Clay away - You'll be impressed !

[Probusterrace]

Originally Posted by nomad

You can't smoke it Ady !!

Is that the voice of experience speaking there?!

[gotcha]

I used clay bar for the first time ever this spring on my 4 year old Alfa. Even though I polish and wax my car every three months, I was amazed what difference clay made. I will keep using it twice a year, after winter and summer probably. I got mine clay from shop.alfisti.net

[Squadrone Rosso]

There are so many different types Megs & Sonus to name but a few clicky

Any specific recommendations

Cheers,

[ACAPULCO AL]

I use Meguiars Quik Clay kit - comes with a bottle of detailing spray (lubricant). Only one I've ever tried but I've been delighted with it

[Probusterrace]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

I use Meguiars Quik Clay kit - comes with a bottle of detailing spray (lubricant). Only one I've ever tried but I've been delighted with it

What the chap with the good taste in football clubs said.

[zulu ferret]

Using the water spray technique, with rubbing, buffing compounds, is a a well proven method.: Abrasives of any description DO remove paint layers, so steady as she goes, unless you are after a shiny car in polished primer, finally.

[Probusterrace]

The detailer spray, or even diluted carwash, is more of a lubrication to help avoid the clay sticking to the painted surface rather than a wet and dry type abrasive system. You only apply very light pressure and can feel the difference almost imediately. I even got my better half to compare the bit of the bonnet I had just done to the door panel next to it! As i said, very satisfying results.

As far as I am aware the clay is not an abrasive as such and there is no need to polish afterwards but it does promote easier polishing/waxing because the surface is smoother and the polish or wax applies more easily.

[sirocco]

^ If you use a mild clay and adequate lubrication there is no need for polish, but stronger clays tend to induce minor swirling and require a polish after to finish the look.

[zulu ferret]

Must have some abrasive effect, as do brass and silver/metal burnishing/polishing compounds?:

[zulu ferret]

Go for Jewellers' Rouge for that real shine, myself.

[Green Cloverleaf]

I tried to buy a clay car from a couple of local auto shops last year, but they looked at me like I was talking Martian

I would like to try it, but can someone let me know where I can buy some (apart from e-Bay, as I don't have an account).



Also, what polish do you guys use to follow up?

[jamieboy]

Originally Posted by Green Cloverleaf

I would like to try it, but can someone let me know where I can buy some (apart from e-Bay, as I don't have an account).

Also, what polish do you guys use to follow up?

I bought Mothers stuff - the California Gold clay bar, Sealer and Glaze polish, and solid Carnauba wax from www.performancemotorcare.com

[lowejackson]

Originally Posted by Squadrone Rosso

There are so many different types Megs & Sonus to name but a few clicky

Any specific recommendations

Cheers,

The brands you name are all good, as are 3M, Zaino, Mothers etc. Clay is avaible in different grades from very mild to abrasive but most of the clay sold on the open market is mild. http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detai...-cleaning.html

[zulu ferret]

Thought clay was the stuff they made pots out of? Do they use it for polishing aluminised, parabolic, astronomical telescope mirrors, which have to be scratch free?

[Probusterrace]

Originally Posted by Green Cloverleaf

I tried to buy a clay car from a couple of local auto shops last year, but they looked at me like I was talking Martian :bang:

I would like to try it, but can someone let me know where I can buy some (apart from e-Bay, as I don't have an account).

Halfrauds! Just started stocking a Meguiars starter kit (Towel, Quik detailer spray, 2 bars of clay in a plastic 'soap' box). About £20 which sounds a lot but the towel is really good and the detailer spray is also excellent for small cleaning jobs like bird muck and sap. They've not got it listed on line at the moment and seems to sell well in the shops judging by the stocks!

There are also the other online stockists as mentioned.

Originally Posted by Green Cloverleaf

Also, what polish do you guys use to follow up?

The rest of the Meguairs 'Step' range is quite good. All depends on how much time/money you want to spend. At the moment I've got some of the Megs stuff (Paint rennovator and polish) but I start and finish with Zymol because I've got loads left to use before I get anything else.

Problem with megs is that there are no instructions on the tin - they are folded inside the label! This means that they have a number of products that do the same or similar jobs and judging the best for your applciation can be a bit iffy if you try to do it on impulse in the shop on the basis of instructions on the back of the bottle. Best to look on-line to see what you need first.

However, I can't really see a problem using any polish/wax. Depends on how picky you are or if you have a personal preference.

[zulu ferret]

They want your money!!! Go spend it!

[Green Cloverleaf]

Cheers for the info, guys



Until recently, I was using AutoGlym Super Resin Polish, but I've recently gone back to TurtleWax Colour Magic. Wow! The difference (especially on a dark car) is amazing!!!

Not only does it make the colour deeper, but the finish it gives to the paintwork is like a mirror



Anyway, my question is - wuold this be a suitable polish for finishing the car after a clay bar session, or should I be going for a tin of solid wax and elbow grease?

[sirocco]

TBH mate, there are FAR better things on the market than Turtlewax Colour Magic. For starters it's almost like a make-up foundation rather than a proper polish - quite crude in the way that it fills swirls rather than removing them, and doesn't offer much (if any?) paint protection. So whilst it might look quite good immediately after application, it won't last long and you'll end up with the exact same finish you had before all that work!
AutoGlym SRP is excellent stuff for working by hand. And it's a proper polish so will remove swirls rather than filling them but to finish the job you'd want to apply a wax on top to protect the finish and enhance shine. Not only would you remove the swirling that comes with using some clays, but the wax afterwards should give a finish that far surpasses that offered by the colour magic.

[Probusterrace]

I have to use colour magic on the front bumper because otherwise it's practically white from the stone chips.

[sirocco]

Ah... you got the thousands of speckle things on the bumper too.

[Green Cloverleaf]

Originally Posted by sirocco

TBH mate, there are FAR better things on the market than Turtlewax Colour Magic. For starters it's almost like a make-up foundation rather than a proper polish - quite crude in the way that it fills swirls rather than removing them, and doesn't offer much (if any?) paint protection. So whilst it might look quite good immediately after application, it won't last long and you'll end up with the exact same finish you had before all that work!

Well, that hasn't been my experience up to now, but I have only really used that and Autoglym SRP, so I only have a limited point of reference to compare to.

I am more than happy to try out something new if others rate it.

Originally Posted by sirocco

AutoGlym SRP is excellent stuff for working by hand. And it's a proper polish so will remove swirls rather than filling them but to finish the job you'd want to apply a wax on top to protect the finish and enhance shine. Not only would you remove the swirling that comes with using some clays, but the wax afterwards should give a finish that far surpasses that offered by the colour magic.

Sounds good to me, but:

1. The finish I achieved with Autoglym SRP was visibly inferior to the finish I got with the Turtlewax

2. Can you recommend a suitable wax to use after the Autoglym SRP to give me the finish I am after?



Thanks again for the feedback

[Probusterrace]

Why not another Autogylm product? Linky

[Colinjb]

Originally Posted by Green Cloverleaf

Well, that hasn't been my experience up to now, but I have only really used that and Autoglym SRP, so I only have a limited point of reference to compare to.

I am more than happy to try out something new if others rate it.





Sounds good to me, but:

1. The finish I achieved with Autoglym SRP was visibly inferior to the finish I got with the Turtlewax

2. Can you recommend a suitable wax to use after the Autoglym SRP to give me the finish I am after?



Thanks again for the feedback

Personally, I go through the following method when giving my car a going over.

1) Wash with a turtle wax all in one/water mix and sponge.
2) Once car is done go over spots with Autoglym tar remover to get rid of anything particularly nasty.
3) Now I begin claying the car, going over every panel with a Meguires clay bar and touch up spray for lubricant.
4) After this I will apply T-Cut to areas that may be stone chipped or lightly scratched, ensuring they are coloured out as much as possible and dry before the next step.
5) Now I apply Autoglym Super Resin Polish all over with a microfibre cloth. Ensuring every body panel is done. Once dry after polishing, I remove the residue with a clean side of the same cloth.
6) To get the best possible finish I now apply Autoglym ultra deep shine with a new microfibre cloth. Again, polishing every panel and removing the residue with a clean side of the same cloth.

That makes my Juliette superbly shiny, I would be open to any further suggested steps though.

[vetch]

Originally Posted by Colinjb

Personally, I go through the following method when giving my car a going over.

1) Wash with a turtle wax all in one/water mix and sponge.
2) Once car is done go over spots with Autoglym tar remover to get rid of anything particularly nasty.
3) Now I begin claying the car, going over every panel with a Meguires clay bar and touch up spray for lubricant.
4) After this I will apply T-Cut to areas that may be stone chipped or lightly scratched, ensuring they are coloured out as much as possible and dry before the next step.
5) Now I apply Autoglym Super Resin Polish all over with a microfibre cloth. Ensuring every body panel is done. Once dry after polishing, I remove the residue with a clean side of the same cloth.
6) To get the best possible finish I now apply Autoglym ultra deep shine with a new microfibre cloth. Again, polishing every panel and removing the residue with a clean side of the same cloth.

That makes my Juliette superbly shiny, I would be open to any further suggested steps though.

First change I would make is to ditch the sponge, it can swirl the **** out of your paintwork! One of the those deep pile wash mits is what I use.

And T-Cut is a load of shiite, far better stuff out there, Autoglym paint renovator for one.

[zulu ferret]

With paint finishes that are ever thinner,( probably only a couple of thou' or so), the top sealing, lacquer coat, being the first to go, don't reckon on too much buffing /polishing, myself. Got a couple of ways of maintaining a decent gloss though, with minimum abrasion, which I stick fast by.: