Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

[LeMarque]

Initially I ordered Easy Clay for my wife's 04 xc90. I didn't see much if any residue on the clay although the car looks great after using Megs cleaner wax. So I bought some Megs aggressive clay for use on my 05 330xi. I washed it carefully with Gold Class. Then went to work with the clay.

Well, it's kinda the same results. To my bare hand the finish feels and looks fine. But if I use a plastic baggie over my hand it still feels 'gritty'. I've even gone over a section a second time with the same results.

I can't see how one could clay incorrectly; I am using a lube ( although I really don't see how one lube differs from an other).

Am I expecting to much or just what should the results of claying be and how to test?

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

Can't edit so let me just say it left NO marring or other I'll effects on this silver grey BMW.

[Sean Conrad]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

I don't know how you are not noticing a difference in the feel even without the baggie. I can tell a huge difference when I clay a car. After you finish a panel with the clay can you see stuff on the clay? I always look and do it several times over a panel, maybe you just aren't doing enough passes with the clay.

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

I don't know how you are not noticing a difference in the feel even without the baggie. I can tell a huge difference when I clay a car. After you finish a panel with the clay can you see stuff on the clay? I always look and do it several times over a panel, maybe you just aren't doing enough passes with the clay.

I know it sounds strange, but I don't see the kind of 'stuff' I've seen on some YouTube videos. I can't really feel much without using a baggie; but when I do use one, there's no doubt about feeling 'stuff'.

Like I said, I tried Easy Clay from Amazon and even contacted the seller that told me his colors don't matter they are all 'mild to medium'.

By hand I can't feel anything, with a baggie, definitely.

For what it's worth I went ahead and applied the first coat of cleaner/wax; I just couldn't wait.

I'll try the clay on some other car, but once again, I just don't see how I'm doing anything wrong. I have tried light and heavy pressure. Doesn't seem to make much of a difference since the lube makes the clay glide over the surface.

[Sean Conrad]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

I'm really just wondering if the clay is to mild. It might be more mild that even the consumer version of Meg's.

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

I'm really just wondering if the clay is to mild. It might be more mild that even the consumer version of Meg's.

I bought Megs Professional Detailing Clay "aggressive' (kind of Pink in color) from Amazon and it's the same on my BMW!

[ethereal45]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

Can't edit so let me just say it left NO marring or other I'll effects on this silver grey BMW.

Honestly, it could be that it did leave some very minor micromarring but you would probably never see it on silver paint.

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

Honestly, it could be that it did leave some very minor micromarring but you would probably never see it on silver paint.

That may be true. I'll take a closer look. What exactly is marring anyway

But if it was able to be that aggressive, wouldn't the finish be much smoother using the baggie test?

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

What part of the vehicle were you feeling the bumps? If it was on the hood it is *possible" you felt divots from rocks and debris that chip away at the paint over time. If not, you may want to check your technique.

Like with compounding or polishing, removing major defects or majorly bonded contaminants requires some force. Claying can be fairly exhausting at times and can very from light to heavy pressure needed. Regardless of how much pressure you use, be sure to use ample amounts of lubrication.

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

What part of the vehicle were you feeling the bumps? If it was on the hood it is *possible" you felt divots from rocks and debris that chip away at the paint over time. If not, you may want to check your technique.

Like with compounding or polishing, removing major defects or majorly bonded contaminants requires some force. Claying can be fairly exhausting at times and can very from light to heavy pressure needed. Regardless of how much pressure you use, be sure to use ample amounts of lubrication.

I live in the desert SW and don't have a garage; so that may have something to do with it. Both cars have been washed regularly but not waxed in some time. It's just that I had expectations about clay, especially Megs.
Come the time I have a shop, I'll strip the wax and give it a try again.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

To your bare hand, how did the paint before you clayed? If you couldn't detect much of anything, then no matter how aggressive the clay is you aren't going to see much of anything on the surface of the clay when you're done. We have to say we're a bit surprised that you went for the aggressive clay without mentioning having very severe deposits on the paint to start with. Our C2100 Professional red aggressive clay is so aggressive that in most cases it will haze paint, and as such should really only be used for removal of severe contamination.

With any clay, however, what you see on the surface of the clay is totally dependent upon what was actually stuck to the paint surface. We've clayed more cars than we care to count, and sometimes the paint felt really rough at first and glass smooth after claying, but the clay itself didn't look all that bad. We've also clayed cars that didn't feel really terrible, but the clay was picking up all kinds of nasty looking junk. The important thing, ultimately, is the feel of the paint, not the look of the clay.

As Mark points out, and you may be starting to suspect, with the baggie you may well be feeling very fine pits in the paint rather than anything above the surface.

[dtuna42]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

You mentioned the lube- what did you use? Maybe too much of it, and you're just hydroplaning over the surface, instead of actually picking anything up?

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

To your bare hand, how did the paint before you clayed? If you couldn't detect much of anything, then no matter how aggressive the clay is you aren't going to see much of anything on the surface of the clay when you're done.

Honestly, I don't recall. It was the baggie test I thought was the way to tell.

We have to say we're a bit surprised that you went for the aggressive clay without mentioning having very severe deposits on the paint to start with. Our C2100 Professional red aggressive clay is so aggressive that in most cases it will haze paint, and as such should really only be used for removal of severe contamination.

The paint code is A08 - silver grey metallic. I actually purchased a 10x20 canopy to do the cars and keep them out of the sun (home is Santa Fe, NM) I've looked carefully and don't see any I'll effects. After claying I applied a coat of carnuba cleaner/wax and topped that with liquid NXT. I didn't use a polish. Just wanted to get some protection from the coming winter season. But for this color car it looks great. With my hand after the waxing I don't feel any grit. I'm thinking maybe in the years the car has driven thru high winds, and the recent fires, perhaps sand is the culprit. I can tell you my windshield looks like its been sand blasted.

With any clay, however, what you see on the surface of the clay is totally dependent upon what was actually stuck to the paint surface. We've clayed more cars than we care to count, and sometimes the paint felt really rough at first and glass smooth after claying, but the clay itself didn't look all that bad. We've also clayed cars that didn't feel really terrible, but the clay was picking up all kinds of nasty looking junk. The important thing, ultimately, is the feel of the paint, not the look of the clay.

As Mark points out, and you may be starting to suspect, with the baggie you may well be feeling very fine pits in the paint rather than anything above the surface.

I think the answer may be the post below yours

[LeMarque]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

You mentioned the lube- what did you use? Maybe too much of it, and you're just hydroplaning over the surface, instead of actually picking anything up?

Arrgghhh.

I think that may have been it because I was going to say I don't see how clay is supposed to work because it just glides over the surface. The lube was Pinnacle and just water with the Amazon product.

[davey g-force]

Re: Megs aggressive clay and the baggie test

Well, the clay IS supposed to glide to a certain extent.

It certainly shouldn't "grab" but it shouldn't be too lubricated either..