quick answer needed: what's the biggest/best value for $ clay bar avail. in the US?

[ryan roopnarine]

someone is about to (in a day or two) do something to the paint on the car, and i need to clay bar it at least once before they do. any recommendations? i'm just looking for the biggest bar i can find for the cheapest price (in case i need to do it again, never done it myself). thanks.

[Digita1 Ecstasy]

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/images/z-18.jpg

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Z-18&Category_Code=Zaino



but


the biggest bar ive seen is http://classic-motoring.stores.yahoo.net/piulpo.html

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/classic-motoring_1934_23499485

[ryan roopnarine]

lemme add, just to clear things up...
i have to be able to buy this from a local store, today. mail/internet won't work. thanks though.

[Dave M]

C'mon,

spill it Ryan. Wazzup??

[ryan roopnarine]

i'll confess, dave. i tried to use play doh on it first, and now i needs summptin to get the play dough off. kind of like the simpsons "lizard->needlesnake->mongoose gambit.

[markus]

get the mothers california gold claybar system. i used it before and it works very well. right now i have an autosol one from bav auto sitting in my big bin of detail crap. cant wait till weather warms up so i can give my car a nice polish.

[justinp95]

A clay bar is a clay bar. Just go down to the store and buy the cheapest biggest one. Most are the same size though.

[Denton]

Tried all the store-bought ones, Clay Magic is the cheapest and my favoite.

[Gayle]

Pep boys, Kragen, etc all have Mothers. It is good for about 2 uses. The detailing spray that comes with it smells a heavenly cinnamon smell that makes the whole job a rather zen experience.

The biggest thing is to have a clean something to set the clay down on when you are not rubbing the car. You drop the clay or set it on something with dirt, the clay is toast.

[Alexlind123]

I use mothers. Very zen.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

http://www.griotsgarage.com/index.jsp

[markus]

are the griots garage products any good?

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

are the griots garage products any good?

Are hardcore restore/antique car types.

[Gayle]

The owner of the incredible M5 at the Chicago meet last year claimed that Griot's was much better than other clays.

The size of a loaf of bread? Mother's is the size of a bar of soap.

[liquidtiger720]

Poorboys is good,

Meguiars Pro line is also good.

[Alexlind123]

I dig mine from the bed of a local stream. The scratches that the smaller rocks make can generally be buffed out.

[Booster]

If a SMALL claybar can't get a clear finish on your paint...then you need to microfine wetsand the paint then polish at 2500rpm.
The size of the bar is only as good as your eye for detail . What you miss by eye or feel is your skill level.
At 44 years of age...I have to throw on my reading glasses....:p
........Vinny

[Booster]

I dig mine from the bed of a local stream. The scratches that the smaller rocks make can generally be buffed out.

By the way ALex.......your sig pic is the most beautiful image of a Fiver I can think of......and I don't usually like blues on cars !:) I surely hope it made it into the calander that I didn't buy, but wish I had.
Vinny

[jayh3]

I thought the clay bar was a good idea but was told it was onlt for repainted cars to knock off the high points of over spray. A factory paint job doesnt have any high points and should not be clay bared.

[Alexlind123]

I thought the clay bar was a good idea but was told it was onlt for repainted cars to knock off the high points of over spray. A factory paint job doesnt have any high points and should not be clay bared.

It pulls contaminants out of the paint.

[RallyD]

factory paint jobs should absolutely be clayed.
most new cars are shipped by rail. trains have brakes, brakes kick off metallic dust at high temps. it melts into the clear and begins to rust. Mostly noticeable on light colored cars it is known as "rail dust"

just like sandpaper has different grades of abrasiveness, so does clay. There are two Clay Magics blue and red with red being more aggressive. I've got a super fine clay from Autopia.com that can barely take a bug off the surface.
I prefer Mothers because it is a nice compromise and does not become as sticky as others. I get the economy pack for about $25 with 3-80g bars and use dish soap+h2o as lube. Then i wash again to remove residue, and then a mild polish, finally hand applied sealant (or wax).

[Alexlind123]

By the way ALex.......your sig pic is the most beautiful image of a Fiver I can think of......and I don't usually like blues on cars !:) I surely hope it made it into the calander that I didn't buy, but wish I had.
Vinny

Thank you! I really appreciate the compliment. I took the picture, and Jason Lau was kind enough to adjust it in photoshop to make it look nicer.

[CharlesAFerg]

factory paint jobs should absolutely be clayed.
most new cars are shipped by rail. trains have brakes, brakes kick off metallic dust at high temps. it melts into the clear and begins to rust. Mostly noticeable on light colored cars it is known as "rail dust"

just like sandpaper has different grades of abrasiveness, so does clay. There are two Clay Magics blue and red with red being more aggressive. I've got a super fine clay from Autopia.com that can barely take a bug off the surface.
I prefer Mothers because it is a nice compromise and does not become as sticky as others. I get the economy pack for about $25 with 3-80g bars and use dish soap+h2o as lube. Then i wash again to remove residue, and then a mild polish, finally hand applied sealant (or wax).

roflmao @ curious similarity to zaino claybar page :-D

[RallyD]

wtf is zaino

[Gayle]

By the way ALex.......your sig pic is the most beautiful image of a Fiver I can think of......and I don't usually like blues on cars !:) I surely hope it made it into the calander that I didn't buy, but wish I had.
Vinny

Holy Sh*t. Did I miss a calendar? Or did you dream it Vinny.

If there isn't one, we should do one. We didn't do a virtual car show this year. How about a calendar? Anyone know a good printer?:p

And I agree, that shot of your car, Alex, should be in it.

[Booster]

It pulls contaminants out of the paint.

It basically "clicks off" any surface contanimants from organically locking to the paints surface.
Even the brakes from our cars are producing "rail dust". Which is more prominet in wet and salted environments where it sticks to the sides and rear most parts of the cars paint and trim.
Think of a dollop of chocolate...its shape anyway.......thats sort of what the contaminant looks like as rust or dirt begin to collect around it over time.
Also there is "iron fallout" more prevailant in cities with industry and smoke stacks etc.
But also.....our paints are subjected to semisolid liquids such as lawn chemicals,hard water,painters overspray,general crap in the air.:)
Right before you throw the old claybar away.....use it on the painted portions of your wheels....you'll be amazed how much junk was stuck on there !

Gayle.....there was some great shots on the 07' calendar over at the other forum.It was a voted event.
Looked nice from what I saw.
..........Vinny

[ryan roopnarine]

i didn't think the thread would get this long....i'll admit, my claying has something to do with possibly heading to chicago, if the hosts will tolerate me and my assaholia.

[dternst]

Clay Magic is you best bet.... $9.99 for teh bar and spray at your local PepBoys or AutoZone. You may also want to try any local paint and body stores. They may carry the bigger Clay Magic bars.