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[Lazydocker]

Having spent today washing, claying and polishing the car I have some thoughts on claying.

Perhaps I was expecting too much but I felt it was a lot of work, bearing in mind you need to polish afterwards, for a result that isn't really much more impressive than a good polish.

Any other thoughts/experiences with clay?

As a final comment... Would I do it again? Possibly if I got a car which hadn't had the regular wash/polish/wax that mine has had but only on the first clean!

[Macduff]

Having watched a neighbour spend all day claying and polishing his car I didn't notice that his car was any more shiny than mine which gets a good polish once in a while. Seems a lot of effort for very little gain :-/

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Most people claying cars don't do a thorough job of it. I didn't used to, until I did a white car, that the previous owner's neighbour had thoughtfully customised with flecks of Cuprinol.

 Being able to see exactly where the clay had worked, meant it took four times longer to do - but the result was totally worth it. I've done numerous cars, and you can see the difference.

 A good clay every year or so, and polishing the car takes a lot less time too.

I use Bilt-Hamber Autoclay, ten quid for a bar that'll do three or four Omegas... and you only need tap water as lube.

[jonnycool]

Okay, I am 37 years old and I've loved cars all my life but I've never heard of claying - can someone plase explain? 

[belldarr]

Well - funny you should mention it -  I too was a clay virgin until last weekend and spent a whole day doing my black Omega thinking that the results were going to be stunning.......... and after a few hours of hard work and back ache I stood back to admire the results, no difference at all I put it down to the car being in pretty good condition and washed weekly etc but not something I will do again I don't think - your better off just using a good quality wax in my opinion.

Darren.

[Andyb]

i did mine for the first time yesterday didnt notice any major difference tbh
wont bother doing it again

[i260]

Okay, I am 37 years old and I've loved cars all my life but I've never heard of claying - can someone plase explain? 

ok, for the mostpopular clayonheregettheBiltHamber    SOFT clay, availableon ebay.

It is a very fine block of clay that you rub over a panel misted with tap water and rub around in circles, like polishing. It removes all thecrap impurities from the surface without doing any damage. It just slowly moulds to the shape of your hand and spreads out to be flat on the panel. Every so often you just fold it in on its self and start again.

Doing this every 6-12 months is, in my opinion, essential as it gets all the tar and resin and insect bits off that washing doesnt. It will also strip off old polish and remove fine marks.
Best cut the Bilt Hamber block in half as it is twice the size of most others and should you drop it it is scrap.

As for those who cant see/feel the difference from polishing I beg to differ as I have done several cars over the last 5-6 years and am always amazed at the deposits in the clay at the end of a panels rubbing. If you can't see the difference then don't bother again!
The BiltHamber AutoBalm is also a class product, more akin to honey than traditional polish it is SO easy to apply and buff up with none of that nast white abrasive oxide that AutoGlym leaves, so really the Clay does the job of most  inferior polishes (but a lot better!)and then you balm (or wax) the panel.

Personally I would say that the effort overall is less with clay.

[amigov6]

Machine polish 2 or 3 times a year (followed by a hand polish.) The more often you hand polish the quicker it is to do. Claybar is ok but not my thing TBH but some swear by it, at least there cars are clean but it's not for me.
   For those who wash but don't polish at least shammy your car off afterwards please. Leaving them wet will knacker the paint eventually, it only takes a few more minutes.

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

...block of clay that you rub over a panel misted with tap water and rub around in circles, like polishing.

  

 You're only making more work for yourself, going in circles. Straight lines following the shape of the panel are far better, saves you going over areas more often than needed, and stops swirl marks

[MikeDundee]

Irrespective of how often you clean your car, you would still be amazed at the amount of ingrained dirt that comes of when claying, done mine last year, so it's really due to be done now

[gstylebaby]

A must have item for me when its time to strip off the wax / polish and any other crap off the paint before applying new polish then wax.

I find it make's the paint very smooth and makes's it very easy to apply polish.

This is my wash technique : billberry wheel cleaner for the rim's apply that first. Then snow foam the car using a foam lance. Then jet wash the whole car off. Now the hard work starts...Re-wash the car using the two bucket methord with grit guards. Then using the hose with NO end on just run water over the car (this is called beading and make drying the car very easy and less water to dry off on your towel) Then dry car off using drying towel and air line. If i'm taking the wax and poilsh off same methord only after washing i would not dry the car off i would clay then re-wash using two bucket methord agian. Then dry using above methord then apply polish and then wax.....Then stand back and admire. (if you can stand up  ) I can recommend dodo juice banana armour as an end wax i have used it a few times now and when the rain hits the car it just run's clean off and it smells great.

[matty]

i prefer to get the g3 out

[jonnycool]

Thanks for the explanation - some of you take your cleaning very seriously  . I just polish with autoglym about once every 2 months!

[amigov6]

We all have our ways & differences are good in that you can pick up tips from others.
     A clean car is a credit to it's owner regardless of the route you take to the result. Happy valeting.