Clay Bar - Autoexpress test

[m4rkie23]

Not up on the website yet, but here are the results;

1st - Bilt-Hamber Auto-Clay soft - £10.95
2nd - Sonus SFX Detailing Clay - £17.95
3rd - Zymol Lehm-Klay - £29.00

£11 for clay bar doesnt seem alot.
anyone had any experience with the winner?

 

[RichCup]

Yeh I've got it, it's good stuff

Only need to use water as a lube too, so that saves using QD. I'd get the hard stuff personally, tends to be stronger than than the soft stuff.

 

[m4rkie23]

the regular one is like a quid cheaper too. think i'll get some for a tenner.
is it advisable to do it in the cold tho? i know not in direct sunlight (that wont be difficult in the UK lol)

 

[Rich]

Just have to make sure it is not that cold - as the clay can be hard to keep warm and soft other wise.

 

[m4rkie23]

cheers. think ill order some soon!

 

[RichCup]

Dito what Rich says, I usually use 2 pieces at a time, leaving one in a tub of (as warm as possible) water. Then I just switch every panel or when the current clay starts to go cold.

 

[m4rkie23]

Dito what Rich says, I usually use 2 pieces at a time, leaving one in a tub of (as warm as possible) water. Then I just switch every panel or when the current clay starts to go cold.

thats a good idea. i think the website of the winner ( www.bilthamber.com ) in that test has a deal if you buy 2 atm.

 

[RichCup]

Cool, think I got mine from elite car care, price was pretty good

 

[Jaws]

Bilt Hamber is good stuff, purchased some after reading up on it over at DW. Good stuff, being able to use water as a lube sure is useful too! I went for the regular stuff and it does a great job. Have a bowl of warm / hot water there to warm it up everynow and then in this weather too.

 

[m4rkie23]

can you use it on glass?
and do you need to apply pressure, or just run it over the surface without pressure?

 

[Nick_P]

Minimal pressure, wipe over and over until the dirt is gone

 

[Nick_P]

And glass is a yes

 

[m4rkie23]

sweet! cheers guy

 

[Rich]

You only need enough pressure to keep it in contact with the paint.

After doing paintwork, I use the clay to do the glass and then wheels before relegating it to the bin.

 

[m4rkie23]

so they are 1 use clays then reali?

 

[Rich]

By the time you have done paint, glass and wheels that bit will be ready for the bin.

If you just use a bit for paintwork, depending on the contamination you may get to use it 2 or 3 times it is common sense as to how grimey it gets.

This is why it is good you split the bar into 2 or 3 pieces depending on it's size to make it go further.

 

[m4rkie23]

so a 200g bar is good for atleast 2 x 100g bars then reali!

i think the first time i would do the lot, bodywork, glass and wheels. but in future prob only bodywork and glass

 

[Rich]

Most clay bars I split into 3 or even 4.

 

[m4rkie23]

will have to do that then.
i was just reading that claying the car actually makes it look worse and you must polish afterwards! i presume you wash between claying and polishing then?

the main thing im thinking about is the windscreen.
when you look through the windscreen with light on it you can see loads of small......things. i presume this is dirt (and i hope it isnt all scratches) so will the claying lift this?

 

[Rich]

Screen maybe tiny stone chips - you will soon find out.

Car looks worse after claying as it strips the paint back to clean unsealed paint so any filling type products are also removed, so your paint will than need polishing to remove defects and make it look it's best.

 

[Darren S]

the regular one is like a quid cheaper too. think i'll get some for a tenner.
is it advisable to do it in the cold tho? i know not in direct sunlight (that wont be difficult in the UK lol)

Do you want a pic of what it does if you do?

Rich still has nightmares from my experience....

D.

 

[Rich]

I struggle to sleep still ...

 

[Tigger]

I always use the green Sonus stuff - works well

 

[m4rkie23]

cool.
ive got some EGP and Aquawax and SRP to go on.
wanted to get it done before the real bad weather to be honest!

 

[m4rkie23]

Do you want a pic of what it does if you do?

Rich still has nightmares from my experience....

D.

yes please :evil:

 

[Tigger]

lets see them Darren

 

[Rich]

Please please please no !

Infact do but don't make me look ....

 

[Darren S]

Bugger. Looks like I've deleted the pics.

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135061&highlight=clay

I should have them somwhere though - I'll try and dig them out.

D.

 

[m4rkie23]

lol from the reactions the pics were obviously quite bad...

moral of the story - spray when you clay

 

[RussZS]

You can use water with any clay as lube, but you are much better off using a QD, or just some diluted shampoo to prevent the clay from marking the paint.

I thought the Dodo Juice clay came 2nd, and Zymol was about 7th?