Type S Zero

clay+wax vs mother's 1-2-3 steps ?

i used mother's 1-2-3 steps for the last 2 years...
1- pre-wax cleaner
2- sealer and glaze
3- pure carnauba wax

i've heard so many good stories about clay bars, but has anyone ever compared them to mother's 1-2-3 steps final result ?
my brother is getting his S soon and i want optimal protection and finish...(it's black btw)
should i try clay or stick with 1-2-3 i already use ?

Homer2

you cant compare clay to the 1-2-3 process . .
clay is simply something to remove particles - it wil do nothing that a glaze or wax will -

if i remember correctly - pre-wax cleaners are either mildly abrasive or using solvents and such to take everything off (correct me if im wrong on this, i wanna learn more)
there is no abrasive nature to clay - (the particles can abrade if you use a dirty clay piece)

my preference - go clay - then use something other than "wax"

wanabe

homer2- yup, you are right... many polishes (or as you call them, "pre-wax cleaners") contain mild abrasives. some will remove any wax or synthetic finish.
you are also right that claying is a separate step from the others. clay is used to remove embedded particles. the other steps are used to produce a deep shine and to protect the paint. more info at:

http://properautocare.com/polish.html

" Many people assume that waxing and polishing are synonymous. In fact, they are two different processes. Polishing deep cleans the paint, removes oxidation, old wax & minor swirls, and rejuvenates the top paint layer. It prepares the surface for waxing and insures a uniform, high-gloss shine."
Compound, polish, glaze.
What's the difference?

"The difference between compounds, polishes and glazes can best be described as the amount of cleaning power or abrasiveness in the product. The most abrasive products are called compounds. These products are designed to remove (abrade away) a portion of the top paint or clear coat layer which contain sanding swirls, scratches, water spots or blemishes. They are available in many different grades of abrasiveness or "cut" depending on the severity of the problem to be corrected. Compounds are best used with a circular polisher but can produce acceptable results with dual-action polishers if the defect is minor. Compounds typically leave the surface dull. This surface dullness is called haze or compounding lines and is removed by polishing with increasingly less abrasive polishes. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard to quantify when a "polish" becomes a "compound" and one manufacturer's polish may have the same cutting ability (abrasiveness) as another manufacturer's compound. "

Type S Zero

yeah you guys are right on the abrasives in step 1...
that's why it clearly says on the bottle to use step 1 only once, max twice a year (i think...i'd have to go get the bottle in the garage to be sure)...... and do step 2 and 3 as many times as we want

Randman

Dang, I am learning so much... I am gonna go check out that properautocare.com site and read up on this stuff. Thanks for all the help!