3D ONE for failed sandwich bag test?

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ABSAV

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Situation: 1 year old Prius garaged kept car. After road film wash, foam wash, contact wash, then using a fine clay bar with ONR as a clay lube the finish felt smooth to the touch. Using the sandwich bag test for check on final on smoothest - it failed (feeling rough). Do I go straight to my 3D POXY for my LSP or first use 3D ONE with a white Buff & Shine pad then hit it with 3D PROXY for my LSP? Any info that can be provided will greatly be appreciated. Thank you always for your time and experience, ABSAV
 
If it’s failing the baggie test, then use a clay that is more aggressive than the one you used. That may also add more marring to the paint so you could end up having to polish anyways.
 
What would add more marring the clay bar or 3D one?
 
I did try a test spot using both products, which did do the job, but would like to keep as much as possible the thickness of the clearcoat. I am looking for the least amount of invasiveness.
 
If it is a daily driver, I wouldn't get too hung up over the baggie test. Claying is a essential part of the decontamination process and needs to be done, but sometimes I think people pursue perfection in a daily driver that isn't practical or achievable. Unless what you're feeling is really rough and over large portions of the car, I'd probably press on with the polishing.
 
Thanks for the reply. It's a daily driver. are you saying go ahead with the 3D ONE then go with the PROXY for the LSP? With what pads? And when all finished not worry about the bag test?
 
For what it's worth - I've clayed a lot of cars in my life and I would have to say that I never really see paint become 100% perfect.

After a thorough claying it will be MUCH better but it's pretty hard to make the Baggie Test 100% on all cars. One thing for sure, claying will make a huge difference. Instead of focusing on the smidgen of bumps you still feel - focus on the millions of bumps that have been removed.

For a daily driver - I would push through. Machine polishing simply because you're removing some paint will act to remove more of what claying missed.


:)
 
Thanks for replying Mike. I am going through with a med/fine pad using 3D one and finish up with a fine white finish pad puting down POXY for my LSP. Great info experience as always.
 
If your Prius is like most other Toyota's I've worked on, the paint will be really soft and easy to correct. I'm not sure which pads you are using, but I can correct my wife's Highlander or my father-in-laws Tacoma using nothing but a white Lake Country ThinPro or Flat pad and a finishing polish in one step. When I still used sealants I'd clay, polish, and then go right to the LSP.
 
Thanks Desertnate, Thanks for the heads up. I am using the Buff & Shine White pad for the LSP and a B & S dark blue (med/fine) with the 3D ONE
 
Like Mike said, perfection in the claying step is nearly impossible to achieve. But... If that's what you're looking for be prepared to spend several hours getting there.

The only way I have found to get close to perfection is to work in sections, i.e., one panel (or less) at a time. Clay - Inspect - Repeat. Keep doing that until you achieve the result you desire. You will never get there doing the whole car at once.

When I have done it this way, it's usually 3 or 4 times over with the clay until the desired result is realized.

On the other hand, shooting for clay bar perfection can be a futile attempt, and completely unnecessary. Polishing, even with an AIO, will remove much, if not all, of whatever is left behind after claying. You can prove that to yourself by polishing a section and then doing another baggie test. In fact, I've often questioned myself as to why clay bar at all when polishing removes the contaminants so well. The answer I give myself is that some contaminants are so bonded that only claying will remove them.

Ultimately the answer lies in your test spot. If you can polish and achieve the desired result without claying, then why would you want to waste your time claying?
 
Well, I am definitely entering the learning mode of the "detailing process". Great advice of clay baring one panel at a time getting it to the stage of where I want it. I did the entire car and was a bit disappointed when doing the bag test. I thought having a relatively new car I would just clay bar and go right to the polish and LSP. Oh well ---- I'm about finished with the 3D ONE correction step (passing the bag test-for the most part) and will go on to the POXY for the LSP. This entire process is definitely an ongoing education. Thanks to the forum information it helps make the load a lot lighter. Thanks for all of the advice. ABSAV
 
You may also want to chemically decontaminate the paint with Iron-x too as this will also help with the baggie test.

It’s a fairly simple step too, spray onto the paint (while holding nose because it stinks so bad), spread over car with a damp microfiber towel, let dwell, rinse off thoroughly, Rewash car then on to the polishing / aio steps.

Just a thought.

Jay


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Do you already own 3D One and Poxy? Sounds like what you're trying to achieve is basically what a good AIO would do. If you haven't purchased them yet might be better to just get BF One Step or 3D Speed and get it all taken care of with one pass. If you were looking for protection in a higher level then I'd not recommend those AIO products but since you mentioned Poxy and that isn't a long lasting product, an AIO might just get it done for you.
 
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