Recently (a week ago) I got my car back after getting bodywork done from a car accident. The paperwork says because of the paint job on the front to not pressure wash or go thru automatic car wash for at least 30 days but says I can wash only by hand or touchless car wash. We recently had a big snow storm this past weekend and it's now nice weather and the snow is gone. I really want to get all of the salt off my car, so what's my best option? I live in Apartments and can't wash by hand with a garden hose and what's the difference between automatic carwash and touchless? Will pick best answer. Hopefully someone can answer with bodywork experience
Michael2017-01-13T04:09:25Z
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I have done auto body almost 4 decades and have power washed freshly painted cars several times and have had no problems, I can faintly remember paint coming off from a power washer but not on something I worked on, it was probably because someone did not sand before painting or something, it should be alright to power wash it if it was painted correctly and the meterial used was any good but paint manufacture should warranty that because I have never seen it said not to power wash a car after painting it on a can of paint... also it should be alright to use the brush at the power washer. I hear that you are not supposed to wax it for so many days too and seen people and have waxed the next day after painting with no complications but it is not my common practice to wax fresh paint but car wash wax should be alright to use. (Touchless car wash is power wash...) so I don't see the argument. Power wash with hot soapy water scrub with sock turned inside out or microfiber cloth or the car wash brush then rinse it with car wash wax then rinse it with water (no point in paying for rinse twice) best to blow dry if possible and anytime if you use a dry rag on the paint it must be a micro fiber cloth, anything else will leave scratches if the rag is dry...
I have never worried about someone power washing any of my paint work the following day... I would go ahead and power wash it and if the paint does come off (I dought that it does) take it back to them about another three weeks and tell them it happened yesterday... that is rediculous they say not to wash your car...
Do what the body shop told you are risk scratching or blowing off chunks of the uncured paint.The paint is still too soft to hit it with brushes or high pressure water jets. If you can't hand wash it, then just wait it out.