Clay changing paint appearance?

BLUELINE 1

Protect and Shine
While explaning my process to a new customer today, he stopped me when I mentioned claying his vehicle. He said that he had a another car detailed in the past, and when they(I don't know who they where) used a clay bar the paint some how changed colors. His old car was red and changed to burgudy. Well I've never experienced this nor have I ever heard of this before. I told him that the purpose of the clay was to remove contaminants and restore smoothness to the paint. He looked at me like I was crazy when I explained this to him. I can understand a polish or some type of LSP giving a darker or deeper look to the paint, but a clay bar. I don't think he knew what he was talking about, but I may be wrong. Has anyone ever heard of this? I ended up doing the job without the clay. Got to make the customer happy,it's his ride.
 
What could have happened is that his car had some oxidation, which is more lightly colored than the original paint, and the clay lifted it. That would explain the darkening. In general though clay will not change the color of the car at all.
 
tubafeak said:
What could have happened is that his car had some oxidation, which is more lightly colored than the original paint, and the clay lifted it. That would explain the darkening. In general though clay will not change the color of the car at all.

This is the only thing I could think of, but I've never heard of anything as dramatic as that. Customers say crazy things. The most I've ever seen in clay is a few streaks.
 
The next time that you explain clay to someone that knows little to nothing about what it dose....Carry a sandwich bag with you, some S&W and QD...clean an area on the hood with the S&W.....the palm side down with the bag over their hand let then feel the surface... then clay and let them repeat the process.....I did this with my father in law and he understood right away...it takes the magic out of it.

As for clay changing color I agree with the above
 
My buddy had an older Nissan I believe, he bought it used. It was red looking but had oxidation. When we clayed it, the car got a lot darker red. I believe that was the original color of the car. Car looked really good when we got done with it. I have clayed many other cars though and I have never seen them change color. Only the car that had a lot of oxidation.
 
During my presentation to customers I explain that one of the benefits of claying is that once completed the vehicle will have a higher clarity, meaning a deeper more rich color to the paint. Sounds like that is what happened. No way was it a drastic color change from claying. Agree with the previousl posts that if it was drastic, probably had some heavy oxidation and the polishing really brought it out.

Go Dawgs!!!
 
detailz said:
one of the benefits of claying is that once completed the vehicle will have a higher clarity, meaning a deeper more rich color to the paint.

I have noticed that my non-metallic black looks creamy ....rich! It just looks smoother and you can really tell the difference if you know what you're looking for, but nothing as drastic as mentioned above.
 
Back
Top