[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

I recently bought a Meguiars Water Magnet cloth (after a few people on here recommended it) and have just used it for the first time this afternoon - it really is very good. It drys the car easily and soaks up loads of water. Its also quite soft!

I too have noticed (after 7 months from new) a few swirlmarks on the bootlid, which kinda irritated me this afternoon after washing. :mad:

I have never used a clay bar, but wodered if this might help.

Is it ok to use a clay bar on new paintwork?
Would this help remove the small swirlmarks?
What other products do I need to go with it?
What exactly do I do with the bar - just rub it gently against the paint after washing and drying the car?
How many times can you use the bar?
Whats the best one to buy?

I already have a tub of swissol Zuffenhausen wax, which is great, but would the clay bar work ok with that?

Sorry for so many questions.

Look forward to the answers to Z4Beemer's questions too. Did you have your car paint protected by the dealer? I was thinking, if I asked them to Supaguard my car can I still use Clay afterwards?

[Z4 Beemer]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

Look forward to the answers to Z4Beemer's questions too. Did you have your car paint protected by the dealer? I was thinking, if I asked them to Supaguard my car can I still use Clay afterwards?

No, the dealer only gave it the usual wash and whatever it is they do for preparation - no Supaguard was applied.

Gordon.

[OriginalFrak]

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

I recently bought a Meguiars Water Magnet cloth (after a few people on here recommended it) and have just used it for the first time this afternoon - it really is very good. It drys the car easily and soaks up loads of water. Its also quite soft!

I too have noticed (after 7 months from new) a few swirlmarks on the bootlid, which kinda irritated me this afternoon after washing. :mad:

I have never used a clay bar, but wodered if this might help.

Is it ok to use a clay bar on new paintwork?
I think these days the paint is well cured by the time we get the car - as long as you start with a very fine clay like Sonus Green - and go lightlu front to back (not round and round) and fold the piece of clay regularly back on itself (discard when contaminated) you should be fine.
By the way - use plenty of clay lube / spray detailer and don't use any pressure - just the weight of you hand will be plenty - you want the clay to slide effortlessly across the paint really)

Would this help remove the small swirlmarks?
Well it will remove any previous wax / seal off the paint ready for polishing them out - but it depends on how deep they are.

Small swirls should be able to be polished out with a filling polish / like Auto Glym SRP.Then you can seal and wax / glaze whatever you fancy.Depends on the kind of finish you're looking for (wet look, super reflective, durability, warmth etc - it can all get a bit nerdy if you're not careful

What other products do I need to go with it?
Whatever you're happy with. TBH - depending on you car colour the choice of wax you use can make a difference to the end result - apart from that there are many good products available now Megs, Chemical Brothers, Poorboys etc etc. If you take a look at detailingworld.co.uk you should see some examples of what products look like - try and look at cars that are similar in colour to yours before you take the plunge on the product.

What exactly do I do with the bar - just rub it gently against the paint after washing and drying the car?
Rince, wash, rinse, and then divide you bar in to sections - I tend to divide it in to 15 pieces (if I'm doing the wheels too).
On the X5 I tended to use 2 for the roof 2 for the bonnet 1 for the bootlid 2 for the front wings - 2 for the rear quarters and 1 each for front and rear bumper / valance. 1 each for the wheels.

How many times can you use the bar?
Once - then chuck it.
Whats the best one to buy?
Try Sonus Green since it's your first time - it's not so harsh as say Megs, and is pretty safe. It's just like play-doh.

I already have a tub of swissol Zuffenhausen wax, which is great, but would the clay bar work ok with that?

Yeah - all the clay bar does is trap surface contaminents in the clay.
Hence only using it once or you'll end up turning your car in to a skating rink.
Keep checking the piece your using and fold it back on itself (trapping the nastys in a sandwich in the middle. Use a new piece when you get to a new section.

You can get an idea where the worst is by running a new dry microfibre clost over the paint and "feeling" where it sticks or catches on contaminents.
Or put you hand in a very clean thin plastic bag -

Sorry for so many questions.

No Probs.

[OriginalFrak]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

Look forward to the answers to Z4Beemer's questions too. Did you have your car paint protected by the dealer? I was thinking, if I asked them to Supaguard my car can I still use Clay afterwards?

I didn't get it supaguarded - I don't personally think it lasts that long, and I'm too picky to put up with the dealers prep.

A medium clay would probably remove most of the the supagard, so it could be a waste of money.

[Z4 Beemer]

I'll give the Sonus Green clay a try, but as you say perhaps the minor swirl marks could be polished out. Thanks.

[OriginalFrak]

Yep - hard to say without seeing how deep / defined the swirlys are.

But it's always worth a couple of layers of filling polish like AG Super Resin Polish - only costs you you time and elbow grease.

If they are still evident - you could try and move up to a harsher polish like Menzerna Intensive Polish...

If still no joy then I'm afraid it could be a job for a pro detailer to machine polish them out.

Unless you have access to a Porter Cable random orbital polisher.

I wouldn't want to hire / borrow a rotary polisher since it's quite easy to superheat the paint and leave burn marks if not used correctly.