if you're in my situation , clay or no clay

X

xxterxx

New member
im contemplating whether i should clay my car before i wax my car...



my car is jet black..with 95% condition...just paint corrected about 5 months ago... but washing has always been careful... no swirls and very little minor scratches... thinking of skipping another round of polish..



the problem is that the bottom half of my car feels rough... and i heard claying will scratch the paint ( i have a notorious jet black BMW)



to clay and cause a little scratch on the car then wax



or



forget the claying... just use pre-wax cleanser and wax the car



any tips is greatly appreciated.
 
If it feels rough it's because bonded contaminents are on the paint surface. Clay will remove them. If you use plenty of lube then marring will be minimal.
 
Mother's clay is one of the more mild over the counter brands if you decide to do it yourself. Take your time and you will probably be ok as long as you paint isn't too soft.
 
Take a look on Autogeek or even Autopia Product section. I think Sonus makes a clay for bi-weekly detailing that does not marr the finish. Its just an ultrafine clay to remove contaiminates that will not scratch the paint or remove clear coat. I would definately clay it thought!



Dan
 
If you decide to clay that ultra soft jet black BMW clear, then you might want to think about using this.... Car Detailing Clay Bar - Sonus Ultra Fine Detail Clay clay to do it.



One of the very top pros on this site posted pictures last year of him causing marring on a jet black bmw by wiping it's totally clean paint with a soft clean MF. Claying is going to be more harsh than a soft clean MF. The chances are very high that you will get at least some marring.



Using a good filling glaze (RMG, MFTG, P21S PCL, etc.) followed by a good carnauba will help fill and hide any marring caused by claying, as well as other light swirls, defects, etc. Normally, sealants are very unforgiving of defects; they tend to amplify them instead of hide them. Just something to think about with that jet black bimmer.
 
I did not even have to read the thread. There is almost no reason not to clay. If it's been three months or more since you last clayed, it's time to do it again - especially if it feels rough to the touch after washing.



EDIT: Virtually all over the counter clay packages are *very* mild. They may not even remove LSP.
 
Claying is never a bad idea done properly. Have you had a close look to see if you can see the contaminate. Just a thought but being a black car maybe it is tar and a solvent wipe would be a faster less marring approach.
 
I guess the best thing for you to do would be to do a small test spot and observe the reults. Or you could also consult the detailer who detailed your vehicle in regards to his methods and the softness of your paint. Be sure to post the results if you go through with it.
 
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