Frequent Claying Questions

[matts88yj]

Hi all! I daily drive the G8 and unfortunately it's parked outside most of the time and with my hefty commute currently being 105 miles round trip, she sees a lot of weather and road grime. I wash her once a week and noticed that about after a month from when I did a full correction it needs clayed again by doing the plastic baggy trick.

 

My last full correction on it was at the end of October and I know I will more than likely need another full correction as soon as all of the salt is gone off of the roads. After I do that full correction and it's time to clay again, do I have to do a full strip wash and then SHR, FMP, MSS, BG and Americana all over again or can I get by using the car wash shampoo, clay it and then only BG and Americana?

 

I guess what I'm trying to get at is I don't want to waste any product, do anything in the incorrect order or waste my time doing steps I don't need to do. I know the MSS and Americana combo lasts a good while when properly applied so I didn't think I would need to do MSS every month! What say ye master of the detailing world?

[Chris@Adams]

Anytime that I clay I am always ready to do a full correction (if needed), when claying you can introduce some swirls and scratches.

I hope that I understood your question.

[matts88yj]

Anytime that I clay I am always ready to do a full correction (if needed), when claying you can introduce some swirls and scratches.

I hope that I understood your question.

 

You did, kinda...

 

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that if I just did a full correction a month before (and I know that MSS and Americana still have plenty of life in them while on the car) I didn't want to have a build up or waste a lot of product basically doing a full correction, or near full correction every month.

 

I really need a garage...

 

Thank you for your help tho! Just trying to take the best care of my baby as possible.

[TK427]

My thoughts were that, any time you clay you are in essence striping the car of waxes and sealants. In your case if you don't see any swirl marks after claying just re-seal, glaze, then Americana.. Better to use the right amount of product as necessary then to not use enough and see your paint correction go to waste! That's my take on it!

[Doug123]

There are 2 ways I would look at a mid-winter session.

 

You could say that since the finish is beading, but a little rough, I will live with the roughness until spring when the repellency of the MSS is starting to fade and clay then, (with a polishing session) OR

clay the finish, maybe hit it with FMP and then wax with buttery or americana (fast) and do a major correction in the spring.

 

On your silver paint, you might not see any clay induced marring of the finish, but I do see the marring from claying on my solid black paint. Sometimes you have to just wait, as I have had to do recently. Got started claying, and then life intruded, so I just waxed over it on a couple of small panels. Not perfect, but protected.

 

In Lancaster area I would imagine you would be driving through some snow. I would just wait until spring or until the protection starts to get weak.

 

For me, protection is first, glassy smoothness is 2nd.

 

Easiest solution is to wait until spring if the protection is holding and live with the roughness.

[BRZN]

Matt I'd wait for spring: in the winter I just try to keep our cars as clean as I can. All our daily drivers sit outside too.

 

Realize that claying the car will remove any waxes or sealants on the finish so if you've not stripped the wax off you'll "clog" the clay with whatever is on the finish.

 

Once the clay process is complete polishing would be a good idea, but not necessarily all Adam's steps from SSR to SHR to FMP. If you've been cleaning the car correctly FMP may be all that's needed. Perhaps some of the more aggressive steps in selected areas. Then throw your protection on.

 

Spring really isn't that far away!

[matts88yj]

Thanks for the tips guys! I guess what I'm mainly concerned with is when I show it and it is on the edge of being clayed I'll probably just go ahead and do it. I didn't want to be in the garage polishing it more than I am showing it in a car show but I guess that's how it will be for a bit! Haha!

 

Dave I keep telling myself spring is just another month away. I don't want any more snow this year! Trying to keep her as clean as possible. I guess it sucks that my show car is also my daily driver...

[Captain Slow]

Matt I'd wait for spring: in the winter I just try to keep our cars as clean as I can... Spring really isn't that far away!

^What he said.^

 

Both my G8 and the wife's TBSS would fail the baggie test right now, but she got a coat of Americana today and the G8 is still beading real well so I'll wait for spring.

[matts88yj]

I just did a nice 2 bucket wash and this was my first time with the shut off valve and fire hose nozzle. Wow what a difference!! Speedy changes from the fire hose to the foam gun and then to no nozzle to do a full sheet rinse as the main man Dylan demos in the wash videos. She came out looking great. I did notice some VERY light scratches on the trunk lid when I got a good look in the sun but when I do a full correction in a month or so I'm going to see if FMP will take it out. The vertical surfaces look good but the horizontal surfaces look like they might need a little more attention. That's par for the course I guess since the road grime sits on the horizontal surfaces more.

 

I absolutely love all of the Adams products. I know I need to pick up a few gallons at the next clinic and I may spring for the 36oz bottles of GWC and APC with the foaming nozzles. I have a few customers that want a full correction done so that will pay for my summer tires and go into the house fund! Can't wait!!

 

Hope to have some frequent claying results soon!