clay bar ???

[flyfish]

ok so i have decided to go for the DA MF system but have a question about the clay bar. if i am using the first step with the DA MF system is it necessary to clay bar first?? the paint correction system seems aggressive with the compound to clean and smoothen the paint? if it is powerful to get scratches and swirls out would clay baring first be a wast of time???


one more question

i will be using D300 D301 and M21 how long will this last on a every day driver? i know everyone will say it all depends but not looking to wax every 4 weeks! and winters can be long here? was looking for a long lasting wax???

thanks

[Markbaja]

Re: clay bar ???

Clay bar is definitely not a waste of time. I'd say it's pretty important. It gets rid of contaminants above the surface, which a compound may not be able to remove. Some contaminants, especially some tar spots, can be harder than the paint, so I'd say do it, and enjoy that super smooth feel.

[sunday joe]

Re: clay bar ???

ok so i have decided to go for the DA MF system but have a question about the clay bar. if i am using the first step with the DA MF system is it necessary to clay bar first?? the paint correction system seems aggressive with the compound to clean and smoothen the paint? if it is powerful to get scratches and swirls out would clay baring first be a wast of time???


one more question

i will be using D300 D301 and M21 how long will this last on a every day driver? i know everyone will say it all depends but not looking to wax every 4 weeks! and winters can be long here? was looking for a long lasting wax???

thanks

I too did not see the necessity of claying, till i tried it on my 11 year old Pontiac Grand prix. Wow, was I impressed. It leaves the surface as smoothe as glass. It doesn't take long to do it. So why not give it the effort.
Perhaps you know all this and have used clay in the past and just wanted an opinion.

[BillE]

Re: clay bar ???

Just to add...Yes.

If you are curious, put your hand into a sandwich baggie (those real thin puppies) and GENTLY wipe it across the horizontal surfaces (those are normally the most ruogh)...AFTER you've washed it...feel the roughness? Now clay the same area, repeat the wipe test...feel how smooth?

Now get that silly bag off your hand and grab the clay...LOL...

Bill

[Michael Stoops]

Re: clay bar ???

Claying prior to using a paint cleaner is important for a couple of reasons, and they're pretty logical when you think about them:

• Paint cleaners and compounds are designed to remove below surface defects, so if there's a bunch of crud bonded to the surface they would have to cut through that first before they could even start doing their real job. This reduces the efficiency of the cleaner/compound
• If you did the cleaner/compound to cut through the bonded contaminants they would then essentially be grinding all that grit back into the paint - not a great plan of attack for creating a perfect finish.

Claying is a very simple process that takes little effort or time, but returns great benefits.

As for how long M21 will last on your car, it really is very hard to say. It's going to last longer in summer than in winter if your roads are salted and you tend to leave that wet salt on the finish. That's a highly corrosive cocktail that will eat through waxes and sealants pretty quickly. While you shouldn't have to wax every 4 weeks, those winter months might be tough. We would suggest using Ultimate Quik Wax after every wash during the winter just to help boost the polymer protection you have.

[fordf150]

Re: clay bar ???

Claying prior to using a paint cleaner is important for a couple of reasons, and they're pretty logical when you think about them:

• Paint cleaners and compounds are designed to remove below surface defects, so if there's a bunch of crud bonded to the surface they would have to cut through that first before they could even start doing their real job. This reduces the efficiency of the cleaner/compound
• If you did the cleaner/compound to cut through the bonded contaminants they would then essentially be grinding all that grit back into the paint - not a great plan of attack for creating a perfect finish.

Claying is a very simple process that takes little effort or time, but returns great benefits.

As for how long M21 will last on your car, it really is very hard to say. It's going to last longer in summer than in winter if your roads are salted and you tend to leave that wet salt on the finish. That's a highly corrosive cocktail that will eat through waxes and sealants pretty quickly. While you shouldn't have to wax every 4 weeks, those winter months might be tough. We would suggest using Ultimate Quik Wax after every wash during the winter just to help boost the polymer protection you have.

Mike, for those of us who are not lucky enough to have heated garages and live in northern climates where the average temperatures in winter are normally below freezing, would the UQW still be effective? I would think it would freeze up....

About the best I can hope to do is run the vehicle through a tunnel wash once a week and even then it takes no time at all before it's all salted up again.