Mothers 07240 California Gold Clay Bar System

1.0 out of 5 stars

By R1Fast - Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2018

FURIOUS: Absolute garbage

This clay bar DESTROYED my brand new Model 3 clear coat. Buyer beware! Using a new (literally opened from the package) bar of this cheap clay, the results were literally as bad as sandpaper. My prep steps: 1- Thorough wash using CarPro Reset 2- IronX bath 3- Another wash with Reset 4- Applied clay in 2x2 area 5- Rinsed to prep for polishing 6- Dried with air blower While claying, I used tons of extra lubricant, kneaded the clay after every 2x6" pass and didn't use excessive pressure. I have followed this routine for years and never had a problem. When the area dried it literally looked like 500 grit sandpaper had been used. How is this even possible with a new clay bar using a well-accepted method that never failed me before? The only thing I can think is poor quality control on the manufacturers side, and for that (and the immense frustration this product caused) one star is GENEROUS. Yeah, maybe I just got a bad batch and under normal circumstances it would have worked fine... but this is my first and last experience with their clay. That said, it brings quality into question regarding the rest of the Mothers lineup so it's the last time I will buy any of their products.

1.0 out of 5 stars

By har-d - Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2019

Disappointed in the customer service

Received the product in the sealed box on time, supposed to contain 2 clay bars but 1 was missing. I contacted the Mothers sales rep by phone and he said he would make it right and to follow the call up with an e-mail, which I did, I at the least assumed he would send me a clay bar i its place. Well that didn't happen. I know its only a clay bar, it was the principle, not the money, I can afford to by as many as I want. The point is there was a golden opportunity to make a superstar move to regain my appreciation , instead it shows how unimportant a customer I am. Thats a shame. sorry to say it will cost them more than the price of a clay bar.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Nigel - Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2016

Really can't go wrong with this kit.

This is normally my detailing clay that I go to most of the time. Yes there are MANY other types of clays that can do a better job but they are normally more expensive or harsher via the abrasiveness. This is a great kit to get someone that has never done it before because it's much harder to mar up the paint. I would say 90% of the time this is what I clay bar my cars with and friends when I detail. I love the detailing spray because it smells like cinnamon. Just a tip is cut the clay bar into 4 pieces. That way when you drop a piece on the floor you are not throwing out the entire bar ;-p Plus you can use one piece for the lower rocker panels, one for the wheels, and then you have two other pieces for the rest of the car.

4.0 out of 5 stars

By 3rdGen - Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2018

Works as advertised.

Initially, I was thinking that this "clay bar thing" was just a gimmick. But, I found that it appears to do what it claims to do. First, I washed my 4-year-old car. Then I used the clay bar on the hood only. I allowed it to dry, then wiped the haze off with a microfiber towel. I noticed that when I moved the microfiber towel over the hood, the towel glided smoothly over the surface. But, when I moved the same towel over the fender and roof, the towel did not glide. It seemed to grab the paint (so to speak). Using a clay bar is an extra step that you might not want to do. But, it will make subsequent buffings easier because you won't encounter as much resistance when applying and removing polish and wax. And, it's not that much work to use it. If you use plenty of liquid, the clay bar glides effortlessly along the car and the work gets done pretty quickly. I won't use a clay bar ever time I wax. But I WILL use it at least every couple years.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Rotten Girl - Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2014

Smooth as glass! Nix the spray though- Results on 21, 12, and 9 year old cars!

So essentially I've learned that this product uses hydroplaning of the clay to pick up foreign fragments that causes your car's paint to feel gritty (even after washed). When I first found out about "claying" a car I was ecstatic. My pre-owned car looked nice but it didn't look or feel spectacular. I picked a kit up at my local AutoZone and watched a few videos to find out the best techniques for claying a car. I grabbed a kit,thoroughly washed my car but left it wet after the final rinse: got a bucket of water out and went to work. In about 2 hours my entire car was as smooth as glass to the touch. I was so amazed and in love with the results! My 10 year old car- YES 10 years old- looked and felt like a 2012/13 model! It was the very first time my car had ever been clayed so it only made sense to me that it would take so long. SPRAY: I found out that using water as lubrication instead of the spray that comes with the kit is generally a better choice (in my opinion). The spray left a residue and I couldn't work fast enough wipe it down after I used it. Yeah, that residue took 2 more washes to get off. Also the spray smells minty - in a weird way. after claying it I rinsed it again (to get rid of any water marks) then dried it and continued to polish/wax it. TIME: After this initial 2hr job I only needed to clay my car for 45 minutes or so every 4 1/2 months. I live in the city so my car is often exposed to airborne pollution and debris from construction. Tips: ***EDIT: NOV 2016 Please Read -I suggest using a bucket of water or a spray bottle with NORMAL SOAPY water for lubrication (think bubbly, but not gobs of foam) If your water is too soapy the clay starts to melt, but yes, slightly soapy water does work better- I've experimented a couple of different times. Just don't use dirty soapy water. I still don't use the spray (I've now clayed about 6 different cars multiple times each), but find, as others suggested, soapy water to be a better fit. **You need to keep the area you're claying/barring, nice and lubricated as much as possible- if you're using soapy water have a microfiber towel on hand to squeeze water over the area after every few swipes of the clay. -Your car's body must be spotless before you clay it (wash the car but don't dry it) dry it after you clay it and rinse it -you can clay the windows too! -If you want to test the texture of your car's paint after it is washed run your fingers gently down the hood and on various parts of the body. If your fingers catch a little bit and you can feel debris you should clay your car. To amplify your sense of touch put a ziploc bag over your hand and then feel around. -get rid of any bracelets, belts,watches, rings etc when detailing your car; many times people do not notice that they press themselves against the body when detailing and thus run the risk of scratching up the paint. -Polish then wax your car after you have clayed it to seal out any debris and to bring out the best shine in the paint The clarity and texture of the paint on my car was greatly improved after claying it :)- I don't think my paint could be clearer ________________ **1st pic of 05' Mazda clayed only, 2nd pic of '05 Mazda clayed then polished, 3rd pic is a '08 Sebring clayed and waxed, and finally the 4th picture is of a Porsche 968 95' after being clayed, polished, and waxed. All cars had glass smooth paint afterwards!