I am wondering what exactly claybar is and how well it works. I have a few minor scratches on my car that i would like to hide if possible....

1. I just noticed today someone must of swiped my bumper in a parking lot...both sides of my bumper have small (very minor scratches...prob could be professionally buffed out)

2. Two 6 inch scratches not very deep on the rear passenger door

3. Numerous 12 inch scratches (not deep at all) from where i think a christmas tree was put on the car.

4. Deep scratch on the drivers door near the roof...its already rusted over so i think its not getting fixed.

Any quick solutions or ways to get these minor scratches out that you guys know of would be great. If you need pics just ask...and ill try and get some up.

 

Clay bar is a bar of clay. You basically rub it over your car's sexy body (be sure to use lube) and it takes out all the totally unsexy contaminants in your paint. Clay barring will make your paint smooth to the touch but it won't get rid of scratches or orange peel and is more of a prep for polishing.

Polishing/buffing with a PC can probably get rid of the minor to moderate scratches if you do it right. The other one you will need to take more drastic measures to fix.

 

I was thinking of the door and roof scratches with some Meguaris ScratchX. The scrap on the drivers door doesnt bother me too much...neither does the bumper. Acutally the bumper is only bad on one side...it was just me rubbing my pant leg up against it when i walked by...it washed right out.

The car is in great shape other than a few very minor door dings and the faults listed above. Cleans up rly nice.

 

ScratchX does SFA

Know that from past experience... can't fix anything worse than a hairline scratch.

 

haha thats funny

 

I agree. Scratch-X doesn't do crap. I did notice that it leaves behind the same residue as Meguire's gold class car wax though.

 

Instead of just ******* a product, how about some advice.

Yeah Scratch-X is really only meant for hairline scratches, because if you can feel it with your finger, then chances are you need touchup paint.

If however, you can't feel it, some elbow grease and Scratch-X will usually take care of it. Now if that doesn't work, try to feather-sand (small pieces of sandpaper and wetsand with it to deeper scratches) with 3000grit paper. This will turn that big scratch into smaller scratches. Use Scratch-X on this, and it will usually take care of virtually all scratches you have. Just remember...you can only do so much by hand.

 

Clay is awesome! Its something that I would recommend you do probably twice a year (give or take). Whenever you do it, be sure to follow up with wax because it will remove any previous remaining wax. Its extremely easy to use & once you feel how smooth & soft it makes your paint finish, you'll be hooked.

As far as ScratchX, I've used it numerous times and it is definitely NOT worthless. It is a product designed for a specific purpose and is meant for any Joe to use. So, don't expect it perform wonders on your swirled/scratched up car. Its best to use on specific light scratches rather than your entire car. You could use it on the whole car, but you're talking an extremely long job! In order to get the best results, plan on doing at least 5-6 passes.

 

I just got my car this winter...I honestly have no idea on any detailing methods and I just want an inexpensive way to wax/protect the car. From what I am reading, I should first wash the car then claybar. Then use Scratch X on any scratches that are worth trying to get out. Then wash again and use a wax? (help me out here). What do I need to do to get my car nice and shiny for the spring?

EDIT: I just read one of your posts clayman and saw that you said....

Wash > Clay > Compound/Polish > Wax/Seal/Glaze

Wash the car, then use claybar (get at any autozone...with instructions on it), then ive lost you on compound/poilish, and wax/seal/glaze. If you wouldnt mind recconmending some products and telling me what I need to do for those two steps it would be much appreciated.

 

No worries. Theres alot of different terms so it can be kinda confusing. "Compound" usually refers to a very abrasive polish. Usually you wouldn't use a compound without some kind of a machine (PC or Rotary). In your case, you'll need a simple polish that can be applied by hand. BTW, you don't need to wash after polishing. You may want to wash after claying if you notice alot of dirty detailer spray left on the paint. Sealing & waxing are essentially the same thing. Some companies refer to their waxes as sealants & others as waxes.

As far as clay, theres a couple different brands you can get over the counter (OTC) pretty easily. Mothers, Clay Magic & Meguiars. I've only used Meguiars clay kit and it seems to work pretty good for me. Be sure that when you get it, you break into 2-3 pieces and only use one at a time. Keep them in some kind of a sealed container so that dust & dirt can't get to them.

Theres TONS of different waxes you could use. If you limit yourself to only what you can buy OTC, there are only a couple. If you want to buy your detailing supplies online, theres a plethora to chose from. I typically use Meguiars NXT tech wax. It comes in either a paste or liquid form. It is extremely easy to apply & lasts for at least 2-3 months.

BTW, you can usually find all of this stuff online for a lot cheaper than in the stores.

 

Ok I guess I'll throw in my own question about claying. How often should you fold or as Meguiars calls it, Kneed the clay? I was worried that all the stuff that was coming off in the clay would scratch my paint when I used it. Would it be safe to just kneed it for every panel, for example one door or fender?

 

I do it several times on the larger panels (hood, roof) and maybe just once for the smaller ones (doors, trunks). It really all depends on how dirty the surface is when you clay it. If you have properly washed the car beforehand, I wouldn't worry too much about scratching the paint. There shouldn't be anything large enough on the surface to scratch. Thats not to say you couldn't cause "marring". That usually isn't a problem with clay unless you step up to some of the aggressive clay bars.

 

Not trying to be negative, but you may have a difficult time taking the swirl marks out and getting a close to show finish on a black car if you are new to this. Swirl marks are made by most wash rags and harsher compounds and all cars have them on the top or clear coat. But the darker the paint the more the swirls are reflected back, so the more they show up. Black is the most difficult color and most detail shops charge more for it with good reason. It can easily take hours for even pros to get them all out.

But on the plus side it arguably looks the cleanest of all the colors when done. And some people don't even see those imperfections. It depends on how good of a finish you want and how sharp your eye is.

Rub your fingernail over the scratch, if it catches it most likely won't come out. If it doesn't catch you can rub it out, but be careful with the abrasive compounds. You may be getting the original scratch out, but in a different light you may see a bunch of small polishing scratches from the grit. This is where you slowly proceed to a smaller and smaller grit compound on that area until you get away from a comound and use a wax.

Sounds like you just want a quicky polish though so I wouldn't worry about all that stuff for now. Clean & dry your car as best you can. Slide your hand across the panels for any small residue, tree droppings, etc usually on the hood /roof. If its not bad you may not need a clay bar. Polish the scratches. I would suggest not using anything with grit and defenitely not sandpaper for now. If it doesn't come out, leave it, its not going to damage your car. Its more important that you put a coat of wax on to protect against oxidation, more fallout, and to make it tons easier next time you wash your car.

If you want to attempt polishing with compound try a spot that is least visible. Eventually you will notice more and more imperfections as you get more familiar with your vehicle and will probably want to get them all out. I would suggest taking it to a professional detailer first though (mainly because its black) and have them polish out the years of previous neglect so you have a clean slate to work with and don't get frustrated.