Clay Bar Virgin - cherry popped
 

Ok, I know most of you wont’ believe this but due to the forums information, I have clay bared a vehicle (my Z) for the first time in my life. I had never heard of this until reading it on the forum. It’s not like I have never washed and waxed my cars, boats, motorcycles, etc. over my 30 years of driving, I guess I never really researched on how to properly detail a vehicle other than on the back of the wax container.

What a difference it makes! I was amazed at how rough a finish is and then how smooth it can be. I did several hours of research on the internet while stuck at my in-laws over the holiday week and decided when I got home to strip the carnauba wax off the Z and start again with a synthetic product.

Though I encountered a lot of opinions about which product is the best, easiest, longest lasting, etc. I probably chose the less popular choice of Turtle Wax Ice products. There seemed to be some negativity toward the Ice products, but I liked the ease of availability and the idea of how it could be used on black plastic w/out leaving a white chalk residue. Well for a very beginner detailer, I thought the products were easy to use and I liked the results, a mirror like finish. It was nice not having to worry about getting wax on the black surfaces, it seemed to shine them as well.

I look forward to further researching and learning how to use more “professional” detailing methods and products since the results of what I have done w/just the cheap-o “off the shelf” products were far superior to my previous naive wash and wax lifestyle.

ya i just started using a clay bar like a year ago, im still too lazy to bar the whole vehicle, but some of the areas prone to problems get barred every wash.

(i too use turtle wax ice.... marketing got me, i dunno the descriptions and directions are so appealing)

some claybars are abrasive enough to remove wax... the only clay that i know that does not remove wax is Griot's claybar. it's like mud. soft and gooey and gets all over your hands if you dont use disposable gloves.

i use that on nissan paint as i dont trust most clays (including meguiar's blue clay which is their 'soft' clay but yet too abrasive on nissan paint).

Goes pretty fast
 

Actually didn't take that long to do the whole thing. I split the clay bar in two pieces and my 13 year old daughter helped me (as w/the washing,drying and waxing). She did a great job and projects like that give me a chance to talk to her for awhile vs a few flighting minutes here and there. Its great that she likes to help makes the time go faster.

I didn't try the "liquid clay bar" that came in the Ice Clay Bar Kit. When I read the directions, I realized that you needed to hose it off and I wasn't going to get the car wet again. Anyone know how the "liquid clay bar" works?

I don't know if my opinion on professional detailing yourself counts. But my friend owns a 2009 red M3, its like the only one I have seen in san diego so far. Anyway he does the whole detail job on his car twice a year. its a WEEKENED PROJECT! I have been over to his house to just watch him do it as he wont even let me touch his car with something that could damage his paint. Anyway it takes like 10 hours for the whole wash, clay,re wash, polish, seal, glaze, wax process. And he has power tools to assist him. Id rather pay someone to do it once a year as thats all thats recommended anyway. Only reason i posted this is because you thought of taking your new found skill further. haha fyi

No time for that type of dedication, but it was fun learning and trying a new product that I had never used before. Plus it actually made a difference unlike so many things not living up to the expectation.