Claying kit - everyone should have one

This is where you can find out about valeting and detailing--washing, cleaning, polishing, waxing and other car care issues.
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Z3cade
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Claying kit - everyone should have one

Post by Z3cade »

Ive recently used a claying kit and cant recomend it enougth....

I always thought it would be a very hard job to do and take ages...but in fact it took no time at all and suprisingly very little effort....

It leaves your paintwork silky smooth and feels like glass!!

If you havent used one before then watch the youtube vid, it shows how easy it is....

Happy claying!! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfEfLGL59GI
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hornel Z3M
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Post by hornel Z3M »

Surely one would only need a claying kit if the paintwork had not been looked after perhaps by a previous owner or someone that uses the car in all weathers. :wink: but we could ask Titan Tim if he has one :lol:
Z3cade
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Post by Z3cade »

As in the vid it was done on a brand new truck... It doesnt take long for your paint work to become contaminated by air polloution, tree sap, dust, bug splats etc.... if it hasnt been protected properly

This simply removes them all leaving a glass smooth surface ready for Waxing/polishing...

The kit i used was the same in the vid and it comes with Wax for protecting it after claying... water just beeds off now and its made cleaning much easyer! :shock:

If like me i always thought a shampoo wash once aweek was enougth.... :head:
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Claying is the best £20 anyone can send on their Z :wink:

Always worth checking out Halfords for their 2 for 1 offers as you can pick up the clay kits and roof kits for £20 total :D
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Z3cade
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Post by Z3cade »

Jonttt wrote:Claying is the best £20 anyone can send on their Z :wink:

Always worth checking out Halfords for their 2 for 1 offers as you can pick up the clay kits and roof kits for £20 total :D
Yes Jontt :D Thats where i got mine from... its `3 for 2` at halfords at the minuit.... some good deals to be had...
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hornel Z3M
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Post by hornel Z3M »

so you are saying even on an immaculate car, never driven in the wet, polished every week or so would benefit from claying :?
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Dave'z3
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Post by Dave'z3 »

I clayed mine when I did my first BIG wash (5 hours worth) and the difference is amazing! I told a couple of guys on my street and showed them the difference.

All the best,

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Badman gee
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Re: z

Post by Badman gee »

hornel Z3M wrote:so you are saying even on an immaculate car, never driven in the wet, polished every week or so would benefit from claying :?
yep
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Post by hornel Z3M »

just ordered Meguirs clay kit so if no improvement over perfection z3cade owes me a tenner :wink:
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Badman gee
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Re: z

Post by Badman gee »

hornel Z3M wrote:just ordered Meguirs clay kit so if no improvement over perfection z3cade owes me a tenner :wink:

I hope you see a difference, my washing and waxing process has been cut from a couple of hours to one. :D
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Z3cade
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Re: z

Post by Z3cade »

hornel Z3M wrote:just ordered Meguirs clay kit so if no improvement over perfection z3cade owes me a tenner :wink:
where did you order the kit for a tenner???? Its £24.99 in halfords!! :shock:

You`ll love it :thumb:
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Badman gee
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Re: z

Post by Badman gee »

Z3cade wrote:
hornel Z3M wrote:just ordered Meguirs clay kit so if no improvement over perfection z3cade owes me a tenner :wink:
where did you order the kit for a tenner???? Its £24.99 in halfords!! :shock:

You`ll love it :thumb:
Nearly as much as you :D
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Post by hornel Z3M »

Amazon.co.uk sell it for £10 with free delivery :lol:
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Badman gee
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Re: z

Post by Badman gee »

hornel Z3M wrote:Amazon.co.uk sell it for £10 with free delivery :lol:
Good buy.
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Beemer Man
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Post by Beemer Man »

Won't AG Resin Polish, with its micro abrasives, achieve the same results as a clay bar?

I recently polished my "clean" (I thought) Titanium Silver E60 and the amount of dirt that came off onto the microfibre cloth surprised me.

The paint surface was mirror-smooth afterwards-I can't imagine that claying would have done a better job.
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Badman gee
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Post by Badman gee »

Beemer Man wrote:Won't AG Resin Polish, with its micro abrasives, achieve the same results as a clay bar?

I recently polished my "clean" (I thought) Titanium Silver E60 and the amount of dirt that came off onto the microfibre cloth surprised me.

The paint surface was mirror-smooth afterwards-I can't imagine that claying would have done a better job.
I noticed a big difference, the polish after claying goes on and comes off very easily.

It reduces the time you spend cleaning the car each week.
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

haha yepp I have clayed the Zed, even if you don't use the car that much and wash it weekly it still attracts everything thats floating around in the air, tree sap, general pollution particles that ordinary waxing won't remove, its well worth doing as it brings out the best in the wax :lol:

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J_M_C
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Post by J_M_C »

Claying is the most important part of detailing a car in my opinion as it prepares the car for the wax. As others have said even new and well kept cars benefit from claying.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Beemer Man wrote:Won't AG Resin Polish, with its micro abrasives, achieve the same results as a clay bar?
Technically the answer is yes but they are different products to achieve differnent things.

a "polish" like SRP removes a "layer" and so will polish out light scratches / swirl marks / oxidisation etc.... If you polish enough you would eventually polish out the contaminents as well but you can only "polish" a paint so much and you should only do it infrequently or at some point your will cut through the laquer and "burn" the paint.

Claying is not as "destructive" process like polishing and you need to think of it as using a piece of cellotape to remove bits from a wool jacket rather than rubbing the jacket with a brillo pad :wink:

You need to use a lot of lubricant with a clay bar and constantly "mold" it to not scratch the paintwork but its dead easy and is the best "cleaning" thing you can do to a car even if it never sees rain / winter use.

Try it you will be amazed.
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TWO
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Re: z

Post by TWO »

Badman gee wrote:
Z3cade wrote:
hornel Z3M wrote:just ordered Meguirs clay kit so if no improvement over perfection z3cade owes me a tenner :wink:
where did you order the kit for a tenner???? Its £24.99 in halfords!! :shock:

The Halfords Kit contains : -

Quick Mist Detailer
Cleaner Wax
Microfibre Towel.....which I would recommend
2 x Clay Bars

The Amazon kit only contains : -

Quick Mist Detailer
Clay Bar

You get what you pay for :wink:
Z3cade
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Post by Z3cade »

Ahh yes the microfiber towel is great...
I thought a tenner was very cheap...

The wax is also very good...
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

But if you've already got a preferred wax and plenty of cloths .......... :wink:
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Beemer Man
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Post by Beemer Man »

Thanks,Jonttt, and everyone else. It sounds as though I should try the clay bar.

On the silver E60 I use the AG SRP probably once a year, topped-off with AG HD Wax every 4-6 months when it no longer beads, but last time I waxed it I could see the roof (particularly) was slightly discoloured under the wax, hence a session with the SRP (and a really dirty microfibre cloth!).

Now it's back like new, but I take your point about possibly removing the clearcoat layer if I overdo things.
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Post by hornel Z3M »

Hey TWO. I dont want to go into the valet buisness its just for me and i have more wax and the best microfibre cloths than halfords :|
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Badman gee
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Re: z

Post by Badman gee »

hornel Z3M wrote:Hey TWO. I dont want to go into the valet buisness its just for me and i have more wax and the best microfibre cloths than halfords :|
I brought that one for a tenner two. Why buy extra when you have cloths and enough wax to last a year. :D
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Warrior
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Re: z

Post by Warrior »

Badman gee wrote:
hornel Z3M wrote:Hey TWO. I dont want to go into the valet buisness its just for me and i have more wax and the best microfibre cloths than halfords :|
I brought that one for a tenner two. Why buy extra when you have cloths and enough wax to last a year. :D
What if you haven't got cloths and enough wax to last for a year? :D

My first detailing purchase was the Meguiers kit from Halfords and the first thing I realised was that the second bar may well be needed.
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Badman gee
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Re: z

Post by Badman gee »

Warrior wrote:
Badman gee wrote:
hornel Z3M wrote:Hey TWO. I dont want to go into the valet buisness its just for me and i have more wax and the best microfibre cloths than halfords :|
I brought that one for a tenner two. Why buy extra when you have cloths and enough wax to last a year. :D
What if you haven't got cloths and enough wax to last for a year? :D

My first detailing purchase was the Meguiers kit from Halfords and the first thing I realised was that the second bar may well be needed.
yes the cheaper kit only has a small clay bar, you can buy a softer larger bar off amazon or ebay.

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Post by hornel Z3M »

I have just tried a panel on the M with the clay bar and detailer and i am amazed at the difference in the feel of the paint. I was doubtful it would not do anything as my bodywork is like new, but i was wrong. Thanks to Z3cade and all who commented on a great product. :wink:
zedwheels
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Post by zedwheels »

After reading all the comments on here i just had to go and buy some to try!
Have to say i too am amazed at the results. Tried it on the boot first and then rubbed my hand over the area, what a difference. Done the lot in an hour and applied the polish that comes with the kit. I thought the bodywork was pretty good before but its a lot better now.
Trouble is when i look into the shine now i can see all the blemishes!! :puzzle:
On closer examination though all the blemmishes i could see was the creases in my face, yes it was that good. :D :D :thumb:
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Z3cade
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Re: z

Post by Z3cade »

hornel Z3M wrote:I have just tried a panel on the M with the clay bar and detailer and i am amazed at the difference in the feel of the paint. I was doubtful it would not do anything as my bodywork is like new, but i was wrong. Thanks to Z3cade and all who commented on a great product. :wink:
Glad you liked it ;-) i too was doutful untill i tryed it!!
the problem now is you'll live by it and find yourself quick detailing it after youve washed it as i do now.... :-P

theres also an 'Ultimate quick detailer' avalible now which i may have to get hold of..... !!

A great product...
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zedwheels
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Post by zedwheels »

Now that i'v done the claying and like the finish, is it something your supposed to on a regular basis?
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Not really, depends on the environment the car is exposed to but once year I would think for most people ?
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'Yadi
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Post by 'Yadi »

I do mine twice a year... once before the winter starts and once when spring starts before a nice fresh coat of Collinite 476S goes on.
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Post by zedwheels »

Thanks for the replies. Will do again now start of next summer season.
Done some pics of the shine achieved with the claying!
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Daz3
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Post by Daz3 »

Think I'll be investing in one of these kits the results look amazing good work!
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