clay barring question

[Craig K.]

To those that have clay bared their cars, how wet did you keep the surface while using the clay?

I bought the Mequires kit today, and the only time the clay would get real dirty was if I let the surface dry out a little.

I have only done both the fender top surfaces, and I did keep the surface fairly wet most of the time, but it just didn't blow me away with the results.

The surface does feel a little smoother, but I was hoping I would have been able to remove more of the oxidation in the paint.
I guess I might need to wet sand / buff it to get ride of that.

I will continue to clay bar the rest of the top surface panels (those are the ones which really need a good cleaning). After I did the fenders I waxed with the provided stuff, and also used some Mequires 26 and NXT on top of each other.

The resulting shine does look pretty good, I am just not sure how long it will last.

[banditmwp]

I didn't wet the surface very much, I just put water on the bar every 2 foot by 2 foot section or so. I had a fine mist on the car, not even enough to bead up.

Did you remove the old wax before you started clay barring the car?

[Craig K.]

Did you remove the old wax before you started clay barring the car?

Directions didn't really say that, hmmm.

Is the best way to still wash the car with dish detergent?

[banditmwp]

Directions didn't really say that, hmmm.

Is the best way to still wash the car with dish detergent?
:yup:

Unless you feel like going to your local O'reilly and getting a can of wax and grease remover (behind the counter, about $9 for a can)

When I did ours back in September, I just bought a bar, no kit or anything. I washed them with Dawn before I claybarred them.

[QWKSNKE]

Dawn is recommended from most high dollar waxes as a remover.

Craig, claybar'ing removes contaminants from the paint. I don't think it will help with oxidizing. I keep the area soaking wet with soapy water when I do it

[Craig K.]

Thanks guys, I will try Dawn tomorrow and see how it does.


I wish that I could have just bought a clay bar, but the store (sorry not O'Reilly's) didn't have one.

[slvrbullit]

Make sure it is the Original Dawn, it is the strongest for removing old wax. Wash the car twice to make sure all the wax is removed.

When I claybar mine I make a pail of dawn and water to keep the surface wet. You dont really have to use the detailer stuff to wet the surface.

[hevymtl]

Ill come by and let you try it on the L till you get good at it.:D

[Craig K.]

Well I tried some Dawn that my wife had (the foamy stuff), I could definatly tell a diference, the clay got a lot dirter than last night.

[FastRedPonyCar]

I use this. Works amazingly well. Paint feels like silk after I'm done and that's before I put on any polish or wax.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=11145

Meguiars NTX speed detailer also works well.

I use the meguiars deep clean (http://www.meguiars.com/?auto-paint-cleaners/Deep-Crystal-System-Paint-Cleaner) after a wash then claybar then NTX wax and if I want more shine, Meguiars shine polish (http://www.meguiars.com/?car-polishes/Deep-Crystal-System-Polish). The shine polish doesn't work quite as well on the metallic silver as it did on the red paint of the GT. It's also un noticable on my dad's white BMW but on my mom's black tahoe before we sold it, it was awesome. Swirl marks vanished after that post wax polish went on. :huh: