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Clay Bar
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:59 pm
by End User
I want to detail my car so I can take some photos (once it stops raining).
Anyone know where I can get a clay bar from?
I've tried the regular haunts. ie supercheap auto, repco etc, but none seem to stock clay bars.
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:18 pm
by Wotsa
All those stores sell Meguiars products. They have a clay bar kit.
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:39 pm
by NMX516
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:53 pm
by marcusus
A vote for waxit here. I bought the pinnacle ultra clay kit, and my god, what a difference it makes. I only clayed the car (didn't get around to buffing/polishing/cutting/etc) but the car already shines a lot more than it did before.
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:55 pm
by JBT
As above - waxit is goodness.
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:40 am
by Steampunk
I'm gonna try claying as well. Maybe you missed the clay bar as it doesn't come by itself. It's in a largish box that also contains the Quick Detailer (or Quick Wax one of the two).
Re:
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:08 am
by Benny
marcusus wrote:A vote for waxit here. I bought the pinnacle ultra clay kit, and my god, what a difference it makes. I only clayed the car (didn't get around to buffing/polishing/cutting/etc) but the car already shines a lot more than it did before.
I've noticed your car is nice and shiny Marcusus.
It gleams in the sunlight.
Re:
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:24 pm
by jules
marcusus wrote:A vote for waxit here. I bought the pinnacle ultra clay kit, and my god, what a difference it makes. I only clayed the car (didn't get around to buffing/polishing/cutting/etc) but the car already shines a lot more than it did before.
You should put some protection on your paint. At the moment it's naked and exposed.....
Jules
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:04 pm
by GP
WTF is clay bar and what does it do? Cutting compound?
Never to old to learn something new I suppose
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:07 pm
by JBT
Go to
this websiteand search \"clay bar\" or click on the \"how to\" icon.
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:46 am
by mr_rotary
I use the 3M clay bar on my RX-7 engine bay (which is still a shell) and it cleaned up the overspray and lumy bits extremely well. It's expensive but well worth the coin. It was nearly $40 trade price from memory.
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:35 pm
by wun911
Are these things better than using wax?
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:27 pm
by Garry
Wun,
The clar bar is a cleaner to clean the impurities off the paint. Wax is a sort of sealant to stop the impurities getting into your paint. You should clay bar first and then wax, with a polishing step in the middle if your paintwork has swirls or scratches.
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:35 pm
by marcusus
Benny wrote:I've noticed your car is nice and shiny Marcusus.
It gleams in the sunlight.
Indeed it does
The car's actually dirty at the moment too because of the rains we had early in the week, yet it's still quite reflective and shiny. Smooth to the touch as well ;)
jules wrote:You should put some protection on your paint. At the moment it's naked and exposed.....
Shoulda also mentioned I did a quick job of spray on wax afterwards. I just didn't get around to using the random orbital buffer to get the swirls out. So at the moment it's shiny and smooth, but still a bit swirly. Next detailing session (once I've gotten a new bar... my mates car really gave it to the one we have) I'll go all out and get rid of the swirls too.
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:23 pm
by Steampunk
Every time I wax the car, I do run my fingertip along it to feel the smoothness ... and my personal test is to drop a magazine on the bonnet and watch it slide
Now ... I definitely have swirls/spiderwebs, does clay get rid of this? or does a quality wax?
Anyone tried the Meguiar's Tech Wax?
(Why does Mequiars make so many products?!)