wasnt so expensive, I mean dont get me wrong I put in enought money for the cooper that I am to the point where I dont care, but honestly.. Why is clay so expensive.

I know they probably "refine" it and make it useable on cars but all I do is cut it onto small pieces and usa a small piece at a time and its like I am buying clay more than gas.

 

is clay really that expensive? I never thought so, especially the amount
of work it can do when used correctly.

perhaps you should just cut back on your icecream intake?

 

lol..

Well for a small bar (maybe 2) its like $20, and it is a small price to pay for the amount of work it does, but..... Its clay... Is clay really that expensive or is it just jacked up cause its "detailing"clay..

 

yah, i just noticed DP stopped selling their clay. i thought those were like
$12 for a small bar which have lasted me over one season.

im going to use up my griot's clay first before ordering any more. i got
a whole CLUMP for $20.

 

Honestly, clay is one of the less expensive things I use. A small bar has survived a whole year. And really I never toss out clay, it just goes into the dirty jar for use on windows & wheels.
But you are right it seems expensive for no more then it is.

 

I detail cars on the side and buy clay by the pound (4 bars) and then cut each into 4 pieces. Since I use dawn in my lubricant, each piece is pretty much shot after a single use. That's enough to do 16 cars. Since I charge enough to compensate for supplies, and utilize every ounce of clay to it's fullest, it isn't a second thought to me, but someone will say to me they use that much clay a year just on their car alone and don't know how I can cope with the cost to detail cars. Honestly, how many times are you claying the thing? Each wax? Every wash?! You should only need to do it twice a year (before and after winter) and that will be plenty if your car is well maintained. If I detailed only my car, a single pound of clay would last me up to 8 years. That's a pretty decent return on the initial investment. The place I get clay from says that each bar will last for 18 cars (if you don't use dawn). Now how long will that last? You do the math. A piece of clay should get you alot for your buck, and if it's not, you're doing something wrong (or just so OCD it's rediculous).

 

I have also never thought of clay as expensive, I also use it for a long time on wheels and glass. Or just to play with

Mark

 

So where do we buy a pound of clay for cheap?

 

^^ I was wondering the same thing. Also if you were to buy it by the lb. what is the shelf life if stored in a sealed container?

Mark

 

With two show cars and two daily drivers plus a couple side details for family/friends I barely used 1/2 a bar of this ...
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-3200-2.html

 

if you keep your car clean you wont need so much clay.

 

A quick coat of cleaner wax helps greatly in keeping the clay clean

 

This is quite true. I use P21S Total Auto Wash, then P21S Paintwork Cleanser, then clay. The clay is generally very clean after using it.

 

When I quick detailed my '03 Cooper daily(daily driver), in two years and 50,000 miles or so, I clayed once. The finish remained smooth as glass simply because I maintained it and didn't allow contaminants to bond to the paint.

So when people post how long their clay lasts, etc... it really solely depends on how they maintain their rides.

I onced clayed an Envoy. I went through two brand new bars of clay because the finish was in such bad shape. Today I would opt for the high tech rubber claybar sponges for a car like that. It has a tendency to potentially slightly haze the finish but if you're polishing with a PC, it's not a bad tradeoff. The bars cost around $12 and supposedly can do around 30 cars. But as usual it depends on how much contaminants you need to remove. I've gotten around 12 to 16 cars before deciding to retire mine. The advantages are many though. You can clay around Clear Bra and vinyl graphics without worrying about leaving clay traces behind. You can drop the sponge or leave it anywhere when not in use. I also use a bucket of water with Dawn soap as a lubricant and flood the panel with the soap water solution with just a squeeze of the sponge. A Dirt Guard in the solution bucket keeps the grit at the bottom too.

I have these rubber sponges in stock
http://www.showcardetailing.com/esho...exd.asp?id=163



Claying graphics is no problem


Even set it down in a convenient place like the top of this tire as you work


Rinses off with running water or in a bucket

 

Richard are you saying to use this on paint that is in good shape, as in, clean, always washed, with a good wax/sealant, or for those paint surfaces that have been neglected?

Mark

 

It would be my first choice to use on paints that are heavily contaminated and need lots of claying. If the paint is already in good shape and you aren't planning on polishing, stick with regular clay bar.

But for those areas with vinyl graphics, heavy contamination, bad swirling, etc... I'd use the rubber claybar. Consider it another tool in your toolbox, not necessarily a replacement for traditional clay, though for some, depending on the type of work they do, it could be.

Richard