Two weeks old... Clay?

[itschris]

I just got my black metallic titanium. Do I need to clay this car before I polish and wax for the first time?

[acdii]

I would, It will be covered with rail dust from transporting it from Mexico. Being that its black the rust spots will be hard to see, but on a light colored car, after a few months eventually you would start to see tiny little rust specs if not clay barred clean.

[itschris]

Thanks. I guess I'll be busy this weekend. Can you only buy Zaino products online or do better automotive shops carry them?

[acdii]

I have not seen them retail anywhere, only from Zainobros.com

[hybridbear]

I would, It will be covered with rail dust from transporting it from Mexico. Being that its black the rust spots will be hard to see, but on a light colored car, after a few months eventually you would start to see tiny little rust specs if not clay barred clean.

So I didn't do this before I waxed our Fusion when we first got it. Did I do harm by waxing without having clayed first? I plan to clay before waxing again in the next few weeks before our trip to Canada in June

[acdii]

No, it just sealed the iron dust in so the rust wont happen until the wax wears down. I would do a complete Dawn treatment and claybar before waxing again. Just wash the car down with a bucket of water with Dawn instead of car wash soap, doesnt take much maybe a capful in a gallon, but scrub it good, then claybar it with Mothers or Megiuars claybar kit, and wax away. When you do a small section, feel the paint and you can immediately tell the difference.

Edited May 16, 2013 by acdii

[Riggo]

I was told by the people at Zaino to get a little plastic sandwich bag or Saranwrap and use that to feel the paint. They say it magnifies the impurities on the paint to your fingers. I actually tried this with and worhout the plastic and it's amazing how much more you feel using the plastic wrap. I'll be claying this weekend.

[acdii]

Yep, that is does. If you wear latex or Nitril gloves while claying you can test each section as you go. Also keeps your hands from getting funky from the solution.

[dalesky]

I don't know- on my Ice Storm I compared it to the S M O O T H finish on the GT Mustang, and it was OK. I did a detail spray first, then put two coats of polymer (meguiars) protectant on it. If I get water spots I may use some clay, but not unless it shows deterioration from right now.

 

[dalesky]

I was told by the people at Zaino to get a little plastic sandwich bag or Saranwrap and use that to feel the paint. They say it magnifies the impurities on the paint to your fingers. I actually tried this with and worhout the plastic and it's amazing how much more you feel using the plastic wrap. I'll be claying this weekend.

Darn it! I wish you hadn't written that!! It looks so good already!

[neod192]

I did my first attempt at washing/clay-bar/Z-AIO/Z-5 on my wife's car (gotta practice before i do it on my Fusion) and it looks great. Only did one door and What bugs me though, is that even after I washed it and used the clay bar, it still has a ton of tiny little black dots of crap on the paint. They seem to come off if I use my fingernail to scratch it off - the problem ... there's wayyy too many of them to scratch them off like that :)

 

So I applied Z-AIO and Z-5 on it anyway. Did that just permanently seal those dots in the paint? How can I get them off?

 

Here's a pic:

 

Took a pic of both doors so i can tell the difference:

Edited May 17, 2013 by neod192

[djminfll]

acdii, can you send a link to the clay? I haven't waxed my car yet (only washed it multiple times), but I'm not sure exactly what to buy.

THank you :)

[acdii]

acdii, can you send a link to the clay? I haven't waxed my car yet (only washed it multiple times), but I'm not sure exactly what to buy.

THank you :)

Here you go. http://www.mothers.com/02_products/07240.html

[acdii]

I did my first attempt at washing/clay-bar/Z-AIO/Z-5 on my wife's car (gotta practice before i do it on my Fusion) and it looks great. Only did one door and What bugs me though, is that even after I washed it and used the clay bar, it still has a ton of tiny little black dots of crap on the paint. They seem to come off if I use my fingernail to scratch it off - the problem ... there's wayyy too many of them to scratch them off like that :)

 

So I applied Z-AIO and Z-5 on it anyway. Did that just permanently seal those dots in the paint? How can I get them off?

 

Here's a pic:

 

Took a pic of both doors so i can tell the difference:

Chances are those black specs are tar spots. Get some lighter fluid and wipe a small area with it and see if it comes off. SO what do you think of the Z?

[djminfll]

Wow, thanks! Question though - in you earlier comment, you mentioned Zaino, the link you sent is Mothers. Is there a difference? Which is better?

[neod192]

Chances are those black specs are tar spots. Get some lighter fluid and wipe a small area with it and see if it comes off. SO what do you think of the Z?

Yeah, it's tar. I'll try the lighter fluid - will that do anything to the Z-5 treated area?

 

I love the Z! The car is so smooth, my hand just slides on it. I don't think I've even felt a car this smooth :) Too bad it takes to long to do this ... I only have so much time for it ...

[Razdan]

Yeah, it's tar. I'll try the lighter fluid - will that do anything to the Z-5 treated area?

 

I love the Z! The car is so smooth, my hand just slides on it. I don't think I've even felt a car this smooth :) Too bad it takes to long to do this ... I only have so much time for it ...

Neod I bought one of these to try out on tar, bugs, bird drops and stuff.

 

http://www.autogeek.net/pinsafscrub.html

[acdii]

I dont know what the lighter fluid will do to the Z, but the thing that takes the longest is the paint prep, everything else is quick. Paint prep though is the most important step to a good smooth surface, the smoother the surface the better the gloss.

So like I said in the beginning, it really does not matter what you put ON the paint, but what you do to the paint before you do is what matters most. I myself prefer Z only because it is easy to use, lasts a long time and the results have always been great. For me well worth the cost.

[neod192]

I dont know what the lighter fluid will do to the Z, but the thing that takes the longest is the paint prep, everything else is quick. Paint prep though is the most important step to a good smooth surface, the smoother the surface the better the gloss.

So like I said in the beginning, it really does not matter what you put ON the paint, but what you do to the paint before you do is what matters most. I myself prefer Z only because it is easy to use, lasts a long time and the results have always been great. For me well worth the cost.

That sounds about right ... And the paint prep is what I'm having issues with! My wife's car has never had a proper car wash/was/anything in the last 80k miles. She just takes it through an automatic car wash 3-4 times a year ...

 

So this car has a LOT of crap on the paint, let's not even get into what you used to see when you opened the doors and looked "behind the cover". I washed it twice already (once with Meguire's car wash and once with dish soap - not Dawn, just a no-name brand), but the paint still isn't perfectly clean/smooth.

 

Before I "Z" the rest of the car I think I'm going to have to spend more time prepping it ... and getting rid of all those tiny tar and dirt spots that are baked into the paint. I might end up using up one of the clay bars on this car and use the 2nd one on the Fusion (was hoping to do both cars with 1 bar).

 

Sighs ...

[acdii]

Use a spray bottle with a few squirts of Dawn in it. You want the water to have a blue tint to it. Use one of those sponges that has the netting on it for removing bugs and then scrub the car down with that and the soapy spray, then rinse it off well before wasting a clay bar. Go over it again with bug and tar remover(or lighter fluid), then use the clay bar system. Use Dawn only, it is well known for removing grease and wax, and well worth it.

 

I have been doing this for so long I am giving serious thought of having a mobile detailing service. I have almost all I need for it, just some supplies and insurance and I can actually do it.

 

Disclaimer: Anyone who does the above to their car, PLEASE put some wax or polish on right afterwards. Dawn strips off all wax doing it this way, it REALLY cleans the paint deep down, so waxing afterwards is a must do, Dont wait a week either as bug and droppings will stick.

[neod192]

Thanks for the advice!

 

Disclaimer: Anyone who does the above to their car, PLEASE put some wax or polish on right afterwards. Dawn strips off all wax doing it this way, it REALLY cleans the paint deep down, so waxing afterwards is a must do, Dont wait a week either as bug and droppings will stick.

Yup, the instructions that came with the Z stuff also say to use AIO or ZFX right after you clay bar it. That's why I only did the one section...

[neod192]

Well, I bought a scrubbing sponge and Dawn. Most of the tar came off with that so I washed it AGAIN (3rd time in 1-2 weeks) and clay bar'd the whole thing (except the area I did yesterday). It's late and I'm tired so I pulled it into the garage and will Z-AIO + Z-5 it tomorrow morning.

 

[acdii]

When you finish park it in the same spot and take another picture at the same angle so we can compare. Looks good.

[neod192]

When you finish park it in the same spot and take another picture at the same angle so we can compare. Looks good.

Will do :) I have 8 pics of it on G+, didn't want to post them all here :camera:

[acdii]

Hopefully tomorrow isnt too bad weather wise I need to finish up the ol Fusion, I still have the doors and bumpers left to polish, then give it a good coat of wax and let it shine. I need to place an order for some AIO.