Severe Paint Correction on a 7 Year old car

[sevendust]

Hello Everyone!
It has indeed been a while since i last posted anything here. Been kinda busy with other stuff and such. Without further delay, i bring to you today a 7 year old car that has been neglected by the previous owner. A client contacted me and asked if i could help restore the exterior of this car to shape after he purchased it 2nd hand. I couldn't resist the challenge once i got to see the condition that the car was in. I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Upon arrival. From a distance, it doesn't look that bad, aye?

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/7184/kia1u.jpg

A little closeup of the hood surface..Notice the orangepeel and the lack of gloss? Found out that the hood was resprayed as well as the other panels around the car.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg69/scaled.php?server=69&filename=dsc05919s.jpg&res=landing

The car was filled with RIDs, swirls, watermarks and bird droppings.
This was on the hood:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg440/scaled.php?server=440&filename=dsc05918x.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg861/scaled.php?server=861&filename=dsc05924p.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg846/scaled.php?server=846&filename=dsc05922v.jpg&res=landing

And of course, to add on to the list of damages is this: calcium deposits

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg192/scaled.php?server=192&filename=dsc05926j.jpg&res=landing

This is how the hood and boot looked in it's original state. Very dull and lacks the gloss. I'm about to change all that in a bit :)

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg254/scaled.php?server=254&filename=dsc05921y.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg689/scaled.php?server=689&filename=dsc05928u.jpg&res=landing

Started with the usual wash from the wheels first then body. Not forgetting the claying process after that too. Didnt take any photos of those because it was getting dark and all i wanted to to at that point was to get the car squeaky clean ASAP so that i can start working on the correction. Sorry folks!. Fast forward now to the correction test spot.

Test area before correction was done.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg100/scaled.php?server=100&filename=dsc05961i.jpg&res=landing

Did a 50/50 shot. after compounding with OHC

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg13/scaled.php?server=13&filename=dsc05964k.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg32/scaled.php?server=32&filename=dsc05970wm.jpg&res=landing

Although most of the watermarks were removed, the surface still looked dull because of the orange peel texture:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg337/scaled.php?server=337&filename=dsc05978ts.jpg&res=landing

Decided that it needs a little more cutting power. So i whipped out the Osren Velvet pad to level out the orange peel, then stepped down with the OHC to refine and worked the surface to get this:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg594/scaled.php?server=594&filename=dsc05977f.jpg&res=landing

Fender:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg805/scaled.php?server=805&filename=dsc05953q.jpg&res=landing

to this after a few passes of OHC:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg502/scaled.php?server=502&filename=dsc05955i.jpg&res=landing

Satisfied with the results, i called it a night and decided to continue the next morning.
Here's how the test spot looks in the day. Spot the difference ;)

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg846/scaled.php?server=846&filename=dsc05986v.jpg&res=landing

Remember the calcium deposits?

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg210/scaled.php?server=210&filename=dsc06012z.jpg&res=landing

Fixed!

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg840/scaled.php?server=840&filename=dsc06013lb.jpg&res=landing

Moving on to the boot that was once dull and unattractive. Did a 50/50 and here's how it turned out:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg838/scaled.php?server=838&filename=dsc06003a.jpg&res=landing

Fixed!

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg35/scaled.php?server=35&filename=dsc06005e.jpg&res=landing

After a total of 2 and a 1/2 days, here's the finished product, enjoy!

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg402/scaled.php?server=402&filename=dsc06020bg.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg842/scaled.php?server=842&filename=dsc06021g.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg600/scaled.php?server=600&filename=dsc06023t.jpg&res=landing

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg16/scaled.php?server=16&filename=kia2w.jpg&res=landing

Thanks for looking folks!

[RhetoricMixes]

That looks absolutely fantastic! I'm guessing you used optimum hyper compound?

[sevendust]

That looks absolutely fantastic! I'm guessing you used optimum hyper compound?

Thanks for your kind words :) Yes, i used optimum hyper compound as well as M105 on different areas of the car.

[Bates Detailing]

Very Nice Work man :props:

[onlycodered]

Wow very impressive! How long did this take you?

EDIT: Helps if I read your entire post. DERP

[Sunshyne]

nice work, what is an Osren pad?

[dwlinc23]

Holy Hopsotch! Amazing! And the final cost was ............?

[davey g-force]

Great work :xyxthumbs:

That's more like how black is supposed to look..

[Spiney]

Love to see it but only the 1st photo is available.

[BobbyG]

That is an amazing transformation!! :dblthumb2:

I was very surprised to see how the paint cleaned up and leveled, especially the orange peal...

Superb work and photography....:dblthumb2:

[Agfan]

Looks nice. Kia paint is a b:tch to work on.

[Klasse Act]

Great turnaround, I'm sure the pics do it NO justice, although they do look great! I have a 7 year old black car to do this Sunday, a 2005 Magnum SXT but atleast its metallic black, wish me luck!

[RhetoricMixes]

Great turnaround, I'm sure the pics do it NO justice, although they do look great! I have a 7 year old black car to do this Sunday, a 2005 Magnum SXT but atleast its metallic black, wish me luck!

Ive worked on a few of those including my own. I had good luck with ultimate compound and some m205 to finish.

[bigez]

Nice!

[rcomito]

Wow. What a resurrection. Nice work.

Rick