First detail with DA

[lokerola]

Well folks, here's some pics of my very first detail with a DA polisher. I started off using my beater 1996 Mazda pickup as a practice vehicle. It turned out very well and I'm super happy with the Griots Garage DA polisher.

Onwards to some pics.

Products Used:

Wash--
2 bucket system with grit guard
Megs super wash
fiber mitt
California super blade

Clay--
Megs QD
Megs Clay

Paint Correction--
M105
GG #3

Sealant--
Klasse All In One

Lots of Microfibers.

Tires--
ARO
OTC tire dressing

Windows--
Stoners





Not one, but 2 big boxes arrived Friday afternoon!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020001.JPG

The goods!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020004.JPG

Here's the victim, I mean practice vehicle. I bought it with 155K on it and it was used and abused. It may have been washed once or twice over the last 10 years.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020033.JPG

Wash and rinse.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020034.JPG

And clay....I can't believe the yellow and brown gunk that came off with the clay. The baggie test really works too!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020036.JPG

And wash again...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020034.JPG

That was all I could take Friday night. Saturday morning it was time for tape. One piece of advice I skipped and will never skip again is putting a blanket on the windshield and the wiper blades. I got a lot of splatter (n00b) all over the windshield and despite reading the advice from Mike and others here - I ignored it. And spent about 20 mins cleaning up splatter from all over the place. Ugh.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020054.JPG

Encrusted dirt on the back bed of the truck (looking like this even after a good clay).

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020058.JPG

Doing the roof first. I figure if I really screw something up at least it'll be on the roof where no one will see it, ha ha! Before shot shows mucho dirt and gunk on both sides (again, I did clay the whole truck Friday night).

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020060.JPG

Here's the M105 that was both my hero and my nemesis at the same time. M105 works as advertised. But man it does create a lot of dust and haze. Once I got the hang of applying it and wiping it off, it was no big deal, but I sure splattered a ton of it the first couple if trys. Hilarity ensued.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020061.JPG

After on the left, before on the right. Man, that M105 rocks! Even my old beater cleaned up very nice!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020062.JPG

More before/after on the roof.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020063.JPG

After many hours of 2x2 areas of M105, GG Polish #3, and KAIO it's all done and super shiny! I think I went through 4 t-shirts due to sweat.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020072.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020074.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/P1020073.JPG


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I completly ran out of steam to tackle the truck bed (it still has some stone dust in it from a run to the stone yard) or the inside. Maybe next weekend!

Pictures don't do it justice. The paint is so slick after all the products. I put a MF on the hood and it just slid off onto the ground. My neighbor came over and was like "wow, you rally know what you're doing!" Ha! Only thanks to the AG forums!

I must say THANK YOU many times over to Mike and all your videos, articles, and great advice!!

And also big thanks to all the forum members here who are so helpful. I've been lurking and reading and it paid off for sure.

Im the MAN

[CaneCharger]

Great job!!! It looks awesome...
Here in Atlanta, I go through bottles and bottles of water and t-shirts!

How do you like those tire and wheel Mother brushes? I have those on my wish list...

What car is next? HAHAHA

[BobbyG]

First off; What a haul of nice detailing products! :props:

I think you did a fantastic job on your truck and what an amazing transformation, seriously!

The before photos reveal an average looking truck especially for the years and miles on it. The after photos are absolutely incredible and you must be thrilled and very satisfied with the results.

Tremendous results and great photos!! :props:

[mark2dx]

Very nice!

[lokerola]

Yea, DC humidity is nasty. It was in the 90's and humid, but luckily overcast for most of the day.

I really like the brushes, especially the wheel well brush. It's great to get up into, well, the wheel well. :)

The tire brush has stiff bristles and the bristles are concave in the center. It's designed so that when you hold the brush by it's handle, you can rotate it around the tire and it fits the contours of the tire. It's pretty nifty.

The wheel well brush bristles are in between the tire and wheel, a medium stiffness. But with the long handle you can easily reach into the well. Nice!

The wheel brush has very soft bristles. I could take it or leave it. It's a good brush with soft bristles. I wouldn't buy it in and of itself, but as part of the bundle it's a nice little brush.

Stay cool in Hot-lanta!

My wifes 2007 Civic (neglected - shocker) is probably next.

Then.....my 2011 Dodge Charger R/T in perl Back! Black isn't a color, it's a part time job. :)




Great job!!! It looks awesome...
Here in Atlanta, I go through bottles and bottles of water and t-shirts!

How do you like those tire and wheel Mother brushes? I have those on my wish list...

What car is next? HAHAHA

[lokerola]

Thanks a lot BobbyG! I've read a lot of your posts over the last few months and I know I've gleaned a lot if ideas and help from those posts.

The most amazing thing to me isn't how the truck looks (although it's nice and shiny). It's the before and after of how it FEELS. The paint before was flat and grabby to the touch. The paint itself almost had a sort of sandpaper, gritty texture to it. After the clay, the M105, the GG#3, and the KAIO - it's like waxed wet glass! It's rich and slippery. I've never done this type of paint correction or work before and I'm just amazed at how well the DA polisher worked and how well all the products worked. It was a ton of fun (and work!!).





First off; What a haul of nice detailing products! :props:

I think you did a fantastic job on your truck and what an amazing transformation, seriously!

The before photos reveal an average looking truck especially for the years and miles on it. The after photos are absolutely incredible and you must be thrilled and very satisfied with the results.

Tremendous results and great photos!! :props:

[lokerola]

Thanks!


Very nice!

[tuscarora dave]

The truck looks great!! Feels good to create such a nice finish doesn't it?
Keep up the great work.:dblthumb2:

[Jenn1270]

What a turn around. I love the slick feeling of well prepped, polished, and protected paint

[Belair]

You really did a nice job.

[JRivers]

Man you did great! :cheers:

Your hard work, planning, searching and all the time you invested payed off... congratulations, great job!

Welcome to the addiction :D

:buffing:

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Nicccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Also, you did this with 6.5" pads!! What speeds did you use on the Griot's?

[Buckskincolt]

Very nice job! It's really rewarding to be able to have success like that. I remember the first detail thinking for sure I would screw something up and to get good results is awesome. That was clearly very neglected paint and you have done an awesome job brining it back to sharp!

That's an awesome "starter" order, now hang on to your wallet because you officially have the bug. You will want tons of stuff you don't really need but you will save for and have. Do a nice job on your wife's car as well because you will need to "blessing" when all those AG packages show up on your door step. LOL
Keep Up the Great Work!:buffing:

[lokerola]

The truck looks great!! Feels good to create such a nice finish doesn't it?
Keep up the great work.:dblthumb2:

Dave - it really does feel good. I kept asking myself - what if someone had taken care of the paint like this since new? My new car will definitely be getting constant care from now on.


What a turn around. I love the slick feeling of well prepped, polished, and protected paint

Agreed, thanks!


You really did a nice job.

Thanks!!


Man you did great! :cheers:


Your hard work, planning, searching and all the time you invested payed off... congratulations, great job!

Welcome to the addiction :D

:buffing:

Yep, and reading about everyone's success and failures and questions here on this forum really helped. Yea, I'm already think about new MF towels. Sigh.


Nicccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Also, you did this with 6.5" pads!! What speeds did you use on the Griot's?

Thank you sir! All 6.5" pads. Orange at 5.0 for M105. White at 3.0 for GG #3, and Grey 2 for KAIO.


Very nice job! It's really rewarding to be able to have success like that. I remember the first detail thinking for sure I would screw something up and to get good results is awesome. That was clearly very neglected paint and you have done an awesome job brining it back to sharp!

That's an awesome "starter" order, now hang on to your wallet because you officially have the bug. You will want tons of stuff you don't really need but you will save for and have. Do a nice job on your wife's car as well because you will need to "blessing" when all those AG packages show up on your door step. LOL
Keep Up the Great Work!:buffing:

Thanks very much! Heh - yea, that first time holding the DA thinking "what could possibly go wrong?" It's a bit scary (and that's why I started on my $1500 truck and not my new Charger R/T). But if you have the right tools and the right technique, man it all works.

I've got to get my wife's car done here soon so I can get the minor swirls out of the Charger and get the 845 on it before the cold weather hits. I do have to say, even with the DA it takes HOURS to get it done right. It's a load of fun and I love doing it, but I have a full time job, a wife, a 7 year old boy, and house that needs remodeling. Oh well, I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead. :) Thanks everybody! :buffing: :buffing:

[cutter]

Very nice job!!! I know how much I appreciated the looks of my first detail, I can understand where you are coming from...Lots of hard work, time and sweat, put in to something that only you can appreciate!!!:props::props: