04 Acura tl...night and day difference

[90sedan]

hey all, I've been a long time lurker here and havent really posted much in the forums. I detail for fun, usually just my own vehicles but will detail a friends ride when needed. I'm an automotive technician for honda, so most my time is spent fixing and repairing vehicles, so it's definitely a nice change to take on the task of making one look shiny!


The 04 acura tl that i detailed last week was a friends daily driver that he had bought a few months back. The car looked great at first, but after his first wash he uncovered tons of swirls. He then had our dealership detailer "buff" out the car, only to leave halograms throughout the vehicle.


Needless to say, he wasnt happy with how the car looked and was a little embarrassed to drive it. So i hooked him up with a paint correction to make the deep black paint shine again.


Products/processes used:

wash/decontaminate

meguiar's shampoo +
poorboys bug squash
meguiar's super degreaser
p21s gel for wheels
meguiar's hyper dressing for tires
sheepskin mits
claybar with onr

paint correction

flex 3401
optimum compound II with orange ccs pad
optimum polish II with white ccs pad
griots 3" polisher with hydrotech pads on mirrors and delicate areas
wipe down with onr

sealant/lsp
xmt 360
xmt 180



When it showed up.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2804/192xj.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/267/192xj.jpg/)


http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/3612/193xz.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/193xz.jpg/)


http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6128/191gu.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/191gu.jpg/)


http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5774/195yy.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/211/195yy.jpg/)


http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4210/197hq.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/833/197hq.jpg/)


After the wash. You can really see the halograms in the sunlight!

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2402/198ua.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/40/198ua.jpg/)


After washing the vehicle and pulling it into the garage, i uncovered this scratched into the hood.



http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5559/205lu.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/205lu.jpg/)



I didn't take any pictures during the process since i had my hands full with correcting the paint. All in all i spent close to 15 hours making the paint look great again.

I wasnt able to get any finished sun shots since i had finished late at night and he had to pick the vehicle up before work, but here are some finished shots while it was in the garage. What a difference! The car went from being gray to black again!


http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/7590/221del.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/545/221del.jpg/)


http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6295/223yr.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/145/223yr.jpg/)


http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/9400/224hh.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/224hh.jpg/)


http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/6497/226pv.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/33/226pv.jpg/)


http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4517/229gl.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/94/229gl.jpg/)


http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/721/230se.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/230se.jpg/)



I was very happy with the results, and he didn't believe it was the same car when he first saw it! It was a fun project.

[Bigbull2984]

Wow great save man. Lets hope it stays that way :)

[90sedan]

Thanks, i sure hope it does. I think i have him convinced on letting me do his maintenance washes too, since letting the kids at the dealership clean it was only making it worse.

[vet]

Lookin' GOOD!

[Superior_Details]

awesome turn around

[Meghan]

Love when black paint is all shiny like that!

[Y2KSVT]

How embarassing when the dealership detailers need a lesson in detailing from their mechanic of all people. That's no offense to you; it's just been my experience that the mechanics find a way to palm my doors and hood with greasy hands or drag cords across the paint. Great job on that Acura! Your friend should be proud to drive it, now. :props:

[dcjredline]

Very nice work!!!

[90sedan]

Thanks for all the compliments!

[The_2nd_G]

Solid work. Improve seeing a black car "rescued."

[alko]

VERY NICE job!!! Man I hate it when I see "wash me" on people's cars. The marred the crap out of your paint but nice turn around. Your rims are DOPE!!! I'm not a big aftermarket rims guy but those things are sweet!!