I've had my z for about 2 years now. While waxing my car with Meguiar's NXT this weekend, I noticed some oxidation in the paint. Most notable areas are on the hood and skirts of the car. I read this page: http://www.waxstation.com/paintcleaning.htm and it mentions using liquid cleaners.

Claying my car sounds too complicated. It sounds like if I do not clay properly, I risk scratching the paint. Does anyone know if liquid cleaners will take away the rough oxidation on the paint? Also, could you reccomend a brand? Thanks.

 

PM Daytona350z, he will clay your Z for you. Theres really no substitute for this.

 

yeah man..there really isnt. First time i did it, i was skeptical, but it would pick up stuff that i didnt even know was there. Like the car will lolok clean, and you'd glide it over, and when u lifted ther would be black streaks on the clay bar, signifying you have picked up some dirt. If you are good at it, you can even pick away at some harmful chemicals, paint, brake dust ect. It takes time, and do it only when its warm.

 

Clay baring is simple and really only adds like 30 extra minutes to a wash n wax. Just try to find either Clay Magic (works the best out of the two I've tried) and remember to do it in the shade and have the temp of the paint as low as possible. Use the Clay lube and get a feel for it.

Clay baring is one of the most rewarding parts of detail because it makes the biggest difference.

 

Drop me a line, too. I can definitely help with using the clay bar.

It's not nearly as nerve wrecking as it seems or has (apparently) been made out to be.

 

Claying the car is one of the easiest things you'll ever do. Just keep kneading the clay and using fresh clay surface, and use lots of watered down car-wash soap as lubricant.

 

DO NOT RUSE THE CLAY IF YOU DROP IT ON THE GROUND.....throw it away at all costs otherwise the dirt will stick to the clay and when you glide it on your car guess what SWIRLS. I would buy a good size piece and cut it so you have 2 pieces to use. Jangles some of us are also planning a detail day soon so if you want to participate your more that welcome.

 

+ 1 on Daytona he does a awesome job

 

Actually the clay bar is an alternative to polish. But unlike polish, the bar contains no abrasives. The clay bar is safe for amature detailers.

 

Great call on that, as long as the clay is clean and you use a lubricant.

Another alternative for spot cleaning is 3M Hand Glaze... it is a silicone free polish used by body shops on new paint... it works great to give life back and is non-abrasive.

 

clay bars are not alternatives to polishes, they are meant for two different things. Polish is meant to remove swirls by leveling the clearcoat, clay is meant to remove contaminents from the surface of the paint. You always have to clay before polishing.

 

Actually Dave he is right...

 

Like he said claying the car is simple.
Wash the car, i'd recommend a mild dish soap
or something designed to do a cleaning with
out harming the paint.

Then use a quick detailer or mothers California clay bar kit,
and glide the claybar over the surface and apply a
little pressure. You will hear a shhh shhh noise while
the bar is working. Then it will be quiet. You can
buff the area out after its quiet. Pass your hand
gently over the area to inspect your work and thats about
it. After that "I" use a cleaner wax, polish, glaze then NXT.

Of course thats not needed and my way is not the end all way
of doing this, im just showing you what i do and whats worked
for me.

 

your local autostores will stock Mother's claybar kit ($20) or Clay Magic ($10) ... i've always uesd mother's just because I couldn't find clay magic but recently did find it and bought it .. haven't used it yet. From reviews, it works just as great as mother's.

Claybar IS a tedious job ... but results are worth with. Being able to feel ur car so slick ... what a turn on haha.

As mentioned earlier, polishing w/ an orbital can produce similar results (i've been able to get away with yellow cutting pad and a heavier polish - tho I don't like going this route ... excessive cutting but doable if the paint has some major blemishes).

 

Actually clay is an abrasive, it does a quick job of polishing contaminants and stains out.

I frequently see detailing clay marketing information that reads something like this: “…clay pulls contamination off of your paint...” This statement sounds pretty ridiculous when you realize that you must lubricate the surface you’re claying. How in the world do you pull on something that’s wet and slippery? This myth was born from a fear of telling people the truth. Clay is an abrasive paint care system. Yet used properly, detailing clay is not abrasive to your car’s paint; it is abrasive to paint contamination.


http://www.guidetodetailing.com/arti...p?articleId=61

 

clay bars dont "polish" anything.

 

You have to wash the car, clay bar, then wash it again. It doesn't work as a polish

 

Washing isnt necessary if you use a quick detailer as the lube for the clay and wipe down the area right after claying. You would do a section at a time, wipe with an mf towel and move on to the next section. Much more efficient than washing the car again.

 

thanks guys

to the orig. poster:
just go out to autozone, pep boys, kragen, etc...and buy a mothers clay kit. take it home and follow the instructions. its really as simple as that. domt make things complicated. just wash, clay, wash again (if you choose to, but not necessary), then wax. this will leave your car with a great and smooth finish.

if you want to go a step further, use and hish speed orbital buffer and some polish and really smooth out the paint BEFORE you put wax, but then you run the risk of harmin/burning the paint.

or if you want, pm me and im sure i can take car of your paint

 

+1

There is no other substitute. With the quick detailer and caly bar; rubb your hand on the before and after and the after feals like cinnomoney instant sex. Dude there is no other substitute besides a new custome paint job and by paint I mean blow.

Just do it you will have a happy ending. And the car will be smooth too.