Clayed a few weeks ago, should I do it again before correction?

[APR Tuned]

Hi Gang. As the title states, I clayed the car a few weeks ago then did an M205/NXT 2.0 combo on it. I wasn't happy with the results so I bought a whole bunch of new stuff that i wanna try out, including smaller pads, UC, UP, etc to give it another go. After i wash the car, do I really NEED to clay again? I'm confident there will be nothing on the claybar.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Clayed a few weeks ago, should I do it again before correction?

There will be nothing on the claybar that you can see, but you will still be able to feel the difference. There are no hard and fast rules that say you have to clay before you compound or polish, it's just a good prep step that improves your overall results. Unless your car has been garaged the last few weeks, I would recommend claying the paint again.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clayed a few weeks ago, should I do it again before correction?

Evaluate the finish after washing. If it feels completely smooth then claying probably won't gain you much, if anything, since it's only been a few weeks. But don't let that time alone fool you - it's all about exposure, and we've seen cars clayed one weekend get exposed to who knows what, and they needed to be clayed after just a few days. It's rare, but anything can happen. A quick evaluation will tell you for sure.


About your experience with M205/NXT 2.0 - what were you not happy with? What were you up against, and what were your expectations? What pads did you use, tool speed, arm speed, pressure, etc? Smaller pads and Ultimate Compound are a huge step up in aggression if you're trying to remove defects, just so you know.

[APR Tuned]

Re: Clayed a few weeks ago, should I do it again before correction?

Thanks for your responses, guys. Mike, I'm pretty sure you chimed in on my topic about being hesitant stepping up to M105. Basically, the 205 on a 7" 8207 does not have enough power to remove the defects on my S2000 paint. It also bogs down the G110v2. On yours, and others, recommendation I'm going to pick up some UC because it's easier to work with than M105. I also picked up some 5.5" LC pads of various aggressiveness.

I have absolutely nothing against NXT 2.0. Probably my favorite wax ever. Everything I've learned from all you guys has given me a good technique with the DA and I'm convinced it's the size of the pad that's preventing me from getting the results I want. No RIDS or anything major, just slightly swirly Honda paint. I'm shooting for that clarity that I get jealous over every time I visit the Extreme Makeover section lol.

While I have you here, the front and rear bumpers were resprayed a few months ago. When would it be ok to tackle those too? I welcome any and all suggestions. Thank you!