Holy Cow...what a difference!!! Last week I made the final payment on my xA. So to celebrate, I decided to detail the car really well and get a good coat of wax on it before winter weather sets in. My car is only 3 years old, I wash & wax it regularly, and it is always garage-kept. So you wouldn't think that my paint would be too bad. Yet, when I would run my hand over it, I could feel a slight roughness. I had read about using a clay bar before, but I had never actually tried one. I went to Wal-Mart and bought the Mother's Clay Bar Kit. It comes with the clay, a small bottle of cleaner/wax, and a bottle of detailer (which is also the lubricant for the clay bar). I washed and dried it as usual then used the clay per the instructions. I was amazed at the difference! My paint was as smooth as teflon coated ice! I then waxed it well with Meguire's NXT Tech Wax. I knew the clay bar would improve the feel of the paint, but it even improved the appearence and shine. I'm sold.

 

Another testimonial!!! Amazing how it works--huh!!

 

You can also your use car wash soap mixture as a lube, (less expensive)
Good Job!

 

Boy you're not kidding! I'm going to do my wife's car next weekend.

Hmmm....I'll have to try that. I noticed that the clay might last longer than the spray and I didn't see them for sale anywhere separately. This could be the answer. Thanks!

 

you can use any type of spray detailer too for the lube

 

don't use black magic quick detailer your clay bar will disintegrate been there done that, and it sucked

 

i also used the meguiars clay bar kit on my xb this past weekend...man what a difference. i needed to get some clear coat overspray off and took that right off and the paint is sooo smooth. now the gf is begging me to do the same for her tc.

 

Tell her it's gonna cost her.

 

Do you guys think it's a good idea to clay bar my 2 month old xD.
I wanna prep it for the winter also but not sure if it is to early to do.

 

I Clay Bar and Wax my Mustang every year before I store it for the Winter, it always does an awesome job!

 

It's not too early. You're not supposed to wax a brand-new paint job for about a month or so. But you have to remember that your car came from Japan. By the time it's painted, shipped to the US, distributed to a dealership and then sits until it's purchased, there has been plenty of time past. Check your door badge for date of manufacture. You're calling it a two month old car, but I bet you mean that you've owned it for two months. It was probably painted well over two months ago. You should be fine. I just did the clay bar and wax to my wife's brand new Nissan. It's like glass now.

 

I was wondering if the clay bar was used to smoothen out the paint surface, resulting in a mirror finish. It's partly the reason why I'm curious. But, I've heard the clay bar was mainly used to remove settled in road grime. My 2 month old xD probably doesn't have road debris settled in, so I was wondering what the main function is.

 

Whatever you do, don't use the turtle wax liquid clay bar, doesn't work nearly as well as a real clay kit.

 

The main function of the clay bar is to remove tiny specs of surface grime (tree sap, tar, rail dust, environmental fall-out, etc.). Since your car is new you probably don't have a lot of that, but you do have some. Before using the clay, my wife's new Nissan was smoother than my 3 year old Scion. But I could still feel a slight roughness in the paint. After using the clay on both cars they both are super-smooth and slippery now.

 

I am going to wash and clay mine this week if I feel better and then cleaner wax and then paint sealant. Take that road salt! Prob last nice week of weather before constantly under 40s in NY.