New car didn't need clay...

[Paul A.]

Today I had the third new car detail in as many weeks. For the third consecutive "new" car it did not need to be clayed. If it's worth anything, this was the second Chevy of the 3 new cars. I always do the baggie test after washing, especially on a new car to me. Today, after the baggie test, I was a bit incredulous, again, to feel nothing rough on the paint...I mean nothing...so I broke out a brand new clay bar and tried the hood anyway. C'mon, I thought, I must be losing my touch. Sure enough... Nada. Nothing coming off and no resistance with the lube. Ok, let's try the tail sectional...surely THAT has to have something that didn't wash off. Same thing, clean as the hood.

Has the detail industry widened out its reach to influence manufacturer prep services or are dealer's performing a decon step I'm not aware of? Are new cars being clayed at a vehicle prep center or something?

[Bill D]

My car and my mother’s car, both several years ago, never needed claying either. Could just be the luck of draw unless someone is using ABC on them before they reach the dealer.

[Coopers ST]

Cars come so covered in plastic now there isn’t much exposed paint. We got a new Tucson a couple weeks ago, I brought a swirl finder light with me thinking I could find some damage and use it to get a few bucks off I had to look really hard to find any, even then it was so minor I didn’t say anything.

[yakky]

Might be something they use to remove the plastic. My Volt was pretty clean too.

[Paul A.]

It's nice to find those clean conditions i.e. not needing to clay and it saves me some time so I'm not complaining at all. Both my new car (2007) and the wife's (2013) showed substantial debris removal when new and it seems to have changed a bit for the better. Hers was assembled here in the states and mine came from Germany in a cocoon via train, boat, another train and truck!

I also noticed less paint marring than normal from all 3 recent new car details...all 3 were dealer bought, not ordered and simply shuffled through the local dealer quickly.

It just seems that dealers or VPC's have upped their game in preserving factory paint. I naively want to think they have been influenced by the increased popularity of professional level detailing. I say naively because dealers only want to keep costs low and save money. They typically don't spend money on pro level detailing standards for us "2%'ers"? The large percentage of new car buyers don't notice what we do and the dealer knows that. I get that but have the manufacturers changed their shipping practices with more protection and less "touching" and have dealers done the same?

I personally think more people nowadays are aware of some form of "detailing". It's a lot different than 20,30 years ago. I like thinking that. I am also secure in the thinking that, while they think they know what detailing is, they don't have the skills or product/equipment inventory to tackle it themselves. That's fine for us, right?

I just think there may be more people pointing out paint imperfections to sales people on the lot and maybe...just maybe...dealers and manufacturers have responded to that. It doesn't cost them a dime to NOT touch the vehicle.

[Desertnate]

I too have noticed quite a few new cars looking pretty pristine sitting on the lot or driving around with temperary plates. I've actually been pretty surpised to see the dealerships hadn't swrilled them out upon delivery to the new owner.

As for not needing to be clayed claying, could it be a combination of the protective covering while in transport and the fact the car might not have sat for very long on the lot before being sold?

[Mike Phillips]

As for not needing to be clayed claying, could it be a combination of the protective covering while in transport and the fact the car might not have sat for very long on the lot before being sold?

This would be my guess.

Good for the owner. Faster for use to detail.


One thing for sure - if the baggie test DOES reveal contaminants that don't wash off - don't skip the claying step if you're buffing with foam buffing pads. While fiber pads will tend to cut or slice contaminants off paint foam pads will tend to glide over them not remove them.

[Paul A.]

Yes, valid question, Nate. I don't know how long each of these last 3 new car details sat on their respective lots. What surprised me was this car yesterday was the 3rd new car detail I've done in less than a month and from 2 different brands and 3 different dealers. All 3 passed the baggie test with flying colors.

Just got me thinking...

Thanks, Mike, good reminder. I religiously practice the baggie test and it works extremely well for me. I also won't be dismissing my clay/nanoskin routine anytime soon based on these recent new car jobs! Once they get even a few miles on them they'll accumulate bonded crap quickly.

You have been responsible for me changing how I look at 2 aspects of my routine...more frequent baggie testing and claying and more frequent use of an iron remover.

[Oz_TCH]

Cars come so covered in plastic now there isn’t much exposed paint.

[Paul A.]

Thanks Oz, very interesting. I didn't realize how much of the paint is covered in plastic. There's at least part if not most of my answer.