Weekend Detailing PLan

[Adam]

I tried the clay on the front section and wasn't impressed. I couldn't tell a difference and it picked up very few foreign objects/contaminates. The surface didn't seem any smoother for me. Maybe it's more of a placebo type thing. Maybe my car just isn't dirty enough...I don't know.

[BuffaloBoxster]

You'll notice the difference when you wax.. Instead of a dirty looking applicator pad it'll look like it's just been cleaned.

I just spent most of the day working on the car. I used the Mother's clay kit, and I did the whole car. I then used the cleaner wax, and then a coat of Meguire's Gold Class over the top. It came out really nice.

[Brucelee]

If you used the clay bar correctly and follow with a quality system like Klasse or Zaino, the finish should feel like clean glass. If not, something did not happen at the clay bar stage.

Let us know!

Good luck!

[Adam]

I did as the instructions told me. The car feels like smooth glass when I use my Zaino but no before after clay difference for me.

[Lux]

Adam, first the B&M and now the clay. What the heck is going on???

It most certainly is not a placebo affect. Zaino (along with most sealants) will cover a lot of the contaminants and make a surface smooth. But as the sealants wear down, the contaminants will still be there. A clayed surface vs. a non-clayed surface should feel very different. There is no way that your car doesn't have contaminants embedded in the paint if you've driven your car at all. Zaino is giving you a false impression that the surface underneath is clean/smooth. I compare it to washing your car with soap and washing with just a water rinse. Both cars will look clean, but only one will be truly clean.

Again, I'm baffled by your expriences. But whatever works for you, go with it.

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[Adam]

Lux, I'm not try to be disagreeable/negative or anything, just sharing my impressions. If the clay works good for you and others then that's great. I just didn't perceive a difference with using the clay. I'm not going to say it makes a nice improvement if I can't see/feel an improvement. I not going to go along with you and some others if I feel like the product didn't perform as claimed. I am as careful as anyone to follow the instructions provided by the manufacture because I don't want to mess up my car or give a false impression of a product. I do push products that I feel have delivered on their claims such the Zaino, BMC filter, and my flannel car cover. I like those products and recammend them as do other people. I will try to continue to report on products that I try out and give as accurate an assessment as possible which may or may not coincide with others' opinions. I am open to suggestion and help as I have always been. I have decided to give the clay another shot after I strip the wax/polish off as you have suggested. I certainly hope you don't have a problem with me because I came to different conclusions on products such as the clay or B&M. Forums like this one were designed for people to share opinions and suggestions; differing opinions are a certainly going to happen and there is nothing wrong with that.

[Stryke]

Adam, too bad you're in IL cause I'm going to set up a detail day at my shop (see my thread here). I can clay an entire car in less than 15 minutes, especially a Boxster. When I put 4 guys on a car at the shop they can clay, compound, polish, glaze and wax with full interior detail in around 1 hour. I will be going over all of this including wet sanding and scratch fixing on the detail day.

[Lux]

Adam,

You've been a long time contributor to this forum and I definitely don't think you're being unreasonable with your experiences. I hope I don't come across as slamming you...as that's not the case.

Remember, I'm an engineer so I tend to be more skeptical of products than most. I too wouldn't recommend a product unless I'm satisfied with it. I just hate to see words like "placebo" affect being tossed around when a product's effectiveness is very real.

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[RandallNeighbour]

This thread and the clay debate got me so interested I went out and bought the Mother's clay bar kit.

Used it on the hood and front fenders. I gotta say that on my beat up 1997 with the worst-maintained black paint job on any Porsche Boxster I've seen, it worked wonders. Didn't make the car look as if it was repainted, but doggonit, it sure is smooth as glass now and looks unbelievably shiny!

No one has said anything about the clay application process, so for those of you who have never tried it, let me say that it requires no elbow grease or pressure. You just spray the soapy lubricant over a 2 square foot area, start rubbing this clay on the surface of the car lightly going back and forth (no circular motions) and when it feels slick, you move on. I found that I didn't keep the surface lubricated quite enough and kept spraying as I did the clay work.

Very nice results. I will now have to buy Klasse and try that as well.

I do have a clay storage question. I just put it in a zip lock bag. Can I reuse it as long as it doesn't dry out? I do know it only lasts for a about three cars' worth of claying.