Hi guys. Just 'clayed' for the 1st time ever! The car looks amazing. Hard long graft but the end result was worth it.

Now, question: how many times a year would you clay your car?

Depends on your level of detailing ocd!

Edited 8 March, 201412 yr by steve95

Lol. Ok i have OCD! Maybe I should rephrase! Is it safe to clay once a month?!!

You only need to clay twice a year or even once a year.

Follow that with a light polishing and then an LSP of your choice

 

Just a couple of questions:

Why was it hard graft?

I clay a car in around 20 to 30 mins...

&

What make Clay is it?

Yep maybe twice a year.

Speed wise, depends how much bonded contaminants there for me, for how quickly I can clay a car. If its never been detailed before sometimes I need to clay panels more than once, bottom of doors being a good example.

Bilt Hamber user here....

1: hard graft because car is 09 year, never been clayed before. It's white, and was a company car before I bought. Never been washed except dealer once before selling it probably!! Ok I'm not going to exaggerate but I do have OCD and every panel had spots/tar **** etc on it. Again, white paint. It now has none. Every panel is perfect, I would challenge you to find a panel with a spot of dirt on it! I also found the seams/channels all over car ie bump boards that run length of car doors very time consuming. As said above the car never been done before. Years of grime build up in the channels/ grooves.

2: I'm a novice! Only really had motorbikes. A few ****ty bangers along the way not worth ten quid let alone cleaning!

3: again, I'm a novice just gather info as I go. Used auto gleam clay.

4: I hosed car down. 2 bucket wash with AG shampoo. Leathered then clothed dry. Then clay. Wash. Then AG epg?? (In shed cant remember name) then AG super resin. Then TW ice wax.

I'm aching!!

Question: please tell me of a better clay. I'm all ears, and really wanna do a good job, I'm into it. Also any other tips, and advise on waxes etc etc. but please, I'm on a budget, 200 doller waxes will never be on my radar.

Cheers.

Bilt Hamber Clay uses water/car shampoo as the lubricant

The best there is in my opinion.

What lubricant did you use?

Think most will recommend Bilt Hamber Clay as a good and also economical option. Only ten doller (GBP)

On the above process I might suggest changing your chamois leather for a microfibre drying cloth, use SRP first, then

Extra Gloss Protection and then whatever wax you want to use.

SRP is an all in one polish

EGP is the matching sealant to protect over SRP

Wax can go over this combo but isn't necessary

If EGP before SRP you will polish off your sealant.

Bugger Chris beat me to it

Could have just typed +1 ^ what he said

Yes sorry I did it in the order you said above. Srp then egp. I learned that one by previous mistake

I used the AG lubricant that came in the box with the clay. Got the AG box set off amazon for 17quid. It was damaged, so was sold cheap. Damage was the cardboard box was a bit bent up at bottom! True story inside was all fine.

Bilt hambler clay. Ill write that down now, thanks guys.

I do have a microfiber cloth, 2 actually! Ha ha. Great job, thanks for the tip ill ditch the leather.

Now I have put the work in with the clay, next time should be easier? Do it like you guys in 20/30 mins?

Thanks

With the wax... If I had a cheeky couple of quid extra his from her in doors, I could stretch a bit. TW in my head is good, like the car right now, looks good, but I feel it's old skool wax and something says push the boat out and really get a good finish. Is there a next step up in price and finish that you recommend and I could realistically aim for.. With a little bit of economical truth telling..

No need to spend big, if you are prepared to wax once a month get some Poorboys Nattys Paste wax for about £15.00, all the looks of a £100 wax, just not as durable. Another great looker but a few more ££ is R222 at about £30.00. Spending big on wax is a bit of an ego-trap, not necessary, good prep is far more impoetant

The TW Synthetic Paste Polish (which is actually a wax) in a tub on Amazon for £10.00 is a good product, if that's what you have.

Yes that's what I have. It does look great. Looking great is the extent of my knowledge though ha ha. Great job, thank you. No do not mind waxing once a month, no problem there at all. Ill get that next a give it a go.

Thanks guys awesome

Good luck

Pictures when its done?

Good luck

Pictures when its done?

Thanks. As soon as I work out how to upload pics. Only got iphone, no pc. :(

'Photobucket' App is all you need

Sorted, thanks Chris. Will get close up pics in morning.

Awesome! Great job, thanks again.

You're welcome

So it rained in Belfast... Again!

Twice a year for me. Once just after winter, as I did last month and again in the middle of summer so I can polish and wax again to make it look nice and shiny.

Then another layer of wax when needed throughout the year, can usually tell by the beading.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

What have you used on your windows??

Hi Harry, I clayed them. Then just washed with AG same as whole car then at end used AG window cleaner.