Washed the Bronco and finally gave him his name

JerryC

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good to know. I worked with a guy who owns a number of high-end Vettes, Camaro, challenger, etc. His cars are immaculate. He built a washing bay in his new garage...yeah...anal. He tried the clay bar on his challenger which was a year one modern and keeps it up on blocks except the nicest of days. Said it really messed up his paint. Had to get it pro-detailed to get the marks out, I'd wager he did something wrong...but after that, I've been very hesitant.
It sounds like his bar picked up solid debris and that scratched the paint.

There's only a few of things you can do wrong.
You need to give it good wash, the clay pulls out what is either stuck on or into the paint. You don't want it loaded up with regular dirt and grime.
You need to use a lubricant, they make special sprays for that. I use a quick detailer spray.
You need to fold it in on itself to move the dirty part and get a clean section.
Last is if you drop it, throw it away.

The plastic bag test will convince you.

IMHO, the big deal is that the clay gets the dirt out that washing doesn't. If you try to polish without doing the clay your polishing pad might pull that dirt loose and then you are going to swirl your paint. You can get those swirls out through more steps of polishing but doing a clay on the paint will help prevent that.
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13MikeH

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It sounds like his bar picked up solid debris and that scratched the paint.

There's only a few of things you can do wrong.
You need to give it good wash, the clay pulls out what is either stuck on or into the paint. You don't want it loaded up with regular dirt and grime.
You need to use a lubricant, they make special sprays for that. I use a quick detailer spray.
You need to fold it in on itself to move the dirty part and get a clean section.
Last is if you drop it, throw it away.

The plastic bag test will convince you.

IMHO, the big deal is that the clay gets the dirt out that washing doesn't. If you try to polish without doing the clay your polishing pad might pull that dirt loose and then you are going to swirl your paint. You can get those swirls out through more steps of polishing but doing a clay on the paint will help prevent that.
I'd argue he's fanatic about washing, detailing etc, but I wasn't there, and your perspective sounds logical and probably what happened. I'll give it a go, maybe start on a small section, then if I screw it up...ehhh it's just a fender :) Knock on wood, I washed and waxed with good ceramic the first week I had it and it looks like factory. No swirls no spots, I use a silicone dry tool with clean clean clean...towels but I'm always up for something new. I'm particular that's for sure.
 

Tigger

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Raise your hand if you have never heard of clay bar before this thread.

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Meanderthal

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Raise your hand if you have never heard of clay bar before this thread.

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How about Iron Remover, have you heard of that either? It has only come on the detailing scene in the last 5 years or so, but is another essential item for preparing the paint before applying a wax/sealant/ceramic.
 

Bamsi

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How about Iron Remover, have you heard of that either? It has only come on the detailing scene in the last 5 years or so, but is another essential item for preparing the paint before applying a wax/sealant/ceramic.
Nope. Haven't heard of it either.
 

Winds of Change

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Well I guess that was a plus to having my Lot Rot Edition sit in the Mexican desert for six months. The paint was certainly fully cured by the time I got it. :)
How did you make the custom Rot Lot design?
 


Osco

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I haven’t waxed a car in twenty years, I was told the cleaning part of the wax was like a rubbing compound. Told it would thin out the clear coat seal.
I wash with turtle wax car wash when I want to do it myself but mostly I go through an auto car wash.
Never had paint fade, never had a clear coat wear out. Not even in the Florida heat.
Had a Jeep Cherokee for 14 years in Florida. Never waxed the clear coat, it never faded.
The clear coat held for all that time.
Most every time I had a buddy bitching about his clear coat peeling or paint fade I asked.
Yep he regularly waxed it.
Maybe he did it wrong I dunno.
 

Wazzat

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I think that once you use the clay bar and feel the difference, you will continue to use it in the future. Once you know how much is still on the paint after you have done your best to wash it, you’ll know that applying a wax/sealant/ceramic will just be capturing that stuff. If you are going to buff the paint at all, then the clay bar is a must because you want that stuff off the paint so that it doesn’t come off and embed in your buffing pad and just scratch the paint you are trying to buff. It sounds like overkill but in the end it is just another step to getting a good finish. It’s all about the prep time as the finish only takes a little time to apply.

The thing that got me started using clay was a car that I bought for my ex-wife. It had some dark specs on a light green metallic that I tried everything I had to remove. Nothing budged those dark spots. Then I found the clay bar at the local auto parts store (maybe in 2001 or 2002). The clay was the only thing that even budged them and it just pulled them right off.

The test that I have used and heard from several sources is to put your hand in a very thin plastic bag. I think the best is the old fashioned sandwich bag, the kind that you folded closed (no zip lock) or something like a bread bag works too. With some water or detail spray on the pain, rub your hand (inside the bag) over the paint and you will feel the containments in the paint. Then clay bar the car and do the same test. You won’t feel that any more.
Try the plastic off of a cigarette pack - the before and after is amazing!
 

Bucko

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I normally don’t name my cars until they become old. And then, it’s always the same name. “POS”

Like Eric said, fold the dirt in and always lubricate.
The older mine get, the better they are, and get my respect.
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