Paint and Body Care

pjyoung · November 2001

Yes and yes. Check out the wax test guys for a comparison of waxes and polymers http://www.thewaxtest.com/home.html. I myself am partial to Zaino, which is a polymer. It shines nicely and from what I've seen it lasts longer than conventional wax. However, there has been a lot of discussion about the "shine" versus carnuba wax. It's really best to decide for yourself, and I think the wax test guys are doing a pretty decent job, so check out their site. For info on car waxes in general, bretfaz can provide some pretty good insight. For info on Zaino, check out their board here at Edmunds.

As far as leather - it's never too early to use a leather treatment. You paid extra for leather seats, take care of them so they don't crack.

protegextwo · November 2001

#1153 of 1153 Kgrayson by pjyoung Nov 11, 2001 (04:15 pm)

I must honestly say;... post #1153 was awesome. If we ALL could write our post with that kind of intelligence and fairness, I believe the different detail discussions here at Town Hall, would be much much more civil AND informative. I applaud you, my friend! :-}

Respectfully,
Larry

adc100 · November 2001

We can have our own and sometimes overbearing opinions and still contribute civily to the common good (I include myself in that catagory).

Al

acelink · November 2001

What is a clay bar and how does it work? What brands are available? I think pjyoung mentioned that it is used in the "prep" process for waxing.

Lately, I am seeing some road grims(?) that has hardened into tiny dots and they won't be washed away. I can feel lots of imperfection on my paint when I touch the paint with my hands. Also several dark stains are seen on the hood and bumpers. I used WD-40 (seen their commercial with a nerdy looking kid?) but it is tedious and not that effective. Any suggestions?

protegextwo · November 2001

Not all detail experts agree on using clay to prep your paint for final waxing. I prefer glaze as a first step to paint protection.

However, Ace, I think clay might be a good to remove "road grime(?) that has hardened into tiny dots and they won't be washed away. I can feel lots of imperfection on my paint when I touch the paint with my hands".

http://www.carcareonline.com/overspray_clays.html

-Larry

joebob6 · November 2001

That's why I do not use abrasive clays. Use a non-abrasive clay like Clay-magic blue, Pinnacle poly clay, Zaino clay, Mothers Clay and there are others. These clays are not abrasive unless they become loaded with dirt/grit and are dragged across the paint surface. If they were abrading the surface of the paint then surely the clay/lubricant would become the same paint color of a non-clearcoated paint finish and I have not experienced this ever happening.

protegextwo · November 2001

For what possible reason would you use a non-abrasive clay? Lets get real! Detail clay's do not remove contaminates by magic? Joe, I'm always skeptical about the manufactures promotional hype that misrepresent how their products work. If you like the results you get with clay, I certainly understand why you might recommend it. However, in the real world good clay is not glorified silly putty. Good clay contains very fine abrasives that smooth out the peaks and valleys in the clear coat. This small amount of abrading also removes chemical or physical contaminates that might have of adhered to the paint.

-Larry

jim757 · November 2001

I have a 2001 Black Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T. I bought it last December 2000 and I currently have around 17k on it and drive around 80 miles a day. On the front of the hood I already have several (at least 5 or 6)very small paint chips maybe around 1/32 of an inch. A few of these chips are down to the metal, is that normal? I was told by some of my friends that if I have a clear coat on my car that even if a rock hits it the paint should still not chip away to the metal. Now a few of the spots even have signs of rust.

I already contacted the dealership and I am taking the car in on Nov. 19 for the manager to look at. What information do I need to know? Help!

acelink · November 2001

Thanks for the info. Helped me greatly. Also, eharri3 and others for the paint info. Being a car freak, it is always tempting to work on one's own car, but it seems like too much trouble for the result that will probably turn out disasterous. Anyway, I sold that car to my friend and he has emailed me to say that the car was totalled in a freak accident. Oh, well... I am just wondering if certain colors are more expensive than the others.

P.S. How many of you are involved in the auto-related businesses? Would be interested in learning about them...

eharri3 · November 2001

Because to paint a car a different color than what it already is involves more labor to get at the nooks and crannies such as door jambs and inside the trunk. After all, it'd look kind of dumb to have a red car that's green inside the trunk and on the door jambs. On the other hand, those areas can often be left as they are with a repaint in the original color, meaning less small detail work is necessary. Dont know if particular colors are more expensive though.

joebob6 · November 2001

I have used clay on a black Lexus LS400 that I was told has no clear coat. No paint came off the car.
If clay was abrasive, as Larry Reynolds suggests, then surely the clay or the lubricant would have turned black.
Ther is no magic involved in the way clay works. Clay is very sticky. When it is rubbed over the well lubricated surface the contaminants stick to the clay and are pulled out. If you continue to rub a piece of clay full of contaminants over an area for too long a time I would be sure that this could cause scratches.
But I have never seen any evidence that a clean piece of clay is abrading the paint surface.
I would expect Clay Magic Red to take off paint because it does contain abrasives.

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