Question for OCDetails

[Guest *Jedimaster*]

Since making the "what grime did you find" thread, I've been thinking of claying my car when it gets warmer and polishing/waxing it again. I always wax a few times a year, but I'm wondering if there would be any problem claying it once a year in addition.

[OCDetails]

I clay my car more than once a year usually. Usually you end up needing it two or three times a year on a daily driver. The more freeway driving you do or the more polution is in the air the more you need to clay. Everynow and then I get hit with overspray from somewhere and I need to bust out the clay. Its not a big deal since its not taking any paint off. Sometimes I just do a light polishing after the clay to finish up on any scratches the clay left. Those are usually pretty minimal and not a big deal.

[Guest *Jedimaster*]

I clay my car more than once a year usually. Usually you end up needing it two or three times a year on a daily driver. The more freeway driving you do or the more polution is in the air the more you need to clay. Everynow and then I get hit with overspray from somewhere and I need to bust out the clay. Its not a big deal since its not taking any paint off. Sometimes I just do a light polishing after the clay to finish up on any scratches the clay left. Those are usually pretty minimal and not a big deal.

Thanks- I just didn't want to clay the paint right off the car with our wonderful Subaru paint and all.

[c-lo]

Ocdetails....don't mean to hijack a thread, but could you tell me what "claying your car" is? and where do I get this stuff?

 

 

 

carlo

[OCDetails]

Here is my article on clay. You can get clay at auto part stores with the detailing stuff. Mothers, Meguiar's and Clay Magic are the most common brands. Clay Magic is my favorite. Its a box with a blue Gumby looking guy on it. Clay is used to pull contamination out of your paint that makes the surface not smooth. Feel your car after you wash it sometime. If its not smooth as glass then you need to clay it.

[iuksob03]

Ocdetails....don't mean to hijack a thread, but could you tell me what "claying your car" is? and where do I get this stuff?

 

 

 

carlo

 

Not OCDetails, but think I can help. Claying is a process by which a small claybar is slid across the surface of the paint to remove any imperfections. It's a pretty simple process which should be as needed. Claybar kits can be found at Autozone, PepBoys, etc or purchased through any of the online detailing supply shops. Most kits will come with a small claybar and a bottle of lubricant. Mothers and ClayMagic are gonna be the easiest to find on the shelves.

 

Here's a more detailed look at the process.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/detailingclay.html

[OCDetails]

Claying is a process by which a small claybar is slid across the surface of the paint to remove any imperfections.

 

Kinda sorta. The clay isn't going to remove imperfections in the appearance of the paint. Its designed to pull out imperfections that have become embedded in the paint. It will pull out industrial fallout and tree sap and overspray and stuff like that. If you have a bad paint job then this isn't going to do anything to help. If you run your hand over your car and feel roughness then that is the kind of imperfection that clay will remove. I'm constantly amazed that more people aren't familiar with this process, but I'm always pleased to talk with people who know what it is.

[firedawgs]

Thanks for hte aritcle OC. Can you clay if you have a coat or two of wax on the car?

I waxed mine about a month ago. Is there a good wax or wax/polish you recommend to apply after the claying??

[OCDetails]

I would be very careful about claying over a wax job. You can clay if you are really gentle and don't use much pressure or make too many passes. Wax is fragile enough that I don't know how much of it would survive a clay job.

 

After a month you probably need to wax again anyway. Most wax has about a 6 week lifespan on a daily driver that spends time in the sun and elements. There are a few good waxes out there depending on where you shop. Meguiar's Gold Class is one of my favorite 'off the shelf' liquid waxes. If you have a Harley Davidson dealership nearby then you can get one of the best paste waxes on the market there. S100 is what it is called and it runs about $15 bucks a jar. Its so worth it though. It out does waxes that cost a hundred times more. Trust me... I've compared them.

[ChE Outback XT]

Hope this isn't too far off-thread, but I feel the need to point out that it's the same idea as a clay mask for your face, and to point out that if you haven't tried it, yes, even you tough, Subie driving buff boys, you should. Nothing like it!

[c-lo]

Here is my article on clay. You can get clay at auto part stores with the detailing stuff. Mothers, Meguiar's and Clay Magic are the most common brands. Clay Magic is my favorite. Its a box with a blue Gumby looking guy on it. Clay is used to pull contamination out of your paint that makes the surface not smooth. Feel your car after you wash it sometime. If its not smooth as glass then you need to clay it.

 

So how is this different than using McGuires 3 step wax process?? Don't remember the name off hand but I use it in the spring. think the first process is a strip, a cleaner and a polisher. Don't quote me on that, I'd have to go home and look?

 

One thing I've noticed is small hair-line scratches in the paint. Perhaps from using the chamois? (which i no longer use thanks to your article)

[OCDetails]

The Meguiar's three step process is not going to pull contamination out of the paint. Its just a paint cleaner, mild polish and a wax. Those are the proper 3 steps to follow, but clay should really come before those. I'm in the process as we speak of writing a guide for beginners that will outline what process would work for someone shopping locally who doesn't want to spend 300 bucks on car care stuff right off the bat. It will go into a little more detail on what those three step products do.

 

The hair line scratches are more than likely from your washing or drying method. Check out the direction of the scratches. If they run in the same direction that you dry, then that is probably the cause. The Legacy paint is super super soft. Everything seems to mark it up.