I clay bar a vehicle the very 1st time I apply Zaino products to it. It is supposed to be a really good thing for new cars that may or may not have been transported to the dealer from the factory by rail. They say that it will pull the steel micro fibers out of the paint that get embedded during the rail transport from the wearing of the rails themselves.
However, more and more often today's vehicles are covered with a heavy wax product and plastic for shipments so things like that are less likely. I found that my wife's new X3, built in South Carolina, to already be baby smooth when I used the clay bar a couple of months ago.
Eastwoods makes a kit that will remove fine scratches from windshields. It consists of a powder that you make into a paste and a very stiff felt wheel for your drill. It will clean up auto glass pretty well.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
I use Zanio products also, I think they are the best. I use the clay bar when I apply new Zanio polish works great. Just make sure you keep it lubed as you use it, and follow the instructions. I also use it on my windows, but I use a seperate clay bar from the one I use on my paint. I use window cleaner as a lube when I use it on my windows. It has removed water spots from my windows. The windshield may be too pitted or scratched to come clean. http://www.zainostore.com/mm5/merchant.mvc
For the windshield, use Bar Keepers Friend, gold can similar to a Comet can, cheap in the store. Make a paste out of it with some water and apply with a kitchen sponge to the windshield...it does not scratch and it gets all water spots and contaminants off the glass.
Been using it for years, good on all the other windows too...except the plastic vert window.
Thank you, I used to use the three step system once a year, either Mother's or Meguiar's, after washing - pre cleaner, polish , then wax. I had to be careful with the cover as it would slide right off the car as the surface was so smooth. Not so much now, after shoulder surgery I couldn't do the task. I'm thinking the clay bar will get rid of some of the imbedded crud. Does one still use the cleaner/prep stage after clay bar or jump right to the polish?
My windshield is fairly new, Only a couple thousand miles on it. Hard to see through with the direct sun on it and was like that since it was put in, It's either defective, or they got some over spray on it at the paint shop. The windshield was put in while the paint shop was fixing some stone chips the car got while on a road trip. I can feel the surface catching onto a microfiber towel when I dry it of after washing.
Comet like? Seems a little drastic, but I'll get a can of Bartender's friend and give it a try. I used steel wool on the windshield of my pickup to remove overspray but was a little hesitant to try it on the new bird glass.
Now what about a DA polisher for an old guy who's joints always hurt? Meguiar's was flogging one a few years back that looked like it was exactly the same as a Porter cable polisher with different labels on it. I see cars at shows that have obviously been polished with an electric or air polisher that look like crap due to all the pattern marks in the wax. Can a polisher be used and still leave a hand waxed look?
check out the Zanio page I posted and read the instructions. For their products they say wash with Dawn dish soap, clay bar, then polish. They have a hardener (for lack of better trems) that mixes with the polish to make it set up faster, it goes on thin and wipes off very easy. I have been using this stuff ever since my car was painted 15yrs ago. I very rarely wash it with soap and water anymore, mostly all I do is blow of the dust, wipe it with the duster, then wipe it down with their detail spray. Very good stuff If you think the windshield has overspray, the clay bar will remove it. But I would try some laquer thinner on a rag and rub it on the glass and see if it will come off first.
Thank you, I clayed the windshield, what a difference! If it cleans the paint as well as the glass It will be worth a few painkillers and anti inflams for the shoulders. I'll do my wife's car windshield next, no matter what kind of wipers we put on that they always make a racket when moving over the glass, hope the clay will make it quieter.
I use the clay product from Griot’s Garage. It works great. I also used it on the windshield of my wife’s Lexus, using Windex instead of Speed Shine for lubricity. It worked great there, also. Removed all the hard water, acid rain marks.
I’ll add that I use Griot’s Garage products almost exclusively. Every product of theirs that i’ve tried is of the highest quality, yielding exceptional results. Just don’t try to outsmart yourself. Follow their directions.
I also have their orbital polishers. Another really good product, specifically made for auto paint care.
Note: IF you use their Best Of Show wax, be prepared for a workout. That stuff dries harder than Chinese arithmetic!
Last edited by Bronze Bird; 06/23/1909:30 PM.
I'm a hobbyist. Not a professional. Don't be hatin'!
I was thinking about their polisher, seems to have a lot of good reviews for an entry level polisher, some even better than a few more expensive machines.. I've been hesitant as I see a lot of cars that have been machine polished that have the pattern of the polishing pad's path visible at certain light angles. Does yours come out like a hand waxed car with no polisher tracks? Do you use it for polish and wax?
I was thinking about their polisher, seems to have a lot of good reviews for an entry level polisher, some even better than a few more expensive machines.. I've been hesitant as I see a lot of cars that have been machine polished that have the pattern of the polishing pad's path visible at certain light angles. Does yours come out like a hand waxed car with no polisher tracks? Do you use it for polish and wax?
This stuff works great on swirl marks, and like I said their stuff goes on and wipes off really easy, no real need for a buffer. I do my car, and I have had rotator cuff surgery a few months ago.
I was thinking about their polisher, seems to have a lot of good reviews for an entry level polisher, some even better than a few more expensive machines.. I've been hesitant as I see a lot of cars that have been machine polished that have the pattern of the polishing pad's path visible at certain light angles. Does yours come out like a hand waxed car with no polisher tracks? Do you use it for polish and wax?
No swirl marks, holograms or ghosts at all. The finish is like a mirror. I've used Griot's polish, sealant, wax, and polish/sealant products (also their vinyl/rubber dressing, tire shine,...). I've gotten some surprising results using their mildest polish and wool pad...leveling out touch ups and removing very light scratches. I have not used the more aggressive polishes or pads. I have a 6" polisher, and their 3" polisher for the tighter places. They don't spin fast enough to develop any heat. Just follow their directions and you can't go wrong. They even have a special pad for claying with the polisher.
Last edited by Bronze Bird; 06/25/1912:36 PM.
I'm a hobbyist. Not a professional. Don't be hatin'!
Haven't gotten around to buying any new products yet, Zanio, bar keepers or anything else. I was given a clazillia fake clay bar kit while I was in Calgary last week. Just a foam type handle with some velcro on it and a rubber pad that velcros to the handle and a bottle of zilla juice. I used up my real clay bar doing all the windows in our cars and trucks. I just got back from a 2000 mile trip across the Rockies, it rained like hell a couple or three hundred of those miles and covered the car with some pretty ugly road grime. After washing the car, I could still see where the wipers had scraped off the grime but could still see the grime where the wipers didn't touch. I thought the clazilla may work as well as the real one so I tried it on the windshield. No difference, did it a couple times more, may as well have saved my effort. The fake claybar did diddly squat. Tried windex which wasn't much better, some bath and kitchen cleaner with similar results. I wish I'd bought the bar keepers friend! I got out an old bottle of Meguiar's deep crystal paint cleaner, step one in the three step system. I had to go over the glass twice but it got the windshield clean. As for the paint, it looks clean but I know i'll have to give it a thorough bar, cleaner, polish and wax treatment.
Just thought I'd pass this on in case anyone was thinking of buying a clazillia clay bar system, save your money.