Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

[centurion]

After having really bad experiences with claybars in the past, I decided to use COPIOUS amounts of Meguiar's Quik Detailer this time, and had excellent results. In the past I kiamsiap and use less, now I just spray it on.

With the following (medium long) procedure:

1) 2 bucket wash method with Meguiar NXT car wash
2) Dry with chamois
3) Claybar with Meguiar bar and Meg Quik Detailer
4) Polish with Meguiar Show Car Glaze (21) pure polish paint conditioner
5) Seal with Meg NXT polymer car sealant

(all hand applied without orbital)

In the past, my step 3 was Meguiar Pre-wax prep and my step 5 was Meg Carnauba Paste Wax. Prewax prep was OK but I found that on dark cars it actually introduced swirls. And the efficiency of prewax prep was poor - I had to do 2X or 3X sometimes, and still bonded contaminants stay. The shearing force was insufficient. And Meg Carnauba was great and the transparency so incredible but it lasted all of 3 days before it crapped out.

claybar removes previous wax and is faultless in removing ALL bonded contaminants, no exception. And it saves boatloads of time because there's no wipeoff procedure for this, and Quik Detailer as a claybar lubricant is great because it evaporates without spots. But you have to be deft with the claybar and do fast, and you see on a spotless car so much contaminants that you'd want to clay every week for the satisfaction.

Result - I have the most glossy white car I have ever ever seen. Amazing for 1.5 hours' work (claybar really reduced the time by half! And the car is really small..) I did not expect to be able to gloss WHITE thinking that I'll just do the procedure to maintain the paintwork, but now, because I can gloss white, I'm afraid I'm addicted to this stupid detailing shit again.

Anyway, I'm resolute - I'll use claybar from now on. My prewax prep goes to the trash.

 

[sszone]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

i sucks at using the claybar...almost halfdead using my sonax claybar.....any alternatives bro.....can we skip the claybar?

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

I have tried all brands of claybar including Meg claybar v1. They all sucked. The new v3 Meg (just buy new, it will be v3) is much tougher and harder, better for our weather.

spray lots of Meg quik detailer. Water and soap evaporate too fast and have too little lubricity. As your claybar is moving, spray in front of the claybar to maintain perfect lubricity.

I'm afraid that there are just 3 alternatives to cleaning paint before sealing it with polymer sealant:

1) all in 1 cleaner wax - abrasive+wax, capable of all in 1 single wipe - disadvantage - the more you rub the more this behaves merely like a paint cleaner. And you cannot nourish paint because it does not allow pure polish to be applied before cleaner wax.

2) claybar - discussed - need skill.

3) paint cleaner - easier to use than claybar but takes more time to finish procedure. not as efficient as claybar.

 

[sszone]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

i guess i will stick with my klasse all-in-one.
was thinking of throwing in the Meg Quik Detailer before i seal it with my Klasse sealant. i wonder will it hold?

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

no issue. polymer bonding issue does not occur with quik detailer

 

[PerverTT]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

i sucks at using the claybar...almost halfdead using my sonax claybar.....any alternatives bro.....can we skip the claybar?

I know the feeling. I'm left handed and I don't trust my right hand with the clay bar. The last time I did that, I regretted it immediately because I dropped the blardy bar and had to throw it away. So, unless you are ambidextrous, its usually a sore arm after a day's hard work.

Have to agree with centurion. Clay bar is much better than paint cleaner in removing surface contaminants. No orbital tools for me either - I'm a masochist.

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

swing the clay bar around quick, like FAST in the windshield wiper action. Do it one panel at a time. Don't hesitate. If intense resistance occurs, stop. Remove clay bar. Remould clay bar. Spray, continue.

If you don't stop after intense resistance, the claybar will smear on your paintwork, and it's hell to remove.

 

[PerverTT]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

How low do you go?

So far, I haven't dared going lower than door height with the clay bar. Most of the crap stuck onto the car seems to be at sill height or lower.

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

How low do you go?

So far, I haven't dared going lower than door height with the clay bar. Most of the crap stuck onto the car seems to be at sill height or lower.

WASH your car first. I don't bother to claybar the plastic skirt at the bottom - it is impossible to keep clean anyway.

 

[JasonKuan]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

Question: While claybar remove all contaminants, will it be possible to remove the clear coat layer as well? How often do you think it is advisable to clay the car? New paint need clay bar too?

Look forward to your expertise comments.

JK

 

[hetraa]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

I dont think claybar will remove the clear coat..what it does is it makes the dried tree saps, stubborn stains to be rubbed on the claybar itself. Much easier to remove stains than normal tar removers.

For me, i use it every 2mths...

Question: While claybar remove all contaminants, will it be possible to remove the clear coat layer as well? How often do you think it is advisable to clay the car? New paint need clay bar too?

Look forward to your expertise comments.

JK

 

[Puny]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

I don't use a quick detailing when claybar-ing - I find it messy..

I use car shampoo (NXT car shampoo works fine), with a typical squirt bottle and it's much easier and you can skip the drying portion! The only upside for the quik detailer is if it contains chemical cleaning properties that help dissolve tough stains that are not accessible by the shampoo.

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

Question: While claybar remove all contaminants, will it be possible to remove the clear coat layer as well? How often do you think it is advisable to clay the car? New paint need clay bar too?

Look forward to your expertise comments.

JK

impossible to remove clearcoat with claybar, because clearcoat is far harder than claybar material, and claybar hides all contaminants inside. You can claybar as often as you like but everytime you do it you have to seal the car again with polymer or carnauba wax. new paint especially benefit greatly from claybar. contaminants get bonded within 3 hours - how new is your new?

 

[Smugglers]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

hi, any recommendations on where to get a gd range of meguiar stuff? thanks

 

[JasonKuan]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

impossible to remove clearcoat with claybar, because clearcoat is far harder than claybar material, and claybar hides all contaminants inside. You can claybar as often as you like but everytime you do it you have to seal the car again with polymer or carnauba wax. new paint especially benefit greatly from claybar. contaminants get bonded within 3 hours - how new is your new?

My BMW E-90 is already 6 months old, however my MX-5 paint is only 2 months, so do you recommend using clay bar on both the cars? My MX-5 seldom drive, maybe once a month, so no need to clay the car so often on the MX-5? I am worried that it will remove the clear-coat layer on my car, so up to now I have not use it. Those clay bar which cost around $10 from Autobacs are they good enough???

 

[JasonKuan]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

hi, any recommendations on where to get a gd range of meguiar stuff? thanks

I got mine from Autobacs... Price pretty standard I think

 

[sszone]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

hi, any recommendations on where to get a gd range of meguiar stuff? thanks

carrefoure.......very wide range

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

My BMW E-90 is already 6 months old, however my MX-5 paint is only 2 months, so do you recommend using clay bar on both the cars? My MX-5 seldom drive, maybe once a month, so no need to clay the car so often on the MX-5? I am worried that it will remove the clear-coat layer on my car, so up to now I have not use it. Those clay bar which cost around $10 from Autobacs are they good enough???

claybar's beauty is that it is NOT abrasive except when you pick up some bad dirt on it. Here is one of the best tutorials on the web:

Clay bar usage guide & tutorial - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

No matter how old or new your paint is, you can see whether you need to claybar or not by doing this:

Wash car first.

put your finger into 1 layer plastic bag (finger only is OK, cold storage plastic bag works best!)

Run your finger along the surface of the car.

If you feel `rough' then time to clay.


The plastic bag amplifies surface imperfections caused by bonded contaminants, and gives you the `lubrication' to glide your finger smoothly along the surface.

 

[sszone]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

i think all your talk getting my hand itchy, gonna pop by carrefoure during lunch time to get a bottle of mcguire's detailer to add to my arsenal.....haha

 

[centurion]

Re: Claybar or Paint Cleaner?

i think all your talk getting my hand itchy, gonna pop by carrefoure during lunch time to get a bottle of mcguire's detailer to add to my arsenal.....haha

we should have car grooming meetups!