Using ' clay' to remove bodywork ' fuzz'

At the revent R10 street concours I was persuaded (by the dreaded freezer bag test of my paintwork by DTConcours) that I needed to use a ' clay' to remove the built up of fallout, chemical residue etc on the front wings of my 996. As the weather is looking reasonable this weekend I intend to find a nicy shady spot and use the clay followed by a Zymol HD cleanse and a rewax with Zymol Titanium. Is there anything I should know about using a clay? I am concerned about taking the clear coat back too far and doing damage to the bodywork. Any feedback gratefully received.

Just make sure the car surface is clean first! Keep it well lubricated with the clay lube or a VERY WEAK car wash solution. knead the clay to make it pliable. Move the clay GENTLY over a small area of the car bodywork at a time, you can hear and feel the imperfections. when you can' t hear/feel them anymore (the clay moves easily without dragging on them) then they have all been picked up by the clay. Fold the clay regularly to keep the debris pulled out of the paint inside the clay - and to present a " fresh" clay surface to the bodywork. If you drop the clay - and you will - THROW IT AWAY. It will have picked up grit, and grit and your car are not friends. (For this reason cut smaller managable bits of clay off the block to use each time). Wash the car again to remove the residue of the clay lube. Then carry on with your HD Cleanse and Titanium. The next time you wash your car after this you will realise just how smooth the surface now is! You can clay to remove contaminants anytime - no need to re-do the HD cleanse and Titanium, but another coat of titanium is always well worth it and easy to do if you use your hands to apply it and take it off with a microwipe. If you are gentle then there really is no chance of removing clearcoat - just keep the surface to be clayed well lubricated. Enjoy your shiny car!

Thanks Mark for the comprehensive answer, I' ll let you know how it goes. You don' t work for DTConcours do you ??

No[ ] Just an end-user. Did use " Mothers" car care stuff, then went to Zymol for the Boxster, but I currently use Zaino. I still prefer the Zymol or Swizzol car wash though. Can' t get on with the Zaino one. The clay I use I bought from Halfords - about £6 a block (approx 15x6x2cm). I' m not sure they sell it anymore - I bought loads at 1/2 price (£2.99) Makes it (financially) pain-free when you drop it.[ ]

Quik Clay Detailing..........FANTASTIC stuff, works a treat [ ] http://www.meguiars.co.uk/ Making paint surfaces as smooth as glass Every day, vehicle paint finishes are bombarded with a variety of airborne contaminants. Here are just a few of those that can cause the surface to become dull and rough: Tree sap mist Paint overspray Industrial fallout Hardwater deposits Diesel fuel exhausts Rubber particles from other cars Bird & Insect droppings Bug splatter And so much more! The Meguiar' s Quik Clay Detailing system safely and quickly removes all these contaminants and restores crystal clear reflections and slickness. The system includes a specially formulated non-abrasive clay bar that safely lifts off the contaminants as the surface is lubricated with Quik Detailer. Instantly paint is restored to a shiny, smooth as glass finish and is ready for wax protection to be added. Without this technology, many car owners would have been left with only more expensive alternatives to restore their investment.G-1116 Quik Clay Detailing System Price: £11.99 Including VAT at 17.5%

Nice advert Elliot! I think all these clays are much the same, so shopping around for the best cost is probably worth while. I am in no doubt they do work and make polishing and cleaning a whole lot more effective - esecially on dark, flat colours. Lazza

But not the same price ! ! [ ] This is the best priced one ive seen which includes the detail mister which is also a great spray wax for concours shine to remove dust etc. Are they at Eynsham ??

Where did you get the Zaino from. It seems to be a rael pain from Germany as they will not accept credit cards and the Americans won' t sell it direct

I got it from the German chap. He will now accept PayPal ( www.paypal.com ) as payment, which means you can use a credit card. The postage cost was the real problem[ ] Still very expensive, but I compared it to the cost of Zymol and though " what the heck!" However, I intend to buy the next batch in the USA - I' ll order it for delivery to my hotel just before leaving for a holiday...[ ]

I can for sure commend meguiars. I am currently suffering from chronic insomia over the anticipation of my new purchase....

a Google search offers other sources/prices, mostly US but with these in UK: DTconcours Meguiars Meguiars UK Another source

I have been using Meguiars for many years, first class products. I usually wait and buy my supplies at a car show, but looking up their website a few minutes ago, I did a search for local Suppliers and found one less than a mile away from my house. http://www.meguiars.co.uk/ Come and have a look at my car on the 964 Register Stand at Eynsham Hall.

Did the clay thing over the weekend (thanks for your help Mark) and pleased to report that bodywork is now as smooth as a baby' s wotsit. Are there supposed to be large white patches showing through the Artic silver ?? [ ]