If my car is brand new should I clay bar it before using polish?

[Chunkee]

i got a new ride and the dealer detailed it with wax or polish i am sure, the car is on week old...was thinking of the meguires or zaino system, but did not know if the clay bar was needed on a new car or a car that has been around a while

JC

 

[AsianriceX]

You shouldn't have to use clay on a new car. The clay bar is used to remove very fine impurities that accumulate on your paint over time. It's to remove things such as pollution, brake dust, things of that sort. Seeing as you have a new car, it hasn't been exposed to such impurities and you should just wax it.

 

[raptor13]

If you do the Zaino stuff, remember to wash the car with dish soap first. You have to get rid of the old wax before putting the good stuff on. As for the clay bar, why not use it? It sure can't hurt anything and it could end up making a difference. It's a one-time deal so you might as well. That was my take on it when I Zaino-ed my car and it turned out fabulous.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: AsianriceX
You shouldn't have to use clay on a new car. The clay bar is used to remove very fine impurities that accumulate on your paint over time. It's to remove things such as pollution, brake dust, things of that sort. Seeing as you have a new car, it hasn't been exposed to such impurities and you should just wax it.

<<Zaino Z-18? ClayBar was designed to remove airborne contaminants, paint overspray, water spots, rail dust, industrial fallout, diesel fuel & catalytic converter residue and any other bonded surface contaminants from paint.>>

I'd use it.

 

[dnuggett]

remember to wash the car with dish soap first

Dude don't do this. The wax has an agent to remove the former buildup if it is any good. Dish soap is not a good way to remove the wax it also screws your paint...

 

[Chunkee]

the zaino site says to use dawn just once

i guess i could clay bar it, just did not know if i needed to since it was brand new and dont think there is any contaminant build up

 

[Chunkee]

more

 

[loup garou]

Sounds like a lot of work for little to no gain, I vote no.

 

[tcsenter]

There would be absolutely no reason to clay a brand new finish.

 

[freebee]

The car is shipped from a long distance away. Therefore it will likely to have been exposed to airborne pollution, dust, etc. Wash with dishwashing liquid first to strip all current wax from the surface. Clay the surface...making sure that the bar is lubricated sufficiently. Run your finger along the surface, it should be perfectly smooth before you begin using any addtional polishes or waxes.

 

[Lvis]

What a bunch of B.S.

The last thing you want to do to a paint job is to use an abrasive on it. Itwears down your clear coat! Once the clearcoat is gone, you are s.o.l.

Yes, it does make the paint look better, but you really ought not to do it too often, certainly not on a new car.

 

[Bullhonkie]

I went ahead and did it to my new car last month. You'd be surprised at how many contaminants are already in your paint by the time it hits the dealer's lot. It's not something you REALLY have to do though. I use Zaino so I wanted it to have the cleanest canvas possible before starting on the 20 layers of Z5 and Z2. Make sure you wash it well afterwards to get rid of any residue that may have been left behind.

autopia.org - seems to be having difficulties at the moment, but a very good resource.

 

[orion7144]

You can do alot of damage if not done correctly. I do not recommend it.

 

[mdbound]

When I got my car, I was scared of doing it too, so I didn't. Instead, I followed the Zaino system. Well, I ended up getting these really faint smears when I applied Z5 and when I was trying to remove it. I was pissed, cuz I spent a lot of money on the Zaino's and my black finish was looking pretty crappy.

Anyway, I emailed Sal (he's the founder of Zaino's), and another trusted resource, Kerm (you should SEE his car....pure black). Anyway, they told me that it's probably the rail dust on my car from the transport over from Canada to So Cal. I got the clay bar, and after using it, the difference was night and day. Seriously, that thing was incredible.

So, a long story short, use the clay bar. It's TOTALLY worth it. And I highly doubt it would damage your paint (or clear coat) if done properly, i.e. wash the car like 2-3 times so that there is NO dirt on it, and then using the zaino soap (z7 I think), as a lubricant, going over the entire car. Again, it was totally worth it on my black Camaro SS.

Good luck!

MD.

 

[newuser]

Yes, Clay the car. As said above, most cars are shipped via rail where rail dust settles on the finish. Also, the cars sit on the lot where they sit and accumulate further contamination. CLAY IS NOT AN ABRASIVE! (if used properly with sufficient lube). Really, the clay never actually touches the paint, it is always seperated from the paint by a thin layer of lube. The clay shears off the contaminants sticking out past the lube layer and are embedded in the clay.

The Dawn wash is an essential step in any Zaino System. Zaino utilizes a polymer which bonds to the clear coat, if you do not wash with dawn there will be a barrier of old wax between the zaino and the paint surface, not allowing the Z to bond properly. The Zaino will not last as long if the dawn wash is not performed (as it will break down once the carnuba wax beneah it breaks down).

As far as Dawn being bad for the paint... The dawn does not necessarly lube as well as a car wash soap does so it may introduce more swirls. So what I do is make a wash with Dawn and car wash soap which does the trick for me. The reason dish wash soap is thought of as "bad" for the finish is that it strips the wax off, which is what you want to do in theis case...

Dude don't do this. The wax has an agent to remove the former buildup if it is any good. Dish soap is not a good way to remove the wax it also screws your paint...

Nope, not Zaino. Zaino does not contain any cleaning agents (chemical or abrasive). Zaino Z-5 and Z-2 waxes are simply protective waxes.

I use Zaino myself as well as Klasse. Klasse is an acrylic wax from Germany. It is a two part system (All in One (AIO) and a Sealant Glaze (SG) ) This is another great product similar to the Zaino system. www.topoftheline.com sells the klasse. www.zainobros.com for zaino.

Not sure if you have used Zaino before, but when you do end up applying it, apply the coats VERY thin, VERY VERY thin, you should be able to barely see it. This will give you a better result as well as make your products last longer.

HTH

I know, I know they Zaino seems like a lot of hype, I felt the same way. Onec you actually use the product though you will be hooked.


This is what I would do:
Dawn Wash
Clay
Wash again
Zaino
Enjoy!

 

[Eli]

/me takes notes

Good info in here. 🙂

 

[Chunkee]

thanks guys for the info, i need to order my kit...

JC out

 

[Triumph]

Thankfully, newuser seems to know what he is talking about. Not too many people on here knowledgeable about detailing. Dawn doesn't ruin your paint; it is a degreaser, and wax is a grease, so Dawn removes old wax. I still don't think you need to claybar a brand new car, but I haven't had a new car for 3 years so I can't say I have any experience with it. Run it over a few panels and if the clay bar is getting dirty, then it's working. If it isn't getting dirty, you're wasting your time. Simple as that!

Originally posted by: orion7144
You can do alot of damage if not done correctly. I do not recommend it.

Hardly. Claybar does not remove clear coat, or cause scratches if done right. All you need is to keep molding it and turning it, and use a good lubricant such as quick detailing spray or soap and water. Trust me, anyone can use a claybar.

 

[orion7144]

Originally posted by: Triumph
Thankfully, newuser seems to know what he is talking about. Not too many people on here knowledgeable about detailing. Dawn doesn't ruin your paint; it is a degreaser, and wax is a grease, so Dawn removes old wax. I still don't think you need to claybar a brand new car, but I haven't had a new car for 3 years so I can't say I have any experience with it. Run it over a few panels and if the clay bar is getting dirty, then it's working. If it isn't getting dirty, you're wasting your time. Simple as that!

Originally posted by: orion7144
You can do alot of damage if not done correctly. I do not recommend it.

Hardly. Claybar does not remove clear coat, or cause scratches if done right. All you need is to keep molding it and turning it, and use a good lubricant such as quick detailing spray or soap and water. Trust me, anyone can use a claybar.

Thats why I said "if it's not done correctly"

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: orion7144

Originally posted by: Triumph
Thankfully, newuser seems to know what he is talking about. Not too many people on here knowledgeable about detailing. Dawn doesn't ruin your paint; it is a degreaser, and wax is a grease, so Dawn removes old wax. I still don't think you need to claybar a brand new car, but I haven't had a new car for 3 years so I can't say I have any experience with it. Run it over a few panels and if the clay bar is getting dirty, then it's working. If it isn't getting dirty, you're wasting your time. Simple as that!

Originally posted by: orion7144
You can do alot of damage if not done correctly. I do not recommend it.

Hardly. Claybar does not remove clear coat, or cause scratches if done right. All you need is to keep molding it and turning it, and use a good lubricant such as quick detailing spray or soap and water. Trust me, anyone can use a claybar.

Thats why I said "if it's not done correctly"

I'm with this guy. If you're not careful with a claybar, you can seriously f*ck up the finish on the car.