Can You Drive a Car Right After Painting in the Rain?
2 Answers
The best course of action is to immediately drive to a place where it's not raining. Below are additional details: 1. After painting: It's advisable not to expose the car to rain for three days and avoid washing it for a week. If the freshly painted car gets rained on, leave it as is. Wait for a week after painting before washing, then perform polishing to check the effect. If any abnormalities disappear, that's ideal; if not, repainting may be necessary. 2. Avoid touching the freshly painted surface: Once the paint is dry, use 1500-grit sandpaper with a sanding block and water to grind until watermarks are removed, then polish to achieve the desired effect. 3. If it starts raining during painting: Stop immediately and move the car to a dry area. If only the 1K base coat is applied without the clear coat, you can sand off the watermarks and repaint. If the clear coat has already been applied, do not repaint; instead, wait for it to dry, then sand and repaint. 4. Industry standards: For 48 hours after painting, do not wash the car, expose it to direct sunlight, or let it get rained on, as the paint may not be fully dry. Rain can cause the paint to become foggy and lose its shine.
I just bought a new car and had it repainted. The shop owner specifically reminded me not to drive it out in the rain for at least three days after the paint job. The fresh paint is like wet oil paint and needs time to naturally cure. If raindrops hit the car, water stains can seep into the paint, causing spots or micro-cracks, which would require costly repairs later. I’ve experienced this before—I drove out in light rain to buy groceries and came home to find faint marks on the paint, which was really frustrating. Now, I wait at least 48 hours to ensure the paint is fully dry before using the car normally. In the meantime, parking it in a garage or covering it with a waterproof car cover is a simple and effective solution. Remember, taking good care of fresh paint keeps your car looking sharp and stylish.
