Deatiled Mazda 6

[Reddwarf]

I detailed my Mother-in-law’s Mazda 6. She had some odd stuff on the side of the car and the wheel wells. I should have taken a close up picture. It looked like paint at first, but as I removed it I found it was more like rubber or gum. Anyway, I was able to finally remove it with a combination of:

Poorboy’s World Bug Squash
Black Shmitt
Pinnacle Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Pad
Clay (Mother’s)

After dealing with the rubbery gunk, I cleaned the wheels, washed, clayed, polished, & waxed the car.

Process:
Wheels: P21S Gel + EZ Brush. SG 10-1 on wheel wells (I’m out of ARO ) and dressed with No Touch.

Wheel Before:


Wheel During:


Wheel After:


Wash: Since I worked hard on the rubbery gunk I figured I'd use a strong wash mix in the foam gun. I mixed up DP Extreme Foam and PB Bug Squash. I used a White/yellow Shmitt and the Pinnacle SBT Pad.

Foam Gun:


Wash:


Polish: XMT #3 via UDM on a CCS Orange Pad. Followed by XMT Carnuba Finishing Glaze via UDM on a CCS Grey Finishing pad.

Before polish there were a few scraps and scratches, like this one on top of the car:


After polishing the scraps and scratches were gone!


Wax: XMT 180 via hand and removed by a Cobra Indigo. I have used XMT 180 before and it did not seem hard to remove, but this time, I worn out my arms taking it off! It seems like a good wax, but it does not go on and off like DP Max Wax!

Before I started:


After:


Another Hood & Product shot:


Before I started, I took a picture for Sparkie:


And an after picture for Sparkie:


Glass: Stoner's Invisible Glass and a Cobra Glass Cleaning MF
Interior: Poorboy's World Natural Look.
Final touch: A wipe down with Poorboy's World Spray & Gloss

At the end of a sweaty 5 hours I accomplished getting the rubbery stuff off the car, getting a really clean car, and removing some scraps and scratches. But I didn't get a really good shine or wet/ depth to the finish. I was a bit disappointed in that.

[budman3]

The detail looks great, even though you are a little disappointed. Just imagine what it would look like if you didn't take the time to remove all of the junk that was on there before. That plus the wheels and tires made the car look 10x better. I wonder if the color and lighting had anything to do with the lack of shine and depth? Or the products used?

[Pauly6401]

I've found that darker, metallic paints that aren't too dark (black or dark blue) or too light (Silver) have a tough time generating a super wet shine to them. I just did a bronze-ish Civic and did a light blue metallic Celica a few weeks ago and while both of them looked very clean and crisp neither one achieved that wet or glassy look like a solid or dark color. The hood and side of the car look awesome though, so nothing to be ashamed about!

[Gary Sword]

Very nice job and a great son-in-law Reddwarf. Just don't start polishing your toe nails and posting leg shots.

[Reddwarf]

No worries there Gary! However, as you can see my Crocs have lots of Jibbets (I like to call them gibblets). My wife gives them to me.

Thanks Paul and Budman. Perhaps if I had used DP Max Wax, Natty's Blue or Souveran there would have been some wetness and/or depth.

The Mother-in-law was pleased so that is good. The XMT 3 did a great job and clearing up the scratches and I know the XMT 180 will provide a good layer of protection.

[dontsleeponit]

excellent job man, I would definitely be happy with those results in 5 hours, from the pics it looks great to me, especially the before and after Crocs shot

that XMT 3 finished down nice even with the orange pad huh?

[Reddwarf]

Originally Posted by dontsleeponit

excellent job man, I would definitely be happy with those results in 5 hours, from the pics it looks great to me, especially the before and after Crocs shot

that XMT 3 finished down nice even with the orange pad huh?

Thanks. It did finish down well, it was a bit hazy in places but the XMT Carnuba Glaze seemed to take care of it.

[alban61]

Nice work there! I like how XMT3 took care of the scrapes/scratches, especially that one on the roof. We are so self-critical of our own work. I know how you feel, but you did great.
I like the BEFORE/AFTER Croc shots. Shows the difference in the paint........and your "gibblets". LOL

[Dust2Glory]

Red buddy don't be so hard on yourself. Yes the paint doesn't have wet or glow. But definately depth. and that's important on darker colors, wet is nice... but doesn't take away from your work. the detail looks very solid and crisp

[Nica]

Very nice write up and I enjoyed the detail. Vehicle looks great, like the reflection difference.

Looks like a nice detail to me, no sir, nothing wrong with it.

Thank you for sharing.