Figured I'd post a few pics of my first wash and wax of the Bu. Took me a few hours but I think it came out nice, a lot better than when I drove it off the lot :)
Also used the clay bar for the first time, was a little hesitant on using it, but from what I read it's a good idea to use it...

Looks good!

I'm in FL too, where you at?

Im in Bradenton FL, how bout you?

You got great results IMO. So what did you think about the clay bar? Easy enough for anyone to use, or somewhat difficult? I'd like the input of a first time user.

I thought using the clay bar was pretty straight forward..I would say easy for the 1st time user! the results I got with using it impressed me. I never used the clay bar on my other cars, but after using it, it will be part of the grind with washing the car, it took off alot of the contamients off that I always thought came off with just washing the car. I am impressed :D

I thought using the clay bar was pretty straight forward..I would say easy for the 1st time user! the results I got with using it impressed me. I never used the clay bar on my other cars, but after using it, it will be part of the grind with washing the car, it took off alot of the contamients off that I always thought came off with just washing the car. I am impressed :D

Although very effective I don't think it should be done too frequently, how often do you wash the Bu? I've done it about every 3 months with quite a few washes in between.

I wash my Bu once every two weeks.....

I only clay bar twice per year. Do you just use water in a spray bottle or do you use the spray detail wax stuff that comes with some claybar kits?

I've heard that using water with a drop of dish soap (since the wax is getting stripped off anyways) is a good way to go, anybody try that out?

Anything that keeps things slick it good for use... just make sure you shake it really really well. I would advise use of a "Quick Detailer" or maybe a waterless car wash instead of dish soap.

Dish soap does work well to strip off wax, but that's what you're using the clay bar, partially, for also.

If you were to do it this way i'd sponge on the solution, AND spray it on too. Using just dish soap its really cheap $$$-wise anyways, and itll be a bit extra peace of mind. So much marring can occur without enough lubrication on paint that really needs clay barring(the worse the paint or clay is to begin with, the more you can grind in without lube) that to me its just not worth the risk.

I use optimum no rinse car wash diluted to what they spec out as Clay Bar Lube strength. Very slippery...

I use the spray detailer that came with the kit...

The car looks good. No matter what it is worth the time put in it.

I only clay bar twice per year. Do you just use water in a spray bottle or do you use the spray detail wax stuff that comes with some claybar kits?

I've heard that using water with a drop of dish soap (since the wax is getting stripped off anyways) is a good way to go, anybody try that out?

I wash my car with regular dawn dish soap (blue) to remove the wax so the clay bar doesn't have to remove wax and dirt, then rinse, and then go panel by panel using dish soap water as a lubricant for the claybar. I have done many vehicles this way with no problems and it is by far the easiest way IMO.

I'll probably just try to claybar while I'm washing the car, so it's already soapy from my carwash soap. Just wash one panel, then claybar the same panel, then move on to the next. I think I use turtle wax ICE car soap...

I actually took mine through a brushless car wash the other day... first time it has been washed in about 2 months. Generally the auto washes are mediocre but this one actually did a pretty good job.

I actually took mine through a brushless car wash the other day... first time it has been washed in about 2 months. Generally the auto washes are mediocre but this one actually did a pretty good job.

Those Brushless washes actually seem to do pretty good -- And of course are not able to really do "damage" per se as the brush ones do. (Swirl marks galore!). I think they must use a mild degreaser nowadays at first because I did go through one that was near an old route with my last car and it did so much better than the older ones did. Never used to get the light film off and nowadays they really do...

I hardly ever do a real wash of my vehicles. When the weather is not being a SOB and it's nice and dry I dust them off with my California Duster and them wipe them down with a micro fiber towel and spray bottle of water (usually two or three times a week). After being driven in the rain I just use the spray bottle of water and a nice thick terry towel to wipe everything down. Then I usually follow that with a spray wax or detailer. In the winter time temps permitting I will go to the do it yourself car wash and spray soap it and wipe it with my wash mitt. If there is snow and salt on the roads I just go to the coin wash every few days and hose them off with water. Clay bar, wax and polish twice a year (before winter and after winter). My 12 year old Jeep and 6 year old Mazda 6 still look great and they have been been outside everyday since they were new. The Malibu will get the same treatment.

That sounds like a good program! I've never been taught to take that level of care, but I've also always owned used cars and just did the "normal" washing and waxing. I'm more careful now. Last year I clayed my '09 and got comments immediately. This year the '11 gets the treatment. I've learned so much from this site about car care that it will benefit my cars from now on.