terrified to attempt to clay

[AntonV]

Im getting ready to do a winter sealant, and im pondering the idea of claying the car.

i picked up the car (ordered, not dealer inventory) in July. Its only 4 months old. Its garaged and washed regularly with good products...mostly from detailed image and griots. I do feel a tiny bit of contaminants when I run my finger across the paint....but just a little...

do you think its necessary to clay the car before applying a sealant? im just really nervous that im gonna mess up the paint....which is immaculate. ive never clayed before, so I dont know how it picks up debris, and how you fold the clay to prevent scratches. also, is one container of clay enough for a whole car? do you just clay dirty-prone areas....hood, front bumper, etc?

ive been trying to get one of my friends to be a guinnea pig, but no one will go for it.

whadda ya think? also, some reccomendations on sealants would be nice. i plan on applying it by hand....is this okay? i have all of the right cloths and will get the right pads.

[nordique14]

claying will not hurt the paint. I was a little nervous too the first time I clayed a car and it turned out great. The trick is to use a good lubricant. Since you are using Griot's products, I would use their Speed Shine. It makes an excellent lubricant. Just spray a litll eon the car and the clay and you should be good. Also, fold the clay often so you are working with "clean" clay. You should have more than enough clay for a car. I know Griots gives you more clay than most so you will have enough many times over.

[mleskovar]

Originally Posted by AntonV

...I do feel a tiny bit of contaminants when I run my finger across the paint....but just a little...

If you want the shine and sealant to last definitely use clay. For peace of mind pick a small area and try it out. Lubricate, lubricate, lubricate is the key to a good job. One pack of clay will do several cars. Cut off small pieces and kneed them to the size of a thin silver dollar. You can fold the clay, but I don't since it goes a long way before it gets visibly dirty and why recycle the removed contaminates to the surface of the clay? Check out this forum for different processes but here's mine: Wash with Dawn, clay using a QD, two coats Klasse AIO, two coats Klasse SG (thin, or it's hard to remove. If it dries hazy it's on too thick!), two coats of Carnuba based wax. You didn't mention polish.....a must before the sealant. Good luck!

[AntonV]

Originally Posted by mleskovar

You didn't mention polish.....a must before the sealant. Good luck!

polish? do i really need to polish? is this an essential step? The car barely has a swirl mark.

also you mentioned 2 & 2 layers of klasse. is this the norm?

thanks for all your help.

[vanbmw]

Don't be afraid of clay! You will be very impressed at how smooth your paint will be after using the clay. It is good to be a little scared of the clay...then you will take it slow and go too heavy on the lubricant. Remember...you can't over lubricate! After you use the clay, the next few steps are easier because the paint is so smooth. I vote for some polish. Do it right!

[Greg@DetailedImage]

The clay is relatively simple and safe to do with some basic pre-cautions and care. Please read our Detailing Guide and the clay bar section. If you follow those instructiosn you'll be absolutely fine! Additionally our DI Accessories Gentle Fine Grade Clay - 180 g is on sale for the month of October only, normally it's $17.99, on sale for $12.99 if you need a bar.

Polishing is not a must but it does make a huge improvement even on new vehicles. Using at least a light polish Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205 - 32 oz or the Menzerna PO106FA Nano Polish (Super Finish) - 16 oz. Both will help make the surface look and feel better and better prep it for the sealant.

One coat of sealant is good and two coats is excellent. Let me know if you have any questions or if you need any further assistance.

Greg @ DI

[mleskovar]

Originally Posted by AntonV

polish? do i really need to polish? is this an essential step? The car barely has a swirl mark.

also you mentioned 2 & 2 layers of klasse. is this the norm?

thanks for all your help.

The Klasse AIO is a polish and sealant combined. The SG is sealant only. Yes, polish is essential if you want it to look good. Sealant only puts a finish gloss on what is already there. The clay removes coarse contaminants (the bumps you feel) and polish removes smaller contaminants like oxidation and minor swirls and scratches. The better you prepair the paint surface the longer the 'shine' will last and the better it will look. Once the base is done correctly a simple wipe down with QD brings the finish back and a top off of the final protectant is all that is necessary when it starts to dull or gets micro scratches. 2 layers is my procedure/ritual/religion If you're worried just try a simple start. Klasse AOI (ALL In One) after a wash looks great. It will remove contaminants as well but you have to work at it more. Just do one coat and see how long it lasts for your liking. I've found that with the clay/polish/sealant/topper 2 coat ritual you can extend the times between stripping and reapplication much, much longer and the finished product is superior.

Just saw Greg's post...he's the expert and an excellent source for both information and cleaning products.......

[AntonV]

Originally Posted by Greg@DetailedImage

Let me know if you have any questions or if you need any further assistance.

what about skipping the polish process and using a product like cg extreme ez-creme glaze w/ acrylic.....then applying sealant and possibly wax after that.

ive overcome the claying fear, but have always been hesitant to apply polishes.

should i just polish? its basically the same amount of work for me, either way. how risky is a fine poilsh on my paint?

all of this will be done by hand.....dont feel like learning how to use a rotary on my new car.

[jibaholic101]

dont be afraid. just be sure to use lots of lube....

[Mutilator]

The only thing to be afraid of with clay is dropping it. It gets slippery... if you drop it do not pick it back up and rub it on your car again. Use a new piece. This is why most clay bars are large enough that you use 1/2 of it (or less) at a time.

[SPEZNAS92]

I saw, I came, I conquered...clay bared my car today for the first time also.. I did it 2 1/2 hours and almost a full bottle of lube....






(That's what she said..)

[BlackjackMulligan]

/\ /\ LOL /\ /\

[Greg@DetailedImage]

Originally Posted by AntonV

what about skipping the polish process and using a product like cg extreme ez-creme glaze w/ acrylic.....then applying sealant and possibly wax after that.

ive overcome the claying fear, but have always been hesitant to apply polishes.

should i just polish? its basically the same amount of work for me, either way. how risky is a fine poilsh on my paint?

all of this will be done by hand.....dont feel like learning how to use a rotary on my new car.

There is no right set of products so really just about any reasonable combination of products will work. However for best results you'll definitely want to still use a polish at least 1 - 2 times per year. Polishes are really the key to the deepest possible shine. They remove swirls, oxidation, ultra fine scratches, etc., which makes the clear coat optically clear and vibrant again. The next steps (glaze, sealant, wax) can only enhance the way the surface already looks.

So yes you can definitely use the Chemical Guys Extreme EZ-Creme Glaze with Acrylic Shine II - 16 oz instead of a polish. It will definitely help but probably not to the same extent a polish will. Follow up with a sealant to help lock it in and a wax if desired.

I understand new steps can seem intimidating, but if you take the time to educate yourself on what they actually do and how to do them properly you'll be pleasantly surprised. Polishing by hand or with an orbital buffer is very safe and quite easy. You can hardly even budge the clear coat with these applications and pose no risk to the clear coat. Even a high speed rotary buffer is quite easy and safe to use with a skilled operator. Rotary buffers can be a bit more dangerous so stick with an orbital buffer which is basically idiot proof. We kiddingly tell customers as long as you don't throw it at the car you'll be fine. The orbiting motion reduces heat and makes sure you can't burn the paint. It provides safe levels of heat and pressure that are easy to control.

If you would like to learn more about our totally safe orbital buffers (Porter Cable 7424XP Random Orbital Buffer and Flex XC 3401 VRG) I'd suggest reading those pages and our detailing guide polishing section. After that let me know if you have any questions. I think you'll be amazed at just how easy and safe it is to use a buffer. Additionally you'll be impressed with how much a quality buffer can help improve your results while you expend less energy.

If you are only going to do one step I would highly recommend a polish over the glaze. If you do it by hand or with a buffer take your time and apply medium polish for best results while polishing. Polishes need a little more time and passes to be properly worked in. For the polish I would stick with the polishes I listed above as a good starting point and add a medium polish if needed.

In short I hope you trust me and go with a polish. Additionally don't be shy about trying one of those buffers you will LOVE it! I look forward to hearing back from you and helping you get the most from your detail.

Greg @ DI

[AntonV]

Okay, I've ordered all of the right stuff. Gonna do the whole process. Clay, polish, glaze, sealant, wax.

Here's the next question. My car is a daily driver, and only have off Sundays and Mondays. Let's say I clay, polish, and seal (with 2-3 washes) within the first day and a half. I know there are curing times involved. Can I drive the car for one day to work, parked outside, then finish the next day? Another wash and wax?

Or is the damage done, by exposing it to the elements for a day?

Thanks for all of your help everyone. Really excited for this looooong process!

[mleskovar]

Originally Posted by AntonV

..Gonna do the whole process. Clay, polish, glaze, sealant, wax....

Don't forget to start by stripping off the old wax!! Use a harsh detergent like Dawn dish wash liquid (only when stripping though!!).

Originally Posted by AntonV

....I know there are curing times involved....

Depends on the product you use. Some....like Zaino...have required wait times between the various applications. I do the whole shebang in one day...actually about 5 hours (and I'm an old man! ) Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[Greg@DetailedImage]

Originally Posted by AntonV

Okay, I've ordered all of the right stuff. Gonna do the whole process. Clay, polish, glaze, sealant, wax.

Here's the next question. My car is a daily driver, and only have off Sundays and Mondays. Let's say I clay, polish, and seal (with 2-3 washes) within the first day and a half. I know there are curing times involved. Can I drive the car for one day to work, parked outside, then finish the next day? Another wash and wax?

Or is the damage done, by exposing it to the elements for a day?

Thanks for all of your help everyone. Really excited for this looooong process!

Thank you for the support it's very much appreciated. Doing it right and it being your first time means it will probably take a long time. With a few details you get a lot faster and better. Try to avoid driving the car if at all possible, it makes life easier. If you drive the car during any time off or even if you just wait a few hours I would wipe the car down with a microfiber towel and a quick detailer (aka clay lube). Assuming it's just dusty you should be able remove the light surface contaminants. Ideally most mfgs recommend you wait 12 - 24hrs for the sealant or wax to fully cure. At a bare minimum wait one hour before adding a second coating of sealant or wax. The clay lube, polishes and glazes can be removed immediately after you are done working them in, as they don't cure or harden on the paint.

Keep us posted on how it goes and good luck!

Greg @ DI

[n2djazz]

I clayed my '99 528i when I had it, my '96 Integra GSR, and my 2009 135i. Claying is fantastic. Once you clay, you'll understand what all the excitement is about. But there is a HUGE drawback...if you drop that clay bar, THROW IT AWAY !!! It will grab every bit of abrasive debris on the ground and willingly apply it to your car.

[AntonV]

Is there a favorite dawn soap that you all prefer to strip the wax off the paint?

[mleskovar]

Originally Posted by AntonV

Is there a favorite dawn soap that you all prefer to strip the wax off the paint?

Dawn dish washing liquid soap (not machine dishwasher soap). Anything better these days Greg?

[Greg@DetailedImage]

Originally Posted by mleskovar

Dawn dish washing liquid soap (not machine dishwasher soap). Anything better these days Greg?

Yes, we have some quality shampoos that are very gentle and safely remove old wax and sealant. Try one of these three shampoos: Chemical Guys Citrus Wash - 16 oz Chemical Guys Citrus Wash & Gloss - 16 oz Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Clear - 16 oz

The Citrus Wash is the most concentrated and best overall value. You only need about one ounce per wash to strip the protection. The other two need a similar amount (2oz per wash) and are excellent shampoos. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Greg @ DI

[AntonV]

Just finished claying the car. It was a breeze. Do I need to wash the car before polishing, or can I just go over it with a quick detailer. I used the chemical guys clay luber, so the car is a little streaky.

Also what movements should I be doing when hand applying the polish? Circular, left-right, up-down?

[Greg@DetailedImage]

Originally Posted by AntonV

Just finished claying the car. It was a breeze. Do I need to wash the car before polishing, or can I just go over it with a quick detailer. I used the chemical guys clay luber, so the car is a little streaky.

Also what movements should I be doing when hand applying the polish? Circular, left-right, up-down?

See it's not so bad. I'm happy to hear it went well. If you carefully remove all the quick detailer with a microfiber towel you don't have to wash or if you are going to polish after you don't have to re-wash it. Certainly it would not hurt to wash it after these steps but it's not totally necessary. In your case it sounds like there is quite a bit of quick detailer left on the surface so I would probably re-wash the surface.

While polishing I recommend using a circular motion with medium pressure. The more consistent pressure you can generate the better the results will be.

Greg @ DI