Mike in CA

I go into the garage last night and under the artificial light I noticed previously unseen tiny water spots on the hood of my new Sand White Cayenne S. (One perk of a light color I suppose). Being an **** type I immediately get out my RO buffer and some Meguiars Show Car Glaze #7, a very mild polish that's great for removing surface blemishes, swirl marks, even light scratches. An hour and follow-up coat of wax later and the hood and front fenders are blemish free and smooth as glass. Of course, now I have to feel the finish on the Carrera S to compare, and I instantly know my morning project for the next day.

So this morning I polish the entire 911. The sides, top, and tail come out great but the hood and fenders, while looking fine, still don't quite have that baby-butt smoothness. I grab my detailing clay (should have done this first), lube it and the surface up good with detail spray, and gently rub down the finish. Even though I've used clay many times, the results always amaze me. First, how can a car like my Carrera that's washed and waxed regularly, wiped down with detail spray after a run to remove bugs and brake dust (told you I was ****), always garaged and covered, reveal so much contamination on the paint, even after a good buffing? And second, how can rubbing a piece of clay on the paint remove that contamination? Well it does, and if you've never used detail clay you'll be startled at the crud that comes off what you thought was a perfectly clean car. Anyway, the Carrera and it's bigger, younger sibling both have new, smooth as glass wax jobs.

So, have you ever used detail clay on your car? If not, maybe you should; you might be very pleasantly surprised by the results.

Jsonorous

Thanks for the post Mike. I've been kicking around the idea of getting a clay bar kit, this pushed me over the edge... I know what I am doing tomorrow.

Marine Blue

Clay is a great tool and it's one of the best ways to remove many surface contaminants.

Meguiars #7 isn't really a polish, it's a glaze and won't remove any surface contaminants. Glaze's contain oils which help hid swirls and other blemishes temporarily. It's a product that is popular with used car dealers since it makes a car look incredible until the car is washed.

Switch to #9 which is a very mild polish which can be used for very mild paint correction. You'll need something more aggressive to remove surface contaminants and larger defects.

Either way you are way ahead of the curve Mike, I'm sure you're car looks absolutely stunning in person and you're just too ****. (speaking from experience of course )

uzj100

Mike

Good for you for claying your cars........but #7 is not a polish, it's a glaze, so the "correction" you're seeing is probably the #7 filling in and partially masking the defects.

If you're using a QD spray after a drive, chances are you're adding to surface marring. Because of the silver color, you won't notice it as much. When you're up to it, try washing, claying, polishing, then sealing with a wax of your choice.

Just as there are degrees of abrasiveness in polishes, there are different levels of contaminant removal level via different clays.

HTH

allegretto

an '09 should not need any kind of polish if it's been kept as fastidiously as yours. would only apply polish to scratches and swirls, be very judicious about the swirls and "blend" the scratches however.

nothing beats a good claying and a sealant/wax of your choice

it never ceases to amaze me as I run a very soft hand over the clayed vs. non-clayed finish, even in a brand new car. shipping and boatyards add debris and oxidation.

clay rules.

Eric - Plug Guy

Clay is magical. I recall claying one of my kids' cars after a year at college under the trees. I washed often when she came home, applied Rejex every time, etc. But after one wash I got out the Clay and had at it with plenty of quick detailer. It was unbelievable.

On my 09 Turbo Cab, garaged at home and office, not much on there but a spec of dust from time to time, and uh, er, oh, officer, I was just 'cleaning' the dust off at 110mph, really, that's all....



Clay. It's for real car guys.

Edgy01

Listen to uzj100! He knows his polishes and clays!

Mike in CA

Great feedback! Although Meguiars actually describes #7 Glaze as a "pure polish", I probably should have known better than to refer to it that way. Typically they grade their rubbing/polishing compounds like the #9 Swirl Remover with an abrasiveness index (3 for #9) and #7 doesn't have one. I've used #7 for many years, however, and have found that it will remove very minor imperfections. For example, it definitely "polishes" out water spots; it doesn't just mask them. I don't really want to work my relatively new finishes any more than necessary, and will use the least aggressive product that does the job. Maybe there is something out there that would be better but #7 worked great getting out the spots on the Cayenne. As to the Carrera, I would have been better off starting with the clay to get the result I wanted.

With respect to uzj100's comment about the aggressiveness of clays, the one I use is rated as "mild". Also, I don't QD the whole car after a drive, but brake dust accumulates amazingly quickly behind the front and especially the rear wheels. If the car is otherwise clean I'll cover it, but I like to remove the dust first. QD works well for that if used gently with a MF towel and seems like the least of evils.

sfrank

Used clay bar for the first time on Sunday and was amazed at what it did. So then I got the Orbital polisher out to get out a few swirls....end up doing the whole car. Then got out the machine polish....for a few spots....did the whole car. Needless to say 6 hours later the picture is attached.

Mike in CA

6 hours well spent. Looks spectacular!

Ynot

This thread is useless without pics.



Not really but how can you wash, clay, wax without taking a picture afterwards?

Edgy01

Or you can simply say that you clayed, polished, waxed,--and then do it all in PhotoShop!

CodeRed

Sorry, but I have clay bar that has just been setting in my garage...how exactly is the best way to use it? I wash my cars weekly with a power washer, but they could definitely use something extra. Thx!

997at

There's a great site that has instructional videos covering every aspect of car detailing. They also sell a wide variety of quality products. Just be careful, the detailing thing can be addictive once you see how amazing a well detailed car can look. Use the clay bar, you will not regret it.
http://www.autogeek.net/

DoninDen

My Guardsman red '07 Targa 4S should arrive Tuesday. I think a good way for me to really check out every inch of the car and make it pop will be to clay bar it. What should I buy for each step and what should the steps be to really make her stand out?