Novice detailer alert! Don't under any circumstances attempt to use a Clay Bar on your new car! Much to my horror - I started out fine this past Saturday attempting to prep my new 1er before polishing with Menz 85 and my new PC 7424 - I washed her with Palmolive (perfume and dye free), then used Turtle Wax's Ice liquid clay bar with the supplied foam sponge - I should have stopped there! But then following the directions on the box, I proceeded to use their spray detailer and clay bar. After I was done with my whole car - I pulled her back out of the garage and about fell to my knees in tears - it looked like I had rubbed sand paper all over the car!!! I don't know how it happened - it was a new piece of clay and I didn't drop it on the ground. Maybe some grit got in the clay from my microfiber - I don't know. My God! I was so pissed at myself! How could I have ruined my new finish like that!
After then attempting to buff out some of the scratches to no avail (the 85 was not going to cut them and that's all I had) - I even went by hand with some Scratch X and then tried the 3M scratch remover = no dice.
The good news - I called a local detailer - Detail Authority in Herndon - (Randy Coffey, great guy -
www.waxmycar.com) - he took my car this morning and by 3 p.m. had her restored! The paint is now like glass and he miraculously got out 95% of the scratches. What's left is very microscopic - I can only see them from a few inches away. Chalk them up to my stupidity - they'll be my scarlet letter of shame I'll wear from now on. I should have never clayed my new car - period! It didn't need it.
Just sharing my saga so you newbies out there like me will think twice before claying your car - fair warning~!