SpeedFreak Detailed: '02 E46 M3 single stage correction

[SpeedFreak81]

This client was looking for a good detailer, and was referred to me from another forum. He recently purchased this low mile '02 E46 M3, but in typical fashion, the Jet Black paint was in need of some serious TLC. The car could use a multi stage correction to make it perfect, but the single stage option was chosen due to it's daily driven nature. While nowhere near perfect, for a one step correction, I was able to get some really nice results due to the soft clear!



Products used:


Sonax Full Effect wheel cleaner
ZEP Citrus Degreaser
CG Citrus Wash
Pinnacle Speed clay
DoDo Juice Born Slippery clay lube
HD Polish on LC Hydrotech Tangerine pad via Rupes LHR21ES/Flex 3401
DP Max Wax
Stoner Invisible Glass
Adam's Super VRT tire dressing
Optimum metal polish




Few before and during shots of the trunk lid, which was especially bad



http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/12904566005_eda4983967_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904566005/)
DSC_0351 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904566005/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2813/12904651443_86f1b5f4c5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904651443/)
DSC_0353 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904651443/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




Corrected side. While not perfect, a substantial improvement was made



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/12904650293_25b1538a35_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904650293/)
DSC_0354 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904650293/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




Hood before polish



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7456/12904646133_611a7c2f8c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904646133/)
DSC_0357 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904646133/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




50/50 untouched vs polished section



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7337/12904982624_58bec32834_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904982624/)
DSC_0355 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904982624/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/12904558465_d6a1d044be_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904558465/)
DSC_0356 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904558465/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3718/12904555595_312913ee77_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904555595/)
DSC_0358 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904555595/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr



Front bumper cover showed significant scratching. Before & afters



http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3797/12904546835_4cf3c5dd45_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904546835/)
DSC_0367 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904546835/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7393/12904543905_9b8e45899d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904543905/)
DSC_0369 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904543905/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




Passenger side fender before, and 50/50s



http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/12904643133_bc2295362c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904643133/)
DSC_0359 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904643133/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/12904640043_9f7410b4b6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904640043/)
DSC_0361 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904640043/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3696/12904638463_108386e28e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904638463/)
DSC_0362 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904638463/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr



The rear bumper was also extremely scratched up



http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2833/12904971304_1359160b69_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904971304/)
DSC_0364 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904971304/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2860/12904547775_5b43ef4beb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904547775/)
DSC_0365 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904547775/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr



AFTERS:Unfortunately it was dark when I finished, so no outside shots this time.




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/12904531535_d5c2a2b339_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904531535/)
DSC_0380 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904531535/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/12904962954_9d04612074_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904962954/)
DSC_0373 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904962954/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/12904542265_1875d3d0cd_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904542265/)
DSC_0372 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904542265/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7308/12904539235_7491a22115_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904539235/)
DSC_0374 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904539235/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7316/12904956464_9835775495_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904956464/)
DSC_0378 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904956464/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7423/12904512285_81322da2ba_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904512285/)
DSC_0395 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904512285/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/12904938804_541a0302a6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904938804/)
DSC_0390 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904938804/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2807/12904940284_b2fc737233_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904940284/)
DSC_0389 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904940284/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7432/12904945204_5fa0418130_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904945204/)
DSC_0385 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904945204/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7315/12904946964_55728b0dc0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904946964/)
DSC_0384 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904946964/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/12904526165_aabcbf92e7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904526165/)
DSC_0383 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedfreak81/12904526165/) by SpeedFreak81 (http://www.flickr.com/people/speedfreak81/), on Flickr




Thanks for looking!


-Brian

[Tato]

Wow, awesome! No need to apologize for lack of outside pictures, your inside results shows enough, what a glow!

Thanks for sharing,

Good luck !

Kind Regards.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Beautiful work Brian!!!! Incredible results with that one step!

That's the only color BMW's should come in! Of course I am biased! Lol

[jamesboyy]

Nice turn around on that BMW just look at that shine

[SpeedFreak81]

Thanks guys!!!

[Wes Bremec]

Brian you made that paint look so wet!Looks incredible!Great results to see that correction ability from a one step also. the tangerine cut decently, but IME finished down zoo nice:)

[kochdalton87]

Looks great! Is there a reason you switch back and forth between the Rupes and Flex while polishing a car? Do you prefer one machine for a specific area over other areas?

[Theostoubos]

Gorgeous results....

Was the paint on the soft side ?

[Gen9Rolla]

Nice, such a beautiful car and great work on it

[SpeedFreak81]

Kochdalton87 - yes there is absolutely a reason for the switch to the Flex. The Rupes is great for large flat panels, but the "anti spin technology" aka pain in the ass causes the pad to stop rotating if it isn't completely flat on the paint surface. This creates an inability to follow certain body lines and contours. For that reason, the Flex works great in these situations!

[KMG]

Great work! Man it looks like they washed that car using sandpaper before you worked on it. The final results came out really good. I am going to be working on a Dakar Yellow E36 M3 later this month.

[Klasse Act]

Great work and my God were those tires brown!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

[Two3zz]

Great work! Man it looks like they washed that car using sandpaper before you worked on it.

My thoughts also... Very Nice. Great to see one making it's way back to
UDM Status! :props:

M3 - Darn near the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

[PrismDetailing]

Lovely finish to the paint now, excellent work :)

[Becciasm]

To bump a thread - Great job, an impressive turnaround indeed. It's a completely different color than when it came in! ha!