Today was a hot day. I wanted to use the clay kit I bought from Kragen last week, but I didnt want to use it on my car. I ask if my sister wanted me to wash her car. She said sure. I wash the car with Meg Gold Wash Shampoo quickly. Then I open the clay bar; I scoff at the two little clay bar it included. I started claying...I felt some resistance and then it got smooth. I did the whole car and then use the Cleaner wax. After I was done, it felt sooooooo smooth. I went ahead and use Stoner Glass. Overall her car is literally brand new, except for the little accident she had and her nasty wheels....I drove it back home and the sun was shining on it. Damn the color looks beautiful and surface was smooth to touch. But I notice some streak of wax; I guess I apply too much wax. I was a little hesitant of doing it because the car wash is a community thing and two cars came by and left. Everything was done by hand. It took me about 3 hrs and 20 minute. I think I can only do this to her car once a year. Her BMW doesnt deserve the royal treatment

Claying is amazing. I cant wait to do this to my car!

 

i picked up the kit this weekend, was going to do it but no time,instead i washed, and put a coat of carnumba on it so it should be good for a week....plus noon of my pads were washed.

it's good to know that the megs kit is good.

 

Just looking for any tips for a n00b on clay. Did you just run it back and forth over small sections? How fast do you run it?

 

^^i found a pretty helpful video off of youtube from meguires on claying. basically you mold the clay into a flat circle, spray quick detailer onto the surface, and run the clay over the surface until it just glides.

 

none were washed?

 

the streaks you are seeing one your sisters car wasnt wax, it was clay...the resistance you felt was lack of lubricant for the clay to glide over the paint...lots of lubricant is required during the clay bar...the more the better....

and thoes two little bars is more than enough to do about 6 cars....

 

Do the hood in 6 sections ( gives you an idea of the working area size ) spray the Qd spray on it and clay the direction of the air flow .. not circular .

Use lots of QD and look to see if everything visable is off then paint then feel it .. you will feel what you can't see.

Kneed the clay often ..

Use a piece the size of a ping pong ball squashed to a flat circle .

Always sit on a big chunk of cardboard or those foam interlocking work mats in case you drop the clay ..

 

the first time i clayed i used the detail spray and did small sections....the last time i clayed, i did it while i washed the car...it saved me a step....i would wash a section of the car, then i would soap up that section really good again and run the clay bar over it, then rinse...saved me about 45 minutes i would guess...make sure you do this in the shade...

 

Yea, I ran it back and forth over a small sections. I move the clay on an even speed. On a funny note, I sometimes did a big sections and moved it pretty fast. Pardon my lack of vocabulary, what is "kneed" ? Damn 6 cars for those two little pieces! So when do you throw away from the clay? Does it just disappear after certain amount of usage?

 

Throw the clay away when it gets to dirty or when it is dropped on the ground.

 

Both good tips.....
Find a happy median with lube. Too much and the clay isnt making sufficient contact. You want it to slide, but not slip....
As for kneeding? Just fold and refold frequently. Usually after each small section, before you respray and restart, re-kneed! What this does is it brings fresher clay to the surface, and kind of hides the pollutants a little bit. When the clay starts changing colors, its doing its job. When it gets downright dirty, or you notice significant marring, grab a new peice.

 

Awesome, thanks Patrick. Looks like you revamp your homepage, nice! Out of all your detail spray, what is most effective with your claybar? How about wax? You got some products that I will probably buy in a few months...*wink* *wink*

 

Supa, I would say I have one "most effective". The user is the most effective. A little soapy water is also worthy. Just dont buy a dedicated "Clay lube" when there are other options. Make up your own batch with a spray bottle filled with water and a pinkynail drop of dishsoap. Or use a quick detailer. 99% of all quick detailers will work just fine.....

 

What is the typical usage of one piece of clay? Enough to do one car, more or less?

 

before you get ready to throw away your clay, use it on your wheels and windows....

 

Good suggestion! I didnt think about that.

 

Depending on the size of the clay bar. For the Meg's Kit, 2 of them will do 6 cars. So each will be able to do 3 cars according to vinnier6.

 

my buffing pads for the PC......last time i detailed the car i washed them out quickly i never throughly cleaned them well and i had to move out the whole garge, so they have gotten dirty with dust and well a little saw dust. there has been major construction being done at my house.

i wanted to wash it, clay, just use some light swirl cutting optimum XMT 1 because all i have is minor swirls on my black paint, klausse AIO, then klausse sealer probably two coats followed by poorboy's carnuba blue.

makes the car very deep and wet looking and good for the summer, the paint is almost perfect now but it has taken a little bit of a beating in through the winter

after everywash i apply the carnuba, keeps the paint nice deep and protected.

 

Kneed = work it between your fingers to get a new working surface ... you never baked bread? You kneed the dough.

 

Nope, I never baked bread. I was kneeding it even though I wasnt familar with the term..lol. Some are you are doing some fancy stuff. So there's a step after using wax?

 

there are several steps to a full paint cleaning and protecting, clay is the first step after wash. the megs kit is in my garage too.
check the threads and home website by exceldetail- Patrick is the Guru of restoring car paint and wheels

To really make your car look better than new: IMO~
invest $200 in a UDM ($150) and some accessory pads ($25-30) and a few levels of compounds- some micro polish and a final wax-
and you will have a full detail kit- that comes with a functional canvas carry/work bag and holds everything you need to make your car, and all your friends and neighbors cars- showcar quality shine.

The Optimal spray wax, a unique carnuba/synthetic blend, is quick and easy- spray a section and pull a microfibre cloth across it to spread, done

I have to do some more quick buffing with the fine pad and polish, then spray wax my 01 TL for a ziner meet this weekend. Taking the UDM and a power convertor to run it off the car battery of anyone who wants to try it on their car. There is a list!!

Hows that for a happy customer telling 2 friends!

 

i read that either on the meguiars website or somewhere else...but i have done my car twice with one bar, and it looks as if it will handle the car atleast one more time....i have put my used piece of clay in a ziploc bag for storage....

 

What power convertor are you referring to? I got one of those cigarette adapter that has 2 AC outlet. That should work? $200 doesnt sound much, but so far this year I been spending a lot of money. If I'm buying the UDM with all those stuff, I'm looking at probably $300 or so. Does the UDM ever go on sale? I still dont know how to clean my wheels. I would like that gold to pop. Suggestions?

 

I have an old polisher in the garage, it's a single speed and I really dont know if it works or not. $200 is a lot to spend If I were to only use it twice per year to polish my car...however I could use it to also wax my car too I guess.

Other then saving time, is there other benefits to using a UDM?

 

dont confuse the udm with that old polisher you found in your garage...they are not equal....if your the kind of person who takes your car to the carwash, then dont bother getting a machine....if you cant stand to see your car getting swirled up by machine washing then get a machine....

 

In the past I took my light colored truck to the carwash. My vette was always handwashed because of it's darker paint(polo green). Now I own a 08 type s in black and plan to hand wash the vehicle myself.

I hate to drop $200+ on a machine when i can do it by hand. I'm not afraid of a little hard work. Unless there are more benefits of using a UDM other then saving time polishing and waxing.,

 

I plan on claying my car tomorrow (first time ever claying). What do you guys recommend I use after the clay, but before Meguairs NXT 2.0? I need something to get out the fine swirls in my NBP. Should I use some sort of pre-wax cleaner or a polish? I've used 3M hand glaze with good results before. BTW, I'm doing this by hand and need a recommendation that can be purchased at Pep Boys or Auto Zone.....thanks!

 

Meg Scratch X

I have it home and use it a few times.

 

May I suggest the Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay Kit... http://www.pinnaclewax.com/piulpoclkit.html

I have it and its the best clay barring kit I've used. Really brings out the original color from the car's paint and brings the car to its factory look.

 

I have some of that, but it's more for specific problems areas, no? Looking for something to use over the entire car.

 

yea, that's only for certain area. Your whole car has swirls??

 

UDM clarification on price
the UDM -brand new- is 150 plus you should buy 3 density variety pack of applicator heads total=25$ add some trick cleaner polish 20 bucks for the BIG bottle, or 15 for smaller size 3 pack variety compounds to go with the pads.

round numbers $200

There was a bad batch of units- switch or brush failure or dead on arrival to the customer. UDM refurbed those (some still come in) and sell for 100- get them from ExcelDetail- since he is a distributor he gets dibs on the refurbs when avaliable- a day or 2 before they go on the udm site--they sell out fast!

Twice a year useage- ha!
I did the car once to learn- now I did medium compound and color cleaner to get ready for an azine meet- threw on the spray wax and it looks good
Need to do a micro fine 2000 grit type polishing and then it will be showcar look.
Not bad for an 01

It is an awesome random orbital sander too- prepping the house exterior for paint
is the current non-car project for it- uses velcro backed pads- it will do amazing things with the 1500 to 6000 rpm range and control it has.
Imagine an olympic athlete able to wax 6000 tiny circles per minute on your car -for hours- and never change the strength or quality- love it!

On the convertor- yes the 12volt to 110 for the car- so you can polish the car in the shade of a tree at the park. max amp is 4.2 but thats full speed and not something normally used

 

Megs #7 glaze

 

Ehh...looks like previous owner liked auto car washes? And I looked on youtube and also read my bottle of Scratch-X and I guess you can use it on the whole car, so maybe I will.

 

I'll check that out...thanks.

 

Any thoughts on cleaning my gold rims? I will go wash my car tomorrow and make it shine...

 

So I clay my car yesterday. I didnt feel any resistance like my sister car...Was it because I put in Black Magic wax 2 or so months ago? The car felt smooth and hardly no resistance when I clay it. I got kind of depressed I use NXT 2.0 and it looks fantastic.

 

I clayed my car today and had little resistance. Of course I've only had it two weeks now. But the clay did pull off quite a lot of dirt!

 

I also notice that my car has these lil yellow thing that I cannot clay off...what the heck!!?

 

Used this product yesterday. It was my first time claying.

1. If your not sure or scared about claying you car, skip your fear and do it !!! IT's VERY easy to use and clay the car !

2. difference before and after on the paint surface smoothness. Completely night and day WOW I still can't beleive the difference this product makes. I have an 05 3g NBP TL. The surface was rought and not smooth at all. Now Smooth as glass. Car shines better as well.

3. I Recommend this product to anyone interested in claying your car !

4. Took me about 3 hours. I was not rushing ... taking it nice and easy.