Alpine White BMW 1M - Detailed by Lawrence

[lawrenceSA]

Sadly, like so many, the owner of this vehicle was none the wiser when it comes to proper paint maintenance. I simply believe that this is down to a lack of education and methods handed down from previous generations whose paint systems were not the same. I was there too and so no disrespect is meant to the owner, or anyone reading this who may still be in the same boat - I only raise this because it is probably one of the biggest reasons why we have so many cars on our roads that are swirled to hell and back, and with clear coats that are in the process of failing earlier than they should have.

It is safe to assume that we all understand that if you wash a car that it full of dust/dirt it looks a lot better. Also, most people want their car to look shiny - because shiny paint looks better than dull paint. :drool: :thumbup: Where it generally goes wrong though is that people don't really understand what makes their paint dull, and so believe that no harm is done when washing the car. What they don't realize though is that it is POOR WASHING and DRYING that inflicts millions of random scratches into your paint through forcing the dirt (pick some sand up between your fingers and feel how hard it is) over and into the paint surface.

It is these scratches that create defects below the surface of the paint and the resultant uneven surface is what refracts light instead of allowing it to pass directly through the clear coat. It is like trying to look through and old pair of sunglasses that have lenses that are scratched - what you see is a blurry/dull/unclear/distorted image of what you would see if the lenses were free of scratches. Add pressure or do it more often or use improper products/tools/technique and you land up with paint that can look like this in 8000km.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8690_zpsc80e2e65.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8682_zpsc5228673.jpg

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http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8775_zpsb76739a8.jpg

This means the paint needs to be polished to 'make it level again'.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/0790d3db-2c60-4320-a044-0d2768cabe27_zpsabf3c4cf.jpg

The more you polish, the less paint you are left with, the sooner it will fail.

Ok so let's get detailing.....

Arches: Rinsed with a HP washer, sprayed with Cyclo APC via a foaming trigger head and allowed to dwell and then agitated with a Mothers Fender Well Brush. This was followed with another HP Rinse. The arches would later be dressed with Glossworx Extreme Tyre Shine

Tires: Cleaned with Mothers Mothers FX Wheel Cleaner and a Mothers Tire Brush and later dressed with 2 coats of Optimum Optibond Tire Gel 12 hours apart.

Wheels: Rinsed with a HP washer then cleaned using Mothers FX Wheel Cleaner and a Daytona Jnr and a Valet Pro Boar Hairs brush and dried. The wheels were then thoroughly sprayed with Valet Pro Dragons Breath which was agitated after being allowed to dwell for a few minutes, using the same brushes, and then thoroughly rinsed and dried them. Valet Pro Citrus Tar & Glue Remover was used to remove any tar spots. The wheels were then foamed using Valet Pro Advanced Neutral Snow Foam when the rest of the car was - this would ensure there were no remaining residue on the surface. Clayed with an unreleased sample clay I am testing at the moment. The wheels would later be sealed with Menzerna Powerlock.

Brake Calipers: Rinsed with a HP washer, sprayed with Cyclo APC via a foaming trigger head and allowed to dwell and then agitated with a Valet Pro Boars Hair Brush.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8651_zps51b08115.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8653_zpsa1b3cb32.jpg

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http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8783_zps3c964c5c.jpg

Looking much better

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_154704_zps4e01645e.jpg

Door shuts, boot shut, window rubbers, fuel flap, badges etc: Cleaned using Cyclo APC with Valet Pro brushed and then HP Rinsed

Wash: Prefoamed using Valet Pro Advanced Neutral Snow Foam via foam cannon followed by a 2BM wash with Lambswool wash mitts and Glossworx Shampoo.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8803_zps8bda6a06.jpg

Dry: ONR at QD strength with WW Drying towels and compressed air

Decontamination: A baggie test was conducted revealing a lot of contamination. First Valet Pro Citrus Tar & Glue Remover was used to remove any tar spots. Then the car was sprayed with ample Valet Pro Dragon's Breath which was allowed to dwell before being thoroughly rinsed. I then re-foamed the car and rinsed and dried it. Then the long process of claying began. A lot of time was spent on the panel gaps, around all the badges/emblems/ and in all the little nooks and crannies.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8814_zpsbc7e8580.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8809_zps269c65d3.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8805_zps67913c16.jpg

Some nasty etching

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8837_zpsdf786ecc.jpg

And here you can clearly see the DEEP scratches from where someone has aggressively tried to rub the bird droppings off the car :bang:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/IMG_8823_zpsa683d94d.jpg

Paint correction: Menzerna FG400 with LC orange pads (6.5"and 4")
Tail light correction: Menzerna FG400 with LC orange pads (4") followed by Menzerna SF4000 with LC grey pad (4")

Unfortunately about the only pic I have to show the difference is this one

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_155544_zpse693c241.jpg

Protection: Collinite 845 [Autofinesse Tripple used on Door Jambs]

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_155031_zpsfe281bee.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_155040_zpsb83d9969.jpg

Glass : Sample Fine Grade Clay / ONR at clay lube strength / Glossworx Glass Cleaner / Streak Free Microfiber Glass Cleaning Cloths / Insta Finish Bead Off

Door rubbers, plastic trim : Shield Heavy Duty Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner / Optimum Optibond Tire Gel

Interior: Blown out with compressed air / Vacuum / Autofinesse Spritz

Engine Bay: Blown out with compressed air / Wiped down with MF Towel and Cyclo APC / Dressed using Glossworx Extreme Tire Shine

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_155112_zps01685635.jpg

Leather: Glossworx Leather Cleaner / Valet Pro brushes / MF Towel Wipe / Compressed Air dry / Glossworx Leather Conditioner.

Exhaust tips [some nice Akrapovic tips - cold start in the garage in the morning is simply :drool: ]: Cyclo CM30 APC / Various brushes / Meguiars NXT Metal Polish

[lawrenceSA]

I finished quite late on Sunday afternoon and there was no real light to get any 'sun shots'.... but here are the afters...

Still in the garage
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140531_165346_zps59ae5aa8.jpg

And outside in the fading light

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_154602_zpsf461aab8.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_154616_zps48546ca6.jpg

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http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Moe%201M/20140601_155648_zps5e3acd38.jpg

Total time spent on the car was 30 hours.

Thanks for looking and as always and questions or comments are welcomed.

[vdevan]

Great Job Lawrence!How are you finding the Valet Pro products?

[lawrenceSA]

Thanks Vasi. I am really enjoying them a lot so far.

Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk

[Paul A.]

Absolutely stunning work on that little "rocket sled"! Thanks for taking the time to share that with us. Looks like we got us a pro in SA.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Wow incredible work and dedication to the job Lawrence!

With each posting your work and write ups exceed the previous. Well done good sir.

[conman1395]

Lawrence, what kind of lights do you use when correcting white paint? I'm still having a lot of trouble when I pull my white car in the garage to detect imperfections.

[Alekss]

Really nice job

[Sicoupe]

Again, amazing work my friend:)

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Excellent job!

What polisher did you use?

[lawrenceSA]

Absolutely stunning work on that little "rocket sled"! Thanks for taking the time to share that with us. Looks like we got us a pro in SA.
Thank you so much for your kind words!


Wow incredible work and dedication to the job Lawrence!


With each posting your work and write ups exceed the previous. Well done good sir.
Thanks Mike. Coming from 'Mr BMW' it means a lot:xyxthumbs:


Lawrence, what kind of lights do you use when correcting white paint? I'm still having a lot of trouble when I pull my white car in the garage to detect imperfections.
I have a single incandescent bulb on the roof, along with 2 set of fluorescents, the usual double halogens and now a little LED Torch (as you can see in the one pic) - out of all of them, the little torching is shining <------ :laughing:


Really nice job
Thank you very much


Again, amazing work my friend:)
Thanks buddy


Excellent job!

What polisher did you use?
Thanks Mark - I use a Shield DA - probably only available over here. It is pretty much the same as a PC or Megs DA - nothing really fancy at all.... but it gets the job done (albeit perhaps a little slower than some others).

I am currently working toward getting a Flex though.

[swanicyouth]

Crazy good.


That should be my car.

[lawrenceSA]

Crazy good.


That should be my car.

Thank you very much.

The owner was kind enough to take me for a short drive in it on Friday night before I started working on it.... man what a sweet ride:righton:

[BuckeyeR/T]

Very detailed work indeed! Most excellent

[lawrenceSA]

Very detailed work indeed! Most excellent

Thank you very much:dblthumb2: