Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
|
I look forward to working on these every time I get a booking!
This weekend has seen me spend some 13 hours on another Basalt Black Porsche Boxster S.
I was originally contacted by the owner as he was looking to improve on the overall condition of the car's paintwork. After an initial consultation and inspection of it's current condition, it was decided an enhancement detail would be more than adequate (along with Zaino LSP upgrade) - that way a large improvement would be made to the overall appearance of the vehicle, whilst keeping within a sensible budget and allowing for plenty of scope for future work if required.
The owner already keeps the vehicle in great condition, so upon arrival there wasn't a huge amount to document. The previous night's rainfall also hid any defects present:
First up, the roof. Not in awful condition, but room for improvement. Excess lint and dust removed using masking tape, then thorougly cleaned using the Autoglym kit, rinsed, excess water mopped up with an Elite mega plush towel, and the Autoglym re-proofer applied and left to soak in and dry.
Next up, the wheels, tyres and arches. Wheels were cleaned thoroughly using Autosmart Smart Wheels and various brushes, tyres & arches were degreased and cleaned using Autosmart G101 and a Vikan brush.
Foamed with ValetPro Orange Pre Wash, left to dwell whilst fiddly crevices, trim and badges cleaned using a detail brush and Autosmart G101.
Washed via the 2 bucket method using Espuma Astro, rinsed and loosely dried.
On to the 3 stage de-contamination process - tar spots removed using Autosmart Tardis, sap and other bonded contaminants removed using Bilt Hamber clay (it was in dire need of this!) and metallic particles dissolved using Wolfs De-Ironiser. Re-rinsed and dried using Miracle Driers.
Whilst working on the car, I noticed the paintwork on the front end had a slightly different appearance to the rest of the car, so paint readings were taken. These confirmed the front end had received a blow in. Not entirely surprising for the age of the car tbh, but noted for when it came to machine polishing.
Trim taped and a test panel worked on, I settled on Wolfs WP-3N on a 3M yellow pad via the 3M rotary for a large amount of the enhancement work. Some area's just didn't respond all that well to it though (including the front end) so these were stepped up to Scholl S17+ on another 3M pad. To ensure the paintwork was hologramme free after a mixture of polishes, I then refined the entire car using Meguiars 205 on a blue Chemical Guys Hexlogic pad via the DAS-6 Pro.
The sun just didn't want to play ball for a majority of day 1, so I had to resort to using halogens and the Brinkmann. Below are just a few shots to give you an idea of correction levels achieved:
and after:
Some greasy fingerprints that lurked beneath the rain water and didn't shift during the cleaning process!
and after:
and a couple of 50/50's from later in the day when the sun made and appearance:
Mirrors came up nicely too:
With the enhancement stage complete, the paintwork was cleansed and provisionally sealed with Zaino AIO. End of day 1.
Day 2, the previous days polish dust and any dust that had settled overnight was rinsed off, showing first signs of Zaino protection:
and the wheels beading nicely after being sealed with Finishkare FK1000P:
2 coats of ZFX'd Z2 Pro were than applied at the correct 30 min intervals with Z6 wipe downs in between. A final Z8 spray seal was also applied.
In between the sealant curing, other jobs such as sealing the glass with the Carlack twins and polishing the exhaust were attended to. Polished with 00 gauge wire wool and autosol, sealed with Britemax:
Remaining glass was cleaned with Espuma Crystal Green.
Black trim was dressed with CarPro Perl cut 1:3:
and the interior received a thorough hoover. Carpets shampooed with Autosmart Brisk Low Foam, plastics deep cleaned with Meguiars APC and dressed with Sonus Cockpit detailer.
Leather cleaned and conditioned with the Zaino twins:
and time for the obligatory finished shots in the blazing mid-day sun!
As you can see, it is by no means defect free, but hugely improved on from it's previous state:
My attempt at demonstrating Zaino's 'mile deep shine' didn't quite work out as hoped!
Roof looking healthier:
and time for the seal of approval:
Thank you for looking! 
As ever, my day to day adventures can be followed on Twitter and Facebook
Thanks,
Rich 
|
DansCorsaSXi
Organiser: Yorkshire
Premium Member
Registered: 13th Jan 10
Location: Worksop
User status: Offline
|
Awesome stuff Rich. 
Star silver C20XE SXi Project thread
Smoke Grey Corsa GSi Project thread
|
Chris F
Show Staff
Organiser: East Anglia
Premium Member
Registered: 26th Dec 05
Location: Newmarket Drives: Escort Van 1.8
User status: Offline
|
I want a sticker 
|
Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
|
Nice work Rich looks brand new after you have finished with it!
|
Ben G
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
|
thats a good result 
how did you manage to snow foam/wash the car without getting any stuff on next doors tigra?
|
Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
|
Cheerrs
Chris - stickers are only available cars that I've detailed, and even then I'm fussy these days to ensure they're not likely to end up with polish all over the trim 
Ben - I'm just good  Erm, there was a bit more room than it looks I guess, and I do tend to be careful not to piss off neighbours by covering their cars in it too!
|
fazza
Member
Registered: 7th Feb 08
Location: Plymouth
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
Chris - stickers are only available cars that I've detailed, and even then I'm fussy these days to ensure they're not likely to end up with polish all over the trim
Daveskater 
good work as usual rich
|
Xs
Member
Registered: 12th Apr 02
Location: Lanarkshire
User status: Offline
|
What I dont get is, it took 13 hours? Would you not just be better getting on with it rather than taking pictures every fives seconds of soapy bubbles and sponges? Then it would take a lot less time = mo' money!
|
Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
|
Please try doing it any quicker, then bait me with comments like that if you succeed.
Photos took me all of 15 mins in total and weren't included in the 13 hour total.
Zaino alone takes 30 mins to cure per coat - I wasn't sitting around whilst it was doing so either.
Photos were also taken upon clients request.
P.S - Spot the sponges too if you may
|
Xs
Member
Registered: 12th Apr 02
Location: Lanarkshire
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
P.S - Spot the sponges too if you may
Cant see them, probably in your two buckets 
|
Pridzz
Member
Registered: 18th Nov 08
Location: Exmouth - Devon
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Xs
quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
P.S - Spot the sponges too if you may
Cant see them, probably in your two buckets
Fail.
Rich what do you think of the Autoglym 2stage Cab cleaner?
I got it from work but havnt really used it as of yet, Is it any good at getting the green mould off the hoods?
[Edited on 27-06-2011 by Pridzz]
|
Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
|
It's the one Autoglym product I highly rate tbh mate - I've tried Renovo, 303 etc (ie. more expensive products) but not found them to be that much better to justify the extra spend.
Depends how green the roof is, but it can work pretty well - even if you end up hitting it with the cleaner a few times to get the desired result.
Make sure you rinse it out with a hose and not a PW too!
|
Daveskater
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
Chris - stickers are only available cars that I've detailed, and even then I'm fussy these days to ensure they're not likely to end up with polish all over the trim
But yeah, top stuff there mate, liking the flake in that paint
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
|
