So I've had the box a month and half and love it... I'd like to keep its outsides in tip top shape... Thus, I'm gonna be doin' some waxing. There's been some great posts about which waxes to try, claying, etc. Very informative and helpful.

I have a couple jobs, so I don't have a great deal of time to invest in the endeavor. Do you experts out there think I need to clay my car, even though it's very new? And if I should clay it... Do I have to? Is it bad for the paintjob to wax without claying?

In a perfect world, I'd do both, but alas, I just don't think I have the time to do both. And from what I understand, claying without waxing isn't an option...

Thoughts, please.

 

i wax mine about every 6 to 8 weeks... maybe clay it twice a year... everyone has their own opinion on how many times they do it, but thats about all the time i really get to do a real detail job on it... congrats on the new ride...

 

Did you clay it before the first time you waxed it?

 

no, i didnt know about claying until i started to really get into detailing it, saw a clay bar at the store when i went to get some wax but i only drive about 5 miles aday now, so i dont have to detail it as much... just hose it down every now and then...

 

Clay is somewhat risky. It's really good for spots you can't wash off. You do run the risk of scratching the paint. You have to be very careful to not have any grit in the clay. Only use it when necessary.

 

i saw this first hand last week. my buddy was claying his hood on his 03 si and left a nice scratch spot on the center of hsi hood. scratched the clearcoat and made it count

 

ewwww... that sux... yeah, you have to be very careful... i washed mine very good before i clayed it, and rolled the clay after every square foot... took forever, but it was worth it, had alot of wax build up from a crappier wax i tried in the past...

 

took forever? it takes 20-30 minutes to clay an entire tC. the box shouldnt take much longer :-/

 

Just as a precaution I was my car and soap it twice, rinse and dry twice too. Sounds like a little much but I've clay'd my B two or three times already, right before I waxed. While you do have to be careful I don't worry about it too much. Most of the time while I am doing it I just let it slide across the paint. Rubbing too hard can cause scratches. I also just buy a new claybar each time I do it. Reusing claybars is ok but you run the risk of scratching the paint a little more cause of particals in the clay. Kneeding the clay bar till it is warm also helps keep from getting scraches.

 

when you have 3 kids wanting your attention every 10 seconds, 30 minute job becomes 90 minutes actually, it took me about 45 minutes... i took my time with it...

 

from what I hear everything takes longer. lol

 

ah kids...

the only thing slowing me down is that i'm a lazy bum and like taking breaks!

 

yeah, but the older they get, the less stuff you have to do :D... anyways, back to the claying...

 

Yes, you can clay your car even though it is relatively new. Clay will remove overspray and other paint faults as well as minute impurities that can cause premature paint failure. Just remember to wax the car after you finish claying it. Clay only removes the impurities, it does not protect the rest of the paint from picking up new ones. You do not have to clay the car every time you wash it. I do mine about every 4-6 months.

 

you can tell if the paint needs clay bar by lightly sliding your fingers along the paint, it will feel "bumpy" from the desposits etc. after clay bar it will feel VERY smooth. Then be sure to wax to protect your paint.

When I detail I:

1. Wash with a GOOD auto soap and low pressure rinse.
2. Clay bar the paint if needed.
3. Prep the surface with POLISH.
4. Apply the wax and buff it off.

I use a cordless orbital buffer I got from Harbor Freight,
It takes me about 4 hours by myself and about half that with help. It turns out really shiny and gets comments from everyone including the car show judges.

 

So it sounds like I don't HAVE to clay--that is, by not claying now, I won't be harming my car by simply waxing it. It sounds like it's a good idea to clay at some point, but I don't get the feeling I'd be comprimising my paint by waxing w/o claying...

 

not at all... andersq said it best, run your fingers across it and if its all bumpy, then clay, otherwise, just need to wax...

 

x2 it really ends up being your choice. Remember 90% of people out there don't even know about claybars. That being said you ever wax a car and it just didn't shine like it did when it was new? well a claybar and good wax will bring that back. A good "wipe and shine", the speed detailing sprays, are good right before shows. Depending on what you use you can get a really shiney look or a deep "wet" look. I'm a fan of Eagle one products, but I always use Mother's claybars. Haven't had a single person not like the touch/feel or the shine I get. Hell the show I was at two days ago, I think I sold a few people on the claybar. lol

 

Clay bar your car. The paint is contaminated from being transported. If you have contaminents on your paint the wax will not be effective. When I bought my box I told the dealership to NOT detail it. The next day I clayed it, polished it and then gave it a coat of wax. I recomend meguiars products. Specifically, megs clay. step 2 polish and then top it off with a coat of megs nxt. Apply a VERY thin layer of wax if you get nxt. A little goes a long way.

 

My xB was on the show-room floor when I bought it and I still clayed mine the day I brought it home. Pulled so much crap out of the paint I had to throw the clay bar away. Mine had been detailed by the dealer and felt smooth to the touch. Wash it with dish detergent to strip the wax and then run your fingers over it. That will let you know how dirty it really is.