Megulars clay bar

[outbound]

Hi everyone,
Could anyone tell me if they have used Megulars clay
bar. I bought one a few month's ago and have been scared to use it.
Is it safe on metalic paint? Also do you rub it in with water?
thank you for any help,
Best regards,
Jeff

[capese21]

I used one on my x-power grey ZT T with great results. Mine came with a spray bottle of quick detailer which is used as the lube for the clay.


http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/detailing-clay/meguiars-quik-clay-kit/prod_226.html
E.

[Tatts]

Hi everyone,
Could anyone tell me if they have used Megulars clay
bar. I bought one a few month's ago and have been scared to use it.
Is it safe on metalic paint? Also do you rub it in with water?
thank you for any help,
Best regards,
Jeff

There's a very good & comprehensive guide to using clay bars by Emps. 3rd sticky in this valeting forum.

[pmessling]

have also used it on my silver V8, again with excellent results. will hopefully use it next week after cleaning car for showing at brooklands

[baxlin]

I've used it, and the important thing is to keep it lubricated. The Quick Detailer it comes with is ideal, but a bit expensive, I was given a tip, to use a 50/50 mix of shampoo as a lube.

I did try it, but it leaves a sticky residue which you then have to wash off. No real problem, but I went back to the QD.

Any advice, Deano?

malcolm

[John J]

I've used it with the supplied quick detailer spray that comes with it as the lubrication. Also remember to keep kneading it as you'll see the bits the clay bar picks up on the clay.
Idea is you wash the car first to remove the visible foreign particles then clay it to remove particles the naked eye cannot see. Then give the car a quick wash over again to remove the residue and dry the car.

[deano78]

I've used it, and the important thing is to keep it lubricated. The Quick Detailer it comes with is ideal, but a bit expensive, I was given a tip, to use a 50/50 mix of shampoo as a lube.

I did try it, but it leaves a sticky residue which you then have to wash off. No real problem, but I went back to the QD.

Any advice, Deano?

malcolm

it can depend on the lubrication of the shampoo your using. try mixing 30/70 with water. do a very small test patch, if it sticks at all, use more shampoo. you can buy meguairs last touch (the pro version of quick detailer) in US gallons for about 30 quid delivered, this can be diluted so you get a good amount for your cash. great as a clay lubricant and also for final wipe downs and for a drying aid when using a drying towel. it used to smell of lovely coconuts but the new version has a flowery smell :confused:.

[pondweed]

does this beginners clay stuff get off tarspots? I've just washed the car for first time in three months as a result of a defecating flying elephant and realised its not actually black!! What a nice colour. But its rough.

What is the advantage of clay over something like metallic finish TCut, which I have used in the past?

And also, can I leave it a few weeks after claying before waxing (I've got some carnauba gold) or should I just do a panel complete when I have spare time...?

ps I've read the beginners guide thing...

[deano78]

yes the clay will remove tar. try and soften it first with something like autoglym tar remover,available at halfords. clay will only remove bonded contaminents, tcut removes paint. the abrasives in t cut dont break down, they stay abrasive throughout appliation so can do more harm than good. i would apply the wax soon after claying to ensure max protection.

[pondweed]

great. thats me converted. Is there a cheap solvent that would do the tar softening job without destroying things - whitespirit or meths?

And is the best offer around the 11.95 bar plus detailing spray from the link further up this thread.. or do Halfords sell something similar?

[windrush]

great. thats me converted. Is there a cheap solvent that would do the tar softening job without destroying things - whitespirit or meths?

And is the best offer around the 11.95 bar plus detailing spray from the link further up this thread.. or do Halfords sell something similar?

WD40 is good for removing Tar

[empsburna]

Megs do a box of goodies, IIRC you get clay, lube, paintwork cleaner and a Microfibre cloth.

Make sure you use plenty of lube (I leave the car wet after washing) and break the block of clay into two bits and leave one in a tub of warm water while you use the other one and swap over after every few square feet of paint.

[Pete]

I use a cloth saoked in white spirit to remove tar. Just take it nice and gentle, let the tar gobble up the spirit and it will come off very easily. Wash down and polish/wax as normal.

[pondweed]

the Megs quik clay and lube pack in the link further up the thread is £10.99 posted from 2005holdcroft on ebay.

[empsburna]

I use Autosmart Tardis to remove tar - wipe on, leave/agitate and then wipe off then wash the car -

available in 5 litres direct from autosmart - http://www.autosmart.co.uk/ExteriorCleaning.htm - if anyone would like enough to do the car let me know - i'm never going to get through 5 litres on my own!

[pondweed]

well tried my new £11 Megs clay and spray - and it worked well enough... but no better than the Pound shop's tar-off spray, which seemed to get the other gunk off too!

I also wonder whether the bar idea is a bit flawed - i.e. you are always holding the imperfections in the clay, even if you do fold in away into the centre each time. It feels inefficient compared to lots of rag which you can wash, and a solvent.

My car still appears to be blackish anyway, so I think the colour coat is still there despite my attentions...

[baxlin]

I also wonder whether the bar idea is a bit flawed - i.e. you are always holding the imperfections in the clay, even if you do fold in away into the centre each time. It feels inefficient compared to lots of rag which you can wash, and a solvent.

...

I thought this, too, but I've never had a car with such a silky smooth paintwork finish, using the back-of-the-hand test, as I've had since claying the 75, then washing,it, then polishing with the stuff in the Megs beginners' pack. Each time I wash it now, I put another layer of Quik Detailer on it.

What I'm confused about though, is the difference between polish, wax, silicon, glosscoat etc.

What should I use - brand name if possible, and where can I buy it - to give a deeper, and better proected shine?

TIA

Malcolm

[Tatts]

well tried my new £11 Megs clay and spray - and it worked well enough... but no better than the Pound shop's tar-off spray, which seemed to get the other gunk off too!

I also wonder whether the bar idea is a bit flawed - i.e. you are always holding the imperfections in the clay, even if you do fold in away into the centre each time. It feels inefficient compared to lots of rag which you can wash, and a solvent.

My car still appears to be blackish anyway, so I think the colour coat is still there despite my attentions...


Point 1 - The difference is clay won't strip any wax or polish you may have on the car, that tar-off spray removes everything!

Point 2 - The clay bar might get mucky, but with plenty of lube, isn't abrasive. Like you said, when it gets bad, fold it in. Solvents - as I said above, remove everything!

Point 3 - Phew! Thats good news! :D

Just as a point, I clayed my car yesterday, first time in 14 months. I used half-a-bar, and only had to fold it once. A good regular bodywork cleaning scheme works wonders! :)




What I'm confused about though, is the difference between polish, wax, silicon, glosscoat etc.


What should I use - brand name if possible, and where can I buy it - to give a deeper, and better proected shine?



TIA

Malcolm

Ignore silicon & glosscoat. Polish = polishes the paintwork. Wax = Protects it.

Are you happy using Megs products? They do a 3 stage System (http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=299).

Or Auto Glym Super Resin Polish with a layer of Extra Gloss Protection.

Failing that, have a wander over to cleanyourcar.co.uk But, be warned, VERY easy to spend a fortune on there!

[Per Ardua]

if only these detailing product seller would sell you the time to detail the car...


Anyway, I use the megs clay bar without any expensive lube spray. I just rub the clay bar over the car whilst it is soaking wet. It doesn't stick and works just as well IMHO. I then dry with a microfibre before polish and wax.

[empsburna]

without lubrication you are running the risk of inflicting marks into the paint - I do have some pictures showing the marring when I detailed Lates's ZTT.

At least use a strong shampoo mixture, thats cheap and quick.

[Alun]

I've used meg's stuff on my last 3 cars and swear by it. I've tried pretty much everything on the market, including some of the cheaper zymol stuff and find meguiars to be the best value for money and performance out there.


I use the 3 part system, using clay with detailer if the cars new to me first.

What I also recommend is gold class (http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=269) top polish for black/ dark colours.

I am going to do mine over the weekend, will take some pics of before, during and after.

Cheers,

Alun