Detailed Black G35 (In really bad shape)

[WRX02227]

My friend asked my to do the best I could with his G35. I think it is a 2002. It was in pretty poor condition when he dropped it off, worse then I expected that's for sure.

I washed, clayed, compounded with Megs Ultimate Compound and an orange LC pad with my PC buffer. Then I used Megs D151 with a green LC pad for the final step.

It's certainly better but no where near perfect but I am not sure any amount of correction can fix the damage. A TON of chips, some really deep etched water spots, and some scratches. I'm not extremely happy with the results after working on it for 7 hours.

Anyway on with the pics.

Before:

Hood
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeHood-1.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeHood-1.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeHood2.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeHood2.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeHood3.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeHood3.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeHood4.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeHood4.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeHood5.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeHood5.jpg.html)

Roof
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeRoof.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeRoof.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeRoof2.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeRoof2.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeRoof3.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeRoof3.jpg.html)

Trunk
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeTrunk.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeTrunk.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeTrunkBK.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeTrunkBK.jpg.html)

Driver Side Quarter Panel
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/BeforeDrvQtr.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/BeforeDrvQtr.jpg.html)

Half Hood Compounded
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/HalfCompounded.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/HalfCompounded.jpg.html)

After:

Hood
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterHood1.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterHood1.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterFront-1.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterFront-1.jpg.html)

Roof

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterRoof.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterRoof.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterRoof2.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterRoof2.jpg.html)

Trunk
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterTrunk.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterTrunk.jpg.html)

Sides (Sides weren't too bad)
http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterDriveSide.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterDriveSide.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterPassQTR.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterPassQTR.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterPassFender.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterPassFender.jpg.html)

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd379/wrx02227/AfterPassSide.jpg (http://s1216.photobucket.com/user/wrx02227/media/AfterPassSide.jpg.html)

[af90]

That car definitely needs more than 7 hours. Looks like you did well for what you had, did you smack them over the head with whatever brillo pad or wash broom from a gas station they used on it? :wow:

[WRX02227]

That car definitely needs more than 7 hours. Looks like you did well for what you had, did you smack them over the head with whatever brillo pad or wash broom from a gas station they used on it? :wow:

Hahaha I know I can't wait to ask him what exactly he uses to wash the car or where he takes it. There was 0 wax on it too. About a year or 2 ago he bought a PC buffer from AutoGeek tried to fix it, got frustrated and sold the PC. I'm not sure if some of that damage is from that or what but it was terrible.

Would you have any product or pad suggestions to completely fix it?

[af90]

Ultimate Compound may just not have enough cut for you. I think the Orange pad is a good choice although I don't know how hard Infiniti paint usually is. But you may want to try and bump it up to M105, it looks fixable. I hope you're getting compensated for it.

[cardaddy]

What are all the arcs all over it? Looks like someone has tried to clay it with dirty clay and literally zero lube.

Can't tell a lot from the photos, especially as to where the before shots stop and after shots start. :dunno:

I'm sure it looks better than it started, but that car needs a hellava' lot more than 7 hours. Between a thorough decontamination and washing, doing the jambs (hood, doors and trunk), doing the wheels, and completely taping it up you'd use up 3 to 4 hours easy.

I looked at an Escort tonight while I was getting gas, (the guy came up to me looking at my G). That car was his DD, a 4 door, and a good 6 years old and was a white car even. After a quick look I told him I'd need it a minimum of 8~10 hours and that was only for an AIO with Megs 151. Why? Because it was very DIRTY!

I told him I'd spend a good 2 hours just washing it, and pulling the plastic hub caps off, cleaning the wheel wells, cleaning the steel wheels and both sides of the hub caps.

Then after a good hour of taping it'd take me a good 4~5 hours of buffing to get where it needed to be. (I'll do two pads with an AIO to treat it sort of like a 2-stage project and get more done with it.)

Seeing that G35 makes my head hurt it's so bad. Not to mention they tend to have stupidly soft paint. Megs UC might be enough to do it, but you're gonna' have to go through some pads to get it done. With black you would do better to treat it like a three stage project as well. Megs 205 might not finish out as well as Ultimate Polish actually on that paint. For that matter, might want to switch to a DAT polish (Menz or even some Griots) in the end to bring the life back to it. Just depends on what you and 'he' are looking for.:dunno:

[StuDLei]

If that car's paint is anything like my black 04 350z's, it can probably be fixed if you want it. My paint was AWFUL. Used 105 on orange and then 205 on white/black or sf 4500 with the same.

I think my paint is ridic soft as well. Somehow I got water spots all over the front of my hood today and they etch almost immediately. I washed them off quickly, used vinegar and they still didn't come off. They'll probably come out with sf 4500, but damn, I JUST polished it a week or two ago. So irritating that it etches that fast. I don't recall driving through any water today or anything. Nothing hit my windshield, so I really have no idea.

Anyways, try 105 on orange followed by something finer and see what happens.

[GenesisCoupe]

Great work, a more aggresive compund would work better but from what it was, to what it turned out, you did really good.

BTW- G35's were first in production in 02 sold as an 03. This one has 05+ headlights, however that could have been changed by him, many folks did it.

[parttimer]

I agree with most of the above guys, 105 on an orange pad for that baby. I went ahead and got several different compounds to have in my arsenal for projects like this. I tried Wolfgang TSR, like it, its good, then I bought some ultimate compound, 105 and Sonax PF just to make sure all my bases are covered. Just ordered some Uber from Wolfgang to make doubly sure.

[ponypower5.0]

It hurts my heart and my eyes to see how some people treat their vehicles. How much more time and money are you willing to spend on it? Looks better than before but I agree with the above comments. Did you try a test spot to get a feel for the compound's performance? It may just need more or slower passes to achieve a better result. Tell the owner to keep the SOS pads in the kitchen! LOL

[runrun411]

Ultimate Compound may just not have enough cut for you. I think the Orange pad is a good choice although I don't know how hard Infiniti paint usually is. But you may want to try and bump it up to M105, it looks fixable. I hope you're getting compensated for it.

M101 will definitely do the trick.

[runrun411]

.
Then after a good hour of taping it'd take me a good 4~5 hours of buffing to get where it needed to be. :

It's good to see I'm not the only one who spends about an hour taping. Whew, I thought it was just me being so slow. :xyxthumbs:

[WRX02227]

It didn't take too long to tape it up, maybe 35-40 mins. The car doesn't have much molding and stuff to cover up.

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't have any of the other products available to use since it was a last minute decision to do his car. After he destroys it again I will have a better stock of products hahaha

[WRX02227]

It hurts my heart and my eyes to see how some people treat their vehicles. How much more time and money are you willing to spend on it? Looks better than before but I agree with the above comments. Did you try a test spot to get a feel for the compound's performance? It may just need more or slower passes to achieve a better result. Tell the owner to keep the SOS pads in the kitchen! LOL

I'd spend more hours trying to fix it and as long as he compensates me for product use and money isn't an issue.

The hood, roof, trunk, tops of fenders and rear quarters had more and slower passes, and more and slower passes and more and slower passes. I would say those panels were 4 to 4.5 of the 7 hours. The sides of the car were in okay shape and didn't need more then the standard passes.

I wonder if he went through an automatic wash and the top brushes did the most damage coupled with it not being protected. I'll have to ask him when he picks it up.

[WRX02227]

Great work, a more aggresive compund would work better but from what it was, to what it turned out, you did really good.

BTW- G35's were first in production in 02 sold as an 03. This one has 05+ headlights, however that could have been changed by him, many folks did it.

Thanks!

And you are exactly right...it's an 03 with 05 headlights.

[cardaddy]

It's good to see I'm not the only one who spends about an hour taping. Whew, I thought it was just me being so slow. :xyxthumbs:

Oh no doubt I'll spend time taping. Depends on what all I'm doing though.

I've used half a roll of ¾" (or more) and another half a roll (or more) of 1½" on larger vehicles.

Usually by the time I get a thorough wheel cleaning, (IronX'd, and the wheels and wheel wells brushed nine ways from Sunday) that'll take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. (I literally have like 10~12 wheel only brushes, from the Woolie trio, to dual Daytona's, tire brush, T-handle (foam) lug nut cleaner, and a collection of other brushes.) I'll use no less than 5 of them with my 'normal' washes on my G35 or the Denali for instance.

After all that; wash, clay (Nanoskin) and wipe, follow that with taping and I'm likely into 5 hours.

Of course this is talking about going all out, not your regular DD quickie wash or even a light buffing session.