Originally Posted by 122554

Some people swear by using a clay bar. What they don't know it was developed in the 30's for removing overspray from the paint. When the manufacturers couldn't sell enough of it, they started packaging the stuff for the car enthusiast. Every time you use it, you're removing a fine layer of clear-coat.

From carcareonline.com

"Clay: Literally a plasticene/abrasive mixture used to smooth new paint and remove fresh paint overspray. This type of product must be used with lots of lubricant. The technique of using a clay is a learned skill. Use too little lubricant or get contaminants in the clay and you have moved into scratch city. This is one product that is the fast lane to trouble if not used with extreme care. I do not recommend frequent use of this type of product. You literally grind off a small amount of paint. It should be used as was intended, to grind off paint overspray or contaminants that may not be dissolved with a solvent."