"Polutants dull your clear coat so the base layer doesn't shine as bright. done properly (lots of lubrication) there is little damage to the clear coat and you maintain the shine."
I don't mean to be a pain, but this is exactly where my logic stops working. The way I understand it, I want the clay to be abrasive enough (which means not too lubricated) to even out the clear-coat by stripping a miniscule layer of it away. Now if I put a lot of lubrication, then there's no abrasion, so what's the point of claying to begin with? I either want to abrasively even out the clear-coat or I don't. Are you talking about controlling the abrasiveness with the amount of lubricant we apply?
"Claying with the soft compound won't strip your wax. The over the counter clays are harder and are intened for a deeper clean."
Just to make sure I understand this. Claying is NOT supposed to strip the wax? How will it clean and even out the clear-coat under it then? Also what is the difference between clay, glaze, and polish? From what I can understand, they are all clear-coat abrasives with decreasing levels of abrasiveness (starting from clay down to polish, as the least abrasive).
"Unless you are sporting the Boxster for a special occasion I would not touch it between washes. If you do decide to shine it up make sure each panel is wet with a detailing spray or some other form of lubrication. Dampen the towel as well.
Basically never touch dark dry paint with a dry towel."
Understood and applied in principle. Thx for the dampening tips.
"My suggestion is to try using a waterless wash like Optimum No Rinse..."
Just ordered it, mainly because you've been suggesting it elsewhere. I like all the talk about its lubricity.
"When you do use a traditional car wash soap remove the nozzle and blot dry after flooding the surface to sheet off the water. Blot dry remaining beads or puddles, never wipe."
Intuitively have been rinsing off without the nozzle BUT have been WIPING the drops off with a P21S chamois. I think between the synthetic sponge (just ordered a natural sea one) and the chamois that's what had produced the barely noticable swirls I can notice under a strong sun reflection. I think the drying part is tricky because I'm borderline breaking the "don't touch with dry towel rule". I'm AM trying to dry the darn thing after all.
"Avoid using paste waxes or polishes more than once a month, try sticking to the spray form of any product, it will cut down on the rubbing of the paint. "
Have only been using liquid wax so far (once P21S, once Meguiars NXT), and I just ordered the Meguiars NXT Spray Wax for touch up detailing between waxes. Says it has slight polishing (swirl removing) agents in it.
"Also get the best quality towels you can buy, I like the Poorboys with silk binding, Poorboys waffle weaves for drying and a dedicated buffing towel when the car is CLEAN."
Ah, wish I hadn't just ordered a set of Cobra micro-fiber towels (including a waffle-weave one). I'll try the Poorboys after I use up these.
"Being careful in the washing and drying is the key to making the clear coat last."
Yes. Seems the name of the game is producing as little swirls as possible so that you won't have to use up clear-coat in order to "remove" them later.
And I'm getting the FK 425, too, since you've praised it more than once. Should especially help to ward off dust from the dirt road section.
Thanks much. Really appreciate it.
Z.