So, after spending hours reading the forums and trying to learn how to use clay to assist me in detailing the car, I decided to give it a shot. I don't have have any power tools except a 9 inch orbital buffer (classic variety sold at a sears or auto store.) I usually apply my waxes by hand. I am, by no means a professional but rather your weekend detailer with the simple polishes you can get at an auto store or Walmart. My favoite is the colinite 845 products as its easy to use and has great results.

I picked me up a meguires clay bar kit for 15 bucks to start out with, some microfiber towels, and some more buffing bonnets for the buffer. I picked up the kit in the image below.


After claying the car (took like 35-40) mins, I was a little skeptical because i thought it would take longer. There was very little contaminents as i kneeded the clay after each section. I was expecting more rail dust, buildup, crap, what have you. This car is garage stored both at home and at work and i clean it every other day due to the bugs i catch going to work. Needless to say, I thought there would be more crap in the clay. I will say, I did drop the clay, (GASP) and I felt like a guy in jail who just dropped the soap. YES, i got rid of that piece of clay as i didn't want to insert crap into the paint. That was the first and last time that happened. I did notice white faint streaks that in the paint that I thought were scratches. Those came out in the next step which was the hand polish using the meguires cleaner wax that came with the kit. So, is there another step? Do i put the Colinite 845 on top of the cleaner, wax? Am i done? Here is a picture of the hood after the detail.




I think i kind of started backwards (didn't know about this awesome website when i bought the car). I applied the Colinte on day two after the purchase. Then i went back to square one, washed, dried, clayed, cleaner/wax, and need to know what the next step is. If you have any comments or suggestions, this noobie would appreciate it.

Thanks.

CCBBUUMM

 

Looks good .. the next step after the cay would be ( if required ) to polish out any spiderwebbing then go to a cleaner. Myself I usually throw out or give away the wax that comes with those kits.

But its on the car so no problem. Go right to adding the Collinite.

Put it on really thin.

 

I have the same kit. I use the cleaner wax on my wheels.

 

Thanks for the info.. Ill give it a shot of colinite..