TOG- That was posted by me a long time ago, I have since agreed with those of you that feel dawn is improper to use even as a part of pre-detail prep.
Not in my detailing forum they won't. We discuss detailing and detailing products here, anyone who tries to lord a product over someone else or tries to start a *BLEEP*ing match is dealt with promptly.
I agree with this somewhat. No the car doesn't need to be completely detailed immediately, but it does need a coat of wax or sealant now in order to protect the paint from pollen, water spots, bug guts, tree sap, bird bombs and just plain wear and tear. These things can seriously damage the paint if left on too long, and the wax barrier provides an extra measure of protection. I take care of an 04 BMW 530i (I wash it every week and will be waxing it every 3 months for the lady) with 1500 miles on it, its about 2 months old and garage kept. There are ALREADY several etched water spots, bug marks, and bird bomb spots that will have to be machine compounded out because she didn't wax the car other than the dealer's prep. Cars really need to be waxed every three months, or in areas with a lot of pollution even every month.
So you can wait on the detailing, but do go ahead and have it waxed.