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Bumps after Clay Bar

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  • #1

    Bumps after Clay Bar

    New to this forum and new to Meguiar's products...

    Recently processed by car using the Clay bar kit - followed the instructions to the "T". The finish was as smooth as glass and I applied a thin coat of wax that came with the kit and I was ecstatic with the results! Three days later, I ran my hand over the car and felt these little bumps. My car is silver (Mazda MX-5 Sunlight Silver) and I could not see the bumps - I could only feel them. Did I do something wrong? Was there something I was supposed to do after waxing to maintain that smooth as glass finish?

    I am a fanatic about wiping down my car with a microfiber cloth before I pull it into the garage for the night. I also have an OXO car duster. I realize that there are so many things flying in the air that cling to the cars finish, but I thought for sure that the smooth finish would have lasted more than 3 days!!!

    Any suggestions?
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

    Where do you park the car?

    Mike Phillips
    760-515-0444
    showcargarage@gmail.com
    "Find something you like and use it often"

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

      Have Questions? Looking for Answers?
      So much good, practical and helpful information in these two forums
      Hot Topics
      How To Articles


      The below article is a "Sticky" in the Hot Topics forum. Not really just posting this for you but for everyone that reads this into the future but it does apply to this thread too...


      How often do I need to clay my car's finish?


      Mike Phillips
      760-515-0444
      showcargarage@gmail.com
      "Find something you like and use it often"

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

        The parking lot at work - I am at the end of a cul de sac in an industrial park. It is exposed to the sun for most of the day and also to regular elements (pollen, dust, etc.). The finish on the car is worse now than it was before using the clay bar and after having the car for a year.

        After using the clay bar, the car sat in the garage the rest of the day plus the following day (e.g. -clay bar on Sunday, took car to work on Tuesday, noticed bumps on Wednesday).

        Is there a product I can use to smooth out the finish without using the clay bar?

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

          Originally posted by rkcrozier View Post
          Is there a product I can use to smooth out the finish without using the clay bar?
          Well clay isn't making your paint bumpy and clay is the right product to use to remove above surface bonded contaminants.

          What you need to do is a test, take an affected panel like the hood, (it has the bumps correct?), the after washing or wiping the hood clean, take some clay and just clay a small area that has bumps and check to see if claying removes the bumps in a small area.

          This is a way of testing with a control.

          Do this and then post back what you find out.

          Mike Phillips
          760-515-0444
          showcargarage@gmail.com
          "Find something you like and use it often"

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

            We had a customer call the Meguiar's Customer Care Center last week with the identical scenario - their car was glass smooth immediately after claying but a couple of days later the surface was once again bumpy to the touch. The customer was rather upset when they called thinking that somehow the clay had damaged their paint. Turns out as we discussed things in detail - where the vehicle is parked, what's in the surrounding area, etc - there are tall pine trees very close by and what the customer was feeling (they couldn't actually see anything on the surface) was very fine tree sap mist. When it was recommended to them to try using Ultimate Quik Detailer on the paint, which they did while on the phone, they were astounded that this did the trick.

            They had clayed and waxed the car just days before and that prep, along with the fact that the tree sap was apparently a fine mist, meant that UQD did the trick for them. While this is not a guarantee that UQD will work for you (different types of sap, fallout, etc) it's certainly worth a quick shot.
            Michael Stoops
            Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

            Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

              Good point Mike.

              Different types of tree sap will dissolve differently while some won't dissolve at all at least when washing with water and require other means such as claying.

              On a warm/hot day most green trees and bushes will emit some kind of tree sap mist.

              Bad for cars, but the oxygen they make for us is the flip-side of the coin plus a lot of other things...

              Mike Phillips
              760-515-0444
              showcargarage@gmail.com
              "Find something you like and use it often"

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                I am happy to report that last night I took a microfiber towel and wiped a small portion of the hood of the car and discovered these small black dots. I sprayed some Quik Detailer and after wiping, the bumps and dots disappeared!!! I was so relieved. I proceeded to wipe down the entire car and the finish was as smooth as glass - just as it was after using the clay bar. I had found out my wife had taken the car to work and parked it under a tree, so the sap story (no pun intended) was probably accurate. I will definitely have to invest in more Quik Detailer - its awesome!!!

                I appreciate the input I received from all that responded. Please accept my gratitude for the suggestions.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                  Thanks for the follow-up... we're here to see you through to success!

                  Mike Phillips
                  760-515-0444
                  showcargarage@gmail.com
                  "Find something you like and use it often"

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                    Glad you solved the problem.
                    quality creates its own demand

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                      Originally posted by rkcrozier View Post
                      I appreciate the input I received from all that responded. Please accept my gratitude for the suggestions.
                      One additional suggestion: make sure to keep a nice coat of wax on the car in case this ever happens again. Without the wax you may not have been able to remove the sap quite so easily.
                      Michael Stoops
                      Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

                      Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                        I definitely will do that. Are there signs, other than beading that you can see if a car needs to be waxed? I usually watch how it beads when its wet and usually figure every three months to wax it.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                          Originally posted by rkcrozier View Post
                          I definitely will do that. Are there signs, other than beading that you can see if a car needs to be waxed? I usually watch how it beads when its wet and usually figure every three months to wax it.
                          There's a test called the Squeak Test you can find it in the "How To Articles" forum.

                          It's better to be pro-active and apply a new coat of wax before it's actually needed.

                          PM - Preventative Maintenance

                          If you're waxing every three months then you're already practicing preventative maintenance.

                          Mike Phillips
                          760-515-0444
                          showcargarage@gmail.com
                          "Find something you like and use it often"

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                            I have to say I knew how this story was going to end. I just knew it.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Bumps after Clay Bar

                              Originally posted by HagFan View Post
                              I have to say I knew how this story was going to end. I just knew it.
                              Been there, done that have you?
                              Michael Stoops
                              Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

                              Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

                              Comment

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