Help me make it shine!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 905
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Help me make it shine!
It is obvious that my "let's paint it and sell it for $1000 more" paint job has given up the ghost. There is absolutely no gloss left and the entire surface feels coarse.
Any suggestions shy of a new paint job to help me get some shine on the car? What process would you use?
Tks and STW :seeya
Robert
76Stinger
Any suggestions shy of a new paint job to help me get some shine on the car? What process would you use?
Tks and STW :seeya
Robert
76Stinger
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 7
From: Katy (Houston) TX
CI 7-8 Veteran
Re: Help me make it shine! (76Stinger)
You need a good clay bar. You should be able to find a clay bar anywhere they sell Meguires or decent car protectant products. With a clay bar, you will want to fill up a spray bottle with water and a tad bit of car wash soap and constantly keep the area you are 'claying' wet with the spray bottle. It's easier to do than it sounds. I've even done it while I was washing the car.
Now, if you want to take it a step further, I'd say order some Zaino. There is another post going right now about waxes you may want to look at. But as far as getting the roughness out, the clay bar works wonders. It even smoothed mine out right behind the rear tires and I thought that area would never be smooth again.
Now, if you want to take it a step further, I'd say order some Zaino. There is another post going right now about waxes you may want to look at. But as far as getting the roughness out, the clay bar works wonders. It even smoothed mine out right behind the rear tires and I thought that area would never be smooth again.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 7
From: Katy (Houston) TX
CI 7-8 Veteran
Re: Help me make it shine! (StingRay327)
The clay bar is like one of those gummy erasers I used to use in art class back in school. Almost like tough bubble gum.
I've only used the clay bar from Zanino but I think they're all relatively the same. It grabs the particles in the paint and pulls them out leaving a smooth surface. You need to use a lubricant like water with them and it's very easy to do. I use a spray bottle and do small sections at a time. It leaves a small amount of residue kind of like when you wax but not anywhere near as hard to remove. You just gently wipe off with a towel.
Best process is to start with a dishwashing soap and wash car with that. The dishwashing soap is much stronger than a car wash soap and will remove any wax that is on the car. You then clar bar. Then polish/wax. Then, next time just wash with car wash soap and polish/wax if needed. I clay bar about twice a year.
[Modified by tshort, 3:16 PM 6/12/2003]
I've only used the clay bar from Zanino but I think they're all relatively the same. It grabs the particles in the paint and pulls them out leaving a smooth surface. You need to use a lubricant like water with them and it's very easy to do. I use a spray bottle and do small sections at a time. It leaves a small amount of residue kind of like when you wax but not anywhere near as hard to remove. You just gently wipe off with a towel.
Best process is to start with a dishwashing soap and wash car with that. The dishwashing soap is much stronger than a car wash soap and will remove any wax that is on the car. You then clar bar. Then polish/wax. Then, next time just wash with car wash soap and polish/wax if needed. I clay bar about twice a year.
[Modified by tshort, 3:16 PM 6/12/2003]
