Well I detailed a 2003 Black Trailblazer (my second black vehicle and I have another black vehicle to do tomorrow). The Trailblazer had just returned from Disneyland and now I see what all the Love Bugs are about ~ WOW! The front of the TB was covered in them. The TB also had a lot of swirls and some scratches where it looked like someone used a hard bristle brush on some spots when they washed it (the owner has had someone wash it although they said they detailed it). I won't say "detailed" it because anyone who details would never scar up a beautiful black finish like that. The TB got the "full 9 yards" from me, it was "detailed" inside and out. Also let me preface the detail with this was the hardest vehicle exterior I have done due to all the curves, nooks, and crannies that Chevy put on this thing, however the inside was the easiest I have detailed because most everything was smooth and flat. The owner is a friend of mine and I really wanted it to look like it should. Anyways here is what I did:
1. Cleaned the wheels with DP gel wheel cleaner and Black Shmitt. Cleaned the wheel wells with Megs APC.
2. Loaded up the foam gun with my newly arrived DP Xtreme Foam auto shampoo and hand washed with White/Yellow Shmitt and a rinse bucket (no need for the two buckets since getting the foam gun). Tackled the love bugs with Poorboys Bug Squash (had to use it straight as my diluted bottle wouldn't get all of them. Rinsed and dried with guzzler and leaf blower.
3. Sprayed the wheel wells with Stoners More Shine and running boards and bumpers with Stoners Trim Shine. Glazed the wheels with DP wheel glaze and buffed off with Mother's mini Powerball. By the way I finally found a really good use for my microfiber gloves by using one to get any glaze the powerball missed. Then dressed the tires with DP Gloss Tire Gel.
4. Next I moved to the interior and vacuumed everything out. Cleaned the dash, doors, mouldings, and leather seats with DP Total Interior Cleaner. Cleaned a few spots on the carpet and floormats with Megs APC @ 10:1. Protected everything with DP Interior Surface Protectant. Treated the leather seats (all 3 rows) with Wolfgang Leather conditioner. Did all door jambs with DP Waterless auto wash. With the interior done except for the glass (I always do that last), it was time to tackle the paint.
5. I started out getting the really bad spots with my wolfgang polish and wax applicator or my orange spot pad and XMT 3. I was a little excited to get started on the paint because it was going to be my first time using XMT 360. I had heard soooo many good things about it and it lived up to what everyone had said. I put it on with the PC and a LC white pad in the hot humid NC sun and it performed like a champ. After using this on the entire vehicle the paint was shiny, glossy, and slick as glass. I followed that up with the one thing that every black vehicle dreams of getting ~ a coat of Pinnacle Sauveran put on with blue finishing pad! WOW did that Chevy have wetness and depth!
6. Finally I cleaned all the glass with Stoner's Invisible Glass. I also put some Poorboys Trim restorer on the side mirrors and luggage rack. Let me say I really really really hate luggage racks!
Well here are some Before pics:
360 is amazing polish.
Linear Mode
