clay bar DIY or get a pro?

[BlueCollarTahoe]

Got a used 04 Tahoe, paint looks kinda of dull want to spruce it up. Should I attempt to clay bar wash and eax etc myself or is it better left to a pro? never done it before. could it mess up the paint?

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Clay barring is very simple. Larry @ AMMO NYC on youtube has a ton of good information and how to videos.

Actual paint correction can be much more involved and more costly to get all the equipment (a DA polisher, pads, etc...) and is a bit more difficult skill wise. Most people choose to pay pro detailers for this, but the significant amount of labor and time required make it fairly expensive.

 

[adventurenali92]

The clay bath itself is fairly easy. A good clay bar and clay lube(quick detailers spray) can be bought at most automotive stores. However claying alone most times does not remove dull or oxidized clear coat. The clay bar only picks up the contaminants off the paint that a wash step does not remove. As @TheAutumnWind , stated above, paint correction and restoring the finish requires a good polish compound, the correct pads and a dual action polishing machine.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Clay bar is easy and a good arm workout

Depending on how bad it is you might look into a cleaner wax - sometimes they have a very fine Polish built in that works some action as you wax your car.

As to buffing it, take it to the pro if you don't have experience. It's all too easy to burn through your clearcoat using power tools!

 

[adventurenali92]

@SnowDrifter makes an excellent point. Many times I've had clients call after they've attempted to polish paint and they've burned through clear coat Its a pretty specific process.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

@SnowDrifter makes an excellent point. Many times I've had clients call after they've attempted to polish paint and they've burned through clear coat Its a pretty specific process.

I'd imagine that a fair amount of those people were using rotary polishers and not DA's. Still though, definitely something to be aware of.

That being said I suppose that that was not the question.

You want to make sure to get the paint as clean as possible and then use a lot of "clay bar lube", or detailing spray, with the clay bar. If you drop on the ground then its done. I have a nanoskin autoscrub mitt which works in lieu of a bar made of clay. I like that a lot. Its reusable. I use it before every wax.

 

[4WDTRK]

I've taken my rig to a trusted detailer once a year since I bought it in '06 and the paint looks like new. Go with a pro for the best results.

 

[adventurenali92]

@TheAutumnWind , you'd be surprised. Damage can be done with a DA machine. Lol. @BlueCollarTahoe , the clay can be done yourself. That being said the clay step alone won't restore finish. Its the prep step for a good polish. And that I would definitely recommend having a trained professional detailer do. If you were in California I'd offer to do it as that is my business! Lol. But unfortunately we are not so lucky. Haha.

 

[jdpber]

Do the clay

 

[treehan77]

Clay bar is easy to do, quite q bit of work. I use the Nanoskin clay mitt more often, clay bar in heavy areas if needed. If you use a dual action orbital and a light pad, there's really no way to damage the paint. I use a porter cable 7424 and lake country orange pad quite often, with a light polish. Then a no cut pad with sealer/glaze and wax etc. Paint looks like new, you'd have to be extremely stupid to be able to mess it up.