Which clay bar to buy?

[xtrailman]

I have never used a clay bar, but following a post from a detailer on a caravan forum I thought I would buy one.

I'm intending to use it on the CX-5 when it arrives prior to a polish.

So my question which clay bar, I thought to just buy one, but apparently there are different ones, fine, medium coarse.

So which one would readers recommend?

Also it seems a lubricant is required, so which one?

Previously I have only used a autoglym resin once a year.

http://www.detailedclean.co.uk/Detailing-Clay/?gclid=CKqQtePknLgCFdDJtAodeEEACg

 

[RedBaron]

Well you're back home in the UK, but over here in the USofA, I use the Mother's kit. Comes with 160g of clay (2 x 80g bars) and lubricant and a cloth and is one of the cheaper sources for clay bars. Not sure if you have it in the UK tho.

 

[xtrailman]

Is your bar fine, medium or coarse?

 

[KnurledNut]

Is your bar fine, medium or coarse?

I don't think there are different grades of clay bars.

I use the Mother's clay bars and a friend uses Mequire's bars. There is no difference that I can tell.

 

[RedBaron]

I don't think there are different grades of clay bars.

I use the Mother's clay bars and a friend uses Mequire's bars. There is no difference that I can tell.

What he said ^^^. I also got some Griot's on sale. Exactly the same as the Mother's (just a different color).

 

[bikingpro5]

I don't think there are different grades of clay bars.

I use the Mother's clay bars and a friend uses Mequire's bars. There is no difference that I can tell.

What he said ^^^. I also got some Griot's on sale. Exactly the same as the Mother's (just a different color).

yes there are different grades of clay.

I use Riccardo yellow and blue clays depending on the surface of the car, the yellow is the light, the new formula blue is a bit more abrasive.

 

[Chas]

I don't think there are different grades of clay bars.

I use the Mother's clay bars and a friend uses Mequire's bars. There is no difference that I can tell.

Absolutely. I buy Meguiar's off Amazon. Mild and Aggressive...the latter used for my wife's mini van that had not been clayed in 10 years since purchased. It did work a lot "better" than the mild, and was totally done (used up) after that job. But the van never looked so good!

 

[SayNoToPistons]

yes there are different grades of clay.

I use Riccardo yellow and blue clays depending on the surface of the car, the yellow is the light, the new formula blue is a bit more abrasive.

I don't think there are different grades of clay bars.

I use the Mother's clay bars and a friend uses Mequire's bars. There is no difference that I can tell.

What he said ^^^. I also got some Griot's on sale. Exactly the same as the Mother's (just a different color).

No... What BikingPro said. There are different grades of clay. More aggressive clays will remove contaminates at a higher rate, but also inducing risks of marrying (micro scratches). That mean swirls and necessity of paint correcting (polish). Of course the higher grade clays which are rated to be aggressive lessen the risks of marring.

 

[xtrailman]

Cheers Riccardo.
Looks like I need to buy two grades then. I didn't know they were grades until I read the link I posted.

Apparently according to professionals claying is recommended before waxing, hence my question.

yes there are different grades of clay.

I use Riccardo yellow and blue clays depending on the surface of the car, the yellow is the light, the new formula blue is a bit more abrasive.

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Good ol' playdoh (green flavor) works wonders.

 

[RedBaron]

Cheers Riccardo.
Looks like I need to buy two grades then. I didn't know they were grades until I read the link I posted.

Apparently according to professionals claying is recommended before waxing, hence my question.

You are going to use this on a brand new car? So, first, I am led to understand that you shouldn't wax a car until ~3 months after build to make sure the paint has solidly cured. (Not sure if this delay is warranted or not, but for a new car, why not?)

Second, it's a NEW CAR! You don't need to clay it anyway. Claying is done to remove contaminants that have been deposited into the paint over time. It's a kind of ultra-clean before wax/polish.

Third, even if you still DO want to clay, IT'S A NEW CAR! Don't use an aggressive clay as that's likely to do more damage than good!

 

[bikingpro5]

You are going to use this on a brand new car? So, first, I am led to understand that you shouldn't wax a car until ~3 months after build to make sure the paint has solidly cured. (Not sure if this delay is warranted or not, but for a new car, why not?)

Second, it's a NEW CAR! You don't need to clay it anyway. Claying is done to remove contaminants that have been deposited into the paint over time. It's a kind of ultra-clean before wax/polish.

Third, even if you still DO want to clay, IT'S A NEW CAR! Don't use an aggressive clay as that's likely to do more damage than good!

My brand new car was covered in fall out from sitting in the yard waiting to be loaded onto the train to be shipped across the country. Clay is not just for old cars.

 

[xtrailman]

Thanks Bikingpro5 (sorry I called you Riccardo in error), I don't intend to clay immediately and will use the fine first if I do.

I'll be busy painting the sub frames under the car first, and applying under seal were needed.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

You are going to use this on a brand new car? So, first, I am led to understand that you shouldn't wax a car until ~3 months after build to make sure the paint has solidly cured. (Not sure if this delay is warranted or not, but for a new car, why not?)

Second, it's a NEW CAR! You don't need to clay it anyway. Claying is done to remove contaminants that have been deposited into the paint over time. It's a kind of ultra-clean before wax/polish.

Third, even if you still DO want to clay, IT'S A NEW CAR! Don't use an aggressive clay as that's likely to do more damage than good!

Don't expect any SkyActiv car new from a dealer to be actually younger than three months. Take into consideration of shipment from Hiroshima, sitting at docking, shipping, and sales time. That time period is more than enough for curing of base+clear, mica, and metallic paints. Expect the same until Mazda opens their Mexico plant and start banging out Mazda2's and 3's in Q2 2015.

Is clay barring a necessity prior to protection? No. Will it be beneficial? Absolutely. Even on a new car as these are not enclosed international transports. There are apparent contaminants which could be removed by clay bars and to further prep (IPA) for last step protection.

 

[Chas]

You are going to use this on a brand new car? So, first, I am led to understand that you shouldn't wax a car until ~3 months after build to make sure the paint has solidly cured. (Not sure if this delay is warranted or not, but for a new car, why not?)

Second, it's a NEW CAR! You don't need to clay it anyway. Claying is done to remove contaminants that have been deposited into the paint over time. It's a kind of ultra-clean before wax/polish.

Third, even if you still DO want to clay, IT'S A NEW CAR! Don't use an aggressive clay as that's likely to do more damage than good!

I disagree on the need to clay a new car. It is amazing what builds up in just a few months from the factory to the sale. I clayed just the nose of the car prior to adding paint protection film, and a lot of spring pollen crap came off. The difference could be felt by running your hands over the clayed vs non clayed areas (using the lubricant soap) ...little bumps could be felt, though not necessarily seen, pre-claying.

Time period for paint curing can be deduced from the date of manufacture on the driver door frame. I think my car was 4-5 months old on delivery.

 

[propofol]

I clayed my CX 5 as soon as I had the time to do so. Better to start off with as clean a base as possible before polish and wax. I wasn't expecting to find very much on the clay but I was quite surprised at the amount of stuff on the clay bar. The build date on my CX 5 is 03/13. Used Meguiars clay.

 

[philzzz]

I clayed my CX 5 as soon as I had the time to do so. Better to start off with as clean a base as possible before polish and wax. I wasn't expecting to find very much on the clay but I was quite surprised at the amount of stuff on the clay bar. The build date on my CX 5 is 03/13. Used Meguiars clay.

Same, i clayed mine as well even its a new car before doing a polish and wax. Used mother clay

btw pretty much all clay in north america come from the same place, its www.claymagic.net that sell their clay to every compagnie like mother, meguiar, and whatever other companie that sell clay in north america

 

[xtrailman]

Thanks for all the replies.

I was a little puzzled with the early replies as I'd read a few posts from members who had clayed their cars on other threads, hence my question on this forum.

This is the reply I've had from a professional detailer.


"You can polish and wax a new car straight away with no problems at all, you can fit a clear bra to it and you can seal it.

As for using a clay bar this depends, I have come across new cars that have needed claying but most do not.

Clean the car and rub your hand over the paint ( no rings) and see if you can hear any thing or feel anything if you can then clay.
You will find that it will just need to be clayed on the flat areas, bonnet, boot roof and may be glass.

As for polishing.
Please remember that polish is for correction to paint work and a new car should be gleaming any way with no swirls or scratches to the paint, look at this under a light and try to angle the light to bounce of the paint and into your eyes, you should look like Yu are bending over and doing a nazi salute if that make sense

If the car is free from contamination and marring then go straight to the wax, as my post colinite 915 and NXT you should love even on a light coloured car. Remember not to keep coating the paint in wax as you get a diminishing return and you end up wiping of the wax. I usually give one to two coats colinite and then one coating NXT and I redo the NXT ever few weeks or so as I like doing it but there is no need.

You can but a parm polisher and some small pads, I use hex black 4 inch pads with this bit of kit you will get all the car covered and it pads should last you a long time. Use light pressure, wax is not a polish.

If you need any thing else please just ask or pm me, I have helped a lot of member on here with car and caravan, some times it is easier to chat on the phone as you can see form my responses I can go on a bit "

 

[CX5BC]

Does anyone knows where you can just buy clay bar (not as a kit) in retail stores in Canada? If some one bought one, please let me know. My local auto parts stores all carry the kit only. Thank you

 

[HandA]

My brand new car was covered in fall out from sitting in the yard waiting to be loaded onto the train to be shipped across the country. Clay is not just for old cars.

Yep, just see the threads on here about rust spots in the paint on the white cars. The contaminants aren't unique to the white cars the rust spots just are easier to see.

Our Mazda3 was rough to the touch when we brought it home so I clayed it. The CX5 seemed smooth so I didn't..... until the rust spots showed up and then I did. Would have probably been better if I'd done it before the spots showed up.