No worries. Happy to help. It costs $39 bucks to ship internationally. (Actually it cost a bunch more, but I subsidize the remaining cost) Most people buy the AMMO Regimen (4 bottles) because its cheaper shipping divided amongst 4 products. (Still $39...and still another shameless plug) I feel so awkward when I have to describe AMMO products. Not trying to only promote my manufacturing. Lots of great stuff out there. A good theory I heard and believe: Find something you like, and use it often!
I made a lot of money using your tricks last summer, I made about 1500$. I know it's no where near what you make but not having a professional background and only being 17 I thought it was pretty badass lol.
Larry someone stoled my deWalt rotary polisher today. I bought it just about 7 years ago, and well now I have a reason for an upgrade. Watching these old videos helped me forget about that right now lol thanks. 👍🏼
You got it! Thx again for your comments. Let me know if I can help in the future. (Send me an email with your address and I will ship you a few AMMO stickers if you like!) -L larry@ammonyc.com
I am baffled with the fact that "how can anyone leave a thumbs down"? Out of spite? Jealousy? I will never understand that. In the meantime, another great video. We need to call you " Dr Larry"... You are the best through your ability to explain and communicate in plain and at the same time scientific English! I will never Thank You enough for doing what you do... And no, I am not throwing my "golf clubs" away!!!
You surely are the Yoda of the auto detailing world. Slowly going through all your videos, it's a lot better than what's on regular TV and very useful. The weather here in the UK has truly been awful, wet & cold, I just want to get out and detail my car. I did manage to wash the car this week, but just as I finished drying it, heavy snow started to fall and I keep my car out side.
So one thing I've learned from owning my Evo in the past is that any vehicle with the Brembo system has metallic dust that got embedded into the paint, it be easier to see if the paint was white or silver and you'd be able to see after time that it even rust or yellows the paint. Only way to get it off is to clay it and you'll see that Brembo dust come right off and hopefully not rust in the paint! Thanks for the awesome videos keep them coming!
I know EXACTLY how that paint feels after the clay job. The first time I ever clayed my paint I was amazed. It's actually feels SMOOTHER than glass if that possible. More like smooth ice with no friction. I LOVE your vids and you have a new subscriber. I;m sure I'll learn more than I already know from the info you provide.
Make a clay rinsing solution of water and a nice lubricating car wash soap. Just enough solution to rinse the small bit of clay. I add a bit of detail spray. Make sure it stays clean and dump it once it gets a bit dirty. If you have swirls use 3M Hand Glaze before you wax and you'll be AMAZED!
I thought clay was leaving a kind of oil, mix of finger oils, clay itself and maybe something in the soap, we usually go for a very diluted degreaser after claybar
Larry, that contamination is metals in the clear coat and most likely will come back unless you neutralize it. It can be stopped with a quart of warm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of baking soda on naked paint. Give the car a rinse with the mixture & it should do the trick. This used to be common years ago with rail dust. Dealers used to bring cars with this issue into body shops, they would remove it and then weeks latter it was back. When you clay the car it usually only takes off the tops of the metal and the rest is left embedded in the paint. With that said the more aggressive approach you took with the buffer could also solve the issue if the clay on the pad is "aggressive" A little late but i hope it helps in the future.
Just a thought, if you still haven't figured it out, I'm thinking it's primarily brake dust. (Looks like the rotors also have surface rust relatively quickly.) SUVs have this weird aerodynamic tendency to create a small "vortex" of air around the rear of the car, where air from the sides wraps back around and creates a small pocket of low-pressure air against the back hatch. So I'm thinking its brake dust from the fronts coating the side, and both front and rear brakes coating the rear of the car. Which would explain why the rear is worse, but you still have a large buildup on both sides and rear of the car.
I had a problem like this on my g35. I live in Hawaii, so no minerals or anything from the road. When I would rub my hand over the paint, it would feel really rough. Only clay could remove it. Turns out that it was coming from my front brakes. Although we couldn't pinpoint what actually was going on, what I did was replaced brake pads and it went away. Using a paint decontamination spray will show if it's metallic or not. Just my experience. Awesome videos. ALOHA.
My Fiat 500 Abarth also has an issue with the rear getting very dirty. I think it is a combination of the duel exhaust, the shape of body and the rear diffuser that makes very turbulent air behind the car. This just takes the fumes and road grime and places it all over my freshly ammo foamed and hydrated car. Thanks for another great video. Looking forward to adding Ammo Plum and Brute to my cleaning steps
Another great video Larry, very detailed as always. I'm encountering the same issue with the BRZ, especially in the rear of the car. It amazes me that it doesn't take much to contaminate the paint,looks like i have to clay the car soon.
Thanks Ammo, I think you solved my problem without asking. I have 2016 with the track brake package and within a few thousand miles my paint was rough and the glass, it came off as a brown color. Brake dust was probably the issue as well. I clayed it and its back to perfect. Thanks.
I clayed all the glass on my car today, then sealed it. The difference in the transparency of the glass is like night and day. Thanks for enlightening me about using clay.
Larry, I think you are on the right track with the contamination starting with the exhaust. I bought a new SUV right around the same time my friend bought a new pickup. Both have dual exhaust that exit at the rear. We both are OCD about keeping our cars clean and found this very small, brown, copper, rusty colour speckling that looked like over spray. The worst spots were the tailgates likely due to the exhaust exiting there, and the low pressure zone. disappeared after 25,000 miles or so
ammo NYC....I HAVE WATCHED COUNTLESS CAR DETAILING VIDS... I find your products are awesome and the knowledge you portray on how to use them very informative. Your work procedures are also intuitive and make a lot of sense on how to get professional results...kudos to you!!! will look for more info and vids on your site!! by for now...52yr old driveway amature detailer
I found that I was having a similar issue on my trans am. I would spend countless hours detailing, claying, polishing, sealing, and waxing to get perfectly smooth and glossy paint, only to find that I had contaminants stuck to the finish after just a week or two. The car was garage kept and only saw nice weather as well. I finally found that the issue was because of me washing it with our extremely hard calcium rich water. What was happening was I would wash the car out of sunlight and then dry it with a leaf blower. The leaf blower "looked" like it was blowing all the water off and the finish looked nice and glossy. The reality is that it was actually leaving tiny little microscopic droplets behind that were almost not visible. Those would dry on the paint and it was the equivalent of having microscopic water spots everywhere. I have since switched my method to drying with a damp plush microfiber towel and I have not had the issue since! Car has not been clayed or rewaxed in weeks and the finish feels amazing and glassy still. :D
I have the exact same issue on my 2015.5 Range Rover S/C. Can it be what you're describing - exhaust particles form a new engine that creates this strange buildup of dirt? Any new from your side on what it was? Did the owner continue to experience the same issues over and over again?
You sir, are the best detailing man (idk if that's the correct term) i've ever seen, you know what you're talking about, and your tips are really helpfull. Thanks for being there for all of us!
I had the same problem with my friend's 2012 Audi Q3, It's concrete, there are some serious construction works all over the town, the cement dust when it gets on the road it mix with water and sometimes grime. When you drive through a puddle of this it create a mist from under your wheels. :)
idd, ive been using clay for years, good for cleaning after paint, prepping before buff, and keeping the paint generally clean. good vid mate, id definitely favour that brake dust theory tho. hit it with some dilute wheel cleaner, see if it shows up like brake dust? not sure it fits with the tailgate tho, unless aerodynamics. but it could also been some contamination from the road? has it been gritting season? that was my other thought, the harsh grit would also explain the marring
I had tiny little rust spots embeded in my clearcoat all over my STI from some cheap brake pads/rotors. Clay bar cleaned it off pretty easily so I swear by that stuff now. Now that it's nice and smooth I should probably seal it up with some ammo products.
Hey! Just browsing through the videos you have up, nice cars you get to work on. It's nice seeing someone share the same obsessive compulsive behavior when it comes to a cars finish. I've worked in a couple body shops, one very commercial, the other a little more high-end, and I got to witness how much a good cut buff and polish can do to old paint. I've gotten pretty good at detailing, and I love the feeling of knowing that of all the people to clean a particular vehicle, I've done the best job
That's an insane amount of contaminant! Typical of a 5 year old car on it's first detail. I have a regular customer whose daily is a 911 Turbo S. Giant brakes, giant exhaust, giant performance, minimal contaminant. Great vid Larry!
A few weeks ago I "clayed" a red Fiat 500. Never, ever seen so much contamination on the trunk lid, rear bumper and the lower parts on the sides. It was literally full of black shades and little dots. The only thing I could think was: because of the design/form of the car, specially on the lower areas, the tires "throw" everything they pick out on the road right on the paint. But after clay and wax, looked and felt fantastic.
Wow, thanks for the reply Larry! Big fan of you and your work. Loved drive clean and have been gutted since it hasn't been on! Found out last week that you had your own channel and definitely made my day. My friends and family have always thought im a bit sad about how i can easily spend an entire day cleaning my car but i find there's something strangely therapeutic about it. Also of course its nice to see your pride and joy gleaming! Keep up the good work and look forward to series two :)
Norway salt is some vicious stuff. It turned my barents blue paint completely gray. I was happy having big plastic panels on the car getting hit the most.
I live in Calgary and our city uses a similar ice melting product on our roads. When the roads are free from snow and ice you can see the white powder on the road. As vehicles drive on it you can see how it is stirred up, it looks like your driving on a gravel road. This material bonds to the paint surface of anything that agitates it, even your boots. It is extremely difficult to wash it off a vehicle.
The cause of these dots on a paint is salt/sand mixture. Pretty common issue with vehicles operated during harsh winter. As I heard in Russia they use salt blend to fight with blizzards that cause undercarriage to be sanded to bare metal which leads to corrosion on low mileage cars.
I use to park for work at Eagle Farm Brisbane Queensland Australia and I would clay my car on Sunday and by Wednesday you wouldn’t know it all the industrial fallout was incredible couldn’t believe it.
I'm thinking more along on aero dynamics. IE, the air is channeling the dirt, "gunk"; along the side and adheiring to the paint from pressure. please correct me if you already figured it out!!! I'm a big fan of your videos and wanted to thank you for helping me become incredible making cars show there beauty with my new expertise.
Question. You say that you don't like to use normal clay with circular motions because of scratches. But this clay pad is doing exactly that. Comments? Thanks
As he stated in the video the contaminates were so heavy they returned after the first clay so he opted for a more aggressive approach the second time around IE clay on the buffing pad.
You used a rotary tool to "clay bar" the car but you always avoid the circular motion. Why is it okay then to use the orbital tool if circles on the paint are bad?
Looks to me like salt and dirt that's on the paint. It's very common in areas that get heavy snow as the salt dirt mix melts the snow and ice. Also I hope you realize all that rubbing, you showed as an example of the clay barred finish, is actually creating micro scratches. Even when you were leaning on the car a bit.
Same thoughts here, i live in Iceland and we use salt all the time in the winter. The cars here will get white. If the brakes are the problem usually the wheels will get very dark or you will se it in the wheel / brake pad /just around there. Brake dust will not be able to fly up to the rear part of the car. Also look at the front bumper, it has got a bit as well, this is very typical for these road conditions and aerodynamics.
Ironically, I'm using water hose water. The garage I work in allows me to regulate the temp based on how cold it is outdoors. The cooler water doesn't change things...its just sometimes uncomfortable on your hands when its that cold...and then people have a tendency to rush the job because they want to get warm. (which is understandable)
Hi Larry, was wondering if you ever figured out what was going on and how you solved it. I friend has a similar problem and that reminded me of your video. Thanks.
Dude. It's road salt. I am guessing you live on the east coast. I am new to New England (California native) and salt is everywhere. My car is covered from it after only a day.
Did you ever find out what it was? I'm seeing streams of something coming from the front grill. Could it be a very small radiator leak? Something that may come out when the system is hot and pressurized?
the "stuff" on the car is from the de-icer they put on the road ways to prevent freezing, when the road get even a little moisture on it the grime from the roadway will cake onto the car.
It is due to the caliper position. Notice how it is on the front? The brakes are cooled, and when air enters onto them from the inside it blows the brake dust out of the wheel and the the natural vacuum from the car driving makes the brake dust attach to the car.
I think the build up is probably due to the roads being driven on, if they are driving down any dirt or gravel roads, that might do it. The patterns of where the dirt is building up is spot on with debris picked up while driving on dirt roads. Hopefully that helps some. Best of luck figuring it out.
Is it possible that the car is picking up fine dust of clay from the ground? I cant see how the exhaust would get to the door panels unless a lot of smoke is coming from it?
I get the same thing on the side of my Mercedes CL after driving on a wet highway. This dirt is from the asphalt, thrown on the body by the tires and aerodynamics effect. Can't do much to prevent it, a mud flap/guard perhaps.
Hey Jonathan, long time no speak. Clay is one of the best investment for the paint. Super cheap for what you're getting out of it. Stay in touch bud. -L
I noticed it as well does not have mud flaps. It could be the a combination of the brake dust and road contaminants. My Ram truck does not have flaps and I get over spray from my brakes and the road too.
Hi Larry, I think I have the same problem on my black car. The only thing is that I know why I got it on my car. After using the black light product from Chemical guys I notice that I got those little dot on my paint. Any idea how I can remove it? I have pictures of it. Thanks
hmmm.great video as always. I know it passed one and a half year so far but one thing is probable cause for this. Firstly I think it's a road salt that was on the roads because it was winter time and roads were slippery due to low temperatures so the road maintenance drop some of that stuff on the roads before the actual snow so they can clean roads easily. It's enough to have just a little amount of haze while driving and that salty stuff will stick like a glue to all car parts that has some haze residue. I didn't read all the comments so I'm sorry if I'm repeating the same answer.
where did you get velcro backed clay bar pads?Is this one of for products? I just started to use micro fiber polishing circular pads and they are awesome for swirl removal!
One of your other videos you suggest straight lines for clay use, but you are using a spinning motion with the machine, is there any real difference? BTW: THANKS for the videos
I think i know what this contamination is. Some areas started using magnesium chloride and calcium chloride for deicer rather than the standard sodium chloride (table salt). Even after everything thaws out the residue if very fine and powdery compared to older style deicer and tends to stick to everything. One way to test for this is to send in 2 water samples one as a control and one with the residue dissolved into the water (make sure water comes from same container). that will be able to give you a rather good chemical analysis of the unknown contaminates as this will test for a wide range of minerals.
It seems to me that it is either: a brake product, an exhaust product, a petroleum based product or something organic like leaves byproduct. Brake products would react to your ammo plum, exhaust products wouldn't get up to the A pillar, petroleum vs organic could be identified using different solvents. Cheers! Love your show.
Maybe exhaust leak or oil/fluid leak or fine spray from under hood or undercarriage at front. Could be she drives on a two-lane road and the one side/lane has spills on it or is a truck route. Or maybe she parks always facing the same side at a hog-rendering plant or asphalt factory. Might even be the drive-thru people spraying grill cleaner on her car cuz she never has her money ready and holds up the line for 11 minutes every day. This could evolve into a mystery-comedy-tragedy movie. Stay gold.
Look how far out the tyres get from the wheelhouse....the tyres spray the car with all the things we find on roads - tar -salt - brake pad dust - industrial pollutions -etc... Great vid - and the guy is a pro - he knows his ways -just wants to tickle us a bit..... People who can afford a porsche - can afford to get it datailed once or twice a month - detailers have to make a living,too - dont they?? And we - the rest...... detail our own cars---- :-)
Try this one...or email my friend Phil at phil(AT)Detailersdomain(DOT)com and say you know me...he will hook you up with this clay bar detailersdomain(DOT)com/Uber-Blue-Clay-Bar_p_164.html
I have been binging your videos, I have a '13 Cayenne GTS that needs some interior TLC. DO you like/recommend leatherique? If not, what else can I use for leather (clean/condition)? I also have alcantara inserts, how often should I clean /condition those?thank you in advance for your response
The worst I encountered was with a car which had suffered a sticking rear brake, and the rotor had lots of surface rust. The dust this produced when worn down got dragged into the airstream behind the car, and the amount of rust particles I had to clay out of the rear bumper was truly astounding. Silver car, looked like it had been dusted over with orange paint.
I clay barred yesterday and even with a clean and soapy wet surface i still put a few good scratches in my paint. I think a cut polish will fix it, but it still hurts to see it. Not an easy job clay barring. Be very very careful.
Those NANO SKIN pads appear pretty awesome. I will definitely be buying a set of those. Question though. Approximately how long do the pads last? 1 car? 2 cars? 15 cars? I checked them out on line and they are a bit pricey but would be well worth it depending on how long the pads last. Also, did you figure out what was causing the overspray on this Porsche?
i have the same problem on my mustang but what i have noticed while cleaning and clay baring the rear end of my vehicle is that when I drive, the tires will kick up a lot of road debris, now my tires a a softer compound and what i am thinking is that it kicks up more debris and since the vehicle is in motion the wind turbulence that builds up behind it allows for more debris to collect in the vehicle. in this case for the Porsche, the tires could be the reason why there is a lot of build up on the sides and on the rear end, also to something to think about, depending on where they live, if the vehicle gets dirtier in that geographic location than there's going to be more build up and for myself i live in southern California and it takes about a day for my car to get a nice layer of dirt on it.
Ok i used a Chemical Guys clay bar on my Black S60 Volvo and ya it scratched it. I used mguiers gold car soap as a lube and light pressure and its scratched my hood, any suggestions as to how to keep it from scratching? Also how can I fix the scratches? Thank you
griots garage polisher Meguiars microfiber cutting pads with Megs D300 Detailersdomain(dot)com green polishing pads with Sonax's nano polish. Super safe and easy. Then add AMMO Skin after you are done. (Sorry for the shameless plug) Hope that helps. -L
Ive had this problem before and for me it was driving on roads that had been sprayed with "de-icer" its a sodium solution that is sticky and greasy. It holds on to sand and grime and will cause it to get stuck hard to the paint even after a wash
The back of the car would obviously have more contamination due to the draft and aerodynamics. As air moves over, around, and under the car, the build up of dust, road debris, and other contaminates while on the road would build up and be pushed against the the rear of the car due to the draft of air while moving. I have problem a lot and it is clearly noticeable when driving down a dirt road because the back end of the car is filthy and covered with dirt and dust while the front is much cleaner. Hope this helps.
6:45 yeah when my car was dirty i did not see micro scratches and swirls that car washes caused. When I cleaned my car the right way I revealed the scratches and swirls. I see how doing this for customers could be very annoying for you. They think you washed it wrong or something. Its almost like you would want to show them that their car was like that before you washed it. This is what a buffer is for anyways.
It's more than likely Potassium Chloride, used as a road de-icer. Hard to get off once it dries.
No worries. Happy to help. It costs $39 bucks to ship internationally. (Actually it cost a bunch more, but I subsidize the remaining cost) Most people buy the AMMO Regimen (4 bottles) because its cheaper shipping divided amongst 4 products. (Still $39...and still another shameless plug) I feel so awkward when I have to describe AMMO products. Not trying to only promote my manufacturing. Lots of great stuff out there. A good theory I heard and believe: Find something you like, and use it often!
I made a lot of money using your tricks last summer, I made about 1500$. I know it's no where near what you make but not having a professional background and only being 17 I thought it was pretty badass lol.
You are cool man!!! Keep it up and you'll do great!!!
You have an awesome attitude that will take you to great places. We are never to young to try, never to old to stop trying.
+Eddy Zu i'm 14 and a half and going to start detailing during the summer, finally a,job that will hire me
Chevy Nova I'm 15 and I plan on detailing cars this summer. I'm not really sure how to put myself out there
who cares?
Larry someone stoled my deWalt rotary polisher today. I bought it just about 7 years ago, and well now I have a reason for an upgrade. Watching these old videos helped me forget about that right now lol thanks. 👍🏼
You got it! Thx again for your comments. Let me know if I can help in the future. (Send me an email with your address and I will ship you a few AMMO stickers if you like!) -L
larry@ammonyc.com
You explain detailing to a new level. The tech you use to explain is a massive difference.
I am baffled with the fact that "how can anyone leave a thumbs down"? Out of spite? Jealousy? I will never understand that. In the meantime, another great video. We need to call you " Dr Larry"... You are the best through your ability to explain and communicate in plain and at the same time scientific English! I will never Thank You enough for doing what you do... And no, I am not throwing my "golf clubs" away!!!
Nick..you are in fact the investigator. You're spot on. Good point.
You surely are the Yoda of the auto detailing world.
Slowly going through all your videos, it's a lot better than what's on regular TV and very useful.
The weather here in the UK has truly been awful, wet & cold, I just want to get out and detail my car.
I did manage to wash the car this week, but just as I finished drying it, heavy snow started to fall and I keep my car out side.
So one thing I've learned from owning my Evo in the past is that any vehicle with the Brembo system has metallic dust that got embedded into the paint, it be easier to see if the paint was white or silver and you'd be able to see after time that it even rust or yellows the paint. Only way to get it off is to clay it and you'll see that Brembo dust come right off and hopefully not rust in the paint! Thanks for the awesome videos keep them coming!
I don't use chamois. Try using a wet microfiber towel with hydrate trick. Check out the "How to use AMMO Hydrate" video. That might help.
I know EXACTLY how that paint feels after the clay job. The first time I ever clayed my paint I was amazed. It's actually feels SMOOTHER than glass if that possible. More like smooth ice with no friction. I LOVE your vids and you have a new subscriber. I;m sure I'll learn more than I already know from the info you provide.
put some carnauba wax on after you clay your car, it will feel like a zamboni just went over it.
Oh yes always. I like Cargroom #24 Carnauba Cream Wax. I've used super expensive waxes. This one does the job nicely for less than $20
Make a clay rinsing solution of water and a nice lubricating car wash soap. Just enough solution to rinse the small bit of clay. I add a bit of detail spray. Make sure it stays clean and dump it once it gets a bit dirty. If you have swirls use 3M Hand Glaze before you wax and you'll be AMAZED!
I thought clay was leaving a kind of oil, mix of finger oils, clay itself and maybe something in the soap, we usually go for a very diluted degreaser after claybar
Install some mud guards on the fenders. Should have come as standard fixtures on a car like that,
Larry, that contamination is metals in the clear coat and most likely will come back unless you neutralize it. It can be stopped with a quart of warm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of baking soda on naked paint. Give the car a rinse with the mixture & it should do the trick. This used to be common years ago with rail dust. Dealers used to bring cars with this issue into body shops, they would remove it and then weeks latter it was back. When you clay the car it usually only takes off the tops of the metal and the rest is left embedded in the paint. With that said the more aggressive approach you took with the buffer could also solve the issue if the clay on the pad is "aggressive" A little late but i hope it helps in the future.
Just a thought, if you still haven't figured it out, I'm thinking it's primarily brake dust. (Looks like the rotors also have surface rust relatively quickly.) SUVs have this weird aerodynamic tendency to create a small "vortex" of air around the rear of the car, where air from the sides wraps back around and creates a small pocket of low-pressure air against the back hatch. So I'm thinking its brake dust from the fronts coating the side, and both front and rear brakes coating the rear of the car. Which would explain why the rear is worse, but you still have a large buildup on both sides and rear of the car.
I had a problem like this on my g35. I live in Hawaii, so no minerals or anything from the road. When I would rub my hand over the paint, it would feel really rough. Only clay could remove it. Turns out that it was coming from my front brakes. Although we couldn't pinpoint what actually was going on, what I did was replaced brake pads and it went away. Using a paint decontamination spray will show if it's metallic or not. Just my experience. Awesome videos. ALOHA.
wouldn't using ironx do the same?
Maholo
Could be ceramic residue from the pads . Not sure what this model is equipped with
My Fiat 500 Abarth also has an issue with the rear getting very dirty. I think it is a combination of the duel exhaust, the shape of body and the rear diffuser that makes very turbulent air behind the car. This just takes the fumes and road grime and places it all over my freshly ammo foamed and hydrated car. Thanks for another great video. Looking forward to adding Ammo Plum and Brute to my cleaning steps
Another great video Larry, very detailed as always. I'm encountering the same issue with the BRZ, especially in the rear of the car. It amazes me that it doesn't take much to contaminate the paint,looks like i have to clay the car soon.
Larry I love your passion for detailing... You do an amazing job!!!
This guy is the best detailer ever period. I know he is about to make it big endorsing products
Thanks Ammo, I think you solved my problem without asking. I have 2016 with the track brake package and within a few thousand miles my paint was rough and the glass, it came off as a brown color. Brake dust was probably the issue as well. I clayed it and its back to perfect. Thanks.
Of course! Send me an email to discuss further. larry@ammonyc.com
Look forward to it.
-L
Thank you! and yes I do. I'm very lucky and grateful everyday. Your support mean the world to me. Thx again. -L
Hey, you can probably wax it IF IF...it has been clear coated. Otherwise, I have no idea. Let me know what you end up doing and the results. Thx -L
I clayed all the glass on my car today, then sealed it. The difference in the transparency of the glass is like night and day. Thanks for enlightening me about using clay.
Larry, I think you are on the right track with the contamination starting with the exhaust. I bought a new SUV right around the same time my friend bought a new pickup. Both have dual exhaust that exit at the rear. We both are OCD about keeping our cars clean and found this very small, brown, copper, rusty colour speckling that looked like over spray. The worst spots were the tailgates likely due to the exhaust exiting there, and the low pressure zone. disappeared after 25,000 miles or so
ammo NYC....I HAVE WATCHED COUNTLESS CAR DETAILING VIDS... I find your products are awesome and the knowledge you portray on how to use them very informative. Your work procedures are also intuitive and make a lot of sense on how to get professional results...kudos to you!!! will look for more info and vids on your site!! by for now...52yr old driveway amature detailer
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching! Glad I can help.
How is all your cars scratch free when you clay bar only and other detailers on youtube leave large scratched areas then have to polish or compound.
I found that I was having a similar issue on my trans am. I would spend countless hours detailing, claying, polishing, sealing, and waxing to get perfectly smooth and glossy paint, only to find that I had contaminants stuck to the finish after just a week or two. The car was garage kept and only saw nice weather as well. I finally found that the issue was because of me washing it with our extremely hard calcium rich water. What was happening was I would wash the car out of sunlight and then dry it with a leaf blower. The leaf blower "looked" like it was blowing all the water off and the finish looked nice and glossy. The reality is that it was actually leaving tiny little microscopic droplets behind that were almost not visible. Those would dry on the paint and it was the equivalent of having microscopic water spots everywhere. I have since switched my method to drying with a damp plush microfiber towel and I have not had the issue since! Car has not been clayed or rewaxed in weeks and the finish feels amazing and glassy still. :D
I have the exact same issue on my 2015.5 Range Rover S/C. Can it be what you're describing - exhaust particles form a new engine that creates this strange buildup of dirt? Any new from your side on what it was? Did the owner continue to experience the same issues over and over again?
Thanks for the quick reply! And never stop doing what you do okay? You are the best detailer I've ever seen... Your attention to detail is amazing!
You sir, are the best detailing man (idk if that's the correct term) i've ever seen, you know what you're talking about, and your tips are really helpfull. Thanks for being there for all of us!
I had the same problem with my friend's 2012 Audi Q3, It's concrete, there are some serious construction works all over the town, the cement dust when it gets on the road it mix with water and sometimes grime. When you drive through a puddle of this it create a mist from under your wheels. :)
Very cool idea. AMMO is a pretty cool name. Good thinking. If I move to LA, you're the first gut I will call. Thx for watching.
What an amazing real world test of claying at 13:00. I'm sold on clay bro. And your so informative I'm subscribed.
+Frank Elyar Thanks. Clay is definitely amazing stuff!
idd, ive been using clay for years, good for cleaning after paint, prepping before buff, and keeping the paint generally clean. good vid mate, id definitely favour that brake dust theory tho. hit it with some dilute wheel cleaner, see if it shows up like brake dust? not sure it fits with the tailgate tho, unless aerodynamics. but it could also been some contamination from the road? has it been gritting season? that was my other thought, the harsh grit would also explain the marring
I had tiny little rust spots embeded in my clearcoat all over my STI from some cheap brake pads/rotors. Clay bar cleaned it off pretty easily so I swear by that stuff now. Now that it's nice and smooth I should probably seal it up with some ammo products.
+AMMO NYC what is a good sealant after you clay a car and if im not buffing the car can i put wax after i clay and seal the car?
Hey! Just browsing through the videos you have up, nice cars you get to work on. It's nice seeing someone share the same obsessive compulsive behavior when it comes to a cars finish. I've worked in a couple body shops, one very commercial, the other a little more high-end, and I got to witness how much a good cut buff and polish can do to old paint. I've gotten pretty good at detailing, and I love the feeling of knowing that of all the people to clean a particular vehicle, I've done the best job
You're right...sometimes I feel like people think I'm crazy...and I get a bit selfconscious . Good point though. Thx again for the support. -L
That's an insane amount of contaminant! Typical of a 5 year old car on it's first detail. I have a regular customer whose daily is a 911 Turbo S. Giant brakes, giant exhaust, giant performance, minimal contaminant. Great vid Larry!
A few weeks ago I "clayed" a red Fiat 500. Never, ever seen so much contamination on the trunk lid, rear bumper and the lower parts on the sides. It was literally full of black shades and little dots. The only thing I could think was: because of the design/form of the car, specially on the lower areas, the tires "throw" everything they pick out on the road right on the paint. But after clay and wax, looked and felt fantastic.
Applause! Applause! Applause!! what do you do for foggy headlights? pls. no harsh chemicals...or electrical buffers...i can't afford them. thank you
Wow, thanks for the reply Larry! Big fan of you and your work. Loved drive clean and have been gutted since it hasn't been on! Found out last week that you had your own channel and definitely made my day. My friends and family have always thought im a bit sad about how i can easily spend an entire day cleaning my car but i find there's something strangely therapeutic about it. Also of course its nice to see your pride and joy gleaming! Keep up the good work and look forward to series two :)
Norway salt is some vicious stuff.
It turned my barents blue paint completely gray.
I was happy having big plastic panels on the car getting hit the most.
Joooohn! Whats up bud. Thx for watching. :) -L
I live in Calgary and our city uses a similar ice melting product on our roads. When the roads are free from snow and ice you can see the white powder on the road. As vehicles drive on it you can see how it is stirred up, it looks like your driving on a gravel road. This material bonds to the paint surface of anything that agitates it, even your boots. It is extremely difficult to wash it off a vehicle.
The cause of these dots on a paint is salt/sand mixture. Pretty common issue with vehicles operated during harsh winter. As I heard in Russia they use salt blend to fight with blizzards that cause undercarriage to be sanded to bare metal which leads to corrosion on low mileage cars.
I use to park for work at Eagle Farm Brisbane Queensland Australia and I would clay my car on Sunday and by Wednesday you wouldn’t know it all the industrial fallout was incredible couldn’t believe it.
I'm thinking more along on aero dynamics. IE, the air is channeling the dirt, "gunk"; along the side and adheiring to the paint from pressure. please correct me if you already figured it out!!! I'm a big fan of your videos and wanted to thank you for helping me become incredible making cars show there beauty with my new expertise.
Question. You say that you don't like to use normal clay with circular motions because of scratches. But this clay pad is doing exactly that. Comments? Thanks
would like to know the answer to this as well
As he stated in the video the contaminates were so heavy they returned after the first clay so he opted for a more aggressive approach the second time around IE clay on the buffing pad.
He uses a DA buffer. DA for Dual-Action. It rotates and oscillates at the same time, thus it doesn't move in circles.
AntMan 72
If he had protected the first time around he wouldn't have had to clay it again.
lol rotates but does't move in circles?!?? This video is not really good, shows how you can fk up your paint.
You used a rotary tool to "clay bar" the car but you always avoid the circular motion. Why is it okay then to use the orbital tool if circles on the paint are bad?
Looks to me like salt and dirt that's on the paint. It's very common in areas that get heavy snow as the salt dirt mix melts the snow and ice. Also I hope you realize all that rubbing, you showed as an example of the clay barred finish, is actually creating micro scratches. Even when you were leaning on the car a bit.
Same thoughts here, i live in Iceland and we use salt all the time in the winter. The cars here will get white. If the brakes are the problem usually the wheels will get very dark or you will se it in the wheel / brake pad /just around there. Brake dust will not be able to fly up to the rear part of the car.
Also look at the front bumper, it has got a bit as well, this is very typical for these road conditions and aerodynamics.
Ironically, I'm using water hose water. The garage I work in allows me to regulate the temp based on how cold it is outdoors. The cooler water doesn't change things...its just sometimes uncomfortable on your hands when its that cold...and then people have a tendency to rush the job because they want to get warm. (which is understandable)
Wash, clay, wash again, wax. Addictive results.
Hello fello f body guy lol
Hi Larry, was wondering if you ever figured out what was going on and how you solved it.
I friend has a similar problem and that reminded me of your video.
Thanks.
Phil is the man, he's who I use when I need a monthly supply.
Thx Alex. I'm very lucky but definitely grateful
Dude. It's road salt. I am guessing you live on the east coast. I am new to New England (California native) and salt is everywhere. My car is covered from it after only a day.
yes and shows up most on black paint. Doesn't need to snow in order for the road crews to lay down salt.
Did you ever find out what it was? I'm seeing streams of something coming from the front grill. Could it be a very small radiator leak? Something that may come out when the system is hot and pressurized?
the "stuff" on the car is from the de-icer they put on the road ways to prevent freezing, when the road get even a little moisture on it the grime from the roadway will cake onto the car.
His channel is Ammo NYC...as in New York. Pretty sure its not his first rodeo with "de icer"
It is due to the caliper position. Notice how it is on the front? The brakes are cooled, and when air enters onto them from the inside it blows the brake dust out of the wheel and the the natural vacuum from the car driving makes the brake dust attach to the car.
The back of a hatchback car is a low pressure zone, it will get covered with road grime faster than the rest of the car.
so true..
I like your thinking....I agree this is most likely the issue
Larry, is the pad you used at ~8:30 similar or the same as Mothers Speed Clay 2.0? Recommend? Is this product play for the paint? Worth it?
I think the build up is probably due to the roads being driven on, if they are driving down any dirt or gravel roads, that might do it. The patterns of where the dirt is building up is spot on with debris picked up while driving on dirt roads. Hopefully that helps some. Best of luck figuring it out.
Hi, i just wanted to say i think your videos are very professional and they're great fun to watch thanks alot!
Is it possible that the car is picking up fine dust of clay from the ground? I cant see how the exhaust would get to the door panels unless a lot of smoke is coming from it?
Hmmm...good point. Thx for the note.
Sean....ooohhhh. I like that theory. Really great idea. I need to look into this.
Very impressive.
I get the same thing on the side of my Mercedes CL after driving on a wet highway.
This dirt is from the asphalt, thrown on the body by the tires and aerodynamics effect.
Can't do much to prevent it, a mud flap/guard perhaps.
Hey Jonathan, long time no speak. Clay is one of the best investment for the paint. Super cheap for what you're getting out of it. Stay in touch bud. -L
I noticed it as well does not have mud flaps. It could be the a combination of the brake dust and road contaminants. My Ram truck does not have flaps and I get over spray from my brakes and the road too.
Hi Larry, I think I have the same problem on my black car. The only thing is that I know why I got it on my car. After using the black light product from Chemical guys I notice that I got those little dot on my paint. Any idea how I can remove it? I have pictures of it. Thanks
hmmm.great video as always. I know it passed one and a half year so far but one thing is probable cause for this. Firstly I think it's a road salt that was on the roads because it was winter time and roads were slippery due to low temperatures so the road maintenance drop some of that stuff on the roads before the actual snow so they can clean roads easily. It's enough to have just a little amount of haze while driving and that salty stuff will stick like a glue to all car parts that has some haze residue. I didn't read all the comments so I'm sorry if I'm repeating the same answer.
I cant stop watching these videos!
where did you get velcro backed clay bar pads?Is this one of for products?
I just started to use micro fiber polishing circular pads and they are awesome for swirl removal!
One of your other videos you suggest straight lines for clay use, but you are using a spinning motion with the machine, is there any real difference? BTW: THANKS for the videos
I think i know what this contamination is. Some areas started using magnesium chloride and calcium chloride for deicer rather than the standard sodium chloride (table salt). Even after everything thaws out the residue if very fine and powdery compared to older style deicer and tends to stick to everything. One way to test for this is to send in 2 water samples one as a control and one with the residue dissolved into the water (make sure water comes from same container). that will be able to give you a rather good chemical analysis of the unknown contaminates as this will test for a wide range of minerals.
What is the cost range of a clear bar? You know from a basic vehicle to an luxury vehicle. And can you get it put on by an aftermarket company?
It seems to me that it is either: a brake product, an exhaust product, a petroleum based product or something organic like leaves byproduct. Brake products would react to your ammo plum, exhaust products wouldn't get up to the A pillar, petroleum vs organic could be identified using different solvents. Cheers! Love your show.
Maybe exhaust leak or oil/fluid leak or fine spray from under hood or undercarriage at front. Could be she drives on a two-lane road and the one side/lane has spills on it or is a truck route. Or maybe she parks always facing the same side at a hog-rendering plant or asphalt factory. Might even be the drive-thru people spraying grill cleaner on her car cuz she never has her money ready and holds up the line for 11 minutes every day. This could evolve into a mystery-comedy-tragedy movie. Stay gold.
Look how far out the tyres get from the wheelhouse....the tyres spray the car with all the things we find on roads - tar -salt - brake pad dust - industrial pollutions -etc...
Great vid - and the guy is a pro - he knows his ways -just wants to tickle us a bit.....
People who can afford a porsche - can afford to get it datailed once or twice a month -
detailers have to make a living,too - dont they??
And we - the rest...... detail our own cars---- :-)
Try this one...or email my friend Phil at phil(AT)Detailersdomain(DOT)com and say you know me...he will hook you up with this clay bar
detailersdomain(DOT)com/Uber-Blue-Clay-Bar_p_164.html
I have been binging your videos, I have a '13 Cayenne GTS that needs some interior TLC. DO you like/recommend leatherique? If not, what else can I use for leather (clean/condition)? I also have alcantara inserts, how often should I clean /condition those?thank you in advance for your response
Sure, I will put it on the list. Thx
The worst I encountered was with a car which had suffered a sticking rear brake, and the rotor had lots of surface rust. The dust this produced when worn down got dragged into the airstream behind the car, and the amount of rust particles I had to clay out of the rear bumper was truly astounding. Silver car, looked like it had been dusted over with orange paint.
Best guess is that it has to do with where he is driving. Most likely road salts and other chemicals used to melt ice and snow.
I clay barred yesterday and even with a clean and soapy wet surface i still put a few good scratches in my paint. I think a cut polish will fix it, but it still hurts to see it. Not an easy job clay barring. Be very very careful.
Those NANO SKIN pads appear pretty awesome. I will definitely be buying a set of those. Question though. Approximately how long do the pads last? 1 car? 2 cars? 15 cars? I checked them out on line and they are a bit pricey but would be well worth it depending on how long the pads last. Also, did you figure out what was causing the overspray on this Porsche?
i have the same problem on my mustang but what i have noticed while cleaning and clay baring the rear end of my vehicle is that when I drive, the tires will kick up a lot of road debris, now my tires a a softer compound and what i am thinking is that it kicks up more debris and since the vehicle is in motion the wind turbulence that builds up behind it allows for more debris to collect in the vehicle. in this case for the Porsche, the tires could be the reason why there is a lot of build up on the sides and on the rear end, also to something to think about, depending on where they live, if the vehicle gets dirtier in that geographic location than there's going to be more build up and for myself i live in southern California and it takes about a day for my car to get a nice layer of dirt on it.
It's my company I started years ago. Thx for watching.
Yep. Especially hatchbacks and wagons get this build up in the rear beacause of how the wind flows on cars with a "straight" back end.
Larry,Your video's are sensational.
Your doing us public a fantastic service.Great stuff.
What is the road surface the car's being driven on? Something treated with de-icing chemicals?
I never use chamois. Not good for the paint.
Good point. Well said
Thanks. Black sabbath! Killer name btw
Ok i used a Chemical Guys clay bar on my Black S60 Volvo and ya it scratched it. I used mguiers gold car soap as a lube and light pressure and its scratched my hood, any suggestions as to how to keep it from scratching? Also how can I fix the scratches?
Thank you
griots garage polisher
Meguiars microfiber cutting pads with Megs D300
Detailersdomain(dot)com green polishing pads with Sonax's nano polish.
Super safe and easy.
Then add AMMO Skin after you are done. (Sorry for the shameless plug) Hope that helps. -L
Ive had this problem before and for me it was driving on roads that had been sprayed with "de-icer" its a sodium solution that is sticky and greasy. It holds on to sand and grime and will cause it to get stuck hard to the paint even after a wash
The back of the car would obviously have more contamination due to the draft and aerodynamics. As air moves over, around, and under the car, the build up of dust, road debris, and other contaminates while on the road would build up and be pushed against the the rear of the car due to the draft of air while moving. I have problem a lot and it is clearly noticeable when driving down a dirt road because the back end of the car is filthy and covered with dirt and dust while the front is much cleaner. Hope this helps.
6:45 yeah when my car was dirty i did not see micro scratches and swirls that car washes caused. When I cleaned my car the right way I revealed the scratches and swirls. I see how doing this for customers could be very annoying for you. They think you washed it wrong or something. Its almost like you would want to show them that their car was like that before you washed it. This is what a buffer is for anyways.
Hey Larry do you have a video of your van set up or if not do you think you could make one very interested to see how your van is set up