1st time using clay
 

Hey guys today was the first i ever used a clay bar kit. The order i did was to wash, clay, rewash, and wax. My ?? is it didn't take everything off i thought it would. Does this mean i did it incorrectly or i just need a good buff job from someone who can do it because i would never try it. I don't want to mess up my paint.

here are some pics, the camera wasn't that great tho, and i suck at taking good pics.

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/DSCN2238.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/DSCN2259.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/DSCN2272.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/DSCN2277.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/DSCN2232.jpg

Feel free to give any comments as well (good or bad)

Clay bars are not the only tool, just one to use to work on those trouble spots, you may have to use a compound and a polisher.

yeah i kinda figured that after today, problem is i'm not going to try it and i dunno anyone that is in the area that i trust enough.

lower the exposure on your camera. that will make the pictures not so bright. Cant really see the paint well at all in those. As far as clay goes. . . i mean it is what it is. theres different hardness levels, but you cant really mess it up. Clay is used for getting the paint physically smooth. ex: sap, tar and other things a normal wash wont get off.

clay bars are used for surface blemishes that you really cant see with the naked eye but you can feel with your hand as you run it across the surface of you paint.anything you see you may need a compound .meguiars came out with one that is safe for clear coats.:twothumbs:twothumbs

i tried the clay bar for the first time last time i washed my car too, it kinda disappointed me i was really hoping it would do more visually but i also think nothing can beat a good buff from an electric buffer

Yeah thats what my car needs i guess. I was looking up the ultimate compound by Meguiars that someone said about above. Anyone have experience with this product i watched the mini clip on it. It can be applied by hand or buffer but i don't see this working as well as a real compound with a good buffer.

you just have to be really careful on which compound you use you can do more damage then good. ive tried the Meguiars and it worked for me .it took out any hard water spots or and spots that were left by sap.

3m is the best type of compounds/glazes and it's recommended that you use clay to remove all fall out on a car before you take wool pads or foam pads to your car just so you get that higher gloss.

if you have a buffer then use meguires m205 or optimum compound...

if you dont just wax it with a heavy carnuba and maybe fill in those scratches but the only way to truely remove them is with a buffer and experience

Clay will only take off surface debris or fallout. It doesnt enhance shine per say(polishing) only smoothness of finish. It will allow the polisher to get a nice smooth service to work on. To remove scratches and water spots you would need to polish the surface and then wax to protect it.

I use Meguiars "85". It works really well with a wool cutting pad, then followed by a light cut pad using "speed glaze" . then follow with Tech wax.


Outta curiosity, are you going to PSU altoona? I feel like I saw your car on/near campus once.

I used the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and I didn't notice any difference in the paint on my car.

yupp i go to psu altoona, you too??

you did it wrong....that or the compound you are using sucks....

naa, i go up there every now and then. i have a friend up there with a white Speed3. you live on campus or off?

off campus, only like 10 mins away tho.

Love the look of your car..Im drawing a blank what rims are those??

thxs, the rims are rota sub zeros.

How did u use it . The 105 and 205 are amazing products , they dont break down like typical compound so u need to use them a lil differently .

To the OP - I think most of the clay bar kits bought commercially are a complete joke honestly ( by store bought I mean like at auto zone ect. ) . Its hard to get good result because the grade of clay in the commercial stuff is on the safe side probably for people who dont know how to use it . It will make your paint smooth but u really gotta work it to get tar stains out ect . So its likely not your method . When it comes to getting tar marks off , I struggle with commercial clay ( meguires u buy at like auto zone , eagle ect . ) Next time step up to better grade of clay and you will get results . Im really happy with Meguires Mild ( blue bar ) bar in their proffessional series of products . Its does almost nething I need it to with 1/2 the work of the store bought stuff . On the proffessional side stick with the mild bars , the more aggressive bars WILL leave marks . Use soapy water with good carwash soap as a lubricant .

I'm going to quote a guy from another forum,

"Detailing a white car is like farting in the shower, only you know what you have done."

:lol: It's a good job though. I love the white Cobalt's. :D

If you plan to wax the whole car after all this wash the car with dish soap. That will pull allot of the old wax off and give you a better starting point with the clay bar. If you have anymore questions let me know and I along with others will help as much as possible.

BAD IDEA!!!! Dish washing soap will take off some old wax but I'd never do that. Car washes stress that there is a difference between "soap" and "shampoo". Soap dehydrates; shampoo cleans. I work at a car wash and the difference is monumental. With a clay bar the best way to go is to wash, then use a lubricant like a simple green for the area you are working on. Keep the area well lubricated and work over the debris with the clay until it comes smooth. I have a lot of experience with this kind of clay and I've seen it work wonders. http://www.valugard.net/store/p-35-p...tion-clay.aspx
Far as buffing, a good cutting compound is tec565. It's a technician's choice brand that is good for swirl removing (not an issue on a white car) but it is also good for a heavy cutting compound. I have a certification through Valugard for buffing... Stick with your gut feeling and only let someone you trust/has proper training buff... you don't want to personally burn your paint off or have some schmuck do it for you that doesn't have experience. A great finishing/polishing compound is this http://www.valugard.net/store/p-21-f...er-polish.aspx. If you're ever up my way I can help you personally.

That is the point! You don't want to do your every day car wash with it but when your sole intention is to do paint correction the wax will do nothing but get in your way. So this IS NOT A BAD IDEA and the person that told you that should not be handing out shitty info. Yes when washing and maintaining your car YES you want to use a nice soap and not dish soap. I don't go to car washes for this reason right there. The people that work there think just because that's what they do they are good at it. I am not saying that you can't do a good job but you should know that if you are doing paint correction you don't want to waste time buffing through the wax to get to the clear. For the OP I think if he would of used a dish soap to got most of the wax off(it would take several wash's with dish soap to pull all the wax off) the clay would have worked much more efficient and pulled the wax and the gunk that is stuck on and in the wax.

Using a dishsoap like Dawn will actually do it in one wash . And like you said , its perfectly fine and excepted in the detail industy as a GOOD starting point to remove old product to have a surface free from any old waxes ect. . It would take several washes with a >>Mild<< soap like Dawn to cause harm . Before a wax is the only time youd want use dishsoap .

Nelson - Ultimately everyone has their own methods ...if what your doing works for you ....great ! . I just dont agree when someone doesnt like a particular method and will spread the word about it as being bad . Even a well respected company like Zaino recommends you thouroughly wash down your car with Dawn before applying their products . I keep mentioning Dawn( the original not the super concentrated ) because it is a very mild soap soap in comparison to most others .