So many Clay Bars

Rocket

Rocket

New member
Well I dropped my Tropi-care clay bar on the ground today while I was claying the truck so it's time to get another one. I still have half of this one left but I figure I would go a head and get at least one more to have on hand.



I was looking and there are so many to chose from. Fine, ultra fine... and several brands. Any suggestions? I was thinking of getting both a fine and ultra fine to have for tougher jobs
 
For the most part, many of them perform more or less the same. And in most cases, they are the same, from the same producer, just packaged/colored for individual brand.
 
I've boiled it down to two claybars and now I never use anything else. Both from Sonus (the Autopia store/Better Car Care). Gray for infrequent, serious cleaning and Green for regular, light cleaning (that won't even strip the LSP). I used another clay (a well known yellow one) that I'd used for years the other day just to use it up- and was so disgusted with its performance I simply pitched it and went to the Sonus gray.



I don't know what's different about the Sonus clays (besides the green one being so gentle), but this was a night and day difference and about as close to a side-by-side comparison as you can get. I was using the Sonus to clean the yellow clay residue off the vehicle and it was *still* picking up more contamination than the yellow clay did. A clearly superior product.
 
Accumulator said:
I've boiled it down to two claybars and now I never use anything else. Both from Sonus (the Autopia store/Better Car Care). Gray for infrequent, serious cleaning and Green for regular, light cleaning (that won't even strip the LSP). I used another clay (a well known yellow one) that I'd used for years the other day just to use it up- and was so disgusted with its performance I simply pitched it and went to the Sonus gray.



I don't know what's different about the Sonus clays (besides the green one being so gentle), but this was a night and day difference and about as close to a side-by-side comparison as you can get. I was using the Sonus to clean the yellow clay residue off the vehicle and it was *still* picking up more contamination than the yellow clay did. A clearly superior product.
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Hmm. I'll have to try the Sonus clays sometime.



Do you know how the Souns clay compares to Clay Magic?
 
ZaneO said:
Do you know how the Souns clay compares to Clay Magic?
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Heh heh, you got me there :nixweiss Clay Magic is about the best known of all consumer clays and I've never even tried it :o (my local places don't stock it)



I'd like to hear a comparison report from somebody who's used both the Sonus gray and the Clay Magic. The Sonus green will impress you, I'm sure of that. But it's too mild for serious claying. Should be just right for your F-body though ;) Those pics of yours from the recent gathering have stuck in my mind :D
 
Well I've only used Clay Magic blue bar and Tropi-care. I liked them both and they worked about equal but I thought I would try another brand to compair. I've been looking at the Sonus bars since this little banner keeps flashing at me when I post :)
 
Accumulator said:
I used another clay (a well known yellow one) that I'd used for years the other day just to use it up- and was so disgusted with its performance I simply pitched it and went to the Sonus gray.



I don't know what's different about the Sonus clays (besides the green one being so gentle), but this was a night and day difference and about as close to a side-by-side comparison as you can get. I was using the Sonus to clean the yellow clay residue off the vehicle and it was *still* picking up more contamination than the yellow clay did. A clearly superior product.
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Hmmm. Pinnacle? Zaino?
 
Actually the yellow clay I used was some Griot's (gee, maybe not such a well known one after all :o ), which I've found indistinguishable from Mother's.



FWIW, I've read/heard lots of marring stories related to the Pinnacle clay, dunno why but marring seems to come more with their stuff (the Poly Clay IIRC) than with others. Just the impression I get from what people say, not first-hand experience.
 
They really are all about the same. Just go to a autoparts store and look for blue clay magic or some Megs, you cant go wrong with any of them
 
anyone ever try the carbrite clay? maybe im the only one to try it out for 24 bucks a bar? i know someone else in this world has used it. cmon.
 
I too think most are the same, except the sonus green ultra fine does appear to be pretty gentle but has a tendancy to cling to the paint if not lubricated really really well. I very much like the Opti-clay for general use, but as a professional I always polish after claying so I prefer the most aggressive clay I can get my hands on...I now primarily use the Clay Magic Med (grey). Patrick can verify that I probably go through two or three bars of this stuff a week (rust contamination is horrendous in my area).
 
? I did about 30 cars with my clay bar (from Swissol) and it's still performing well, must be really good stuff then....
 
From my experience not all clays are the same. Meguiar's Regular (white) was absolutely attrocious. Very hard, almost impossible to fold, and I needed about five passes where I would only need one with Mothers. Mothers is easier to find for me than clay magic. Both of those were very good for me.
 
Twister said:
I was thinking of getting both a fine and ultra fine to have for tougher jobs
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Realize that the ultra-fine clay is for well-maintained cars. Using it "for tougher jobs" is not the correct application.
 
StoicDude said:
From my experience not all clays are the same. Meguiar's Regular (white) was absolutely attrocious. Very hard, almost impossible to fold, and I needed about five passes where I would only need one with Mothers.
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That's about 2 generations ago. I had a bar of that too; it was awful, it actually had a crack in the bar when I got it (directly from Meg's). It even had a hard crust on it that would shatter when you tried to fold/knead it. They then replaced that with an excellent clay that was in a bag that had "Meguiar's" printed on it in black logo lettering (as opposed to the unprinted bag of the hard white bar), and of course they have now replaced that with the ultra-fine clay. The best thing about the Meg's clay is that it is white so you can really see what is coming off the paint.
 
Well, I've used Mothers Claybar and is kinda tough to work on TBH :down . I have now Clay Magic and fine clay from rightlook. Waiting till' later spring to try them out!!! But have to admit, the Mothers lube is one of a kind!!! :bigups



Long time since my last post... Good to be back!!!!! :wavey
 
ABS, the opti-clay is great and is perfect for medium-duty work. It kneads very well, which is important because I feel the more you knead the clay, the more it tucks away removed contanimation...resulting in less marring. If you're taking any serious amount overspray or rust contamination out...it will marr. But if you are an Autopian and your car is well-maintained, my vote goes for the Sonus ultra fine - it really kneads well.
 
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