Clay bar or Pinnacle paint cleansing lotion

[Ztandem]

Which would you choose prior to polishing? I'm thinking it depends on how the paint "feels". I have both, bit only used the PCL before waxing this past weekend. I did use the lotion with white pad on a DA. I only did the hood and trunk on my red Z4 roadster, but it obviously removed a bit of haze. I'm betting the clay bar wouldn't do anything about the haze. So how do you decide to clay versus cleansing lotion?

[jpegs13]

You're correct on "how the paint feels". Put your hand in a baggie and drag it across the paint. If you feel it snagging, use clay, otherwise the PCL should do just fine. I don't know what you mean by haze pics would help. Could be micromarring. Do you have polishing products? Other pads?

[Shane731]

If you're going to polish, I would just clay. If you're not going to polish and you're just putting a new/another coat of wax/sealant on, check out this thread:

The benefits of a light paint cleaner, cleansing lotion or pre-wax cleaner (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/28519-benefits-light-paint-cleaner-cleansing-lotion-pre-wax-cleaner.html)

[BobbyG]

If you're going to polish, I would just clay. If you're not going to polish and you're just putting a new/another coat of wax/sealant on, check out this thread:

The benefits of a light paint cleaner, cleansing lotion or pre-wax cleaner (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/28519-benefits-light-paint-cleaner-cleansing-lotion-pre-wax-cleaner.html)

I agree with Shane on this one.

If I'm going to do paint correction I always clay first. Using a lotion and then polishing "seems" like a waste of good product to me but then again that's only my opinion.

[Ztandem]

You're correct on "how the paint feels". Put your hand in a baggie and drag it across the paint. If you feel it snagging, use clay, otherwise the PCL should do just fine. I don't know what you mean by haze pics would help. Could be micromarring. Do you have polishing products? Other pads?

The haze was similar to cleaning a dirty window. The PCL did a good job of making the red cleaner and brighter. Yes, I have polishing products, but I'm recovering from a back fusion,which is why I only did the hood and trunk. Thanks.

[Ztandem]

This answers my question. The one thing that I didn't do was to let it dry before I removed it. Next time!


If you're going to polish, I would just clay. If you're not going to polish and you're just putting a new/another coat of wax/sealant on, check out this thread:

The benefits of a light paint cleaner, cleansing lotion or pre-wax cleaner (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/28519-benefits-light-paint-cleaner-cleansing-lotion-pre-wax-cleaner.html)

[Allen Anderson]

Is there some other way to remove ASBC's that would last longer then a clay bar? I got a really contaminated car its prob gonna cost me 20-40 bucks in clay bars if not more to get it clean enough for the wax. Is there a more cost effective solution for a really far off car like this or is clay really the only way to go?