Detailing with clay bars

[Stang2Vibe]

Anyone know where I might find a good clay bar and how much I could expect to pay for it? Any suggestions on a superior brand of clay bar? Also, any hints, tips, and tricks regarding using them from those who have tried them are appreciated. I really plan on using one this spring to get my Vibe all detailed and ready for summer. Thanks!

[robdog]

ZAINO is excellent

[esjones]

quote:Anyone know where I might find a good clay bar and how much I could expect to pay for it? How about an intro for newbies as to what a clay bar is, and how to use one?- ESJ

[Stang2Vibe]

I'll have to check their website. Thanks.

[biggdogg173]

You can actually pick up a Mothers kit with the clay bar at Wal-Mart I got one last summer.

[coratz]

claybars are not for newbies!!!! you could damage your finish. why are you using a claybar on such a new car? i would use a good cleaner wax. the mothers 3 step finish program works the best. i personally hate the claybar for it traps dirt and drags it all over your car. i piece of salt trapped in the claybar could do some serious damage.

[bellwilliam]

I just bought a mothers clar bar this weekend at Pep Boys. it ran $15.I tried it on one of my older cars (12 yrs old), it made a HUGE differences !!! I always used cleaner before, but had bad results. The result was a super SMOOTH finish. I was so happy with it, I used it on 2 cars I got, even though it was raining. the bars got really dirty, so I had to buy another clar bar for next weekend (on my other cars and bikes).I don't think you need it yet on the Vibe, since it is a new car. I don't know what the above post was refering to, when he said it definetely is not for newbie. I had no problem, it was really easy to use.pick one up, try it on a small patch of painted surface, you will be amazed !!!

[Cubanpete]

I have to agree on one point with Coratz, when a vehicle is brand new like the ones we own here, there should be no need to use a clay bar yet, Clay bar should be used at least in year 3-4. Also there is some technique involved when doing the clay bar method, if your goal is to do a pro job. What I would recommend is Clean it regularly and a Good wax....in may, should last you for the whole summer! Then do another good Clean Wax job pre-winter.

[Stang2Vibe]

I have always liked the Mother's 3 step system, but it is so much time and work. It would usually take me about 8 hours start to finish. I don't have that much time anymore and was hoping that the clay bar would cut way back on the amount of time needed. The first step of the 3 step system took a lot of work if you were doing it right. Lots of rubbing. Sore arms and back all the way around.

[bellwilliam]

I am too lazy to do the Mother's 3 step system. I always just wash, and wax. but now I tried clay bar, I will probably do that once a year.I just went ahead and clay bared all my other cars. I really like the result. anyone know where I can buy cheap online? I got mine at Pep Boys for $15 for Mother's. or if any other brand?

[robdog]

If you are not experienced in this just take it and get it detailed and buffed out with a high speed buffer by a pro. It cost like $125 bucks and will save you alot of aggravation, then just apply wax a few times a year and a regular wash and it will look good all the time

[Stang2Vibe]

I've been detailing for several years now. I can use a high speed electric buffer myself, I do it at work regularly. You can really mess up a car's finish with one of those things if you don't know what you are doing. Luckily, I got to learn on a ratty old truck that didn't really matter if it got messed up. I've gotten pretty good at it. I can do my own bodywork now too. We have done some serious work on some of our work trucks. I am one of two guys where I work that does bodywork on our fleet. I learned from a guy who is pretty good at it, and his brother used to own his own body shop. So if I have questions, these guys can give me good answers.As for other brands of clay bars, Pep Boys around here just started carrying a brand called Clay Magic. It comes with a spray bottle of quick detailer and the clay bar. My friend who was the manager at Pep Boys told me that the Clay Magic company was the first to make such a product and it is supposed to be a little better than Mother's. I guess we'll see.

[Nervous_Dog]

I've used a clay bar a few times on other cars and it's amazing how well the paint turned out, so smooth and shiney. I was a bit scared of messing up the first time but just remember:1. Keep the surface wet with detailer and don't work too big an area. Slow, steady, long strokes are better than rapid back and forth strokes. 2. Make sure you fold the bar everytime you start a new body panel. That's important on the front half of the car, where most of the contaminents will be. Your rear fenders and trunk/hatch will probably be the easiest. 3. I like to hold the bar with my fingertips on the sides, if you palm the bar you might put too much pressure on it and scratch the paint. I prefer Mother's clay bar kit. Murray's usually has them for $13-15 but I have found the kits at WalMart for about $9. Feel free to email me if you need any help or advice.

[Cubanpete]

Stang.......I was doing some shoppping and research, the Claybar I saw was the "mothers kit" that yellow piece of play-doh. After carefully looking at this product, I find this product extremelly unesecesary on a brand new vehicle, This detailer will be extremelly usefull, around year 3-4 of your vibe. Basically this will do a job very close to the Motheras 3 step system. Again with that system I only will do step 2 (Sealer/Glaze) and 3 (Pure Carnuba wax), Step 1 is usually if your paint is somewhat beat up, and this is what the clay bar will also fix....So my opinion is that from what I understood, Clay bar is not feasible on a brand new vehicle.

[esjones]

quote:Clay bar is not feasible on a brand new vehicle.It's certainly feasible. You're just saying that it's probably not necessary, nor advisable.

[Stang2Vibe]

Thanks for your input, guys. The clay bar and Step 1 should accomplish the same goal, they just go about it different ways. The clay bar is a physical cleaner while Step 1 is a chemical cleaner. Neither product should harm the surface of the paint (unless sharp particles get trapped in the clay bar and you rub it across the surface). You should be able to use either product 100 times in a row on the same day and not depleat the finish of the car. I was just thinking that the clay bar might me a bit easier to use than Step 1 because Step 1 reqires a LOT of rubbing to get the surface absolutely clean. Now, remember, I tend toward the obsessive when cleaning and detailing the car. I will be checking to see that the surface is absolutely clean before I take the time to complete steps 2 and 3. It does no good to glaze and wax over dirt and residue on the paint's surface. In fact, that just makes more work to clean it later, as I have found. My car has been driven for almost 7 months now, including through the winter. I haven't got to wax it yet. So washing the car will remove most of the dirt, but the surface will still not be clean enough to glaze and wax so I will have to use another product first to get the clear, deep shine that I want. I have taken the shortcut way before by skipping the first step because it is a pain, but the results are never the same.

[Cubanpete]

Yes...sorry for the miscommunication .....ESJones , that is what I meant......... NOT NECESSARY

[Cubanpete]

quote:Thanks for your input, guys. The clay bar and Step 1 should accomplish the same goal, they just go about it different ways. The clay bar is a physical cleaner while Step 1 is a chemical cleaner. Neither product should harm the surface of the paint (unless sharp particles get trapped in the clay bar and you rub it across the surface). You should be able to use either product 100 times in a row on the same day and not depleat the finish of the car. I was just thinking that the clay bar might me a bit easier to use than Step 1 because Step 1 reqires a LOT of rubbing to get the surface absolutely clean. Now, remember, I tend toward the obsessive when cleaning and detailing the car. I will be checking to see that the surface is absolutely clean before I take the time to complete steps 2 and 3. It does no good to glaze and wax over dirt and residue on the paint's surface. In fact, that just makes more work to clean it later, as I have found. My car has been driven for almost 7 months now, including through the winter. I haven't got to wax it yet. So washing the car will remove most of the dirt, but the surface will still not be clean enough to glaze and wax so I will have to use another product first to get the clear, deep shine that I want. I have taken the shortcut way before by skipping the first step because it is a pain, but the results are never the same.Yes Stang it will do the same thing as Step 1, without the intense labour, I would also like to add that IMHO... I believe and I am pretty certain the claybar used is not "Specifically" designed for them and probably available at a HW or Craft Shop.........as a Standalone Product with a different name or sales description, and probably alot cheaper for bigger QTY, Thus at that time you would need the detailer only and get the Claybar seperate. As the manual notes in the claybar...If you drop the claybar while working, the Claybar is no Good and is for the Garbage...The Mothers Kit...sells here for 25.00 Canadian plus taxes..so It's not that cheap.

[Stang2Vibe]

Yes, I read that if you drop it you have to throw it away, too. The Mother's kit sells for about $15 USD around here and it says it should be good for use on about 3 medium sized cars. So $5 per car isn't all that bad.

[bellwilliam]

I bought some clay bar this weekend at Walmart for about $10. I forgot the brand, but it is not mothers.I like the clay bar better than step one. 1. less labor, you don't have to rub so hard. 2. I think the paint comes out much smoother than step one. it is almost as if the car has just been waxed.anyone here acutally tried clay bar on older car, but did not like it? or found another way of doing a better job?

[Cubanpete]

Did you ever find what brand Clay bar you got at wall mart? I checked on saturday and could not find any near my place!

[Cubanpete]

quote:Thanks for your input, guys. The clay bar and Step 1 should accomplish the same goal, they just go about it different ways. The clay bar is a physical cleaner while Step 1 is a chemical cleaner. Neither product should harm the surface of the paint (unless sharp particles get trapped in the clay bar and you rub it across the surface). You should be able to use either product 100 times in a row on the same day and not depleat the finish of the car. I was just thinking that the clay bar might me a bit easier to use than Step 1 because Step 1 reqires a LOT of rubbing to get the surface absolutely clean. Now, remember, I tend toward the obsessive when cleaning and detailing the car. I will be checking to see that the surface is absolutely clean before I take the time to complete steps 2 and 3. It does no good to glaze and wax over dirt and residue on the paint's surface. In fact, that just makes more work to clean it later, as I have found. My car has been driven for almost 7 months now, including through the winter. I haven't got to wax it yet. So washing the car will remove most of the dirt, but the surface will still not be clean enough to glaze and wax so I will have to use another product first to get the clear, deep shine that I want. I have taken the shortcut way before by skipping the first step because it is a pain, but the results are never the same............Stang here is my update on the Mothers 3 Phase system!.........I washed the car very well and pretty detailed, At this point I was running very late and would not have the time to complete the 3 phase job, .....So I buffed it with Meguiars detailer...So looking at my car in the Garage....I decided to do a test at an area with lots of hairline scratches at the front quarter panel near the tire...From this past winter, ...I Originally bought the glaze and the carnauba wax....(Step 2 and Step 3), Not step 1. I believed the paint did not require step 1, However my finish is the Nepune colour.......and inside my garage I carefully inspected the paint and saw oxidiztion at certain areas as well as the finish was not as smooth somehow I was able to see it better....So my experiment I tried a small section just with the glaze alone...The finish was super smooth and silky, alot of the visible hairlines did dissapear, not all mind you but alot......So I am convinced this product will do a great job..but considering the vibe is not a small car.....there is a fair amount of work here! & at this point that in order to get the proper results a factory wet looking paint.......there is no way around it, all 3 steps have to be done!.....Now I understand the step 1 chemical scrub.......should prepare the surface and all the fine spider webs and any roughspots should dissapear.......Have you had a chance to do the clay bar yet...did it prep your finish perfectly? Did alot of scuffs dissapear?

[Stang2Vibe]

I'm glad to see that you understand the distiction of using all 3 steps and the difference it makes. I am not paid or compensated in any way by any company/person/entity to endorse or in any way give positive comments for any product whatsoever. When I give advice on what to use for detailing a car, fixing finish imperfections, etc., I am speaking solely from personal experince or I have asked someone else who I greatly trust to give me their opinion from their experience. I am not going to try to encourage someone to buy a product that I know doesn't work or do what it claims to do. Whenever possible, I try to mention only the type of product or a generic name for it, as opposed to a brand name because many people already have preferred brands for detailing products and that is fine. Most common name brands are good products for our cars and will do the job. I do, however, specifically mention products by name brands if people are comparing them on here or if someone asks specifically about one. Again, I would only give specific comments on products I have personally used. I am not trying to steer anyone in a wrong direction or make comments on products that I know nothing about.All that said, yes, even the surface of a newer car will oxidize as you noted in your post. Oxidation is the chemical process where oxygen chemically reacts with something else. What that something else is determines what the reaction will be. When oxygen combines chemically with iron, for example, rust is produced. When oxygen is allowed to react with pure potassium, sodium, magnesium, cesium, etc., a flash fire occurs (and several other byproducts are formed as well, but we don't need to go into all of that). When oxygen comes in contact with most cured paints, the surface is dulled and actually dries out. You have to clean (or buff) away the oxidized layer to make it glossy again. To keep the paint from oxidizing, you have to seal it so that oxygen can't reach it. That is one of the funtions of using wax. We paint metals so they don't oxidize (rust). The paint seals the surface of the metal so oxygen can't reach it. The same idea goes for the wax. We wax the painted surface so that the paint does not oxidize. So even the paint on a brand new car CAN oxidize.And finally, Step 1 will not remove fine scratches or "spiderwebbing" in the paint. That is what the glaze is for (Step 2) because it fills in minor imperfections and smooths out the surface. Step 1 is just a deep cleaner to remove all contaminants on the surface to prepare it for the other steps. If the surface has a scuff mark on it, but not into it, then Step 1 will probably help to remove it, the same as with a clay bar. And, sadly, no I haven't had a chance to try out my clay bar yet. Between college finals, work, and bad weather, I haven't got to it yet. But I will gladly give my opinion of it once I do try it. There really aren't any scuffs or marks on my paint yet (knock on wood), but I have received a small stone chip or two on my hood that I have to touch up.

[bellwilliam]

Stang2vibe, I would like to see your comparison of claybar to step 1. I will also get the name of clay bar I bought in Walmart. I did pay just $10 for it, including clay bar and lubricant (detailer) for it.

[Cubanpete]

Mother's Claybar kitMother's Sealer/Glaze (Phase 2)Mother's Pure Carnuba Wax Paste (Phase 3)Well, after much consideration, I picked up a Mothers Clay bar kit also step 2, and Step 3 (Paste)....Man I have to tell you the car came out absolutely awesome, I did not even use the entire claybar, I used half of it and stored the other half in an air tight ziplock....Man I have to tell you after these results....I see no reason why its necessary to buy Hi end waxes costing a couple of hundred dollars, the key to a good job is preparation, I did this in my garage, I am not a pro-detailer by any means, However I am certain that if I would bring my vehicle to get it done at a shop to get the results I got, they would charge me 200 bux easily!.......This is how I did it:1) Wash car very very good, with Dish soap and remove all old dealer waxes/polishes, NEVER use dish soap as a weekly washer only for preparation of the 3 step system for the first time around. dry vehicle very very well..2)With rhe fresh Clay Bar squeeze it well and stretch it to a pad size form, Always start with the areas that contain the least ammount of Oxidization/Particles.....I started with my hood, the did the roof, the top side of the doors till the molding, the front quarter panels. Then he hatch, then the front part that gets all the grime and salt in the winter...the lower part of the doors...These areas will have higher particle rate then other sections of the vehicle and you dont want trapped debries to scratch up your car.. I always would do a 3 x 3 foot area constantly flipping and redoing my clay bar so as it was getting recycled all the time, do not worry for the detailer over spray,...Always make sure ther is lube where you are working..once the area is done, spary a little detailer then buff the completed area, it looks and becomes like glass....Key point is: Work slowly and productively..Take as much time as you need and inspect the area well after its done and you buff it! 2) Then apply the Glaze/ Sealer step 2 starting from the roof going down, Leave the sealer glaze on till tou finish so it will bond good and get rid of 85% of all the swirls and scratches.......When complete buff well....and get prepared to get blown away.........you will feel like the car dosent need anything else as it looks rich and deep, better then when you bought it! ..... Don't worry about the powdery residue from the sealer.......just dust it off with a new terry cloth..3) The Pure Carnuba paste part...I found was the hardest, labour wise as the liquid is easier to apply but the paste IMHO is much better and last longer.....but harder to work with, you need to eat a good breakfast.......Again I did it as I did step 2.....I did it in my Garage which is cool and no sunlight....and left the carnuba wax on the areas till it hazed up and bonded well....then I buffed..........my car feel like I just spayed it with a Glass coating of somekind........I recommend these products to anyone.... On a note with the dishwashing soap........When I will have to do step 2-3 again later on, You should not use it and use a real car cash soap.....Meguiars liquid Crystal or Mothers....as they will not strip of the existing protection....they will clean just enough to prepare the vehicle for the job.

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