I bought my very first jeep on 4/27/15 (2015 JKU Sport S). I absolutely love it. I plan on using this to take my wife and two boys out hunting fishing and camping for the time being. So i would like to get some wax on it to prevent permanent damage to the paint from the AZ brush, sun, rock ect. Do I have to wait a set amount time before waxing? Also I have never waxed a vehical so any pointers on what wax is best for protecting the paint would be great. Thanks guys.
Waxing the vehicle is a great idea considering you mentioned AZ. If you are a resident I would recommend keeping a sealant and wax on the vehicle because of the UVs. Since you just purchased the vehicle it most likely has bonded contaminants in the paint from the rail yard, it is recommended that you wash, clay, seal, and or wax the vehicle. Bonded contaminants cannot be seen, however if you run your hand across the paint, you can feel them and it is a pretty good indication you need to use a clay bar prior to applying sealant or wax.
On a side note, sealants and waxes will not protect against rocks, sand, or brush. If theses issues are of concern you should look into having a clear bra installed.
This is Gene from South Texas. It's a hot sunny climate here like you have, but we have more rainfall. I just took delivery of a 2015 JKU Sport 3 weeks ago. From the dealer to my garage - first thing I did was a complete wash and wax. I used Mothers carnauba wax. Don't forget the bumpers, roof, and fender flares. They fade quickly in the bright sun. I used armor all protectant for these. FWIW I find a good wax job helps a little with the mesquite thorns on the caliche trails we have here.
New vehicles don't need outgassing time but repainted ones (at an auto body shop) do need 30 days time. I have had the best luck with Klasse All-in-One polish and Klasse sealant...last a long time and really protects well. Pretty much anything decent will work well.
Likely won't need to claybar as the coat of paint is brand new and should be fairly contaminant free. Wash and wax. Buy a cheap rotary buffer to help with wax time
Not true, the amount of contamination in the paint from the factory, delivery to the dealership and sitting on the lot is amazing. I went through an entire clay bar it's first weekend home. We'll worth the effort as you don't want to wax over imbedded contamination.
Yes to the posts that correctly outline You are good-to-go on putting on the protection. It's not a body shop job. Factory is ready for prime-time.
As for clay barring first, I wouldn't bother if it feels good to the touch.
Here is a link that should answer any question anyone should ever have about detailing. Lots of good info if you could ever get through it all. Living in Florida I try to keep a god coat of wax on it at all times.
I clayed mine the day I brought it home .you be surprised how much grit is in your paint.mothers clay bar kit .should take you less than an hour to clay and wax
^^^^This! When I got home and ran my hand across the paint I could hear and feel the contamination. It took me two days to get mine properly cleaned up. This included washing, claying, sealing, and waxing the Jeep.
Put your hand in a sandwich bag and run your fingers over the paint. It should feel smooth as glass. If grainy, use one of these Speedy Surface Prep Towel, speedy prep towel, clay towel, sm arnold clay towel, clay bar towel. I have found it much easier than clay. Also, to save a step, wash your vehicle and use the car wash soap as your lubricant instead of washing, drying and then claying with a lubricant.
There are a thousand possible approaches, we use a clay bar, glaze, then use a synthetic like Meguiars Ultimate that doesn't stain the trim. We use Mothers Back to Black or Trim Shine on the trim - something with Uv protection. Often I'll wait a day and hit the paint again with another coat of sealant. Because of all the trim and hinges, etc on the Jeep I try to find sealants that are easy to get off and won't stain. Unfortunately these sometimes don't last that long so a couple of coats is nice.
Dawn works great for stripping old wax, sealant, etc. off the paint before claying, polishing/sealing, etc. Just don't use it for normal washing unless you like re-waxing/sealing the paint each time.
I used a clay bar the first time I washed and waxed the Jeep - The clay picked up grit on every single panel. Do this before you wax and you will love the results.
I'd recommend giving it a nice cut and polish with a DA and applying some CQuartz UK instead of a wax. Using a carnauba wax on Jeeps is a waste of time in my opinion. CQUK will give a nice permanent coating for at least a year and a half, where as your average carnauba and synthetic sealants only last 2-4 months.
Wow, to many people to specifically thank for the advice so thanks too all. Ill post some pictures tonight. I am going to clay seal and wax it today. Probably throw a coat of wax on and wait a few hours and wax again.
This is such a great forum all you you guys have been very helpful for a first time jeeper like myself. Thanks so much.
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