the net. I'm trying to figure out what I might need to do or not do during the 30-60 days when the paint is in its curing stage.

I normally wash about once every 1-2 weeks depending on weather with Prima Mystique followed by a treatment of Hydro and drying with MF. On occasion I might use some Slick for something stubborn and if really bad, do a little clay action with some fresh Epic. The car is a daily driver and does not have a garage to sleep in - so outside all the time.

I know I have to wait a while before putting some wax down on it. But what about the other products? E.g., should I not use Hydro on it? When the cure is done and I'm ready to wax, is it ok to clay it if it feels like it needs it? What about an initial Dawn washing? On the other hand, is there anything I should be using on it to help protect it during the curing stage before I can get wax on it (have to admit, I will feel very unprotected driving for all that time with nothing on there)?

Also, once the paint is cured, should I get any vinyl stripes installed prior to that initial wax?

Anything else I should consider or be concerned with?

TIA!

Your painter will give you a good wait-time number. Do whatever the person who is warranty-ing your paint says as far as putting products down.

Your painter should clay. If you need to clay, be careful what you use for a lube. Glide is fine to use on fresh paint.

While you're waiting for the paint to cure, you can certainly use Slick. There is more "stuff" in Hydro, so I would skip that step.

Yes, stripe before you wax. A good stripe installer will strip your wax anyway, but why mess with it.

Thanks for the excellent info DP!!!:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: