When I detailed cars for my cousins dealership I always used a purple clay bar
At home I use the mothers kit
Can't tell any difference between the two
I also just use regular water rather then a spray detailer, wash the vehicle after with a wax based car wash and finish with a fresh coat of wax
Although I disagree about using water for a lubricate with a clay bar, I respect your right to do it your way.
After about 10 years of detailing, I thought I knew at least how to clay a vehicle. However, after reading this article I found about two days ago, it has totally changed the way I view claying any vehicle. It is a long article but I have to totally agree with everything that was in it.
What will decontamination remove that washing will not? - Autopia Detailing Wiki - Autopia
Now I need to find out what is the best decontamination product.
If you really stop and think about it, a clay bar only slides along the surface of the paint ~ "slides." It is not designed to be used so you push the clay bar into each section of the paint in an attempt to "pull or suck" out any thing that is deep or semi-deep within the paint. As the article states, all you are doing is taking the top portion of things off of the paint and again, leaving the other half deep within the paint.
What really gets to me is when a person or a couple buy their brand new car or truck, they are standing there, wide eyed and proud of the shine the dealer put on it. IF they only knew enough to take the back of their fingers or put your fingers in a plastic bag and gently slide across the new paint, they will feel almost every section of their new car needs to be clayed. However, the sad part is that the salesman, or finance manager, etc will never have them check their vehicle to see if it indeeds needs claying.
I just bought a 2014 1 ton Dodge diesel, had it three weeks and traded it for a 2014 2500 Diesel which I picked up three days ago. Both of these vehicles needed clayed but I was told I would have to pay to have this done. No Way! I clayed both of them myself. However after reading this article, I now know I did only half the job of claying.