jlb85
07-28-2009, 07:34 PM
First I'd like to say hello. I've been a long time lurker on autogeekonline, and a customer of autogeek for years, but never really posted much since I've been more active on other forums and busy with school and the business. Further, this site is full of SOOO many extremely talented people that I find it hard to add anything to the discussions. Every time I sit down and log on I spend hours just reading and looking at details in awe. So I tended to visit the sites that I could get through quickly, smaller sites. But I made a resolution to get more active on autogeekonline, so here is one of my latest details. I hope you enjoy!
This has also been posted on s2ki and mol, so please forgive me if you have seen it already!
On to the story:
So I'm washing my car in my driveway the afternoon before a track event, and one of my neighbors walks up to me. She asks me what can I do to restore a black Envoy that has never been waxed... ever... in 7 years. I finish drying the M3 and walk over to her driveway with the Brinkmann, PTG, some Z6 and a Eurow Shag. The Envoy had 100,000+ miles and had never been detailed. I explained that the significant swirling would have to be removed by machine polishing, no amount of wax would make it glossy. I gave her an estimate for a one step polish, exterior only (the interior was very clean), and set the date for Monday morning.
It was good to be able to work at home after so many details at client's garages. I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing day. In all I expected a decent 6 hour detail, taking our time. This was going to be a really nice day!
Marc and I got started around 11 am. I drove the client's car from 2 houses over to my driveway. We set up the canopy and proceeded to wash the SUV. We did the engine bay (as a bonus) and wheels first. The engine was very dusty, but in good condition overall. No oil leaks, no other leaks, I was impressed with how good it looked after 100k+ miles other than the torn hood liner. We dosed it off with Meg's Super Degreaser at 4:1 and pressure washed it. We did this twice, brushing during the second application (once I could see the stubborn parts!).
engine before:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09883.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09887.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09890.jpg
engine during:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09923.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09924.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09945.jpg
The wheels were sprayed with Meg's Wheel Brightener at 4:1 (high strength), and the fenders with Super Degreaser 4:1. At the same time we sprayed the tires with APC+ 4:1. This is the 3rd car that is "regularly washed at Jax" (a local car-wash) that I've worked on, and as soon as the APC hits the tires: some nasty yellow/orange film comes floating off the rubber. I do not know what they use to dress them, but it needed to come off! The wheels were scrubbed with the Daytona brush, and the swissvax-imitation small brush for the lugs and weights. APC at 10:1 was also sprayed on the lower body panels and the fuel door opening (rubber boot was also removed for cleaning off 7 years of deposits).
wheels before:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09891.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09892.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09893.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09894.jpg
wheels during:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09934.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09935.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09936.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09937.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09942.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09927.jpg
fuel door
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09929.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09947.jpg
Next it was time to wash and clay. We used Megs NXT wash via foam gun and the two bucket method to wash.
washing:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09950.jpg
For the claying there was only one option: Megs Aggressive Clay. This SUV had spray paint over-spray, fossils in the fascias, water spots, you name it. Aggressive clay is the only thing that can deal with this stuff, and boy how it does! I wish I had bought this stuff before. Marc recommended we use Aggressive since the vehicle was going to be polished.
This has also been posted on s2ki and mol, so please forgive me if you have seen it already!
On to the story:
So I'm washing my car in my driveway the afternoon before a track event, and one of my neighbors walks up to me. She asks me what can I do to restore a black Envoy that has never been waxed... ever... in 7 years. I finish drying the M3 and walk over to her driveway with the Brinkmann, PTG, some Z6 and a Eurow Shag. The Envoy had 100,000+ miles and had never been detailed. I explained that the significant swirling would have to be removed by machine polishing, no amount of wax would make it glossy. I gave her an estimate for a one step polish, exterior only (the interior was very clean), and set the date for Monday morning.
It was good to be able to work at home after so many details at client's garages. I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing day. In all I expected a decent 6 hour detail, taking our time. This was going to be a really nice day!
Marc and I got started around 11 am. I drove the client's car from 2 houses over to my driveway. We set up the canopy and proceeded to wash the SUV. We did the engine bay (as a bonus) and wheels first. The engine was very dusty, but in good condition overall. No oil leaks, no other leaks, I was impressed with how good it looked after 100k+ miles other than the torn hood liner. We dosed it off with Meg's Super Degreaser at 4:1 and pressure washed it. We did this twice, brushing during the second application (once I could see the stubborn parts!).
engine before:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09883.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09887.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09890.jpg
engine during:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09923.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09924.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09945.jpg
The wheels were sprayed with Meg's Wheel Brightener at 4:1 (high strength), and the fenders with Super Degreaser 4:1. At the same time we sprayed the tires with APC+ 4:1. This is the 3rd car that is "regularly washed at Jax" (a local car-wash) that I've worked on, and as soon as the APC hits the tires: some nasty yellow/orange film comes floating off the rubber. I do not know what they use to dress them, but it needed to come off! The wheels were scrubbed with the Daytona brush, and the swissvax-imitation small brush for the lugs and weights. APC at 10:1 was also sprayed on the lower body panels and the fuel door opening (rubber boot was also removed for cleaning off 7 years of deposits).
wheels before:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09891.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09892.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09893.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09894.jpg
wheels during:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09934.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09935.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09936.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09937.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09942.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09927.jpg
fuel door
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09929.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09947.jpg
Next it was time to wash and clay. We used Megs NXT wash via foam gun and the two bucket method to wash.
washing:
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20GMC%20Envoy%20Detail/DSC09950.jpg
For the claying there was only one option: Megs Aggressive Clay. This SUV had spray paint over-spray, fossils in the fascias, water spots, you name it. Aggressive clay is the only thing that can deal with this stuff, and boy how it does! I wish I had bought this stuff before. Marc recommended we use Aggressive since the vehicle was going to be polished.