Joemm
09-11-2008, 10:18 AM
I am not a gimmick using person and am probably more skeptical than I need to be. But, I absolutely have to recommend the clay bar kit product (Mothers, Mequires, Adams, etc.) for both painted and glass surfaces.
My wife bought a kit (Mothers <$15 w/ some store coupon) and used it on her egg yolk yellow Focus. Her car looked great but I admittedly did not see a hugh difference. However, the car is not that old, is washed/waxed/taken care of incessantly (she loves the thing) and the lighter color is a bit more subdued than darker colors and tends to hide dirt and discoloration.
Since we had the used kit laying around, I decided to try it on a panel or two of my French (medium dark but bright) blue, clear-coat Cougar. This car is garaged, washed and waxed very regularly, well taken care of, ony has 44,000 mi, and looks like new (so I thought).
After "clay barring" half of the hood, I was sold. Rub your hand over a waxed only portion verses the clay bar treated portion and it's honestly a glass verses very fine sand paper difference.
I knocked out the whole car and once completed, I could not believe the difference. The paint "bounced" like I once remember and had a very deep look to it. Obvioiusly there had been alot of build up of dirt, sap, etc. on my "like new" looking car. That was several weeks, washes, and rain storms ago and I can still see the difference.
I went back and clay barred the exterior of the car glass. Cleaned with Invisible Glass/newspaper, followed the clay bar process (same as painted surface process), and final cleaned with IG and newspaper. Again, WOW. Crystal clear glass again and I always kept my windows clean.
Bottom line, for $15 to $20 and maybe an hour or two to wash, dry, clay bar treat (rub the clay bar over a surface wetted with spray detailer), and then wax, this is one of the best products I have used.
My wife bought a kit (Mothers <$15 w/ some store coupon) and used it on her egg yolk yellow Focus. Her car looked great but I admittedly did not see a hugh difference. However, the car is not that old, is washed/waxed/taken care of incessantly (she loves the thing) and the lighter color is a bit more subdued than darker colors and tends to hide dirt and discoloration.
Since we had the used kit laying around, I decided to try it on a panel or two of my French (medium dark but bright) blue, clear-coat Cougar. This car is garaged, washed and waxed very regularly, well taken care of, ony has 44,000 mi, and looks like new (so I thought).
After "clay barring" half of the hood, I was sold. Rub your hand over a waxed only portion verses the clay bar treated portion and it's honestly a glass verses very fine sand paper difference.
I knocked out the whole car and once completed, I could not believe the difference. The paint "bounced" like I once remember and had a very deep look to it. Obvioiusly there had been alot of build up of dirt, sap, etc. on my "like new" looking car. That was several weeks, washes, and rain storms ago and I can still see the difference.
I went back and clay barred the exterior of the car glass. Cleaned with Invisible Glass/newspaper, followed the clay bar process (same as painted surface process), and final cleaned with IG and newspaper. Again, WOW. Crystal clear glass again and I always kept my windows clean.
Bottom line, for $15 to $20 and maybe an hour or two to wash, dry, clay bar treat (rub the clay bar over a surface wetted with spray detailer), and then wax, this is one of the best products I have used.