Pitted front bumper?

[My2010M3]

Washing my car today, as I was drying it off, felt the front bumper was really rough, like it was pitted. Wasn't like that before. Headlight lenses felt pitted too. Just on the front bumper nowhere else. Can I clay that front bumper? Can only feel it and it"s AW. How can I get that smooth feel back?

[Hawk Lax]

clay will remove surface contaminents and its fine on anything thats painted, including your bumper. Are you sure its not pitting from rock chips?

[My2010M3]

Shouldn't be rock chips. Can't see anything, just feels really rough like a sap or something and just on the nose and headlamp lenses. If I can clay the bumper, I'll try that and then some wax after.

[Hawk Lax]

might want to try a bug and tar remover first and see if that does the trick, then wax after.

[My2010M3]

Clayed the front bumper. Everything came off, could see little, I mean tiny little specs of road crap I guess. Any way, got it feeling like buter again. Still can feel a tiny bit of something on the headlamp lenses. Can I clay the lenses too? Have to keep my eye on this stuff, must be a lot of crap out there.

[Hawk Lax]

I would use plexus on the headlights, and see if that works. There is a chance that claying might mar the lenses.

[quality_sound]

Clay won't mar the lenses. Go ahead and use it on them as well.

[My2010M3]

Not sure what plexus is, or whwere you would get it. I'm not very good about using some of the excotic name brand items mentioned in these forums, but on the same hand, I don't want to ruin the car finish either. The clay kit was a meguire's kit and I had some of their wax from previous cars. All seemed to work well in the past. Clay is new to me though, and it did get my bumper cleaned up quite well. Felt sooo much better! But don't want to scratch the head lamps.

[quality_sound]

Plexus is a plastic polish. But the clay WON'T cause any damage to your headlights.

[Hawk Lax]

plexus is readily available, google it and check your local autoparts stores, pepboys, etc might carry it. Clay is an abrasive and may mar the plastic. Plexus and a good microfiber towel and your good to go.

[johnL]

I've used clay on the lenses without scratching them.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by Hawk Lax

plexus is readily available, google it and check your local autoparts stores, pepboys, etc might carry it. Clay is an abrasive and may mar the plastic. Plexus and a good microfiber towel and your good to go.

For the love of christ, not this shit again.

Clay is NOT abrasive. If it was it would be no different than polishing. If you're getting scratching or marring with clay it was because it picked up a large piece of something and that's what caused the scratches.

[Templar]

^ +1

Look up clay on any automotive part website... It's not an abrasive. It can be used on your lights, car, windows etc...

Biggest issue with clay is that people drop it, then it picks up crap in it, and they try to salvage it and use it. If you drop it, throw it away and get a new one.

[bobbyd1961]

is there any repair for 2 small indentations in bumper .

got hit in the bumper yesterday and the screws from the other car license plate caused two small screw indentations. can they be popped out and touched up instead of changing the entire bumper?

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by bobbyd1961

is there any repair for 2 small indentations in bumper .

got hit in the bumper yesterday and the screws from the other car license plate caused two small screw indentations. can they be popped out and touched up instead of changing the entire bumper?

If you have a VERY good body shop they can plastic weld some repair pieces in and then paint and it would look fine. There's another option, but I can't recall the name of the product right now, but I would do the plastic welding since you won't have to worry about differing expansion and contraction rates.

If it was me, I'd claim a new bumper on the insurance of the guy/girl that hit you. Most insurance companies prefer replacement over repair on plastic bumpers.

[Hawk Lax]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

For the love of christ, not this shit again.

Clay is NOT abrasive. If it was it would be no different than polishing. You should educate yourself before speading drivel like this. If you're getting scratching or marring with clay it was because it picked up a large piece of something and that's what caused the scratches.

Please read below before insulting anyone
This is directly from a clay retailers site, Here is the link http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-clay.html

"USES FOR CLAY
Clay is not a cure-all or a replacement for polishing. It's a tool for quickly and easily removing surface contamination.

One of the many reasons for using a clay bar is the removal of brake dust. Brake dust contamination, which attaches to painted rear bumpers and adjoining surfaces, is a metallic surface contaminant that can be removed safely and effectively by using clay.

Sonus offers the most gentle detailing clay available on the market today. Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay removes light to moderate contamination with very little effort. Its very low abrasive content reduce the chances of scuffing even the softest paint finishes. Customers report using this car clay as often as monthly with fantastic results.

Clay is also very effective on paint over-spray. If the over-spray is particularly heavy, you may want to seek the assistance of a professional. Tree sap and tar specks can also be safely removed with a clay bar.

Recently, I have also started using clay on my windows (exterior) to remove heavy road film, bug deposits and water spots. It works very well, and seems to outperform even the best window cleaners.

HOW DOES DETAILING CLAY WORK?
Detailing clay marketing information often reads something like this: “…clay pulls contamination off of your paint...” This sounds silly when you realize that you must lubricate the surface when you use a car clay bar. How in the world do you pull on something that’s wet and slippery?

This myth was born from a fear of telling people the truth. Clay is an abrasive paint care system. Yet used properly, detailing clay is not abrasive to your car’s paint; it is abrasive to paint contamination.


CAR CLAY BAR FORMULATIONS

Detailing clay formulation determines the optimal function of the clay and its potential to do damage when used improperly.
As an example, a professional grade clay bar that’s designed to remove paint overspray is very firm and contains abrasives equivalent to heavy rubbing compound. Used properly it will remove heavy overspray without damaging the paint. Used improperly, it can leave some pretty significant surface marring. That’s why it’s a professional product.

Most consumer grade detailing clays are designed to be used as an annual or semi-annual paint maintenance tool prior to polishing and waxing. At this frequency, these detailing clay products work great. Simply use the clay as part of your major detailing regimen.

The problem we were beginning to see is that many car enthusiasts wanted to clay their vehicles frequently; as often as monthly. At this rate of use, some consumer grade detailing clay can begin to dull clear coat finishes. After all, it is an abrasive!

Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay is so fine that it's safe to use monthly to keep paint smooth and clean. The clay easily removes the dirt and makes the paint finish feel super slick."

Just for your education: Automotive clay is not a replacement for polish or a compound; it is a pliable, petroleum resin product, Polybutene PB-1 (Polyisobutylene) containing a mild abrasive(s) i.e. kaolin, silica sand, calcium carbonate, alumina, ceramics quartz and also silicon carbide that polishes and exfoliates bonded surface contaminants by shearing, which is then encapsulated by the clay resin. These abrasives are extremely small with an average particle size of 1- µ (micron) dependant on the aggressiveness required, mixed in with a powdered synthetic detergent.

Why do you think you use a lube before you glide clay across your paint? Claying done improperly can mar paint and plastic, or go on thinking that I'm spreading uneducated drivel.

[quality_sound]

If clay was abrasive you'd HAVE to polish every time you used it or you'd have really smooth swirled paint. And clay sure as hell doesn't shear anything off. If it sheared things off rather than pull them from the paint then anything you'd still be able to see it when you were done claying!

The lube is there to keep the contaminants from marring the finish once pulled from the paint.

http://www.autogeek.net/detailing-clay-bar.html


And here is Auto Magic's page. Note, they INVENTED the clay bar. They might have an idea what they're talking about.
http://www.claymagic.net/whatisclaymagic.htm

[Hawk Lax]

Look at Mike Phillips article about clay at autogeek "
Detailing clay uses a special abrasive that has the ability to basically sand off any contaminants sitting on top of the surface off without installing scratches into your car's paint at the same time. In the old days, people would use coarse rubbing compounds to remove above surface bonded contaminants and while these types of products would work they would also instill scratches into the paint and at the same time remove perfectly good paint. That's two negative things you don't want to do your car's precious clear layer of paint." Link to full article http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-phillips.html

Link to patent for automotive clay http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5727993/fulltext.html

This is the last I have to say, if after being confronted with the facts and the actual formula for clay which includes abrasive(s), and was invented in Japan, if you want to continue thinking it has no abrasives, I've got better things to do then to fight with you or lower myself to name calling and abusive comments. Have a nice one

[bobbyd1961]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

If you have a VERY good body shop they can plastic weld some repair pieces in and then paint and it would look fine. There's another option, but I can't recall the name of the product right now, but I would do the plastic welding since you won't have to worry about differing expansion and contraction rates.

If it was me, I'd claim a new bumper on the insurance of the guy/girl that hit you. Most insurance companies prefer replacement over repair on plastic bumpers.

thank you for your insight.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by Hawk Lax

Look at Mike Phillips article about clay at autogeek "
Detailing clay uses a special abrasive that has the ability to basically sand off any contaminants sitting on top of the surface off without installing scratches into your car's paint at the same time. In the old days, people would use coarse rubbing compounds to remove above surface bonded contaminants and while these types of products would work they would also instill scratches into the paint and at the same time remove perfectly good paint. That's two negative things you don't want to do your car's precious clear layer of paint." Link to full article http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-phillips.html

This is the last I have to say, if after being confronted with the facts and the actual formula for clay which includes abrasive(s), and was invented in Japan, if you want to continue thinking it has no abrasives, I've got better things to do then to fight with you or lower myself to name calling and abusive comments. Have a nice one

And Mike Phillips word shoud be taken over the company that invented the clay bar, or the countless people that have used clay bars, and professional detailers why exactly? Flat out, Mike is wrong.

Again, if it "basically sanded off" the contaminants they'd still be visible which does what for you? If the point of a clay bar is to remove contaminants what good would it do to saw them in half? Having smooth contaminants? For every person you post a link to that says they're abrasive I can find you ten that say they're not, including manufacturers.

In the end, if the company that invented it says they're not, and my considerable experience, and the experience of many, many other detailers, with them confirms this, I'll go with they're not.

And you didn't link to any formula whatsoever, you copied from some text from a manufacturer that said they modified the formula and added an abrasive. An item, I might add, that is a boutique, mail-order/internet order only, item. Very, very few people are going to use it. 99.9% of clay bar users pick them up locally and everything readily available has no abrasives in it. I know the clay bar was invented in Japan, it was in the link I posted. Clay Magic invented it in Japan. What does where it was invented have to do with the price of milk?

And for the last time, if clay was abrasive what would be the point of it? At that point it would be absolutely no different than polishing.

Continue to live in your hole if you want but the facts don't back up your position.

[My2010M3]

So I called all over Indy yesterday looking for plexus. I'm not very good about waiting for things to be delivered. Probably why I don't use all the excotic brands mentioned in these forums. Nobody carried it, everything but plexus, stopped by the dealership and badabing!!! they had it. Long story short, worked perfectly! If it wasn't for everyone's help and opinions, I'd never know about half of this stuff. Both the clay and the plexus got my front back to it's smooth fresh finish!!!! I'm at about sixth grade level on most of this, but I read all of the posts and learn something each time I log on. Thanks for everyone's help!

[Hawk Lax]

Good to hear that Plexus was all you needed. Its the only stuff I use for cleaning the plastic over the instrument cluster and any other clear plastic in or on the car. Works great on the tail lights too.