Reddwarf
05-27-2012, 08:45 AM
Good friend's 2001 Mercedes Benz. Daily driver with no garage. Sits in the Texas sun all day and under trees all night. Lots of bird bomb etchings.
The headlights were in bad shape so I bought the Wolfgang headlight restore kit (http://www.autogeek.net/plastik-lens-cleaning.html). But, she had someone work on the headlights before I had a chance to detail the car. I really wanted to try the wolfgang kit, but I'm glad she got the headlights clear as it was a safety hazard.
Being 11 years old and a daily driver with no garage it had a lot of paint imperfections that were beyond my skills and equipment. Especially the bird bombs that etched through the paint.
Since it is a Mercedes Benz, I decided to go Wolfgang on it!
Wash:
Started with wheels. OMG were they bad. The outside was not so terrible but the accumulated brake dust on the inside of the wheels was impossible to completely clean unless I took off the wheels. I was not going that far! That German brake pad dust! I used soap and water plus Poorboy’s World APC (http://www.autogeek.net/pbapc32.html) (great product!) and wishing I had Poorboy’s World Spray & Rinse wheel cleaner (http://www.autogeek.net/pbsrwc32.html). Take a look at this picture of the dirty soap suds.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_105623.jpg
And the wheel wells (my brush was clean when I started)
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_111626.jpg
I really wanted to use Poorboy’s World wheel sealant as a finish but I ran out of energy. I finished them with Giots under carriage on the wheel wells and PB Bold and Brite on the tires.
Wolfgang Auto Bathe (http://www.autogeek.net/wg1000.html) was used for the exterior wash. I love that soap! Gave it a good wash then used a Pinnacle clay bar and PB Spray and Wipe (http://www.autogeek.net/pbsaw16.html) as lube. Then washed it off again with the the Wolfgang auto bathe. dried with a leaf blower.
Now for what little I could do for paint correction. My plan was to clean it as best I could and apply a good protection:
Orange LC Smart pad + Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 (http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-total-swirl-remover.html) followed by
Green LC Smart pad + Wolfgang Finishing Glaze (http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-finishing-glaze.html)
Completed exterior with Wolfgang Deep Gloss SealantWolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant delivers a deep, wet, liquid shimmer unlike anything you can imagine. (http://www.autogeek.net/wg5500.html). I love that product. Goes on and off so easy and leaves such a nice slick finish that looks even better the next day.
I was able to remove most of a few bird bombs or at least improve the look, like this one:
Before (after wash and clay):
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_125023.jpg
After all was done:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_161847.jpg
Engine: Wasn’t planning on an engine detail but when I peeked it was very dirty with a lot of leaf debris. I used the shop vac to get the leaves and trash. Then used DP Engine Degreaser followed by PB Natural Look.
Engine before:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_115246.jpg
Clean Engine:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_162032.jpg
Interior: She has a 2 year old and the interior was surprising clean. I have a 10 year old and my wife’s car looks way worse! I was able to get most of the embedded grime out but the center console was hopeless because it was scratched from her dog.
Seats were cleaned with Lexol leather cleaner (http://www.autogeek.net/lexsprayleat.html) followed by Four Star Leather conditioner (http://www.autogeek.net/four-star-leather-conditioner-gel.html)
Doors and console cleaned with PB Natural Look (http://www.autogeek.net/pbnl16.html)
Dashboard cleaned with Sonax dashboard cleaner (http://www.autogeek.net/sonax-dashboard-cleaner.html)
A little Interior dirt:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_150608.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_150611.jpg
Clean Seats:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_161708.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_173921.jpg
My first Mercedes-Benz and my second black car to detail. Given the age and daily driver it is in really good shape and came out looking nice, Not perfect but it is well protected with the sealant. She was happy with the results so I am happy.
Finished:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_162422.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_162413.jpg
The headlights were in bad shape so I bought the Wolfgang headlight restore kit (http://www.autogeek.net/plastik-lens-cleaning.html). But, she had someone work on the headlights before I had a chance to detail the car. I really wanted to try the wolfgang kit, but I'm glad she got the headlights clear as it was a safety hazard.
Being 11 years old and a daily driver with no garage it had a lot of paint imperfections that were beyond my skills and equipment. Especially the bird bombs that etched through the paint.
Since it is a Mercedes Benz, I decided to go Wolfgang on it!
Wash:
Started with wheels. OMG were they bad. The outside was not so terrible but the accumulated brake dust on the inside of the wheels was impossible to completely clean unless I took off the wheels. I was not going that far! That German brake pad dust! I used soap and water plus Poorboy’s World APC (http://www.autogeek.net/pbapc32.html) (great product!) and wishing I had Poorboy’s World Spray & Rinse wheel cleaner (http://www.autogeek.net/pbsrwc32.html). Take a look at this picture of the dirty soap suds.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_105623.jpg
And the wheel wells (my brush was clean when I started)
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_111626.jpg
I really wanted to use Poorboy’s World wheel sealant as a finish but I ran out of energy. I finished them with Giots under carriage on the wheel wells and PB Bold and Brite on the tires.
Wolfgang Auto Bathe (http://www.autogeek.net/wg1000.html) was used for the exterior wash. I love that soap! Gave it a good wash then used a Pinnacle clay bar and PB Spray and Wipe (http://www.autogeek.net/pbsaw16.html) as lube. Then washed it off again with the the Wolfgang auto bathe. dried with a leaf blower.
Now for what little I could do for paint correction. My plan was to clean it as best I could and apply a good protection:
Orange LC Smart pad + Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 (http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-total-swirl-remover.html) followed by
Green LC Smart pad + Wolfgang Finishing Glaze (http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-finishing-glaze.html)
Completed exterior with Wolfgang Deep Gloss SealantWolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant delivers a deep, wet, liquid shimmer unlike anything you can imagine. (http://www.autogeek.net/wg5500.html). I love that product. Goes on and off so easy and leaves such a nice slick finish that looks even better the next day.
I was able to remove most of a few bird bombs or at least improve the look, like this one:
Before (after wash and clay):
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_125023.jpg
After all was done:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_161847.jpg
Engine: Wasn’t planning on an engine detail but when I peeked it was very dirty with a lot of leaf debris. I used the shop vac to get the leaves and trash. Then used DP Engine Degreaser followed by PB Natural Look.
Engine before:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_115246.jpg
Clean Engine:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_162032.jpg
Interior: She has a 2 year old and the interior was surprising clean. I have a 10 year old and my wife’s car looks way worse! I was able to get most of the embedded grime out but the center console was hopeless because it was scratched from her dog.
Seats were cleaned with Lexol leather cleaner (http://www.autogeek.net/lexsprayleat.html) followed by Four Star Leather conditioner (http://www.autogeek.net/four-star-leather-conditioner-gel.html)
Doors and console cleaned with PB Natural Look (http://www.autogeek.net/pbnl16.html)
Dashboard cleaned with Sonax dashboard cleaner (http://www.autogeek.net/sonax-dashboard-cleaner.html)
A little Interior dirt:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_150608.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_150611.jpg
Clean Seats:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_161708.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_173921.jpg
My first Mercedes-Benz and my second black car to detail. Given the age and daily driver it is in really good shape and came out looking nice, Not perfect but it is well protected with the sealant. She was happy with the results so I am happy.
Finished:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_162422.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r67/Reddwarf_bucket/Scarlet/20120526_162413.jpg