Meguiars Clay Kit

[acdii]

Well, I got my car in my garage yesterday and started cleaning it. Started with the hood, trying to remove some scratches. I had picked up a 4 pack sampler of polishes from Chemical Guys and tried it out. I need to go get me a couple more pads for my polisher now, this stuff is great.

 

However, I started with the clay bar, and found my paint is NASTY!

 

Where the hell did the BLUE come from? This was just from the middle of the hood, between the ridges!

 

 

All I have done so far is the hood and that took over an hour to do with the polisher. I have a Dewalt variable speed polisher, and several foam pads, but need a couple more since I dont want to mix them up with the different grades of polish.

 

So I run the clay bar over it with Meguiars Detailer spray, then apply the Hybrid polish(LOL Hybrid polish for my Hybrid), then apply the final polish, followed up with their VO7 sealer spray and that hood is slick as Teflon!

 

You can see the scratches in the Fender, but not in the hood anymore. Except the big ones I tried to get out, but they are too deep in the Clear to get out safely.

 

Just ignore the big ol lunk in the reflection

 

 

Next, On to the roof. The trunk will be a royal PAIN with the spoiler on it. It needs it bad too, clay bar did not get it smooth.

[Cobra348]

Local detailing shop is Meguairs certified, so I use them for the detailing on the cars. I'm lucky enough AND old enough to be able to pay someone else for the trouble. I learned of clay in the Fiesta forums about 4 years ago.

 

I used to work in one of the local nuclear power plants but to the west was another one with one of those huge cooling towers. My car was usually parked right where the small solids in the plume could drop on it, so 2-3 times a year I'd go to the detailers and get a clay job done. Boy did those cars shine!

[acdii]

Like this?

 

[Cobra348]

Yup! <puts on the sunglasses> One can get blinded quite easily.

[corncobs]

Like this?

 

Like it! and I'm guessing you haven't started your new job yet right ;)

[dalesky]

Like this?

 

Nice, real nice!

[acdii]

Starts Monday, so have this week to get prepped. Car is ready, have to get a drug test done, and get my clothes ready. Took advantage of the nice warm weather today. The only thing on the car I didn't put time into was the front bumper. Took me damn near all day to get it done. I have to get some bug remover, there are some baked on bugs on the front bumper that clay is not touching. I was also worn out with an aching back by then.

[Cobra348]

Starts Monday, so have this week to get prepped. Car is ready, have to get a drug test done, and get my clothes ready. Took advantage of the nice warm weather today. The only thing on the car I didn't put time into was the front bumper. Took me damn near all day to get it done. I have to get some bug remover, there are some baked on bugs on the front bumper that clay is not touching. I was also worn out with an aching back by then.

I've used Turtle Wax Bug and Tar remover ... works decently enough. Removes tree sap too! Only thing is it is petroleum based and you do need to rinse off after working the area.

[acdii]

I need to reorganize my garage, I have some.....somewhere. Problem I have is there are 2 outdoor cats that sleep in the garage sometimes, and they get into all kinds of mischief, like knocking things off shelves, and pretty sure its behind the shelf now. If any of them decided to take a nap on the hood, the will wind up on the floor looking very surprised as they will slide right off! LOL

[dalesky]

Starts Monday, so have this week to get prepped. Car is ready, have to get a drug test done, and get my clothes ready. Took advantage of the nice warm weather today. The only thing on the car I didn't put time into was the front bumper. Took me damn near all day to get it done. I have to get some bug remover, there are some baked on bugs on the front bumper that clay is not touching. I was also worn out with an aching back by then.

 

I learned many years ago that removing bugs was not for sissies. It was after trip to North Dakota that i tried a plastic scrubber and really scratched the clear coat! Now id I encounter the love bugs in Florida I very carefully use a rubbing compound to get the SOBs off.

[jeffo65]

We have been using CGs and Megs for some time now. I like both and switch between them often, depending on the car.

 

Steps we use are

 

Polish -- Seal -- Wax (Carnuba) -- detail with V07

 

We always top with a high quality wax for protection.

 

---------

 

aacdi your FFH looks nice all cleaned up. :)

 

 

.

Edited March 20, 2015 by jeffo65

[15TiHyMagnetic]

I too just did my first Clay detailing job of ANY car I've ever owned...I was surprised at how effective this was, i started out using the clay as directed and rolled/kneaded it till I had it in a small oval and went to work...spraying...clay wiping in straight lines (not swirls) untill the sections i had worked on was to my liking and then dried/removed the remaining detail lube... What can I say, I was getting compliments from neighbors as I was doing this, asking me what I was using to make the car shine...they already complimented the new car purchase but thought I was putting on some kinda clear coat polish from across the street. Great stuff and cant wait to get the wax done...

 

This does bring me to a question....has anyone looked into the 3M Clear Bra's? I was thinking of having this done maybe....wondering if anyone has had one installed and their thoughts...it appears the paint in the ford line's maybe easily chipped, or it's the nature of the vehicle's design lines, who knows, but i've already gotten 3 chips in the paint and only ONE did i recall taking the impactor to cause it...

 

I've posted some new pics for folks to check out...

[acdii]

All the cars I have had chipped, has nothing to do with the paint, just whatever hits it. There is a thread somewhere about the clear film here, not sure what its under though.

[dalesky]

I think the thread is in window tinting. I seem to remember talking about having my windows tinted, and being offered the film on the sills, rear bumper, around handles, etc.

[Wayne MacLeod]

Nice to see so many people actually putting some pride into their cars. I know clay barring is tedious but well worth it. A couple polishes I've used for show bikes and my classic cars have worked well for me. The first is called Liquid Glass. You only need to apply it once a year. It runs about $35.00 a can, but well worth it. If you want something a lil cheaper but still excellent quality, I've had great results with Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze.

 

What polishes have you all had good results with?

[hybridbear]

What polishes have you all had good results with?

Zaino. I didn't know about it before this forum & now I am a loyal customer of theirs.

Edited August 30, 2015 by hybridbear

[DeeCee]

+1 for Zaino. I too first learned about this product from this forum and am now a Zaino customer/fan.

[StingFusion]

When I bought my car a year ago I bought the clay kit and still haven't had an opportunity to use it yet.

When I do, is it recommended to use clay on windows/trim?

 

From previous experience, wax on trim ends up causing an ugly discolorization. I wouldn't think clay would do the same, but I'm new to it so I figured I'd ask.

Griot's Garage sells a clay for the glass. It looks different from the other clay, its a blue. Works very well. I clay every car I have owned over the last 20 years. I do it before I polish and wax it. Especially good if a car has sat on the lot awhile, it gets all kinds of impurities and feels like sandpaper. Nothing beats claying and hard to mess up with it, as long as you don't drop it!