DIY: Mothers Clay Bar System...

[©hris]

....Or you can just look at the instructions that comes in the box.

Over a period of time your paint gets a build up of contaminants and particle debris. These things will certainly dull the color. In georgia we have alot of pine trees and parking under one is not a good idea... tree sap will really mess up a good paint job. Go up to your local parts store and pick up the Mothers Clay Bar Paint Saving System. I was amazed how good the results were. It's nothing like having a $1000 paint job but it really brings the color back.

http://www.mothers.com

1. Wash and Dry your car...



2. I attempted the Claying part in sunlight on a warm day... id do it in the garage though. Make sure the paint is not hot. Apply the Mothers instant detailer that comes in the kit. Only do this process one panel at a time.



When using the clay make sure it never hits the ground or gets any dirt on it. Using a back and forth motion, do not press hard. you can hear the contaminants being removed. keep spraying when necessary to keep the surface wet.



3. After the panel off done, use a soft terry cloth... in my case a hand towel lol. Firmly press down removing the spray detailer. Replace your terry cloth with a dry one if you need too.



4. Fold the clay bar over and repeat steps 1-3. Now it looks a little better...



5. Not done yet... Finally i decided to pull the car into the garage. The system comes with a small bottle of Mothers Cleaner Wax. I forgot to get new pads for the buffer so i did this with a small applicater pad.



6. Of course you all know how to wax a car... Use small circular motions... if you don't know how, go watch Karate Kid....



When your all done you get this....



Hood.... look at the clouds :banana



....


The End

[Matt300ZXT]

Yeah, I had gotten my ex boss one of the Meguiars kit (for some reason I don't like Mothers), but anyways his 350Z came out looking like a million bucks. For uber badass products, check out www.zainobros.com

[Nittanys1]

i did this exact process to the wagon last weekend! took me like 20 mins and thanks to the overcast day i didnt have to pull it in the garage

[Frög]

i need to wax my car..

[jmmx258]

Awesome!! If I decide to go with a gloss paint job i'll be sure to be getting a kit lol.

[GTScoob]

I use the mother's claybar but cant stand their wax. Meg's NXT Spray detailer works a lot better as lube for the claybar, soapy water also works well. Be sure to wash your car again after you clay it. Ideally you'd put a coat of paint sealant on after that, then some polish, and top it all off with some wax.

[keevo54]

Be sure to wash your car again after you clay it. Ideally you'd put a coat of paint sealant on after that, then some polish, and top it all off with some wax.

No need to wash the car after you clay it. Just maket sure to wipe uo the clay residue after claying the panel. The order is clay, polish, wax, and seal. It is a waste of sealant if you put it on before you polish because the polish will just remove it.

[william_jeff]

looks pretty damn gay























lol just messing dude. looks great man

[GTScoob]

No need to wash the car after you clay it. Just maket sure to wipe uo the clay residue after claying the panel. The order is clay, polish, wax, and seal. It is a waste of sealant if you put it on before you polish because the polish will just remove it.

Everybody's got their own method. The wash after claybarring is a quickie, just enough to make sure all of the spray detailer is off the car and the clay residue is all gone.

Also before you claybar make sure you wash your car with some diluted dish soap to strip all of the remaining wax off the car.

[william_jeff]

Everybody's got their own method. The wash after claybarring is a quickie, just enough to make sure all of the spray detailer is off the car and the clay residue is all gone.

Also before you claybar make sure you wash your car with some diluted dish soap to strip all of the remaining wax off the car.

hey what if you put a little bit of degreaser in the 'car wash' bucket along with the dish soap?

[GTScoob]

hey what if you put a little bit of degreaser in the 'car wash' bucket along with the dish soap?

Might work if you dilute it enough. Degreaser along with dish soap is very harsh on the clear coat but works to strip products/contaminants off the paint so you have a good base for the clay bar. I normally just grab a little Dawn from the kitchen.

2 bucket washing system is also key, especially if you're doing a detail of this level.

[william_jeff]

you mean wash once with one bucket, rinse, then wash again?

i dont know what the two bucket system is

[GTScoob]

Have a soapy bucket and then a rinse bucket. Its so all of the dirt goes into the rinse bucket and not back onto your car.

[william_jeff]

but isnt that the purpose of rinsing the car down?

[joesblk_teg]

i think he's talking about the rag that you use

[william_jeff]

this will remain oblivious to me

[GTScoob]

Well you rinse the car off before you start washing, yes, but you also want a bucket of soapy water and a bucket of normal water. Get your sponge, dunk it in the soapy water and then go to town on a section of your car. When you're done scrubbing rinse it off in the rinse bucket, then squeeze it out and put it in the soapy water. You'll see how dirty the rinse bucket water gets, do you really want all of that dirt getting stuck to your sponge and scratching up your car's finish?

www.autopia.org. The Zaino website posted earlier also has a good writeup on detailing, although it is more tailored towards their products.

[GTScoob]

No need to wash the car after you clay it. Just maket sure to wipe uo the clay residue after claying the panel. The order is clay, polish, wax, and seal. It is a waste of sealant if you put it on before you polish because the polish will just remove it.

Thanks for the neg reps bitch. Maybe you should learn how to detail cars, like I said before, everybody has their own methods. If you want your car to look like shit because you put products straight on top of the car after claybarring go right ahead but I'd rather spend the time to have it look perfect.

GTFO noob.

[william_jeff]

gotcha thanks

[speedminded]

No need to wash the car after you clay it. Just maket sure to wipe uo the clay residue after claying the panel. The order is clay, polish, wax, and seal. It is a waste of sealant if you put it on before you polish because the polish will just remove it.

Regular Detail start to finish, no buffer and unbiased to any specific brand product:

1) In a shaded area lightly spray the entire car down to soften up the surface debri, mildly mix a degreaser [simplegreen, etc.] with warm water in a sprayer (preferably one in each hand) and spray the entire car down. Rinse the car from top to bottom with low pressure as needed...never ever use high pressure. If you are not polishing and waxing the car SKIP THIS STEP, this will remove all of that.

**2) This step is optional but highly suggested: if you have rubber molding around windows or trim on the car, go ahead and wipe down using plastic/rubber trim spray ("armoral"). Spray it onto a foam applicator and wipe all exterior rubber or black plastic trim. Doing this before you wash/detail means you don't have to worry about it getting on the paint or glass making the final wipe down of the trim much easier PLUS it prevents wax and polish from sticking to the trim & rubber.

3) Using two wash buckets: fill one bucket 3/4 full of warm water, pour in soup, then top off using high pressure to create suds (you put the soup in first and you'll have 3/4 suds and 1/4 bucket of water ) Fill the 2nd bucket with warm water used solely to rinse the washing cloth. Always wash from BOTTOM to TOP using fresh microfiber clothes (no need for expensive wash mitts or sponges that you don't ever want to reuse anyways) Microfibers normally come in a package of 3 differant colors, once I wash with one I retire it to use for washing the door jams, under hood painted surfaces, or wheels. The 3rd color is strictly for final detailing only. Rinse from TOP to BOTTOM without a nozzle, no sprayer or anything, simply let the water flow out the hose like a waterfall and off the sides of the car.

4) Now you're ready for the clay bar, always spray a quick detailer or clay lube on first...working with one panel at a time. Follow the directions included with the clay. No need to clean or wash afterwards because of the following steps.

5) Next step is cleaner wax, apply with a fresh cotton applicator 1/2 a panel at a time buffing off with a fresh microfiber.

6) Polish is next, using a fresh cotton applicator do one (1) panel at a time (the cleaner wax above dries out too quickly to do a complete panel at a time) Buff, wipe, and remove polish with a fresh microfiber. NOTE: Feel free to apply polish to all the windows as well, applying & wiping just as if it were the paint (normally no need in using a cleaner wax but it can be done first as well)

7) Next step is carnauba wax, again applied with a fresh cotton applicator and buffed and removed with a fresh microfiber. NOTE: Again, this can be applied to all the windows as well.

8) Now back to the rubber molding, using a rubber/trim spray and foam applicator (or recycled but clean microfiber) wipe down all the trim and rubber again, taking care not to get it on painted surfaces.

9) It doesn't matter how good you are there will still always be excess wax, swirls, etc. after the carnuaba wax (noticeable in direct sunlight) Using a quick detailer spray and fresh microfiber, lightly spray over the car wiping it down with long strokes to smooth it all out. Pay close attention to the edges, corners, around emblems, etc. to remove any buildup from the previous 3 steps. Q-tips work well where the corner of a microfiber won't reach.


Most wheels are painted these days so other than machined aluminum, chrome, or flat black all the above steps for painted surfaces can be used on them as well. A 3 or 4 step polish and wax on wheels will make them shine and help prevent brake dust from sticking. Same as the car, wipe the tires with the rubber/trim spray before waxing and polishing the wheels then again afterwards.

[GTScoob]

^^^ Good writeup, although I normally wash top to bottom, starting at the roof and working down. That way the dirt from the top washes down the car and then gets washed away later. If the bottom is clean then junk from up high will rinse down over the clean sections of paint.

[speedminded]

^^^ Good writeup, although I normally wash top to bottom, starting at the roof and working down. That way the dirt from the top washes down the car and then gets washed away later. If the bottom is clean then junk from up high will rinse down over the clean sections of paint.

Washing from top to bottom prevents you from knowing what has been washed and what hasn't because of all the run-off covering what you haven't washed yet...almost always guaranteed to have a missed spot or two, you know those little dirty triangles only discovered once the car is dry.

If the car was properly washed then everything will be removed with the rinse anyways.

[keevo54]

^^ good info^^ +1
The cleaner wax is over kill imo, and you should try taping the trim, lights, etc.. so you don't get the excess wax in the crevices.

[speedminded]

^^ good info^^ +1
The cleaner wax is over kill imo, and you should try taping the trim, light, etc.. so you don't get the excess wax in the crevices.

I remove my lights when detailing, the window trim doesn't matter because its so saturated with armoral

[GTScoob]

Speedminded, what products do you use to detail your car? You seem like you know what you're doing.

I've been happy with a Mother's claybar, Meg's #7 show car polish, Megs NXT wax, and Meg's NXT spray detailer afterwards (and as claybar lube). I'm planning on picking up either a Zaino or Zymol kit this summer.

I used to use a POS turtle wax buffer for applying wax but it crapped out on me a couple months back after 6 years of use. I'm just going to do everything by hand until I can afford a Porter Cable. I did everything else by hand but the machine was nice for quickly and evenly applying wax, I always buffed it off by hand.

[speedminded]

Speedminded, what products do you use to detail your car? You seem like you know what you're doing.

I've been happy with a Mother's claybar, Meg's #7 show car polish, Megs NXT wax, and Meg's NXT spray detailer afterwards (and as claybar lube). I'm planning on picking up either a Zaino or Zymol kit this summer.

I used to use a POS turtle wax buffer for applying wax but it crapped out on me a couple months back after 6 years of use. I'm just going to do everything by hand until I can afford a Porter Cable. I did everything else by hand but the machine was nice for quickly and evenly applying wax, I always buffed it off by hand.

A little bit of everything, for those distant relatives I rarely get christmas gifts for but they insist on sending something I just tell them anything from a parts store that says Mequiars on it It's a pretty safe bet i'll get something decent if i tell them it HAS to say Mequiars, otherwise it would prolly be windshield vinyl and LED washer squirters ...each time I normally get enough random detail stuff to last me throughout the year

Cleaner Wax I use Zymol...seems go on and off the easiest plus it smells good and attracts all sorts of insects you never knew existed, lol.

For vinyl/rubber/interior I prefer Mothers, it seems to be alot less "oily/greasy" then Mequiars....I can't stand the just detailed look, like when you can see your reflection in the tires. I'll wipe it on, let it soak, then go back over it with a dried out armoral wipe to take out the lustre (sp?)

Zymol leather conditioner for the seats, a cream colored cream in a clear bottle, by far the best i've found, keeps the seats incredibly soft and supple...i use it on my leather shoes and boots too

Sometimes you can hit up a Big Lots for Zymol car wash, it's normally like $15 for a small bottle but you can find it there for like $5-10 a GALLON, lol!. Big Lots used to carry all sorts of big name cleaners, it's hit or miss now...just depends on what deals they happen to find.

Dollar General seems to have the best deal on degreasers, $1.00 bottles for relatively strong stuff...you can't even find empty spray bottles for a buck anymore. They also have an industrial strength glass cleaner, it's basically a ammonia glass cleaner and simple green solution pre-mixed...does wonders for painted surfaces under the hood and won't take the shine out of the paint.

As for the windows, I stripped my tint so ammonia isn't an issue, but never use ammoniated glass cleaner on tint...unless you like the purple window look. Stoner products Invisible glass is by far the best i've found, they have tons of other products I haven't had the privilage to use too...

http://www.stonersolutions.com/




*EDIT*
I've been watching eBay for the best deal on bulk microfiber cloths, the best so far is 20 - 16" x 16" for $10 + $10 S/H, so $1 each shipped. Most Parts stores are $6.99-9.99 for 3 or 4. I'm just waiting for like a box of 50 to pop up I always keep a couple with my camera equipment and laptop to wipe them down before putting up then a couple in the kitchen and bathroom. I'll wash and reuse them for there but not on cars

[speedminded]

I'm trying not to get off topic, should prolly make a new thread with all my info and pics...

[Blitanicle99]

Gotta love when you take 8 hour detailing classes and you learn how on a 30 grand car. Cha ching!

[william_jeff]

I'm trying not to get off topic, should prolly make a new thread with all my info and pics...

let's trade

[speedminded]

let's trade

trade for what? Got a deal if it's a Defender 110 or 540i 6 speed

[william_jeff]

trade for what? Got a deal if it's a Defender 110 or 540i 6 speed

better than that..are you ready










































5speed



























gsr