1987 325is clay bar question

[mchifala1]

I have my first BMW, a 1987 white 325is. Does this car have a clear coat or is it single-stage paint? And the meat of my question: is it safe to use a clay bar on a car with no clear coat and what precautions should I use? Is it safe to use a polish on the paint without risk of wearing through it?

[Teaguer]

No clear from the factory.
Yes you can claybar it and or polish/buff it.
You just have to know what you are doing and pay attention around the corners and high spots.

[MaxBell]

I clay bar-ed my car after I got it. It really brought the paint back from the dead IMO. After that I got out the polish and took my time to do it well. THe car will look a little dull after a claying, but the polish will bring the shine back out.

Keep in mind that a single stage enamel will never shine the way a base clear would. So be happy with what you get...

[NC325iC]

with the single stage white you should be able to polish it so well you cant look directly at it without going blind. trust me

[zshopa]

when you use a claybar make sure you are using plenty of lubricant or water doesnt really matter as long as you are not rubbing a dry claybar on your paint you will be fine.

[Raven Tooth]

Yeah don't really use any pressure when using the clay bar. Just let the bar do the work. You'll feel the area getting more and more smooth and therefore more slippery as you go over it.