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Bob Cross ♦
Bob Cross ♦
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Since there is so much jibber jabber without a straight answer I will give you the easiest answer I can. YES! Yes it is necessary to clay a car before compounding/polishing. It is far better to do it and not need it than to need it and not do it. Lets pretend your car does not have any microscopic issues in the clear coat/paint. First that would mean you have never driven the car, since it is almost a 100% guarantee this will happen after the first drive. Next, if it truly does NOT have any contaminants, what have you lost? An hour of claying? However, I doubt, wholeheartedly, that there is a car out there without contaminated paint. Clay the damn thing and be safe. 

If you don't you could pick up those contaminants with the buffer and use them to mark the living hell out of your paint.

Since there is so much jibber jabber without a straight answer I will give you the easiest answer I can. YES! Yes it is necessary to clay a car before compounding/polishing. It is far better to do it and not need it than to need it and not do it. Lets pretend your car does not have any microscopic issues in the clear coat/paint. First that would mean you have never driven the car, since it is almost a 100% guarantee this will happen after the first drive. Next, if it truly does NOT have any contaminants, what have you lost? An hour of claying? However, I doubt, wholeheartedly, that there is a car out there without contaminated paint. Clay the damn thing and be safe. If you don't you could pick up those contaminants with the buffer and use them to mark the living hell out of your paint.

Yes it is necessary to clay a car before compounding/polishing. It is far better to do it and not need it than to need it and not do it. Lets pretend your car does not have any microscopic issues in the clear coat/paint. First that would mean you have never driven the car, since it is almost a 100% guarantee this will happen after the first drive. Next, if it truly does NOT have any contaminants, what have you lost? An hour of claying? However, I doubt, wholeheartedly, that there is a car out there without contaminated paint. 

If you don't you could pick up those contaminants with the buffer and use them to mark the living hell out of your paint.

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Bobby Alford
Bobby Alford
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Since there is so much jibber jabber without a straight answer I will give you the easiest answer I can. YES! Yes it is necessary to clay a car before compounding/polishing. It is far better to do it and not need it than to need it and not do it. Lets pretend your car does not have any microscopic issues in the clear coat/paint. First that would mean you have never driven the car, since it is almost a 100% guarantee this will happen after the first drive. Next, if it truly does NOT have any contaminants, what have you lost? An hour of claying? However, I doubt, wholeheartedly, that there is a car out there without contaminated paint. Clay the damn thing and be safe. If you don't you could pick up those contaminants with the buffer and use them to mark the living hell out of your paint.