Velocitybts
09-11-2014, 08:33 PM
The Tale of Two Maserati’s
I hope this write up helps some people out with various processes, the Sport Gt took about 60 hrs for full correction, inside and out. The second Maserati took about 30hours for full correction, however the interior was already perfect and the engine needed only minimal dressing up. Far less work for the second vehicle.
Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT 2006 40k miles
A customer purchased this vehicle in a hurry on a cloudy and rainy day. Dealer provided maintenance history. After washing it himself once and seeing it in the sun realized the heavy swirls and wants to return the vehicle to original condition. I was asked to do a PPI (After the fact) and to help take care of all the issues. This is a picture of what the vehicle appears to look like. (Quite stunning at first, and a high level of gloss) The vehicle was left with me and I mentioned it would take a week or so to sort it all out. I furnished my report to him the next day, and he is ordering all parts needed and gave the go ahead for a full correction, painting of the front and rear bumper, filling in paint chips on the front hood, replacing of various bulbs and wiper blades, removal and installation of all new emblems, trip to Maserati to get print out of warranty recall records, two keys programmed ordered and to clear three codes found, and top it with Modesta Glass Coating. This is how the process was done.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/811/ngdg.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mjngdgj)
Always do an initial inspection if a customer leaves a vehicle with you and they are not present. This could be invaluable to you if an issue were to arise in the future. Take as many pictures to back up what your findings are. It is very possible the customer has not noticed most or all of what you find.
I do not normally give a PPI inspection to customers, but this one wanted a list of what was needed to return the vehicle to original day one condition. Initial inspection detailed all the flaws found and notified the owner to what would be involved for a complete makeover to return the vehicle to 95-98% of original.
Exterior first with pics below. Rear bumper needed a re-paint due to a scrape, paint cracking, and a hole in it. Drivers door appeared to have been slammed open and creased the paint near the door handle (pic shown), All emblems needed replacing due to sun damage, one emblem was missing, no owners manual, Nav disk, or tool kit in the trunk. (dealer was providing the owners manual, Nav Disks, and tool kit for trunk) (this is very normal for a Maserati vehicle to have missing. Salesmen and Auction houses take them and put on Ebay for mega dollars. Customer is usually out about 1k to replace unless the dealer takes care of them, (which this dealer has promised too)). New tires all the way around but two wheels had curb damage (not bad but noticeable), no dents or dings, light RIDs on hood, and top of A pillar.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/713/bh3a.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jtbh3aj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/713/bh3a.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jtbh3aj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/845/vn9b.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nhvn9bj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/14/8wee.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0e8weej)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/197/zouy.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/5hzouyj)
I have rarely seen this many HEAVY swirls and marring which was EVERYWHERE possible. There is light to medium road debris damage on lower front and small rock chips peppered on drivers side of hood and windshield. The passenger headlight is loose and the windshield wiper drivers side needs replacing.
The interior had normal Maserati steering wheel leather warping, some of the buttons in various places had (piks) like the Mercedes headlight panel gets. Ashtray had cosmetic damage (needed replacing), lighter in the front was missing, light scratches on the piano black interior trim, central center light bulb needed replacing and drivers door window buttons functioned poorly (likely needed a deep cleaning). Leather appeared to be in great condition with no cracks, or tears, but needed a good thorough cleaning. City Lights, Turn signals, and rear side marker lights needed replacing also.
Paint measured: Hood 13.4, Fender left 12.5, Fender right 9.5, Door front left 7.5, Door rear left 8, Driver quarter 5.5, Trunk 11, Pass front door 6, Pass rear door 6, Pass quarter 5.5. The high and low numbers are totally correct for a Maserati. Variations from side to side are common as Maserati uses 2 different human applicators to apply the paint. Ferrari was the same way 10 years ago. Not sure about current painting systems being used. Ferrari was one of the last companies to start using electronic measuring devices to QC their paint. They were always visual and still are to some extent. Problem with that is who's eyes are or were doing the measuring? Also paint thickness will vary depending where in the painting process that component was done. Not every company rolls the whole car thru a robot station. Also the paint thickness will vary depending on how much they may have rubbed down the original paint. Sometimes they need to work areas harder to make the car look right. All the panels are hand finished so it takes a person with skill to do it correctly. These cars to tend to get a lot of final hand rubbing and polishing before they are signed off on. Also why these cars are expensive to fix and repair if they are hit.
Products:
• Meguire’s D300 +M105, D405 (mix of 300 and 105)(for micro cutting)
• AMMO Leveler Compound
• Rupes Diamond Polish
• 22PLE Glass Wheel Coating
• Modesta BC-05
• Modesta P-01 Primer
• Opti Clear Synthetic Sealant (For Trim and Engine plastic)
• Blackfire Clay Bar
Soaps and Interior Products:
• Chemical Guys Citrus Car Soap
• Chemical Guys Honeydew
• AMMO Plum
• AMMO Brute Wheel Soap
• AMMO SPIT
• AMMO Lather
• Leatherique
• IPA
Tools
Flex 3401 DA
Griot’s Garage 3” polisher
Meg Microfiber Cutting and Finishing pads and Lake Country HydroTech pads
Wool Wash Mitt
Microfiber towels and mitts from Autogeek
Metro Blaster
Halogen Spotlights for correction light (I turn off all lights and use this light when doing correction work)
McCullough Steam Cleaner
The wash:
I started with the wheels first. I used AMMO Plum iron deposit remover, let sit for 3-4 min and then used a Wheel Woolie brush to get into the interior of the rims. (did a more thorough cleaning when off the vehicle later on) Rims and calipers were washed with a boars hair brush. The wheel wells are felt, so spray with Megs APC, let soak for 2 min, then rinsed heavily. Will hit the felt with a pressure washer when spraying the vehicle down after polishing. I then rinsed off the wheels and wells, then rinsed off the whole vehicle to loosen any large dirt particles. I then used the two-bucket method with Chemical Guys Citrus Soap and a Wool mitt and started on the roof. In between each panel I rinsed and re-soaked the wool mitt to lessen the chances of contaminating the next panel with particles. Then rinsed vehicle.
The clay bar:
After initial wash I used the Blackfire Clay bar before drying using CG Honeydew Car Soap as lubricant. I used a small piece separately for each rim. Then rewashed vehicle.
Drying:
I then dried the vehicle using the Master Blaster to eliminate any chance of marring the finish any more than it was already. I do this no matter what anyway, takes a lot longer, but in the end there is no chance of marring the finish and all the water is out of the cracks and crevices.
Compounding:
I did a test area on the trunk, using a LC Hydro Tech Blue pad, with the AMMO Leveler at a setting of 5, and 8 passes. The finish was almost perfect. I then tried a Megs micro cutting pad and the D405 (my mixture I copied from another detailer) on a separate area on the trunk and the finish came out perfect. Both cuts have very fine micro swirls from the cutting pad and polish. I used a Tangerine Hydro Tech with Rupes Diamond Polish next on both areas, and the paint finished out perfect. Some RIDS I had thought were not coming out did, so I was very pleased. Now to finish out the rest of the vehicle.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/703/toqz.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jjtoqzj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/844/08se.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/ng08sej)
I used a Flex 3401 DA and a mixture of Meg’s Microfiber Cutting Pads (also used a blue and orange LC Hydro Tech) with D300 or Menzerna PG1000 (also had to vary in Rupes Quarz due to the hardness of the paint, and having different panels react to different methods). I found that different areas required more or less cutting power, so I used different combinations of pads and polishes in the correction process and the Flex power varied from 6-4 pending the corrective action needed.
After each section was finished, the Brinkman was used to inspect for any heavy swirls or marring that the polishing steps would not remove. Most panels were pretty perfect with only very small and minor swirls in a few places. The Meg D300 finishes really well, and was again thoroughly pleased with it. The Menzerna PG1000 was difficult to work with again, had minimal working times, and had to do really small sections, which the Flex tends to heat up the surface doing small sections, which compounded the issues with using the Menzerna. Dusting was prevalent, which was a pain. The D300 had no dust to speak of. The Rupes Quarz was extremely similar to the SF1000, but had less dusting. Megs D300 or 105 are some of the nicest compounds that I have used. The lower halves of the doors were almost impossible to get right. I am still not happy with them but a mixture of past Rotary buffing and what appeard to have been brush marks, the scratches were too deep to safely remove. Needed a wet sanding but the paint measurements were not enough to even think about it. I had to make that decision to get it as good as possible and explain to the customer why the areas are like that.
Polishing:
All Panels were finished with Rupes Diamond polish using a setting of 4 on the Flex and 5 on the GG 3”. Flex used Tangerine Hydro Tech pads and the GG used Pink Light finishing pads. The polishing brought out an exceptional deep gloss.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/28/7blj.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0s7bljj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/844/n4h7.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/ngn4h7j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/22/2a29.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0m2a29j)
The Coatings:
Top Coating:
Modesta BC-05 was used for the sealant. The Primer was used first as directed by Modesta. In a few forums and different places, suggestions are to prime it twice with 3 hours in-between coats to maximize gloss levels. This was done Two Days apart. The BC-05 was wiped on as directed, however I did not wait 3 min to remove. I waited no more than 1.5 then started removing. It was difficult as it was and if it sits too long its almost impossible to remove. The Glass went on like syrup as usual and when applying and removing, you can actually feel the difference between the non-coated part and coated part. Like stepping down a stair, it is that noticeable. I used a Infrared Heater to increase the gloss level for each panel as I went around the car. (not sure how much it actually helped) The glass was left to dwell for two days. Top coating Modesta products is not recommended by Modesta. Can it be done??? Yes you can like other glass coats, but each you need to test an area and let dwell to see what the result might be. I top mine 1-2 weeks after application with AMMO Skin to extend protection levels. Each AMMO product used in maintenance adds too the protection if Skin was applied. This encourages customers to use products during their maintenance cycles due to the added protection it provides. They feel that what they are using and their hard work is adding to the gloss and protection, so it’s purposeful to them.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/826/dmuu.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mydmuuj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/843/wr42.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nfwr42j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/856/u1xr.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nsu1xrj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/849/g7yr.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nlg7yrj)
Windows:
Each window was Razor Bladed to remove any contamination then GTechniq Glass Coating was applied.
Leather:
All Leather and door panels were Steam cleaned. Leatherique leather Oil and Rejuvenator was used to clean and condition the leather according to the manufacturers directions. 24hr dwell time in the sun was used along with extensive use of a heater due to the cold.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/542/ycrs.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/f2ycrsj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/823/tzbq.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mvtzbqj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/811/hwt2.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mjhwt2j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/690/mhw8.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/j6mhw8j)
Interior:
The carpet was clean and only the trim needed work. ALL Piano Black trim pieces were treated to a Menzerna SF4500 polish with a Microfiber pad, and then buffed to an incredible shine. (Most treated wood interiors have a CC the same as the outside paint, so can be treated the same. Have used the GG 3” with a white pad to polish wood. ALL Black trim pieces were then treated with 22PLE Glass coating, just like outside paint would be.
Trim:
The Opti-Seal Sythetic sealant was applied to all exterior Black rubber pieces. (Wiper arms, plastic wiper tray, ALL window seals, the Door Jambs and black hinge and wiring pieces, engine bay area, etc.…) I have found the Opti Seal is a perfect sealant to use for the trim on high-end details. The trim pieces stay black for 6-8 months and then just need a touch up. Same with wheel wells. No need for APC use, just soap and water and a brush, if that. Everything stays a nice deep black without being oily, or attracting dust. (Opti Seal is a perfect coating for use on a wife’s car (True WOWA product that lasts 4-5 months) or a quick wash and wax job.
Wheels:
Each Wheel was removed to allow access to the suspension parts. These were cleaned with Brute Wheel Soap, Meg’s APC, and two good brushes. After removing as much grime as possible, all were treated with CG’s Black on Black. Then Each wheel was polished slightly with SF4500 on the GG 3”. After that each wheel was coated with 22PLE Wheel and rim Glass Coating.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/46/gst9.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/1agst9j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/202/vx5e.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/5mvx5ej)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/812/bv6f.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mkbv6fj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/43/ew7f.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/17ew7fj)
Door Jambs:
After cleaing and polishing by hand the jambs, each one was Glass Coated with 22PLE Glass coatings. This was used instead of the Modesta due to the ease of removing in tighter areas.
Engine:
Due to removing the front bumper, access to the whole engine compartment was reached. I used a small brush and worked each component and crevice to clean as much as possible. Each plastic covering panel was cleaned and the dressed with Aerospace 303 protectant and wiped several times. The Front grille screws and engine covering screws were painted black to restore original look. The whole area behind the grille was cleaned and coated with 303 also. The Chrome was polished by hand.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/820/jssn.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/msjssnj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/690/f2n2.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/j6f2n2j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/716/v8j1.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jwv8j1j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/35/m5pb.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0zm5pbj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/20/vccm.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0kvccmj)
Finished:
Vehicle was final inspected and a 90-95% with 100% on some panels correction was achieved. I was not happy with the lower door panels, however not much more could be done with them. I advised the customer the Xpel plastic pieces in front of the rear wheels needed to be replaced. The Vehicle appears better than it was new, and is absolutely stunning to look at. Final Pictures are below.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/42/a5um.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/16a5umj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/20/550t.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0k550tj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/844/dydp.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/ngdydpj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/571/nj92.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/fvnj92j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/36/7fmz.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/107fmzj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/690/ibk2.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/j6ibk2j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/23/61c1.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0n61c1j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/839/ti41.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nbti41j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/41/4pdt.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/154pdtj)
2006 Maserati Quattroporte Nero Black 28k miles
This is the second Maserati (mine) where the exact same polishing process was done however the coatings were done differently. I used Polish Angel Cosmic glass coatings which applied totally differently than the Modesta coatings. The Cosmic applied similar to a semi-liquid wax. (PA products are all the semi-liquid carnubas). The Cosmic was applied using GG 3” with white pad and let sit for 30min and removed. The finish looked flawless and incredible gloss levels. I do believe comparing the both of them, the Modesta was clearly glossier and appeared to add a thick layer compared to less than a thick layer. I would go with the Modesta next go around, but the 22ple glass coating is like the Modesta at a lower price point and I will be using that from now on.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/674/UpGsXm.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/iqUpGsXmj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/537/bGvf68.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/exbGvf68j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/538/S53a0P.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/eyS53a0Pj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/905/TI3UmQ.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/p5TI3UmQj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/537/xP7T5P.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/exxP7T5Pj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/537/to661t.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/exto661tj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/631/Vo50An.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/hjVo50Anj)
I hope this write up helps some people out with various processes, the Sport Gt took about 60 hrs for full correction, inside and out. The second Maserati took about 30hours for full correction, however the interior was already perfect and the engine needed only minimal dressing up. Far less work for the second vehicle.
Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT 2006 40k miles
A customer purchased this vehicle in a hurry on a cloudy and rainy day. Dealer provided maintenance history. After washing it himself once and seeing it in the sun realized the heavy swirls and wants to return the vehicle to original condition. I was asked to do a PPI (After the fact) and to help take care of all the issues. This is a picture of what the vehicle appears to look like. (Quite stunning at first, and a high level of gloss) The vehicle was left with me and I mentioned it would take a week or so to sort it all out. I furnished my report to him the next day, and he is ordering all parts needed and gave the go ahead for a full correction, painting of the front and rear bumper, filling in paint chips on the front hood, replacing of various bulbs and wiper blades, removal and installation of all new emblems, trip to Maserati to get print out of warranty recall records, two keys programmed ordered and to clear three codes found, and top it with Modesta Glass Coating. This is how the process was done.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/811/ngdg.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mjngdgj)
Always do an initial inspection if a customer leaves a vehicle with you and they are not present. This could be invaluable to you if an issue were to arise in the future. Take as many pictures to back up what your findings are. It is very possible the customer has not noticed most or all of what you find.
I do not normally give a PPI inspection to customers, but this one wanted a list of what was needed to return the vehicle to original day one condition. Initial inspection detailed all the flaws found and notified the owner to what would be involved for a complete makeover to return the vehicle to 95-98% of original.
Exterior first with pics below. Rear bumper needed a re-paint due to a scrape, paint cracking, and a hole in it. Drivers door appeared to have been slammed open and creased the paint near the door handle (pic shown), All emblems needed replacing due to sun damage, one emblem was missing, no owners manual, Nav disk, or tool kit in the trunk. (dealer was providing the owners manual, Nav Disks, and tool kit for trunk) (this is very normal for a Maserati vehicle to have missing. Salesmen and Auction houses take them and put on Ebay for mega dollars. Customer is usually out about 1k to replace unless the dealer takes care of them, (which this dealer has promised too)). New tires all the way around but two wheels had curb damage (not bad but noticeable), no dents or dings, light RIDs on hood, and top of A pillar.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/713/bh3a.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jtbh3aj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/713/bh3a.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jtbh3aj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/845/vn9b.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nhvn9bj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/14/8wee.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/0e8weej)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/197/zouy.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/5hzouyj)
I have rarely seen this many HEAVY swirls and marring which was EVERYWHERE possible. There is light to medium road debris damage on lower front and small rock chips peppered on drivers side of hood and windshield. The passenger headlight is loose and the windshield wiper drivers side needs replacing.
The interior had normal Maserati steering wheel leather warping, some of the buttons in various places had (piks) like the Mercedes headlight panel gets. Ashtray had cosmetic damage (needed replacing), lighter in the front was missing, light scratches on the piano black interior trim, central center light bulb needed replacing and drivers door window buttons functioned poorly (likely needed a deep cleaning). Leather appeared to be in great condition with no cracks, or tears, but needed a good thorough cleaning. City Lights, Turn signals, and rear side marker lights needed replacing also.
Paint measured: Hood 13.4, Fender left 12.5, Fender right 9.5, Door front left 7.5, Door rear left 8, Driver quarter 5.5, Trunk 11, Pass front door 6, Pass rear door 6, Pass quarter 5.5. The high and low numbers are totally correct for a Maserati. Variations from side to side are common as Maserati uses 2 different human applicators to apply the paint. Ferrari was the same way 10 years ago. Not sure about current painting systems being used. Ferrari was one of the last companies to start using electronic measuring devices to QC their paint. They were always visual and still are to some extent. Problem with that is who's eyes are or were doing the measuring? Also paint thickness will vary depending where in the painting process that component was done. Not every company rolls the whole car thru a robot station. Also the paint thickness will vary depending on how much they may have rubbed down the original paint. Sometimes they need to work areas harder to make the car look right. All the panels are hand finished so it takes a person with skill to do it correctly. These cars to tend to get a lot of final hand rubbing and polishing before they are signed off on. Also why these cars are expensive to fix and repair if they are hit.
Products:
• Meguire’s D300 +M105, D405 (mix of 300 and 105)(for micro cutting)
• AMMO Leveler Compound
• Rupes Diamond Polish
• 22PLE Glass Wheel Coating
• Modesta BC-05
• Modesta P-01 Primer
• Opti Clear Synthetic Sealant (For Trim and Engine plastic)
• Blackfire Clay Bar
Soaps and Interior Products:
• Chemical Guys Citrus Car Soap
• Chemical Guys Honeydew
• AMMO Plum
• AMMO Brute Wheel Soap
• AMMO SPIT
• AMMO Lather
• Leatherique
• IPA
Tools
Flex 3401 DA
Griot’s Garage 3” polisher
Meg Microfiber Cutting and Finishing pads and Lake Country HydroTech pads
Wool Wash Mitt
Microfiber towels and mitts from Autogeek
Metro Blaster
Halogen Spotlights for correction light (I turn off all lights and use this light when doing correction work)
McCullough Steam Cleaner
The wash:
I started with the wheels first. I used AMMO Plum iron deposit remover, let sit for 3-4 min and then used a Wheel Woolie brush to get into the interior of the rims. (did a more thorough cleaning when off the vehicle later on) Rims and calipers were washed with a boars hair brush. The wheel wells are felt, so spray with Megs APC, let soak for 2 min, then rinsed heavily. Will hit the felt with a pressure washer when spraying the vehicle down after polishing. I then rinsed off the wheels and wells, then rinsed off the whole vehicle to loosen any large dirt particles. I then used the two-bucket method with Chemical Guys Citrus Soap and a Wool mitt and started on the roof. In between each panel I rinsed and re-soaked the wool mitt to lessen the chances of contaminating the next panel with particles. Then rinsed vehicle.
The clay bar:
After initial wash I used the Blackfire Clay bar before drying using CG Honeydew Car Soap as lubricant. I used a small piece separately for each rim. Then rewashed vehicle.
Drying:
I then dried the vehicle using the Master Blaster to eliminate any chance of marring the finish any more than it was already. I do this no matter what anyway, takes a lot longer, but in the end there is no chance of marring the finish and all the water is out of the cracks and crevices.
Compounding:
I did a test area on the trunk, using a LC Hydro Tech Blue pad, with the AMMO Leveler at a setting of 5, and 8 passes. The finish was almost perfect. I then tried a Megs micro cutting pad and the D405 (my mixture I copied from another detailer) on a separate area on the trunk and the finish came out perfect. Both cuts have very fine micro swirls from the cutting pad and polish. I used a Tangerine Hydro Tech with Rupes Diamond Polish next on both areas, and the paint finished out perfect. Some RIDS I had thought were not coming out did, so I was very pleased. Now to finish out the rest of the vehicle.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/703/toqz.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/jjtoqzj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640x480q90/844/08se.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/ng08sej)
I used a Flex 3401 DA and a mixture of Meg’s Microfiber Cutting Pads (also used a blue and orange LC Hydro Tech) with D300 or Menzerna PG1000 (also had to vary in Rupes Quarz due to the hardness of the paint, and having different panels react to different methods). I found that different areas required more or less cutting power, so I used different combinations of pads and polishes in the correction process and the Flex power varied from 6-4 pending the corrective action needed.
After each section was finished, the Brinkman was used to inspect for any heavy swirls or marring that the polishing steps would not remove. Most panels were pretty perfect with only very small and minor swirls in a few places. The Meg D300 finishes really well, and was again thoroughly pleased with it. The Menzerna PG1000 was difficult to work with again, had minimal working times, and had to do really small sections, which the Flex tends to heat up the surface doing small sections, which compounded the issues with using the Menzerna. Dusting was prevalent, which was a pain. The D300 had no dust to speak of. The Rupes Quarz was extremely similar to the SF1000, but had less dusting. Megs D300 or 105 are some of the nicest compounds that I have used. The lower halves of the doors were almost impossible to get right. I am still not happy with them but a mixture of past Rotary buffing and what appeard to have been brush marks, the scratches were too deep to safely remove. Needed a wet sanding but the paint measurements were not enough to even think about it. I had to make that decision to get it as good as possible and explain to the customer why the areas are like that.
Polishing:
All Panels were finished with Rupes Diamond polish using a setting of 4 on the Flex and 5 on the GG 3”. Flex used Tangerine Hydro Tech pads and the GG used Pink Light finishing pads. The polishing brought out an exceptional deep gloss.
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The Coatings:
Top Coating:
Modesta BC-05 was used for the sealant. The Primer was used first as directed by Modesta. In a few forums and different places, suggestions are to prime it twice with 3 hours in-between coats to maximize gloss levels. This was done Two Days apart. The BC-05 was wiped on as directed, however I did not wait 3 min to remove. I waited no more than 1.5 then started removing. It was difficult as it was and if it sits too long its almost impossible to remove. The Glass went on like syrup as usual and when applying and removing, you can actually feel the difference between the non-coated part and coated part. Like stepping down a stair, it is that noticeable. I used a Infrared Heater to increase the gloss level for each panel as I went around the car. (not sure how much it actually helped) The glass was left to dwell for two days. Top coating Modesta products is not recommended by Modesta. Can it be done??? Yes you can like other glass coats, but each you need to test an area and let dwell to see what the result might be. I top mine 1-2 weeks after application with AMMO Skin to extend protection levels. Each AMMO product used in maintenance adds too the protection if Skin was applied. This encourages customers to use products during their maintenance cycles due to the added protection it provides. They feel that what they are using and their hard work is adding to the gloss and protection, so it’s purposeful to them.
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Windows:
Each window was Razor Bladed to remove any contamination then GTechniq Glass Coating was applied.
Leather:
All Leather and door panels were Steam cleaned. Leatherique leather Oil and Rejuvenator was used to clean and condition the leather according to the manufacturers directions. 24hr dwell time in the sun was used along with extensive use of a heater due to the cold.
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Interior:
The carpet was clean and only the trim needed work. ALL Piano Black trim pieces were treated to a Menzerna SF4500 polish with a Microfiber pad, and then buffed to an incredible shine. (Most treated wood interiors have a CC the same as the outside paint, so can be treated the same. Have used the GG 3” with a white pad to polish wood. ALL Black trim pieces were then treated with 22PLE Glass coating, just like outside paint would be.
Trim:
The Opti-Seal Sythetic sealant was applied to all exterior Black rubber pieces. (Wiper arms, plastic wiper tray, ALL window seals, the Door Jambs and black hinge and wiring pieces, engine bay area, etc.…) I have found the Opti Seal is a perfect sealant to use for the trim on high-end details. The trim pieces stay black for 6-8 months and then just need a touch up. Same with wheel wells. No need for APC use, just soap and water and a brush, if that. Everything stays a nice deep black without being oily, or attracting dust. (Opti Seal is a perfect coating for use on a wife’s car (True WOWA product that lasts 4-5 months) or a quick wash and wax job.
Wheels:
Each Wheel was removed to allow access to the suspension parts. These were cleaned with Brute Wheel Soap, Meg’s APC, and two good brushes. After removing as much grime as possible, all were treated with CG’s Black on Black. Then Each wheel was polished slightly with SF4500 on the GG 3”. After that each wheel was coated with 22PLE Wheel and rim Glass Coating.
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Door Jambs:
After cleaing and polishing by hand the jambs, each one was Glass Coated with 22PLE Glass coatings. This was used instead of the Modesta due to the ease of removing in tighter areas.
Engine:
Due to removing the front bumper, access to the whole engine compartment was reached. I used a small brush and worked each component and crevice to clean as much as possible. Each plastic covering panel was cleaned and the dressed with Aerospace 303 protectant and wiped several times. The Front grille screws and engine covering screws were painted black to restore original look. The whole area behind the grille was cleaned and coated with 303 also. The Chrome was polished by hand.
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Finished:
Vehicle was final inspected and a 90-95% with 100% on some panels correction was achieved. I was not happy with the lower door panels, however not much more could be done with them. I advised the customer the Xpel plastic pieces in front of the rear wheels needed to be replaced. The Vehicle appears better than it was new, and is absolutely stunning to look at. Final Pictures are below.
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2006 Maserati Quattroporte Nero Black 28k miles
This is the second Maserati (mine) where the exact same polishing process was done however the coatings were done differently. I used Polish Angel Cosmic glass coatings which applied totally differently than the Modesta coatings. The Cosmic applied similar to a semi-liquid wax. (PA products are all the semi-liquid carnubas). The Cosmic was applied using GG 3” with white pad and let sit for 30min and removed. The finish looked flawless and incredible gloss levels. I do believe comparing the both of them, the Modesta was clearly glossier and appeared to add a thick layer compared to less than a thick layer. I would go with the Modesta next go around, but the 22ple glass coating is like the Modesta at a lower price point and I will be using that from now on.
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