I just bought my first car at the age of 42.  I once had a car assigned to me for two years, but other than that I've only had single day rentals.  So of course, in the honeymoon stage with my 2007 Honda Element, I wanted to make it look as beautiful as possible before showing it off to my family at Thanksgiving.So I went to a local pro detailer.  To hand wash and vacuum out the car it would be $25; to clay bar the car and do the wash it's $75; full detailing cost $150.  That's pretty decent, and I wouldn't mind paying to have the pro do the job, but for $18 I wanted to try clay barring it myself.The instructions couldn't be simpler, though I would add that you should at least rinse off the car and let it air dry for a few minutes before starting to clay bar.  You don't have to be particularly gentle or slow about it, and don't worry about getting the chamois dirty--you can wash it or just get another one for cheap.Just spray, rub, wipe it down with the cloth, and move on to the next spot until you've done the whole car.  Don't worry about getting into ever single little nook and cranny.  I imagine even the pros don't bother with that unless they're literally working on a showpiece.Trust me, you couldn't fail to be happy with the results, and for $18 why not try.When you're finished clay barring the car, take it to a car wash for a nice wash and wax (or do that yourself as well) and see the gorgeous results.  The car will look as new as it possibly could.Lastly, I want to dispell a myth about clay barring.  I heard--from a pro amongst others--that what clay barring does is reverse the oxydization of the paint which makes the finish dull, amongst other wierd science theories.  That's rediculous; car wax does that.  All clay barring does is pick up tiny bits of stuff--airborn metal specks, asphalt dust, microscopic bits of rock, space debris--which have become embedded in the paint.  That's it.  It's basically just removing the millions of tiny little splinters of stuff that have lodged themselves into the paint since it was new or the last time it was clay barred.