Black BMW 745i Busting My Chops!

[Totoland Mach]

In the 4+ months I've been detailing BMW's, this one is the worst in paint finish I've seen. And, it's Black..... Even the shop owner has chipped in to help on this mess!

Here's a couple of before's

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_Scratches1.jpg

The entire car was covered in scratches and the front bumper was hammered with stone chips!

More scratches

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_Scratches2.jpg

Another Shot

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_Scratches4.jpg

Fender Shot

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_Scratches5.jpg

Sanded the bumper with 3000 grit

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_BumperSanded.jpg

Sanded the fender with 3000 grit (also did the hood, but no pics)

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_FenderSanded.jpg

Bumper compounded (no glaze yet)

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_BumperCompounded.jpg

Rear Bumper Compounded (no glaze yet)

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_RearBumperCompounded.jpg

After 2 full nights of work, we've compounded the car and glazed it late last night. I'll get some pics after I finish the #26 today...man, I'm tired!

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BlackBMW745_RearViewCompounded.jpg

Totoland Mach

[robzie]

Great job as it is, Toto!!!

i can only dream to get those results....:applause:

[P1et]

What on earth, did someone rub their sponge in the dirt before washing it... for 10 years??? Paint that bad must be done on purpose, unbelievable!!! Great job turning it around though, that is unreal!

[Gary Sword]

Another great job Toto. That car was really in bad shape. How is your Rotex Festool working out? I still have note been able to find the RO150 FEQ under $430.00. Eveyone wants $430.00 for it so there must be some kind of price fixing at the suggested retail price.

[Truls]

A pros work Toto

I would like to learn more about the sanding bit some day, do you just go sanding without trying feks MG #85/84 and woolpad on rotary first?

But how do the cars become such a mess? do the owners just wipe the dirt of without water?

[Bigfoot]

That thing was not choped, it was botched! OMG, never seen such a nasty thing... But the comeback is so far, so good! Great job, Toto!

Joey:awesome:

[supercharged]

WOW! What a difference! Great job!:applause:

[Surfer]

Nice job. Curious though, if you went to a glaze right after some serious compounding, what happens with the glaze looses it's properties (even with #26 on top) and it goes back to the "compounded" look, wouldn't your customer get pissed???.......or in another way good excuse to come back in for a detail;)

Also since I know you use a rotary a lot now, what do you do when your doing the area like the front fender? It's got that curved ridge and that sharp/flat edged right at the end the the fender well, do you use the rotary in that area since I know a lot of people say it can burn right through areas like that almost immedietly?

[Totoland Mach]

Thanks for the compliments folks! I've got some computer time 'cause we are having an ice storm...gonna be a nasty weekend in KC.

Gary: Yep, Festool has some strict guidelines about their price. I got mine during an introductory promotion, otherwise it's the same from coast to coast.

Truls: We go directly to sanding. The owner doesn't like wool pads (and we have some) as they can burn paint pretty easily, especially on the edges of body panels. The new BMW body style has some edges that could be a problem: the line between the top of the doors and the door handle is a concave area and you have to be careful with just a foam pad.

The shop owner got the car at the BMW Lease auction...lots of road miles and brush automatic car washes are the chief culprits.

I'll get some pics later tonight after I finish glazing and a coat of Meguiar's #26.

And...My Bad....It's a 545i...not a 745i...sheesh!

Toto

[Totoland Mach]

Nice job. Curious though, if you went to a glaze right after some serious compounding, what happens with the glaze looses it's properties (even with #26 on top) and it goes back to the "compounded" look, wouldn't your customer get pissed???.......or in another way good excuse to come back in for a detail;)

Also since I know you use a rotary a lot now, what do you do when your doing the area like the front fender? It's got that curved ridge and that sharp/flat edged right at the end the the fender well, do you use the rotary in that area since I know a lot of people say it can burn right through areas like that almost immedietly?

Surfer: When I use compounding, I tend to start aggressively and finish as you would with a polish. When I glaze, I tend to work it in for a long time. By the time I use #26, the finish is glass smooth and swirl free. So, if a customer washes the car, it still will look good (unless they are as aggressive with washing as the subject car).

If areas have curves where the rotary "might" damage paint, I switch to the Festool and use their rotary mode with a polish pad. I've already burned an X5 edge because I didn't use a paint guage and it was very thin on an edge. Plus, I used the wrong method on the rotary (followed from the ridge down the valley of the sheet metal).

Here's some pics' after glazing. Adding #26 is more protection at this stage.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BMW545i_Glazed_reflection.jpg

Another with the lights in the wall reflecting

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BMW545i_Glazed_Lightreflection.jpg

Overall shot of the car. I couldn't move it around because we are having an ice storm and we're not putting "fresh" cars out in the nasty weather.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o212/Totoland/Black%20BMW%20745/BMW545i_Glazed_frontpic.jpg

If you think of my glazing as you applying Meguiar's #83 or Klasse AIO, that's the process.

Totoland Mach

[Sevenrd]

Great work, Toto! Just amazing how bad it was and how good it now looks.

[Gary Sword]

Toto, It's hard to believe it's the same car. How many hours did you spend on it?

[Totoland Mach]

Toto, It's hard to believe it's the same car. How many hours did you spend on it?

Gary: I probably have 14 hours on the outside of the car. The interior will probably take 2-3 hours, so this will be one of the hardest I've done. I've got 2 really nice cars to do afterwards, but they are going to seem like a walk in the park.

Toto

[abrcrombe]

Nice work, for some reason I really like those e60 5er's Especially 545, 550, and of course... m5. Keep up the good work. I am jealous I wish I could work in a shop like that!

[Kelso]

abrcrombe, they are coming out with a 535i, twin turboooooo(same engine as 335i) so that should be quite a bit of fun!

tot, that was the worst looking e60 ive ever seen, you really turned it around, good job