fromthebeginnin

I think it's time to clay bar and detail the 550, any tips, suggestions and does anyone have a estimate on how long it will take (the paint is in excellent shape, I think I only drove it in the rain a dozen times and it has been covered if sitting in the sun for a long period of time)?

Thanks

hyperion667

man, I just did this a week ago today, and everyone will tell you once they show up, how important it is.....
I consulted several youtube videos believe it or not......
as well as a few 'master detailers' in my area, who are always glad to share they're ideas and experience...
but my car had this sap and paint crap on it, which the clay bar REALLY helped......
an expensive clay bar is better (??), lasts longer apparently and is of better quality....
but I'm no expert on it.....I'm sure others will post up....
but you won't be sorry for doing it....
it brings back that smooth shine like the day you picked it up....

Ctrl+alt+Elite

I clay bar'd my first car about 1 month ago, did a favor for a family member. Totally worth it. The car I did was an 01 vette that has been in the florida sun and rain for a good portion of those 10 years and the finish came out phenominal

My first suggestion... get a comfy low stool... you're gonna be there for a while

hyperion667

haha, totally agree, I used an old 5 gallon bucket.....

EmE247

Get it done at a shop. Yelp one in your area to find a good one!

Beats paying all that money for the product and then the time spent to do it. Especially since you are gonna have to wax / polish it as well...

blackbullit

Clay bar will take about 30-40 minutes, after washing. I think Meguiars is best, as it is softer than Mothers and seems to pick up more debris from surface. I have found I can tear each bar in two and use a half bar at a time. I usually mold a tall ridge in the bar I can hold between my fingers, so it will not slip out of hand (and on to the ground). Clay bar is indeed the fountain of youth for black cars!

I would follow with a coat of Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax, which seems to be bonding well to my E550 after 2 1/2 mos. It still feels "slick" when you lightly run your fingers over dry surface. I only use an orbital buffer with microfiber bonnets and cloths.

Dooby357

Clayed my BWM is the past and it was worth it. Sure you can go to a Master Detailer but if its something simple, learn and enjoy doing it yourself, IMHO.

RNBRAD

Clay is a good place to start. I think though if you want to keep that black paint as pristine as possible you should invest in more than just a clay bar and some basic wax. If your like me and hate to work much and want nothing but the best products for your car(s), get a good dual action buffer and some better quality stuff than you buy at wal-mart. Best buffer on the market for the consumer and professional alike is the flex XC 3401 VRG. I would also suggest looking at some packages at superiorcarcare.net. I'm not sure if your a carnuaba guy or a polymer sealer guy. Both are great and there are hybrids of the two. Carnauba is the gold standard for shine and depth though the high end polymers are close but the high tech polymers last longer and offer the most protection so sometimes it's not an easy decision. My show truck gets carnauba and my Benz's gets the polymer sealers cause they are subjected to more elements. I would check out your wolfgang councours & fuzion stuff, Adams car care products, Pinnacle Souveran and go paste over liquid with the carnauba. There's other good products out there but these companies cater to the high end enthusiast. You will not find better car care products, but you also better get your checkbook out. This is not your $9 dollar a bottle stuff. But hey, if someone can pay 75k on a car, they can buy some 100 dollar wax. Oh and like someone else said, most definitely get you a good shop stool with wheels

ngerstman

Kill yourself if you like. I've used Nu-Finish for years and it works great. Easy on, easy off, great deep shine, good protection. But if you need the exercise, it's cheaper than joining a gym!! Regards. Ned.

fromthebeginnin

Thanks Brad I primarily use the total product line from blackfireusa dot com, check them out unbelievable stuff (been using it on my Porsche for years) and believe it or not they answer the phone immediately if you want to ask them a question.

fromthebeginnin

Ned there is an interesting test to see if your car needs clay, get a plastic baggie, put your hand inside and rub it along the surface you can feel the buildup on the paint. TBH I've used various products back to my 67 black gto, but things are a lot easier today. Waxing the car vs a day at the gym, not a bad trade off!

dariusf

I never used clay or wax My CLK is silver and the E is white, would clay and wax make such a big deference?

ngerstman

That's why I like Nu-Finish. No waxy build-up!! I just used it on my 2001 e55 and it came out great!!! Kill yourself if you like, but I don't see the point. There is better stuff than wax. Regards. Ned.

RNBRAD

Nu-finish is an old school polymer sealer. It seals very very well. Problem is that it dusts too much and does not add much for visual enhancements as compared to like a Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant. The newer technology is just far superior in protection, visual enhancements, and ease of application. I used nufinish for many years, but not a sealer for dark colors. If your going to go through the time and effort, why not use something that provides the best protection and beauty with one application.

K-A

Uhh, YES!! Clay is one thing (did my first one a few months ago, took me over 11 hours for the whole wash/clay/seal process, and was really being a detail freak and taking my time), but you MUST Wax!

ngerstman

I have had very good results with Nu-Finish but I'm all for a more advanced product if one exists. I have used many different waxes and while they can work well, they don't last as long and do cake. I have no desire to strip it off every time I polish the car. Are the "newer" polymers really better than Nu-Finish? Where do you get them? Regards. Ned.

FraKctured

Had mine clayed last week, and WOW--it really is amazing. I ran the clay bar over a few feet, and you can feel the grime coming off. Definitely have to wax it afterwards, but the Clay is the Way.

Yosheego

http://www.autogeek.net/detailing-clay-bar.html

Click on that site above. Some info on claying...This site is awesome!

hyperion667

I heard mention of Nufinish being dated and certainly there is better stuff than that......

Ctrl+alt+Elite

RNBRAD,

I'm all for using the "good stuff"... Currently I use Meguiar's products but find that on my darker finish i spend a lot of time dealing with swirl marks. It definitely seems that you know what the score it when it comes to this stuff. You mentioned a couple different "brands"... Would you care to recommend your fav to me?

RNBRAD

It's hard to single out a favorite cause there are some really great products out there. The reason for this is your top brands share a lot of the same technology. I personally use Wolfgang concourse series and it's definitely one of the best products made. It is very high tech with all the wonderfull attributes that you would want in car care products. I too cannot stand swirl marks and it's an easy fix with the right equipment. I just don't recommend tackling swirls by hand, you'll kill yourself. Use a good buffer and their is only about 3. Check this video out and you can see the flex and Wolfgang stuff in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swLcPlUPd_c

dariusf

11 hours? thats definitely far more then I want to spend on my car not to mention my wifes car I guess I'm completely ignorant on the topic, perhaps due to the fact that in Chicago its impossible to keep the car clean for more then a few days. We just had rains, then sunny/hot (90-95) for couple days and then crazy amount of heavy storms and down to about 50.

In my case it would be about paint/finish protection more then anything else. Maybe thats the primary reason behind it

I'm all ears to get educated

hyperion667

LOL, it is hard to keep them clean for more than a few days,
it's frustrating sometimes, LOL........
especially, as most know, with black....

it's most frustrating when you JUST get done and are out and about and run into, whatever it may be, hehe.....

but hey, I'll keep trying....
I can totally see how one could actually make a living with a mobile car detailing business, or even a stationary one, hehe.........

it's very intense.....

Fabboi

For the Best clay you can buy in stores i say clay magic, it picks up pretty good and comes with a quick detailer too for ~$10. dosent sound like your going to polish your car so remember to throw on a good sealant or some wax after your done. You should refer to the detailing section of forums and refer to the link a previous post before for help for DIY.

steelgrey

I hate to say this...but, clay bar is really just the first step in a process. Clay bar only removes embeded paint contaminents and does nothing to remove scratches or improve shine. As a matter of fact if you don't use a sufficent amount of lubricant with clay you can scratch your paint. Shine comes from polishing the paint. That requires a dual action buffer and a good polish. If you have swirls or micromarring (a hazy look caused by multiple tiny scratches) you will have to use a product that has minor abrasive properties. Each product requires a compatible DA buffer pad. They are available from wool which removes the most paint to pads that have no cutting properties (red, black) which are used for applying glazes and sealants/waxes. Waxes/sealants are used to seal/enhance the shine produced by polishing the paint which is the most important part of a detail. My favorite products are Menzerna. Any of the quality products properly used will give you good results. That goes from Meguiars to Soveraign paste wax at $75.00 a can. It's all a matter of proper use not cost.