Clay bar/detail for newly delivered vehicle?

I'm anticipating my 2008 Z4MC sometime during the week of the 15th and had a question about the initial detail. I know the vehicle is painted very early in the build process, but it sits and takes a while to transport to Northern California, so I assume that the paint may have some contaminants that the dealer is unable to really clean out of the paint. I've always used the Pinnacle clay bar and/or Zaino or Liquid Glass as my first detail. Is this step really necessary? Does anyone have any experience with the paint on the Z4 when it has arrived? Thanks for any information, I'm getting ready to place an order on Amazon for some supplies.

Stygar took delivery of his car without having them lay a finger on it.

Lots of owners ask the dealership to not touch the paint, and if you've ever seen a black or dark colored car on a dealership lot you know why. I'd not only clay it, but do a full detail - the car can pick up a lot of dirt and contaminants during transport.

I wouldn't do anything to the paint for at least 3 months so it can cure out compleatly. The cars are shipped in enclosed containers, which do get road dust inside but a good wash is all it should need.

Get it off the transporter and drive it straight home. Otherwise, the hamfisted wash jockeys will use the old rag and dingy water technique and then lay a buffer to the finish. You'll never get all the swirls out.

As far as the curing is concerned, I'll leave that to the paint experts.

Good luck and enjoy!

Thanks for all the responses, it's something to think about especially the non fully-cured paint, I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to do the plastic bag test when I get the car home. The dealership has given the option of not having it detailed except the front end for the clear bra. I think I'll still order a new Pinnacle clay bar regardless.

if the paint isn't cured, I wouldn't do anything to it until it is. After then, I would definitely start with a wash and claybar. That is my first step any any detail. If you have a solid detailing arsenal, I wouldn't let anyone at the dealership wash it or anything. You never know what they use or how late for his break the guy with the rag is.

This guy did just that... detail his car @ the dealership. It's a terribly long read, but it might be helpful?

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...tr-nissan.html

BTW, this is a pic of his claybar after he swiped over his spoiler:

Originally Posted by Rick Hunter

This guy did just that... detail his car @ the dealership. It's a terribly long read, but it might be helpful?

http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-det...tr-nissan.html

BTW, this is a pic of his claybar after he swiped over his spoiler:

Convinced ... this made me throw up a bit ... a "new" car eh? My 335i only had a few rough spots, maybe the trip from Germany is cleaner than coming across the U.S.???

Thanks for the post, I'm reading it now!

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Thanks for all the responses, it's something to think about especially the non fully-cured paint, I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to do the plastic bag test when I get the car home. The dealership has given the option of not having it detailed except the front end for the clear bra. I think I'll still order a new Pinnacle clay bar regardless.

If you're paying the dealer for the clear mask then you are most likely paying double. Most dealers contract this service out to a local jobber who retails the 3M Scotchgard or Venture Shield mask for around $700 while the dealer charges $1200.
You have several shops in the Sacramento area:
http://www.bumpertherapy.com/

Originally Posted by jmillet

If you're paying the dealer for the clear mask then you are most likely paying double. Most dealers contract this service out to a local jobber who retails the 3M Scotchgard or Venture Shield mask for around $700 while the dealer charges $1200.
You have several shops in the Sacramento area:
http://www.bumpertherapy.com/

$700 for me at the dealer and you're right, their normal charge is $1050. I'm checking with my local Dinan shop for a better price as well.

I got lucky. My dealer charged $400 to have my clear bra installed when new.

I dunno what you guys are talking about. The dealer uses the best detailing supplies known to man, just look at my dealer's bangup job .

Originally Posted by iamwiz82

I dunno what you guys are talking about. The dealer uses the best detailing supplies known to man, just look at my dealer's bangup job .

Second time I've thrown up today, hey, thanks man! :-) Seriously, that is borderline damage in my book, are you going to post pics after it looks sweet?

IMO you should definitely clay it...but as prev mentioned you may want to wait a few weeks before doing anything other than washing. I have used Emmons Coachworks, not cheap, but what a few hundred more at this point, for over a decade and have never been steered wrong, ask for Larry (the owner).

http://emmonscoachworks.com/

Originally Posted by iamwiz82

I dunno what you guys are talking about. The dealer uses the best detailing supplies known to man, just look at my dealer's bangup job .

Some swirls you can understand, specially if the car has been on the lot for some time as mine was but that is just unacceptible.. Seriously terrible. I see a PC in the background so hopefully it is fixed now.

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Second time I've thrown up today, hey, thanks man! :-) Seriously, that is borderline damage in my book, are you going to post pics after it looks sweet?

I dont have any great pics of it after. I never think to take pictures when it's all shined up and purty. It's about 99% swirl free now. It's almost impossible to completely clean up everything.

Originally Posted by judal98

Some swirls you can understand, specially if the car has been on the lot for some time as mine was but that is just unacceptible.. Seriously terrible. I see a PC in the background so hopefully it is fixed now.

It's almost prefect now. My car spent a year sitting on the dealer's showroom so they dusted it daily, then filled it with some great stuff.

And that is a UDM, not a PC.

Factory paint is fully cured before the car leaves the factory. Don't wait, it'll only serve as opportunity for paint damage.

Your local paint shop isn't going to oven-cure paint because it'd damage attached parts. So after body repair work, you do need to follow the paint manufacturer's guidelines for curing, which is usually 30 to 90 days before sealing or waxing. The factory runs painted body panels through high-temperature curing ovens because it's just sheet metal at that point. This is where a lot of the confusion and myth arises; factory paint is oven-cured and hence has no outgassing left to do, while you local body shop's paint is going to cure at ambient temperatures (and is probably not water-based) which takes much longer.

Originally Posted by dwm

Factory paint is fully cured before the car leaves the factory. Don't wait, it'll only serve as opportunity for paint damage.

Your local paint shop isn't going to oven-cure paint because it'd damage attached parts. So after body repair work, you do need to follow the paint manufacturer's guidelines for curing, which is usually 30 to 90 days before sealing or waxing. The factory runs painted body panels through high-temperature curing ovens because it's just sheet metal at that point. This is where a lot of the confusion and myth arises; factory paint is oven-cured and hence has no outgassing left to do, while you local body shop's paint is going to cure at ambient temperatures (and is probably not water-based) which takes much longer.

That makes sense, thanks for the reassurance, ordering a new clay bar today and may as well order some new menzerna orange, just in case1