If you watch any of these shows on tv from overhaulin, pimp my ride to american chopper you will see that most of these paint can be polished and waed the very next day. I clay bared, pre waxed clean and waxed mine the very first few days i had the truck. The best thing you can do for paint is get protection on it as soon a possible. There some very good but simple methods and explanation over on autogeek.com and they sell some very good products. I aint keen on synthetic waxes and i have always used high end waxes from people like dodo juice, swissvax and zymol and have always got on better and got a better finish than any synthetic but the synthetics will last a bit longer. A good method to use is a Synthetic for protection & longevity and also a coat of wax for the final coat.

Also make sure you have a microfiber for each task and never mix them. Use one for the top half of the truck drying and use one for the lower half of the trucks drying. This way you will stop al cross contamination. Asso a grit gaurd is a good cheap investment and stops all grit getting back into your sponge.

 

I typically special order my vehicles, meaning they spend a minimum amount of time in transit or on the dealer lot before I take possession of them. That being said, I always clay bar my new vehicles when I perform the first detail.

On my 2008 Mustang I was especially surprised at how many surface contaminants were removed from the paint using the clay bar -- even though I picked the vehicle up the day it rolled off the delivery truck. And my 2009 Ranger spent almost 6 months on the dealer lot before I took it home, so not only did I have to clay bar the truck, but also compound out a few select areas to get the paint to where I like it on a new vehicle.

The post about needing to "cure" a modern clearcoat finish is misinformation -- the sooner you get a protective finish on your paint the better off you'll be!

 

Novices as detailing need to note, that while a clay bar can have very nice results in the hands of someone with experience, it can also positively ruin a finish. Beware!

 

That turned out fabulous........

I love that color -- it looks like sort of a cross between the Redfire Metallic and Dark Torreador Red that was put on various years of the previous bodystyle. She's a beauty -- skol!

 

The color is Royal Red. The picture was taken in the morning with the east sun shinning from behind me low in the sky. This particular paint just seems to really come alive when the sun hits it from a low angle. Doesn't hurt that the truck just finished receiving a final coat of sealant on it either.

Good Point... There are varying degrees of aggressive clay systems out there. The important part with clay is the use of the lubricant. In the Megs smooth surface kit you are given a fairly mild clay bar(s) with Quick Detailer used as the lube. Apply with light touch and keep the clay and the paint lubed while you are applying the clay and you should be fine.