Hologram Removal on a Black 2006 BMW X5 - Rasky's Auto Detailing

[RaskyR1]

2006 BMW X5 4.8is, exterior correction only.


The owner of this stunning vehicle recently purchased it out of state having only seen it in photographs. The seller listed that it had been "professionally detailed".....well, we all know what that means half the time! :D

Here is the photo the current owner sent me once he got back in town and got it all cleaned up. :wow:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4399477759_3ea3085144_o.jpg


As you can see they did a poor job at detailing and a great job at creating some holograms, but they really weren't near as bad as some of the cars I've seen posted on these forums.


Here is the car the night she arrived....I love MN winters! :rolleyes:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4399452673_651898ab3b_o.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/4400221896_c298f752dd_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4399452775_a882dc1d71_o.jpg


After a thorough wash using CG Citrus wash N' Clear I pulled the car out in the sun to try and capture some good pics of the holograms. I had a hard time capturing the true condition but between these pics and the one the owner took you should have a good idea of how bad they were.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4400221998_c692c1807e_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4399453149_658c8dd78c_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4400222280_d741b33e63_o.jpg


After claying the car with Meguiar's aggressive clay and ONR as lube I went around and captured some pics of a few concern areas.


Small spot above the drivers door handle
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2720/4400222522_e77710fd2e_o.jpg


TOGW could be found in several locations
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691/4400222678_cbc9d60667_o.jpg


Deep scratch which didn't fully remove but it was almost unnoticeable when I was all done.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4399453425_7aa4d06f8c_o.jpg


Staining on some of the trim
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4399453775_94b8f26d60_o.jpg


The UV coating was starting to fail on the drivers side lamp. I sanded it down with some 2000 grit paper and then polished it out with M105/M205 which did a great job and It came out really well.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4399453917_bf48aced2e_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4399454071_cd94da2ebe_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4399454189_ae7309fbe1_o.jpg


There was several weird water stains on the roof, both glass and paint which removed easily with some M95 and and Orange LC pad on the PCXP.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4400223294_ccd4e0a314_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4400223224_49d9b8a348_o.jpg


Because of the severe holograms on the vehicle I wanted to be sure and check all the panels for paint thickness. Most the readings were in the 130 range with no areas of major concern.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2764/4399454593_6f3088bf6e_o.jpg


All taped up and ready to go.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2745/4400223412_b712f2374e_o.jpg


My ugly mug doing a test spot with M105 and a orange LC 5.5" pad.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/4399454697_b766f99b36_o.jpg


My test spot confirmed both good and bad. The good was that M105 on the PC did an excellent job of removing the holograms and it finished down great.

Here is the panel after M105 and an IPA wipedown
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4400223746_fe81cd1686_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4399454977_70caa9e54d_o.jpg


And here was the same section after M205 on the PC with a black LC pad and an IPA wipedown
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2770/4400224132_23b3961c19_o.jpg


Now for the bad news...once I removed all the holograms I started seeing all the deeper scratches that were previously hidden by all those fine micro scratches. Unfortunately M105 on the PC and orange LC pad were not going to cut it at removing these deeper scratches and I had to call up the owner and let him know we needed to do a 3 step correction. :(


My actual correction process was as follows:




Meguiars M105 with the rotary equipped with a Purple Foamed Wool LC pad
Meguiars M105 with the PCXP equipped with a orange LC foam pad
Meguiars M205 with the PCXP equipped with a black LC foam pad



Some sun shots after the correction, no LSP here yet. I actually ran down and rewashed the car too since it was covered in buffing dust from the first two correction steps.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4400224744_31e2d1463f_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4399455609_bc0a1b699f_o.jpg


Love the flake in this paint!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4400224620_3b0edcee54_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4400224874_2819df2d94_o.jpg

[RaskyR1]

After I got it all washed I went over the paint with some CG EZ-Cream Glaze....this was my first time trying this stuff and it seemed to work very well. Thanks DJ! :D

-LSP was Opti-Seal and I later followed that up with some Optimum Car Wax

-Tires and wheel wells were dressed with Meguiars Hyper Dressing at 3:1

-Trim was done using Poor Boys Trim Restorer

-Exhaust tips/chrome were cleaned with Optimum Metal Polish and #0000 steel wool

-Exterior glass was cleaned with Meguiars D120

-All jambs wiped clean with Meguiars Last Touch

I was running late on this one as a result of the added correction step and the owner was waiting for a while as I finished things up. Because of this I forgot to take some after pics like the headlight and water spots. I will add them later as the owner offed to take them for me. :dblthumb2:


Final pics! :)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4400225012_5b70cb27f5_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4400225108_6acf283712_o.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4399456509_660d7bbe2f_o.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2703/4400225422_881062fb8a_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4399456847_42e4c02b85_o.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4399457187_8899b14df7_o.jpg



As always, thanks for taking the time to view my work! :thankyousign:
Rasky

[TheGLL]

Great job there!

[sparkie]

:xyxthumbs:Great job there...I know the owner was happy....

[RaskyR1]

Thanks guys! The owner was nice enough to provide me with the pics I forgot on another forum.


Thanks Chad! I still can't believe how well it turned out!

Here are some more 'after' pics - forgot to snap some of the roof but it is just as mint as the rest of the car!

http://www.nom3rcy.com/X5/front-fresh.jpg

Before:
http://www.nom3rcy.com/X5/nd-pc.jpg
After:
http://www.nom3rcy.com/X5/nd-pc-after.jpg

Right into the sun - unreal :hifive:
http://www.nom3rcy.com/X5/doorpanel-after.jpg

http://www.nom3rcy.com/X5/headlight-close.jpg

And the headlight looks awesome
http://www.nom3rcy.com/X5/headlight-closer.jpg

Thanks again! :clap:

[Slava]

Great Job.

[Meghan]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4399477759_3ea3085144_o.jpg


Amazes me how people can let a car go like this....



http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4400222280_d741b33e63_o.jpg


And I just have to make a comment on your "ugly mug shot", but I don't want to make anyone
blush... but I would not have used the word ugly, I mean really! :p
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/4399454697_b766f99b36_o.jpg


Beautiful recovery!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4400224620_3b0edcee54_o.jpg



And last but not least, do you guys really detail in all that snow? I would be hiding inside where its warm!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4399457187_8899b14df7_o.jpg

[Tom Weed]

As usual Rasky, nice work! I love the correction ability of the LC purple foamed wool pads and they finish down so nice... Thank you also for the advice on the BFWD...

[Bobby B.]

Great job removing the holograms and correcting the headlight lenses on this X5 RaskyR1. The BMW X5 looks awesome.

[Harleyguy]

Looks great Chad .Hope you booked your hotel and air fare for DF.It's getting close

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Looks great!!!!! :props:

[RaskyR1]

Great Job.


Thank you!






Amazes me how people can let a car go like this....


And I just have to make a comment on your "ugly mug shot", but I don't want to make anyone
blush... but I would not have used the word ugly, I mean really! :p


Beautiful recovery!



And last but not least, do you guys really detail in all that snow? I would be hiding inside where its warm!



LOL! Thanks Maghan :)


The snow does suck! What was even worse was that the roads were super wet from all the melting and I'm sure the vehicle was dirty by the time he even hit the end of the block. :(




As usual Rasky, nice work! I love the correction ability of the LC purple foamed wool pads and they finish down so nice... Thank you also for the advice on the BFWD...

Thanks Tom! Did you pick some up?



Great job removing the holograms and correcting the headlight lenses on this X5 RaskyR1. The BMW X5 looks awesome.


Thanks Bobby B!



Looks great Chad .Hope you booked your hotel and air fare for DF.It's getting close

Thanks Adam!

Unfortunately I'm not going to make it this year. With my wedding in just over 3 months now it just wouldn't work out. :(

I fully expect to receive a "we miss you" package though containing some of your wife's cookies! :D


Looks great!!!!! :props:

Thank You! :)

[Tom Weed]

Thanks Tom! Did you pick some up?



Yes, it's my new favorite, used it for the first time this past weekend, super slick and very easy to use... :props:

[SRHTX]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4399477759_3ea3085144_o.jpg

Amazes me how people can let a car go like this....

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4400222280_d741b33e63_o.jpg


But that is what many car dealerships do. We can't only blame owners since dealerships create the problem before people buy them.

BTW - Great detail on the X5 :dblthumb2: Oh yeah, what is all of that white stuff shown in the pics? he he he Never see that stuff.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

Great job Chad, always enjoy seeing your show and shines.