clay bar

[marc vectra sri]

Wanting to clay ma car what should a use don't want spend ARM and leg seen some on bay for 5er

[insignia28]

I got one of them, havent used it yet tho.... Wee bit apprehensive to be honest but i was told not to be so may be a job on saturday for me.

[Das]

Bilt Hamber. Around £11 delivered off ebay. Cheap as chips and all you need is water for the Lube.

[marc vectra sri]

Cool u no a way to use it do I

Wash car
Dry
Clay a panel at a time folding clay when been over a panel with clay do I have to buff it or out
Then do I polish
Then seal

[Grumpy1954]

Even the ones that need lube (I use Megs) aren't really that expensive, as you don't need to do it more than a couple of times a year. Personal choice. If you go for one that needs lube you can use watered down car shampoo, Born Slippy, or QD, which can also be watered down to 50% for use as lube.

[Marky]

I bought a Bilt Hamber AutoClay regular a couple of weeks back and used it a the weekend. I can't keep stroking my car as its so smooth.

The Bilt Hamber clay is good cos it doesn't need any special lubricants. Just water, I did mine in the rain!!

Break the clay bar into four pieces. Should be able to get four uses out of a bar of clay.
Put one piece into some hot water and leave it there until you are ready to use it.
First wash the car with your choice of shampoo and rinse it off.

No need to dry the car as you need the clay to be wet.
Mold the clay bar into a patty like a mini burger.
Make sure the area you are going to clay is wet, you'll need a water spray (like for spraying house plants) to keep the area wet.
Put the clay into the palm of your hand and rub the clay over the body work. No real pressure is needed.
The clay will start picking up the grotty bits from the paint. You can hear and feel it working. Make sure the area stays wet, keep spraying if the clay feels as though its getting stuck. after a few strokes the clay will glide and the area covered will be silky smooth. Keep going until you have done the whole car.
Rinse down the car again and dry it.

Now the paint is clean you will need to polish it and seal it.

[Marky]

Claying the car is quite easy. Polishing is hard work by hand. Waxing isn't too bad and should be done by hand.

It took me six hours to wash, clay, polish and wax my car at the weekend and I can still feel it in my arms and wrists.

I am going to ask for a DA for christmas. Or get a smart car...

[marc vectra sri]

Cheers for the write up mate going get some that polishing don't really bother me a use autoglym really easy to work with use small amount thats what I've asked for Christmas as well a da6 as there cheaper around 100 with pads

[Marky]

Cheers for the write up mate going get some that polishing don't really bother me a use autoglym really easy to work with use small amount thats what I've asked for Christmas as well a da6 as there cheaper around 100 with pads

Yep a DAS6 is what I'm after too. I am going to need until christmas to decide which bundle to get as there are so many combinations...

A couple of other notes on clay bars.

1) If you drop the clay onto the floor, throw it away. It will be covered in little bits from the floor and if you start using it it will scratch the car.
2) After a little while the clay will change colour as it picks stuff up offthe paint work. Just fold the clay over and remould it with a fresh new bit of clay.

[higgy1541]

I want to clay my car soon as well. However I have got quite a few swirl marks in the paintwork. Should I T-cut before claying? Or is there any other method to get rid of swirl marks?