|
I have a 2013 Carbon Black 128i myself (just arrived home Monday in fact) from CA/European Delivery. About 500 mi on the clock, and I clayed it right after its first wash. As others have said, just because it's new doesn't mean the paint is in great shape. Mine (and yours too) spent countless days waiting for transport, then however many days at the dealer too (none for me, but it did have a not super nice ride on the truck from Cali). Check it with the plastic bag test - if you can feel the sandpaper effect with bare hands, your paint DEFINITELY needs clay.
Claying with good technique/good lube helps a lot to minimize swirling. I did mine yesterday, and the only swirls were spots where I got careless or ran out of lube. None of them were very deep though, but either way I would polish right after. I don't think a machine buffer is strictly necessary, since I don't have one at the moment. I used Meg's Ultimate Polish since there wasn't anything to buff out really, couldn't find any swirls or scratches under strong lighting when I was done.
Conclusion: OK to clay, probably necessary in fact. Check to make sure, and do use proper technique. Polish not absolutely necessary after, but a good idea. Don't forget to wax (but you knew that of course)!
|