of work it appears to be, anything to be careful of?

You have to use some sort of lubricant while using a claybar. Either a quick detail spray or mix some car wash soap and water in a spray bottle and just rub away. The finish will be better than new. You must apply some wax right away because the clay strips all the wax off your car.

Have a look at this article . . .<ul><li><a href="http://www.carcareonline.com/overspray_clays.html">http://www.carcareonline.com/overspray_clays.html</a></li></ul>

I used to wash and dry my car and then use the expensive ($15 w/shipping) Griot's 'clay lube' with the Griot's claybar and then wax.

I figured I was wasting my time drying the car, only to wet it again with the lube.

Now I wash the car, rinse well and mist area to be clayed with a mixture of car wash soap and water. Clay the area and rinse off all the soap residue. Do the whole car this way (adds about 10-15 min to wash time), dry and wax.

This method has been working great on my '97 black A4 for years now!

Cheers!

Robert Jordan

I used to get really upset if there were ANY swirl marks or imperfections in the paint. I washed the car by hand twice a week and polished and waxed every three or four months (clay every other time).


Now, 4 or 5 door dents later, If the car looks good and beads water, I'm happy. I'm waxing it two to three times a year (one-step polish/wax stuff) and claying it every other time. The shine is not as deep, but I am the only one that seems to notice. SHhhhhhh! {Don't tell anyone, but I have even started using the 'no-touch' car wash on occasion.}

Robert Jordan

What climate does your car see? BTW, I still wash my car at LEAST twice a week :D

Dont plan to this often though:)

I used to have a 1990 Eclipse that I was constantly getting paint overspray from touching up other body parts and whatever. (Okay, I've learned to REALLY tape off everything.) Anyway, just used Mequires Clay and got so I would basically wash the car then sponge more soap solution on a second time, and run the clay pad over it. Could do the entire car in a couple minutes. (Curious - why so long Evzen?) Dry and wax. I don't recall it taking off any wax, though.... And from what I saw, my finish was non the worse for the wear. I still see the car periodically and it looks great.

paint look. And I figured once I was at it I mind as well wax the sucker, oh and I also used polish before the wax so ...yah it took a while.

I found I had to go over some parts 2-3times before the clay took it off....really stubborn particle build up.