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Topic: clay bars........ (Read 1286 times) |
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taliban aka Cheekyboy2
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I'm a YaBB newbie!
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clay bars........
« on: Apr 2nd, 2007, 12:07am » |
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absolutely brilliant, can be had off ebay for under a tenner.
did my bonnet with one today; you just lightly stroke it back and forth over the washed surface using detail polish as lube, once done wash the residue off. it leaves an exceptionally smooth finish to the paint removing old wax, microscopic pieces of dirt etc. once done, put on a couple of coats of polish/sealant, it takes a while but the result is worth it, can be used on glass too.........
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #1 on: Apr 2nd, 2007, 12:15am » |
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I bought one off Ebay a couple of months back but haven't used it yet....not sure what kind of soapy water to use.
I've read up on it on various websites & they say to use a 'special soap'...but I was thinking of a spray gun with a soap/water mix  ...........does this sound about right to you ? 
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Daven
Senior Member
I'm a cheeky Boy! (Simmos fan club)
Posts: 1117
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #2 on: Apr 2nd, 2007, 8:21am » |
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I have just bought a kit from meguiars and some 'Scratch X' Have used the Scratch X and was quite impressed - I had cleaned the car first but the amount of dirt it lifted was quite shocking!
I hope to use the clay this weekend - it comes with a spray liquid.
The site has quite a good advice section and a forum where you can get some good tips!
Dave
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Daven
Senior Member
I'm a cheeky Boy! (Simmos fan club)
Posts: 1117
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #3 on: Apr 10th, 2007, 4:13pm » |
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Well managed to run the clay bar over the car this weekend - I must admit it has worked better than my expectation!
I sponge washed the car first, chamois leathered it dry and then used the clay bar - the bar comes like a small bar of soap and is like Blu-tak.
The bar started off pure white but after using half of it on the roof it had an almost brown colour to it.
I thought it may be the liquid that you use as a lubricant but when I checked it was a clear liquid! So the bar was getting something off the car!
I finished by waxing as normal - I now keep looking and thinking it has never looked as clean, since I bought the car I have never been truly satisfied with the finish - almost as if the clear coat had a bloom to it! Not now!! 
Dave
Dave
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scorpio_man
Administrator
Ford Kuga awd
Posts: 5654
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #4 on: Apr 10th, 2007, 4:21pm » |
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hi there
i'm going to buy one as well. i don't think it'll do much for my silver car, which is very smooth anyway.
anyone used it on a light coloured car?
really want it for my son's black car. should be good for that.
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RichardMS
Full Member
More mods coming soon !
Posts: 434
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #5 on: Apr 10th, 2007, 11:18pm » |
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Andrew, If you have not used one before you will see results believe me, Remember to use a good wax after claying and polishing 
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scorpio_man
Administrator
Ford Kuga awd
Posts: 5654
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #6 on: Apr 11th, 2007, 7:47am » |
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hi richard
thanks for that. i wasn't too sure how much it would work on the silver paint. a bit like polishing/waxing it. it goes nice and shiny, but it's not like a dark coloured car. lovely deep, wet look about it.
will give it a go and post results later.
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DJWerkz
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I use the California clay bars and their own cleaning fluid, it works exceptionally well.
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scorpio_man
Administrator
Ford Kuga awd
Posts: 5654
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #9 on: Apr 26th, 2007, 1:24pm » |
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hi there
just finished using the Meguiars clay bar on the wifes (normally mine now) honda civic. it's a silver colour as is my scorpio. my opinion is that for a light coloured car, you're better off with MER.
yes, the paintwork comes up all nice and smooth, but you then need to polish/wax it afterwards, as all the wax has been removed. Mer on the otherhand, adds a wax at the same time as smoothing the paintwork. you can then wax it another day.
now on a darker coloured car (son's black megane), the clay bar was the winner by miles. we used his as the test car. because it doesn't leave a residue (or very little), you don't get all the white powder in all the gaps, etc. we're going to do his again as we only put Jofs wax on afterwards and not Comma top gloss polish, then wax.
this is only my opinion and the products that i/we used.
hth
ps, if your paintwork is as rough as a file, Mer might not be able to smooth it out. that's where the clay bar would come into it's own as you can really work it, if required.
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TiberiuS
Senior Member
Ex. 1996 2.3 Ultima - RIP P789 KHJ
Posts: 2257
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #10 on: Apr 28th, 2007, 3:14pm » |
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Got myself a Meguiars clay bar and some Jofs on order, had some scratches on the Mondeo touched in last year and I've never been happy with the way the bodyshop finished them. Would like the paintwork to be smoother  .
I used to swear by Autoglym but it just doesn't cut it on the Jag for some reason, strange thing is that Auto Express said Autoglym High Gloss was better than Super Resin but I always found Resin was better, easier to polish off and gave a smoother surface...
Really bought the Scorp up well (looked like it'd been attacked with Ajax when I bought it) but I guess it's different types of paint, the Jag is lacquered but non metallic...pain in the bum to get rid of the swirl lines and black shows everything .
Regards, Bruce.
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Bruce - '07 Jaguar XKR coupe, '95 Jaguar XJ Sport 4.0, '82 Ford Capri 2.0 Ghia, '15 Honda Civic (sloooooww..)
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TiberiuS
Senior Member
Ex. 1996 2.3 Ultima - RIP P789 KHJ
Posts: 2257
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #11 on: May 2nd, 2007, 6:05pm » |
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The Jofs was great, had a couple of hours last night and gave it a try. Goes on easier than Autoglym and polishes off easier, also seems to leave a protective film on the paint that feels a bit like the old paraffin microfibre things
I've never seen a 12 year old motah look so clean and shiny
I've been an Autoglym man for years but I've gotta admit this is better.
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Bruce - '07 Jaguar XKR coupe, '95 Jaguar XJ Sport 4.0, '82 Ford Capri 2.0 Ghia, '15 Honda Civic (sloooooww..)
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taliban aka Cheekyboy2
Senior Member
I'm a YaBB newbie!
Posts: 1552
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #12 on: May 3rd, 2007, 12:11am » |
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scorpio man........you will never get the same finish comparing mer and a clay bar; one's a polish, the other removes polish. mer (or any other polish) will never smooth the paint to the result of a clay bar. the idea of the clay bar is a kind of pre polish/wax treatment........
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taliban aka Cheekyboy2
Senior Member
I'm a YaBB newbie!
Posts: 1552
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #13 on: May 3rd, 2007, 12:18am » |
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jonny, any kind of mild soapy water will do really, it only acts as a lubricant, all the sellers of clay bars advertise using 'detail polish' as a lubricant, but thats only because they can make another 8 quid out of you, the main thing is dont use the clay bar dry......
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pete from Hull
Senior Member
Non Scorpio at the moment, but still interested...
Posts: 1365
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #14 on: May 3rd, 2007, 7:30am » |
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What's this clay bars? the name conjours up memories of the old days when my mam used to use a donkey stone on the front door step? 
lol Pete
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Bring back fair wages.........
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scorpio_man
Administrator
Ford Kuga awd
Posts: 5654
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Re: clay bars........
« Reply #15 on: May 3rd, 2007, 8:57am » |
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on May 3rd, 2007, 12:11am, taliban wrote:| scorpio man........you will never get the same finish comparing mer and a clay bar; one's a polish, the other removes polish. mer (or any other polish) will never smooth the paint to the result of a clay bar. the idea of the clay bar is a kind of pre polish/wax treatment........ |
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hi there
i think you've miss read what i wrote. my reference to MER was for use on a light coloured car (silver), though use of both products on it. i then went on to state that the clay bar was the winner on darker coloured cars, again though use of both products on it. if you use MER with a clean white cloth, you will see the 'dirt' on the applying cloth as you use it.
i finished up by saying that if your car was that bad to start with, regardless of colour, then you'd better use the clay bar.
i hope this clears up any mis-understanding regarding my opinion of both products.
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