Clay Bar?

[Blackbird02]

Greetings, new guy here from Pinellas Park, Florida. After doing some research here I have decided to go about doing some clean up on my 2002 Pontiac Firebird. The car is black and has some mild swirls and some mild pitting on the front bumper from the nice little love bugs we have here.


My plan is to use my DA with M8032. My question is, should I clay the car before applying the M8032 or is this step not necessary?


Sorry if this question has already been answered but after a search I didn’t find any post about this. Thanks in advance for all input.

[greg0303]

Re: Clay Bar?

Welcome to Meguiar's Online.


Benefits of using a clay bar:

1. removal of above surface conteminants bonded to your paint surface (your car wash is not strong enough to remove them),

2. removal of old wax residue,

3. creating a mirror like paint surface,

4. creating stronger bonding between paint surface and wax extending protection.

If your car is in need for some paint correction there's a big chance it also needs claying. Simple test can be performed with inner side of your hand gently rubbing paint surface to feel any roughness on it.

[Blackbird02]

Re: Clay Bar?

The paint seems to be extremely smooth. I recently acquired the car and I believe the dealer had it detailed before I purchased it about two weeks ago (likely the source of the swirls). I don't want to be wasting time but I don't want to be grinding crud into the paint either, but that damage may have already been done.

[Murr1525]

Re: Clay Bar?

Also, you can find that even with a machine, the pad can bounce over bits of gunk on the surface, not take it off. And if it does take it off and stick to the pad, now you are dragging it around the paint.

If you have not clayed before, I would do it. If the car is in good shape, you'll waste maybe 10 minutes. But I thought I knew what a smooth car was, then I clayed....

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clay Bar?

If you've never clayed your car before, odds are it needs it - especially given its age.

Claying is a very simple process that can pay some pretty large dividends. Greg listed some but we'd like to expand on that just a bit for you.

By skipping the claying step and going straight to waxing, you are essentially apply wax to dirt and other material that is bonded to your paint. We don't make a wax for dirt, nor does anyone else to the best of our knowledge! Waxes and sealants are designed to bond to the paint so you want all that junk off the surface first.

In your case, you're talking about doing some defect correction before waxing. The defects that you'll be addressing with a D/A and M80 are below surface defects. Again, you want all the above surface bonded junk gone first so that you aren't spending buffing time trying to cut through that mess, and you aren't picking up those hard bits of bonded stuff and just grinding it all back into the paint in your buffing process.

Evaluating whether or not you need to clay is pretty easy - just wash and dry the car, then run your clean, dry hand over the surface. It it feels rough to the touch, clay it. If it's as smooth as glass, claying won't gain you anything.

Lastly, if you haven't already done so, take a look at Meguiar's Quik Tips Video Series - Claying for a quick rundown on the claying process.

[Blackbird02]

Re: Clay Bar?

OK guys you’ve convinced me. I was planning on taking a couple days off from work and doing this right so it sounds as if the extra effort will be worth it. I’m kind of a perfectionist about my cars anyway so I want to do it right.

Off topic but any tips for removing pin stripes? They have become cracked and faded. I’ve seen the stripe removal wheels but they just seem really harsh. I did it by hand with a heat gun on another f-body I owned. Man was it a pain and took a month of Sundays.
Thanks for all the responses.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clay Bar?

The older the tape stripes are, the harder they can be to remove. Obviously narrow pin stripes will be easier than wider stripes, but that adhesive can be a bugger. Heating it up is probably the safest way to go, and just take your time. Some Goo-Gone will help clean up the last of the adhesive residue.

[Murr1525]

Re: Clay Bar?

But you also may get a colored stripe down your car where they used to be, from the paint under it not fading.

[Blackbird02]

Re: Clay Bar?

The older the tape stripes are, the harder they can be to remove. Obviously narrow pin stripes will be easier than wider stripes, but that adhesive can be a bugger. Heating it up is probably the safest way to go, and just take your time. Some Goo-Gone will help clean up the last of the adhesive residue.

Yea I was afraid of that. Went out at lunch and picked up some Goo-Gone. Will pick up a six pack on the way home and work on it a little at a time. Wait, this may take a case.

But you also may get a colored stripe down your car where they used to be, from the paint under it not fading.

I already removed a small section from one of the rear quarters to where it wouldn’t be noticeable if I decided to just leave them. The paint under looks good with the exception of the clear being like new. Hopefully after the correction that won’t be noticeable and I want to get them off before I start the correction.

Thanks Gents!

[dc2_]

Re: Clay Bar?

i have never clay barred my car before...but i had wetsanded it n had it buffed out a few months ago. i tried claying yesterday and it did nothing for me..the clay bar remained the same,and my paint felt the same.

[smack]

Re: Clay Bar?

i have never clay barred my car before...but i had wetsanded it n had it buffed out a few months ago. i tried claying yesterday and it did nothing for me..the clay bar remained the same,and my paint felt the same.

Thats odd. I just clayed my wagon yesterday since it hasnt been clayed for maybe 4 months or so and I was surprised at what it did pick up given the car has 1K miles on it and barely leaves the garage. It also receives a weekly to bi weekly wipedown with UQD.

[Murr1525]

Re: Clay Bar?

Well, wet-sanding is kind of the 'full strength' version of claying.... You wont have anything left behind from that either.

[smack]

Re: Clay Bar?

For sure, but eventually you will have to clay again after a number of months.

[greg0303]

Re: Clay Bar?

I once had to clay 1999 Buick, parked outside 24/7 and probably never clayed until last summer, and I used three 50 gram clay bars.

When I went to the lower panels it was a total disaster. I was reshaping the bar every 30 seconds.

[Murr1525]

Re: Clay Bar?

Sometimes can go for a paint cleaner first, or de-greaser wash, etc first in those instances.