bgsm1th

Gents,
I have been detailing cars (as a passtime, not as a profession) for about 2 years now, and I have just recently purchased a PC. I practiced on a minivan and have used it a few times on my car as well as a new Escalade, a 2002 E430, a 2004 325 and a few lesser vehicals.
I have Meg's #83, #80, NXT wax and s100 in my collection of products (among other things) and I have been using Monther's clay bar for the 4-5 times that I've clayed a car.

Upon a recent visit to a friends house, he was admiring the shine of my CL and asked who I use to detail my car, after telling him it was my own handy work, he asked me if I would do his car, a 2004 Ferrari Modena spider, in return for a little behind the wheel time....Of course I said yes, probably sometime next month...

A few questions:
1) he asked me if I was good with clay and if I could do that for him. I told him that since his car is less than a year old and has only 3,500 miles on it, that it probably would not be necessary and that, frankly, I was uncomfortable claying a car of that expense (though I have clayed a few cars with excelent results)
Am I right, or would his car benefit from a clay job, and would I really be taking that much of a risk claying his new paint?

2) I find Megs #83 to be a little touchy at times, do you think I should bother with it? I don't really see the need for it as the paint appears to be in excellent condition.

3) Any other quirks about detailing an exotic that I should know about?

Oh, and of course, I will be sure to post pics......and possibly a little video of the car in action.

Thanks in advance!


B

JoganJani

First of all also try to get all your advise from autopia.org you'll get from pros.

However, I think claying will be fine even for a new vehicle. If used properly, and I bet you will looking at your experience, gives best result. Even if the car is new, it will have a lot of contaminants you will not want to seal in under wax/polish. I'll vote for claying.

CLpower

First, you should definately clay the car, don't be scared if you know what you are doing. IMO, cars should be clayed they day they are bought as a lot of contaniments build up on the travel.


Personally, i've done a few high end cars (bentley, a few porsches, a 360; have a CGT i'll attack in the summer). Most were in great shape, so I just clayed and threw on wax. A few of the porsches i've taken the PC too w/ #83. But that's only because they really needed it. That said, silver is an easy color to make look good. But if you are nervous, i'd just clay, wax, be done w/ it

bgsm1th

I guess I was under the impression that you need something like a coat of #80 before you wax, so this is not the case then?

I will plan on claying it then, thanks for talking me into it
If I polish, should I use the PC or do it by hand?
Same with the NXT wax, PC or by hand?

I have been applying the #83, #80 and NXT wax all with the PC and their respective pads since I got it, and I like what I have seen, so I think I will stick with that method

I was thinking clay, #80, nxt wax, and s100 to finish it off, your thoughts?

Thanks!

B

bgsm1th

BTW.....it's red

CLpower

Well, have you really inspected the finish? Are there swirls on it? If so how bad? Ferrari paint can be kind of hard so it may not be possible to remove them all if there are af ew left.


Personally, if I was doing the car, i'd clay, then just throw on a coat of S100.

KCPreki11

Like CLpower said, you need to make these decisions based on how the paint looks and feels. I didn't know you could screw up claying a car either? Same with a PC.