To Clay or not to Clay? That is my question.

[Pugsly14]

I’ve asked several question and got answers when I needed them and every single person on here has been amazing!

 

Anyway. I’ve seen a ton of answers about preparing to ceramic spray a car and claying beforehand. 

 

However, Not knowing what kind of coating has been applied beforehand, I want to clay bar and use APC or IR. Will the clay remove or damage a ceramic coating?

 

As I stated in my new member post, I have a new to me 2017 CHEVROLET SS. When I bought it, it had 18k miles. It has some sort of coating on it. I have no idea what kind. It beads up pretty good still. But I can feel a tiny, tiny amount of contamination on the hood. Nothing pretty much on the roof or trunk. But I also have quite a few spots on the door and rocker panels of that iron dots and a little bit of tar dots. None of these are major but enough to annoy me. 

 

If it’s simply waxed, I understand the clay and chemicals will strip the coating. Which I want to CSC anyways But will I be damaging the coating if indeed it was ceramic coated?  I’m kinda thinking it was either waxed or sealed because there is 1 spot on a piece of trim that is discolored white. And I’m thinking a ceramic coated car shouldn’t have iron spots or tar stick to it?

 

My initial assumption is that if I clay and decontaminate, It won’t matter what was under it in the first place because no matter what, I’ll be recoating with ceramic anyways. I’ll either be putting a new coat on or just added an additional layer. 

[Norton]

7 hours ago, Pugsly14 said:

I’ve asked several question and got answers when I needed them and every single person on here has been amazing!

 

Anyway. I’ve seen a ton of answers about preparing to ceramic spray a car and claying beforehand. 

 

However, Not knowing what kind of coating has been applied beforehand, I want to clay bar and use APC or IR. Will the clay remove or damage a ceramic coating?

 

As I stated in my new member post, I have a new to me 2017 CHEVROLET SS. When I bought it, it had 18k miles. It has some sort of coating on it. I have no idea what kind. It beads up pretty good still. But I can feel a tiny, tiny amount of contamination on the hood. Nothing pretty much on the roof or trunk. But I also have quite a few spots on the door and rocker panels of that iron dots and a little bit of tar dots. None of these are major but enough to annoy me. 

 

If it’s simply waxed, I understand the clay and chemicals will strip the coating. Which I want to CSC anyways But will I be damaging the coating if indeed it was ceramic coated?  I’m kinda thinking it was either waxed or sealed because there is 1 spot on a piece of trim that is discolored white. And I’m thinking a ceramic coated car shouldn’t have iron spots or tar stick to it?

 

My initial assumption is that if I clay and decontaminate, It won’t matter what was under it in the first place because no matter what, I’ll be recoating with ceramic anyways. I’ll either be putting a new coat on or just added an additional layer. 

 

I think you answered your own question - if you plan to (re-)coat the car, I wouldn't worry about what may or may not be there from the previous owner. Your observation of trim discoloration does point to probable waxing/sealing, rather than a ceramic coating. (You can clean-up the trim by scrubbing it with Tire & Rubber Cleaner on a Utility Towel.)

 

For the rest of the car, I recommend a bath with Strip Wash (Dawn dish liquid also works, but SW is safer on rubber/plastic moldings.) and Iron Remover. FWIW, I always clay and polish before sealing/coating. If you're going to polish, a Clay Mitt is faster and easier than a clay bar. (If you're not going to polish,  you may want to stick with less aggressive Fine Clay.) As I said, I recommend polishing after claying. Whether you polish or not, you'll want to wipe the car down with Surface Prep prior to coating. (Dilluted Isopropyl Alcohol also works, but SP smells and works better.) When that's complete, you're ready to (re-)coat.

[Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin]

Contamination may be less likely to stick to something that's coated but it will still happen. If you use APC and Iron Remover, you're probably going to wear down whatever type of protection is on there. The clay, like you said, may remove whatever protection is there, but without knowing what it is there's not really a way to say.

 

Like Steve said though, if you're going to recoat, then you shouldn't worry too much about the existing protection.

[tlbullet]

Im w Norton and Yoyo ma....My only thought was dont rush the CSC. I would think hard about a polish of some sort before the CSC (either Revive or using a SK).   I got my SK last year and the results are amazing.  

 My paint may look good to me

but awful in your eyes ....If you are happy with the paint then prep and coat it!!