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The clay bar removes impurities that get stuck to the paint and won't come off otherwise unless you use an abrasive polish. You can only do that so many times before you go through the paint. The clay leaves an extremely smooth surface, free of schmaltz, that is ready for a coat of wax or glaze. It's fairly quick and easy to do and I do it to my cars at least once a year.
Regretfully, it's step 1/2, after the step 0 wash!
Big clay bar fan...very simple and fantastic results...once a year here as well on all my cars...even the minivan!
Just did it yesterday in preparation for Carlisle run. I'm a booster too.
I would clay bar my car now, in anticipation of early trips this Spring, but it's so friggin cold out there that the "clay" bar is more like a "Rock" bar.....
Big clay bar fan here...if you think your paint is clean, all polished, waxed and shiny and have not used a clay bar on it first...well there is a huge difference using one or not.
Best and most convincing test of the benefits of a clay bar is to take a freshly waxed, clean car and following directions clay bar about a 2x2 area, then lightly run your fingers over it and then onto the untouched surface...you'll notice the difference immediately. I was first introduced to using a clay bar by a Meguiar rep at a big car show. I had spent the previous weekend cleaning up, washing, polishing and waxing the freshly finished '33 Vicky. The Rep came up to me at the show admired the car and asked if I used a clay bar on it... he then convinced me to let him demonstrate using it on a rear fender...WOW! what a difference in feel and look the paint actually was more shiny where he'd clay barred. Been a fan ever since.
I've since found out that there are different grades of clay bar that pro-body shops and detailers use. For the hobbyist/DIY'ers Meguiars 'blue' or 'white' clay bars are the easiest and best to use they are not as aggressive on the paint as some of the pro-line ones can be if not used correctly.
Yup -- clay bar is the bomb. If never done and you hear about it and stop to think, you say,"Huh? Really? How could THAT work?" But boys and girls it does.
Interesting about the clay bar. I've heard the clay paste used by detailers.
Could someone please describe the process of the clay bar treatment ? I've heard of it but never used it. No wax removal needed first ? Is it a paste, liquid, mechanical buff later...do you wax over it, etc ? thanks
Steps 1-5 are lacking, Tom. Each step should conclude with: Take a sip of your beer!
Air contains contaminants and those contaminants adhere readily to our cars paint or gelcoats. Even if the car is kept inside under a car cover the contaminants some how get onto the surface.
You only need to use about a 1/2 dollar size piece of clay bar, on the Mequiars I'm familiar with just cut off about a 1/2'' wide strip...you can use more if you wish but I've found that is about the right size.
Knead it well, using a a couple spritzes of detail spray helps in doing this, until it is very pliable.
Flatten the clay bar out to the size of a small pancake, once again spritz it.
Spritz detail spray over a small area then begin rubbing in a circular motion...for some real dark surfaces such as black use a linear motion otherwise it may show streaks on the surface later and is sometimes hard to polish back out...learned from experience on this. If the clay bar sticks or drags you need more detail spray. Always knead the bar after each area done...you will see the contaminants on the bar...amazing how dirty your freshly polished and waxed car really is...
If you ever drop the clay bar on the floor THROW IT OUT, do not continue to use it. It can and will pick up all kinds of nasty stuff that if you continue using it can possibly harm the paint.
Using a couple of micro-fiber towels polish off the detail spray then move on to the next area.
Once you have completed the whole car do the 'finger test' on it, if you come across a 'rough area just hit it with the clay bar again.
Now you are ready for a polish and wax job and a much shinier finish in the end.
Be sure and follow up after the wax job with a detail spray working over the whole car using two or more micro-fiber clothes to help remove any stray wax streaks you may have missed.
Of course a 'beer break' is a requisite requirement between steps...LOL
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Of course if you want to do a show quality detail then your first step is a thorough wash and rinse with a top quality automotive wash, de-wax the surface with a wax remover then clay bar the entire surface, polish, wax and detail spray.
I've been building and showing cars, muscle cars, street and hot rods, tri-5's and Cobras and Corvettes for over 30 years and have learned a lot on my own and from others, of what works well and what doesn't.
As for which polish/wax/clay bar product is best, that is a cup of worms to go there, everyone swears to hi-heven the product they use is the absolute best on the market be it 'Monkey-Poop mixed with coconut oil extract and essense of palm'...(lol), Meguiars Gold line, Blue Coral, Griot's Garage pro-line, Surf City,etc. and the 'specialty' companies that make products 'exclusively' for Corvettes, Porsche's and exotics and cost an arm and a leg($28 for a 12oz bottle of finish spray for a 'vette...Yikes!...) my advice is find a product that works well for you and gives you the finish you like.
I use Meguiars clay bars and detail spray for clay barring, along with Surf City polish/wax, both the liquid and paste varieties, and their finish spray...but those are what I like and I've been using Surf City products, practically since they were founded.
Steps 1-5 are lacking, Tom. Each step should conclude with: Take a sip of your beer!
I'm not sure if Tom will let everyone sip his beer. 
Tom B., define elbow grease please.
Rich, I'll define 'elbow grease' using a clay bar...it is way less effort than applying a paste wax by hand...
Does not take a lot of hard effort, if your brow is sweating and it is not a 100* in the garage, your working too hard at it
I've done plenty of clay bar, wax, polish, etc. I would consider them all elbow grease type work, but would put clay barring on the easier end of elbow grease, but still elbow grease.
Unfortunately the 'self cleaning, polishing, waxing, clay barring' system for a car has not yet been invented...LOL
Unfortunately the 'self cleaning, polishing, waxing, clay barring' system for a car has not yet been invented...LOL
It has been invented. It's called (Insert Name Here) Detail Shop and it costs more than a hundred bucks.
Want to know if your car needs to be clay-bared, put your hand in a plastic bag and lightly pass over your finish . You can[listen carefully] hear and feel if it's smooth.
You may also use a plastic playing card gently swiped across the finish.
