Question - Definitely Clay before Polish?

[Fred Smith]

Does anyone else literally go over a wet car by hand? Literally use a bare hand to feel for imperfections and then a thumbnail to scrape off the sorts of tiny, stuck-firm imperfections that a clay bar is meant to remove?

 

[tomscott]

You will do well with one pass, especially with black.

With mine, it was kept under a car cover for 3 years and the microscratches a swirls were a huge pain, the paint is super hard too.

I used ultimate compound first to get to a suitable finish but I did quite a few passes as the paint was just so hard. TBH a more abrasive compound would have been better but im not a pro and UC is meant to get you most of the way there. Polished to buff the gloss back into it, then sealed it.

TBH it was so bad and you need to invest the time, I did mine in May and had late nights but it took me the best part of a week.

If the paint isnt too bad then it can be achieved quicker. Night and day after id done it.

[youtube]D3CpDekHX90[/youtube]

 

[Ed Doe]

Thanks Tom.

My plan now is to just drive it as it is over summer, give it a proper clean before putting it back in the garage, and then some time in the evenings and weekends over winter this year to sort it out slowly as and when I can manage.

 

[tomscott]

 

[pvr]

Thanks Tom.

My plan now is to just drive it as it is over summer, give it a proper clean before putting it back in the garage, and then some time in the evenings and weekends over winter this year to sort it out slowly as and when I can manage.

Hope you have heating in the garage, as if itis cold and damp it becomes a whole different game :lol:

I bought an oil space heater, which makes the garage rather toasty (ask enuff_zed :lol: )

 

[Ed Doe]

It's not heated permanently, but I do have space heaters which I use when I'm knocking about in the garage in winter! It doubles as my Gym so I'm in there a minimum 4x a week anyway with the heater on in the winter :lol:

 

[pvr]

When you do the detailing, you won't need to use the gym as it is crippling at times :lol:

 

[beanie]

When you do the detailing, you won't need to use the gym as it is crippling at times :lol:

Agreed, best get training the lower back in preparation!