Now, I have washed my car a few times over the last 6 months but today was the day for a full detail...
A quick question / survey - When I clay barred the paintwork, which panel do you think was worst?
- roof
- bonnet
- front doors
- rear doors
- boot hatch
Despite the paintwork still bearing up quite nicely, it took a while Autoglym clay bar to clean, the two coats of Super Resin then a coat of High Definiton wax...
A very therapeutic 6 hours....
Cleaning after 6 months / 13k miles
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- Posts: 283
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:46 pm
- Location: Crowborough, East Sussex
The top one is worse at it's fitted to the car the wrong way up.
I admire you for using a clay bar, I gave then up when I discovered the Clay Mitt. Just as good and a lot easier.
I admire you for using a clay bar, I gave then up when I discovered the Clay Mitt. Just as good and a lot easier.
Car sold - but still following Mazda.
Front doors?
Did you use an electric polishing mop or good ol' fashioned elbow grease?
You've certainly got a good finish.
Did you use an electric polishing mop or good ol' fashioned elbow grease?
You've certainly got a good finish.
Julian.
Sept. 2015 CX-3 Sport Nav, Dynamic Blue Mica, 1.5 Diesel, AWD, Automatic
http://www.jtonline.info
Please add year of registration, model info., and location to your CX-3 Forums profile ~ See here for help: http://bit.ly/2fQzMfd
Sept. 2015 CX-3 Sport Nav, Dynamic Blue Mica, 1.5 Diesel, AWD, Automatic
http://www.jtonline.info
Please add year of registration, model info., and location to your CX-3 Forums profile ~ See here for help: http://bit.ly/2fQzMfd
Thanks.
Elbow grease to apply, Halfords own brand polisher mop...but looking to acquire a DA unit.
Summer wheels back on, wheel arches cleaned.
Underside and exhausts today. Then the inside.
Elbow grease to apply, Halfords own brand polisher mop...but looking to acquire a DA unit.
Summer wheels back on, wheel arches cleaned.
Underside and exhausts today. Then the inside.
Last edited by Greenman on Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Posts: 283
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:46 pm
- Location: Crowborough, East Sussex
Hi Greenman,
You just use the mitt until it wears out, you don’t replace the clay. I use a Farecla G3 Clay Mitt from Halfords for £15. I usually get about ten full car applications out of one until it shows signs of wear. At £1.50 per car I think that is good value. I recently did a friends Skoda Superb Estate, which is a big car, that had suffered five years contamination from brake dust from being parked in a rail station car park. I did the whole car in less than an hour (honestly) and it brought the panels back to a glass finish. Seeing how bad it was when I started even I was surprised. What a really like is that as opposed the a clay bar there is no kneading or faffing about. Because you use the flat of your hand your hands do not suffer from sore fingers and you can feel through the mitt when the panel is clean.
I use the two bucket method, one with a little shampoo in it for the application and one with clean warm water to rinse out the mitt. You just squeeze it (don’t wring it) and the contamination drops to the bottom of the bucket and you are good to go again.
I also have one that I use on the house and conservatory windows with just clear water. ten seconds per pane then a leather off – job done.
You don’t even have to throw away the old one, mine has been relegated to the kitchen for cooker duties. Spray on the oven cleaner as usual then use the old mitt to remove the grime, inside panels and glass doors. Job done in next to no time and better than the old fashioned scrubbing way.
By the way I also use a Meguiars Lambswool Wash Mitt again from Halfords for £14 for washing the car. Miles better than a sponge, no swirls or marks left behind.
Hope this helps,
Andy
Car sold - but still following Mazda.
Totally agree Andy your regime is the same as mine, clay mitts worth every penny, although many would see us as obsessive with our two bucket system, wouldn't let a wash sponge anywhere near my car paint.
Don't know about you but just as some people find gardening therapeutic, cleaning the car does it for me
Don't know about you but just as some people find gardening therapeutic, cleaning the car does it for me
CX3 Sport Nav - Petrol - Auto - safety pack - snowflake white - 2019
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- Posts: 283
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:46 pm
- Location: Crowborough, East Sussex
Yep, the garden is for drinking beer after the car clean.
Car sold - but still following Mazda.
- Boyle de Cabbage
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 9:00 am
When claying a car you fold any contamination into the clay bar to reveal a clean surface. I'd be worried that extensive use of clay mitt would eventually do more harm than good.Handy Andy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:14 am
You just use the mitt until it wears out, you don’t replace the clay.
Also for removing iron embedded in paintwork there are specialized products that pong but save time and scratches.
Mazda paint is crap! Mazda should be ashamed of themselves!.