It's difficult to tell from the photo exactly what is going on with your finish. I
have seen highly-oxidized finishes where the use of a wax, particularly after prepping with a claying/cleansing product, creates a different "look" (and, sometimes, color/darkness) to the paint, because the prepped/waxed area has the gloss and depth of wax, and the other area doesn't.
mystican said:
I have not clayed the car...I have heard of this type of method, but I have never tried it... Is it better to use?
It depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I agree that you will get MUCH better results if you use separate products, in separate steps, for each purpose in the detailing process.
- Polishing/compound products: These are abrasive (varying from lightly abrasive to highly abrasive) and should be used only if your car has problems, such as scratches or swirl marks, which require the use of an abrasive to smooth down the finish.
- Wash products: For washing the car of surface dirt and grime.
- Cleansing products: For removing oxidation, tire and tar marks, and other impurities that washing won't get.
- Protection products (e.g. wax): For increasing gloss/depth and for protecting the finish from the elements.
Clay is a "cleansing product" and will remove oxidation and other surface impurities. If you run your finger lightly along your finish after washing the car, it should feel smooth, and you shouldn't feel any particles or anything to indicate that there might be embedded on the finish. Also, the finish should appear highly reflective, without any dullness to it. If this is not the case, then you should use a cleansing product, such as clay and/or Zymol HD-Cleanse.
The above applies to all brands of detailing products. For more information about Zymol HD-Cleanse and the rest of the line of Zymol products (not their one-step cleaner-wax, but the individual products for specific purposes), click
here.