DO i clay?? suggestions or opinions plz
 

hey guys,

I just picked up my Z. Platinum graphite. I took delivery with out having the car washed.

So i washed it up myself but i can still tell there is a bit of caked on residue on the finish and i managed to swirl up the spoiler a bit too. :mad:

I would like to polish them out and polish the rest of the car too, but. if there is this rail dust/residue on the car is it important that i clay the car as well as washing it before waxing it?

pls give me your input.

THanks,

No need to clay a brand new car. I good wash and wax should be good enough for a while!

:iagree:

Really?

Because in some threads on this forum it states otherwise? Im just afraid of washing the car then taking a pad of wax to it and causing swirl marks as i apply the wax because of whatever crap is left behind from the freight.

I always clay my new car before I wax it. I wont hurt the paint and it takes tiny particles away. If you feel something with your hand it will cause swirls when you wash and wax.

depends. i clayed the first week of ownership because the car's sitting out in the lot while it's in stock and there were rough spots.

i also told the dealer not to wax either cause i like to do that on my own using the right products and technique.

I see both opinions. I personally like to clay bar then wax

I don't think it would hurt to clay it

thanks for the input guys.

I have made up my mind to clay bar the car. obviously there was enough junk on it to cause swirl marks on the spoiler.

Also, i feel much safer applying the wax by hand as apposed to with a buffer. I think just because i feel more in control. Is there any difference to the end result if i do this?

Also, after clay baring the car do i need to polish and wax? or just wax. lol what the heck is the difference between the two anyways?

:tup:

:happydance:

plus you get to spend more time touching your car.

I disagree. NEW DELIVERED CARS SHOULD BE CLAYED! due to transporting rail dust and contaminations. I always do detail jobs for BRAND new cars. It's call new car prep. You clay it wash it good and seal it with a good sealant and wax. The factory stuff isn't any good.

Clay away...those little debris particles never sleep.

sounds good.

Do i need to polish and wax after i clay? or just wax?

thx

lulwat?

Brand new cars need claying.

you would be surprised on what is on your car evenbeing brand new. Claying can help at worst case, it didn't hurt a thing. I'm sure if you clay it you will get some embedded particles out of the paint. Just use a fine clay, no reason for a mild clay. and when you are done, you'll be left with a perfect finish to seal and wax.
Cheers

Any time you're going to start a fresh detail you need to clay. You always want a clean slate to start with.

wat is the best procedure after i clay?

Can i just wax the car after or do i have to put something else on it first?

I have actually never seen clay sold here

?

doing my clay today.

this is what i will be doing. please correct me if i am wrong.

1. rinse/wash with meguires deep crystal soap

2. dry with microfiber waffle towel

3.use meguires clay kit and clay bar entire vehicle top to bottom

4. apply mequires deep crystal polish/wipe dry

5.apply meguires gold class wax/wipe dry


????

This is my first time doing this so please let me know if i should be doing something different.

thanks for the help!:ugh2:

by applying the polish what do you mean? polish is for smoothing the surface and removing small defects. good luck if your doing it by hand as it takes a lot of elbow grease. If you don't have any swirls yet or very few, I would skip that part and just wax her. Go get a PC or even Meguiar's dual action polisher for best results when polishing, they are very easy to use.

I didn't have to clay my car when new. I bought it in November '09, it has a November '08 build date on it, so it was on the lot for most of 2009.

No swirl marks, paint looks perfect.

IMO, let the dealer wash and prep the car. If they fck the paint, they keep the car. :tup:

When I start a fresh detail I will wash the car, clay it, wash it again, and then start with the polishes.

:iagree:

Yes, every new car should be clayed. Wash it first then clay it. I like to use car soap when I clay a car, not quick detail. Either way you go make sure you use enough lubricant so the clay doesn't stick and leave residual clay behind all over your car. If your not having it professionally polished, use a prewax cleaner after claying it, then wax or seal it. If you really car about your paint I recommend purchasing a foam gun for washing. Other wise use a two bucket wash system. One bucket for soap, the other for rinsing your mitt. Use a sheep skin wash mitt, very gentle on the paint and won't induce marring . Wash from the top down in small sections at a time, rinsing in between each section. Separate buckets and mitts are recommended for the wheels. Good luck.

+1 brand new cars definitely need claying. Should be the first thing you do when you have time.

4. apply mequires deep crystal polish/wipe dry
^I believe you wipe it off before it dries!

I tend to wash with dishwashing fluid first to strip off any old wax, my previous wax job was done with carnauba wax so that has to come off first and foremost. Then I'd clay and then wash with the good stuff followed by waxes and polish.

Tip: use two buckets!

I stand by my believe. I have never clayed a BRAND NEW car.

If the paint surface of the car is that bad then is something definitely wrong!

I deal with new cars all the time and almost all need claying for various reasons. This certainly does not mean there is something wrong with the paint. After you have washed your car gently feel with your finger tips the paint surface. If it is not absolutely smooth, then it needs claying.

What is the clay bar process, you ask?

Clay Bar is used to remove paint contamination, overspray and industrial fallout.

What is paint contamination?

Paint contamination consists of tiny metal shavings from rail dust, brake dust and industrial fallout. This contamination affects all paint finishes and can cause serious damage when left untreated. Paint contamination can be felt as a "rough or gritty" texture on the paint's surface and can lead to tiny rust spots. This contamination can not be removed by washing, waxing and/or polishing. Check out the three stages of paint contamination.

Stage 1:

Metal shavings land on the paint's surface.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/class...ing/Stage1.jpg


Stage 2:

Shavings start to oxidize.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/class...ing/Stage2.jpg


Stage 3:

Rust spots forms in the paint.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/class...ing/Stage3.jpg



Where does it come from?

There are three major causes of paint contamination:

1. Rail dust - produced from the friction of train wheels against railroad tracks. Over 70% of new vehicles are shipped by rail. Rail dust can contaminate a new car's finish before it even reaches the dealership. Anytime a vehicle is parked or travels near a railroad it is subject to rail dust contamination.

2. Brake dust - particles produced from the friction of brake pads rubbing against the rotor. This metal on metal friction disperses tiny particles of bare metal into the air and on the highway where it collects on passing vehicles.

3. Industrial fallout - another word for pollution, industrial fallout is a byproduct of our modern industrial age.


Testing for paint contamination:

After washing and drying your vehicle, put your hand inside a plastic sandwich bag and lightly run your fingertips over the paint's surface. It should be as smooth as glass. If your car's surface has a rough, gritty or pebble-like texture, it indicates the presence of paint contamination. This should be removed with a clay bar before applying a polish or wax.


Removing Paint Contamination:

There is no wax, natural or synthetic, or any chemical treatment that can prevent or protect against this contamination. Compounding with an abrasive polish may remove paint contamination but it can only be performed a few times before removing too much of the top, clear coat finish. This is why the process of claying is required. Claying removes these impurities without removing your clear coat. It is the safest, most effective way to do so.

Claying is a simple process, although you may have to exert a little energy. The secret to proper claying is to keep the area that you are working on wet at all times. Not doing so makes the claying process difficult and it also causes marring of the paint. The amount of pressure that you apply is directly proportional to how bad the paint is contaminated. A 10 year old car that has lived in a driveway all of its life is going to require a little more scrubbing than your new car that you have just driven off the car lot.

The object of claying is to get the paint as smooth as glass. Work in small sections (1 foot square areas). Once you get a section smooth as glass, you move on to the next section. Work in small areas so that you don't miss anything. Here's a short video of me claying an area of a bumper in which a deep scratch resides.


Short Video on Claying



The claying process itself does absolutely nothing to remove swirls or scratches. It simply removes the impurities from the paint as stated before. Claying is a very important process when necessary, and contributes effectively to obtaining that deep, glossy shine.


When should I clay?

Only when your finish fails the baggie test described above. Some folks clay their finish too often. It is not a set in stone step with paint maintenance, it is only required if your paint needs it. A car that stays garaged, covered and not driven often is not going to get clayed as often as a car that sits in a driveway night and day, in a dusty or dirty environment. I have personally clayed my car once, a year and a half ago. It of course is the first car in the scenario above.

Now that you realize when and why to clay your finish, all you have to do is inspect your paint.

Performing the claying process in the shade or indoors helps keep your lubricant from drying to quickly. Try and do so if possible. :thumbsup:

The Junkman