General Showroom finish

[trevorwat]

Just tried using clay/quick detailer on my (nearly) four year old Panda 4x4. I bought the car earlier this year from Doctor Chris and it was well looked after... I've washed and polished it regularly but I gave it a treat yesterday and used for the very first time some Meguiars clay and quick detailer followed by a coat of polish. On the black bits I used some Autoglym bumper care.

The car now looks absolutely superb - the paintwork is gleaming, the black is really black and clean.

I had read about clay but never tried it - wish I had years ago!!!!!! If you are like me and have never tried it - take my advice and give it a go! Bye-bye T-cut and Back to Black!!

 

[Chris@souls]

Nice one mate, I bet it looks lovely! Get some pics up

It will feel so nice and smooth now too

 

[trevorwat]

Yep - smooth isn't in it! Feel a bit pervy stroking my car every time I go near it....................!!!

 

[doctorchris]

Well done Trevor.
Of course, you were working on well cared for paintwork to start with.
Did you find the slightly scarred bits on the nearside rubbing strip on the front door and front wing.
A bright pink stretched limo scraped past the car in Newcastle and I had to carefully sand the plastic down with some wet and dry.
Keep up the good work.
Chris

 

[BenP]

It's worth remembering that clay bars only remove above surface contamination such as tar spotrs and industrial contamination. They'll do absolutley nothing for below surface contamination such as scratches and bird poo stains - so you'll still need an abrasive polish for these.

The reason clay works so well is that with all the surface contaminates removed, the light reflects off the paintwork straight back to your eye, rather than being refracted off in other directions. That's why a car looks so much shiner once it's been clayed and IMO is the most important of any detailing job.

...says an ex detailer!

Ben

 

[Chris@souls]

That car has been polished after the clay! It wouldnt look anywhere near as shiny as that if it was just clayed

 

[BenP]

That car has been polished after the clay! It wouldnt look anywhere near as shiny as that if it was just clayed

I know it has - I was just explaining why claying is such an important step IMO.

Ben

 

[punto_matt]

Buy a good wax/sealant to protect the paint now