Is claying the paint a good thing ?

[johnayan]

Hi all,

I have a 330 E46 with "orient blau" paint. My BMW dealer tells me it's good to do a full detail every 6 months or so (inside detail, engine clean and outside). Eventhough I don't think it's completely true (especially since it's a $150+ fee), I am considering the outside only detail. He tells me it consists of:
- 4 hours of work, $90 (which is ok)
- cleaning the engine
- cleaning the outside, clay, buff job and wax

The car kind of needs it since the paint is dark and it would give a new look. I am wondering though if doing that periodically is good. Won't it damage the clear coating ? I don't want to have to repaint the car in 5 years just because some sales guy told me it's good to do all this stuff.

If somebody has useful comments, please tell me !!!!

Thanks !

:buttrock

[G. P. Burdell]

A mild claying, done properly and with care, should not damage the paint. In fact, it's quite beneficial because it shears off the embedded contaminants. If your paint feels rough after a wash, it could probably use a claying.

[Phat Ham]

A full detail is generally recommended twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall. Check out the show and shine forum: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=147

Lots of good info there. Learn to do the work yourself and save a lot of money.

[MP525i]

a detail twice a year..... :eek: :eek: :(

oh noes!!!111!

i clay my car at least once a month. just to ensure all the microscopic dirt stays off.

a FULL detail (buffers, polishes, etc) i would say twice a year... but i would push for once every season. so 4 times a year (this is coming from a guy who has to leave his car outside in the elemets and the car is driven 75+ miles per day).

to ensure protection and a healthy luster... try some carnuba wax or some meg's quick detailer.

post this in the show and shine section and you'll get a lot great responses.

-mike

[Zoso]

It certainly helped my E30. The red paint was faded and dirty. I clay barred it. I could feel 14 years of contaminants coming out of the paint and clearcoat. After a wax, it was so shiney and perrty.

I intend to do it to my M3 before the winter.

[greenlanturn]

claying your car is awesome man, twice a year is pretty much good enough like the salesman told you. i clayed my car a few months ago and it was an amazing difference, and it was super easy to do too.

sounds like the salesman was trying to convince you to take it to them for those full details which more than likely is going to be big $. Doing some research in the show n shine section and doing it yourself wouldnt be too difficult and would save you a buttload of dough.

[JaguarXJ6]

If you're claying once a month, something is wrong with where you're parking your car and/or you're not using a cover.

Claying once a year should be plentiful. In fact, with a car cover and assuming a lower amount of rain, high heat, high dust, you shouldn't pick up anything on the clay unless you are neglecting your finish. To some people, if it doesn't have dirt on it, its fine. Others, must have the wet look. And yet others, it must be perfect. I'm one of those that it must be perfect since I'm a part time detailer. And I don't clay once a month, but once a year.

This takes into consideration you're a paint fanatic and are a) washing and waxing once every 3-4 weeks, b) using a cover, c) using quick detailers for bad spots.

Claying any more is overkill. It won't hurt the paint, but you shouldn't need to clay this often and its a time waster. My Father's F250 sits outside every day, gets a hose down once a week (he does this in the AM), and gets a wash once a quarter (thats when I do it). When I clay it, I'm lucky to get some brown on one side of the clay when I'm finished. Of course, this is California and actual results may vary depending on where you are. ;)

You live in one very hostile environment otherwise. My condolences!

I was told that with as much as I wash (once a month), quick detail (once every 2 days) and wax (once every 2-3 weeks), I'll rub the paint right off. Well, its been 8 years now and I haven't gone through the clear coat. When I first started out detailing my own car, it took a couple years to perfect the technique and develop "the touch." I didn't damage the finish in that time, so to answer the original question of the thread, let them do it.

Only when you're compounding with a machine to remove swirls/scratches are you starting to wear the clear coat down. However, if you keep the finish protected, you're cutting into the top layers and minimizing any wear on the actual clear coat itself. This you only want to do once a year and done right, which is why the cost is higher. Its labor intensive for a relatively gentle procedure, compared to what a body shop can do.

Sunny

P.S. Pic of my baby below.

[MP525i]

If you're claying once a month, something is wrong with where you're parking your car and/or you're not using a cover.


yeah, unfortunately i don't have a car cover and my car stays outside 24/7. it sucks, no matter where i go (home, g/f's house, work) i'm surrounded by trees and other garbage. granted, it probably is overkill in what i'm doing, but doesn't matter me none. figure the best way to keep the 10 year old paint lookin' new is to take those precautions.

-mike

[bluebimmer320i]

I'm not gonna say that claying is bad for the car, but I think it's unnecessary in a majority of cases.

If you are willing to put in some muscle, you'd be surprised what a one day detailing fest (go with a Meguiar's 3 step) can do. I've taken 10 year old cars and made the paint look like a brand new car, super smooth to the touch without ever claying.

If you go through the 3 step and still feel a sandy texture on the paint then I'd go with the clay but unless it's totally abused, any E46 is new enough and should be like a mirror with some TLC....

[jiggynites]

wow you clay once a month, thats just way too much, unlesss you do some sort of off road dirt racing every day or something. save yourself the trouble and spend more time on waxing.

[newgsrdriver]

Way too often. Id say clay once a year max, and full detail (compound/polish/wax) 2x a year max. I wash every week and wax about every month to 6 weeks. If you need to do more to maintain your paint, something is wrong.

[aok2me]

Just used clay for the first time. It was surprisingly easy and takes no elbow grease! Definitely, it left fine scratches in some spots if you don't have the clay perfectly flat against the surface and if you don't use enough liquid to keep the surface wet (first time user). But, the results are outstanding. My rear bumper was annoyingly rough and now it's smooth again.

[Landerholm]

Shuddar. I would never let someone else detail my car. Dealers can do more harm than good when they start grinding off clear with rotary buffers... :(

[jajou318]

Man I tried claying my car with mothers...Worst thing I have ever tried. Plus I don't like using that spray detailer sctuff I guess I don't know how to use it. I would love to clay my car though the right way.

[Sweetride01]

Man I tried claying my car with mothers...Worst thing I have ever tried. Plus I don't like using that spray detailer sctuff I guess I don't know how to use it. I would love to clay my car though the right way.

Mothers clay bar and Reflections wax has done wonders for my E30. It really bought the car back into "acceptable" condition. You must be doing something wrong.

Before:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d907b3127cce9345f2a4c40f00000036109AbMWLFq0bQ

After:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d907b3127cce9345fdaa05ae00000036109AbMWLFq0bQ

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d907b3127cce9345f333053000000036109AbMWLFq0bQ

[jiggynites]

Man I tried claying my car with mothers...Worst thing I have ever tried. Plus I don't like using that spray detailer sctuff I guess I don't know how to use it. I would love to clay my car though the right way.
man do a full read up on how to clay the car, its by far one of the best things you can do to your paint.
heres a quick howto
make sure the section your doing is always beyond wet, the clay bar strait, and clean off, look at the dirt the clay bar just took off, then roll the clay bar into a ball, it will clean itself like magic, set it flat again,and start again.