The results of my first attempt at a full detail.

[wicked1]

Well, I spent my weekend using all my newly bought detailing gear and decided to start on my smallest vehicle, my 2000 Honda Civic. All I ever used to do was wash it (incorrectly obviously as I learned from you all lol) and wax it occasionally with Megs car cleaner wax or Megs gold class. I never cleaned under the hood either, and with it being my commuter car with 116,000 miles on it, it was a little dirty. It seemed to clean up pretty good though. Here's what was used:

SSR 2.5 & SSR 1 with PC
Klasse AIO
PB's EX-P
Natty's Blue
ClearKote QuikShine

For under the hood and trim:

DP All exterior cleaner
PB's Trim restorer
303

Anyways, here are the photos of the finished product, but the paint color doesn't lend itself to looking all that fantastic as it would if it were black, but it still looks ok in my opinion.

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/1669/img4861po1.jpg

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/3048/img4863nv4.jpg

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1416/img4866xq4.jpg

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/3259/img4867xl1.jpg

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/5846/img4868fh0.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/113/img4869qk2.jpg

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/5084/img4871eo0.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/3532/img4865mu3.jpg

Next up, after I rest and recuperate, will be my 1993 4Runner and 2004 Yukon XL. I'm not really looking forward to the Yukon. It's so huge compared to the little petite Civic. :D

[sparkie]

Real nice first detail job! Pic number two, is that your helper, she looks like Amanda Tapping? Where is the before pics! Anyhoo pic's of your car looks sweet! The car looks like it just come off the lot.

[wicked1]

Thanks Sparkie. No, she wasn't my helper, just my ham of a daughter that just had to be in the picture. lol As for the before pics, I didn't think about that until AFTER I had already polished it. :( I can tell you however that it had minor swirling and pretty bad water spotting due to that horrible Mr. Clean Autodry POS. Grrrr.

[JCB]

now it looks like a brand spanking new civic! good job, how many hours have you spent from start to finish?

nicely done!!

[Reddwarf]

Wow! That looks great. Looks like you have been doing it for a long time and not like a first timer! Excellent job. Sure doesn't look like a car with 116K. The engine is really clean. Very nice reflections in the paint.

[wicked1]

Thank you for the compliments Reddwarf. I really do appreciate them. :D


now it looks like a brand spanking new civic! good job, how many hours have you spent from start to finish?

nicely done!!
That's a good question. I'd say it probably all added up to about 9-10 hours. I took a couple of breaks, then resumed again today after letting the polish cure overnight. I'm sure it's a lot longer than the seasoned pros around here, but I was taking my time and learning as I went.

[alban61]

Wow!! Looks brand new. Just like Reddwarf said, doesn't look like a 116K mile car. I can only hope my first detail comes out as nice. Nice hood and roof reflections.
Did you use the DP Ext Cleaner on the engine? Sprayed and wiped? Or sprayed and hosed off? Looks great. I haven't had the guts to hose my engine.

[Reddwarf]

Wicked, I just reread your process/ products. No clay?

Like Alban asked, how did you get that engine so clean?

[wicked1]

Did you use the DP Ext Cleaner on the engine? Sprayed and wiped? Or sprayed and hosed off? Looks great. I haven't had the guts to hose my engine.

I sprayed and scrubbed it actually, then just hosed the whole thing down. No problems. Luckily for me (and it being a Honda lol) there wasn't much in the way of cleaning as far as grease or oil. All I did afterwards was use 303 on all the hoses and plastic.


Wicked, I just reread your process/ products. No clay?
See what happens when I'm too excited to show off my work? I begin to forget things. lol Yes, I did wash and clay beforehand. I used Clay Magic bought at Autozone for $10 I think.

[P1et]

That looks like one fantastic job! I'm a big Poorboys fan as well, very easy to use and the results speak for themselves.

[aceshigh73]

Great job.... nice and clean.... cant tell car has 116k on it!!

[sparkie]

You said you used PB's Trim restorer, on what parts of your car? I've used it on my vehicles with no problem, but on other vehicles I have a streaking problems. Did you have this problem?

[wicked1]

You said you used PB's Trim restorer, on what parts of your car? I've used it on my vehicles with no problem, but on other vehicles I have a streaking problems. Did you have this problem?

The only places I used it on was the black rubber around the wheel wells. It was looking pretty bad, almost white along the top of the rubber. It's not a big enough area to really tell too much about the product actually.

[FloridaNative]

"Anyways, here are the photos of the finished product, but the paint color doesn't lend itself to looking all that fantastic as it would if it were black, but it still looks ok in my opinion. "

It looks okay he says! It looks okay?? It looks friggin awesome man!! Give yourself some credit. :p You did a fantastic job and with it being your first detail too!:applause: Even though you didn't have the before pictures I'm pretty sure that all of us can imagine the oxidation and swirling you had with neglected 6 year old paint and now the car looks brand new. You did a great job! :cheers: So are you hooked now?? :p

[supercharged]

Sweet! The car doesn't look like it has 116k miles on, it looks like it has 16k miles!
Very nice job!:applause: