Reflex Silver Golf 6 Gti - Detailed by Lawrence

[lawrenceSA]

A few nights before the car was dropped off for the detail, the owner had the front bumper off and bought the fog lights through to me to try and get them looking better for once the car was detailed.

With the owner waiting, snapping pics wasn't high on my priority list, but I did manage one which shows the transformation - albeit not the best of pics.

Anyway, one of the lights only required wetsanding with 3000 grit and then compounding with FG400 on a 4" Orange LC CCS Pad, followed by SF4000 on a 4" White LC CCS Pad to bring it to the point that the owner was happy. We had discussed how again, much like polishing paint, there is only a finite amount of plastic (Polycarbonate) to be polished before you start messing with the structural integrity of the light, and so we were not looking for perfection, just a decent improvement.

The other side (the untouched one in the pic below) required wetsanding starting at 1500, followed by 2500 followed by 3000 then the same compounding and polishing as mentioned above.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2674_zpsddb80b7d.jpg

The person who will be doing the actual washing of the vehicle was dropped off early Saturday morning so that I could teach him to properly maintain the car once I had finished detailing it. The owner wanted the front arches to be cleaned of the fair build up of tar and so the car was placed on jack stands and the wheels removed.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2685_zps77f43621.jpg

The arches were sprayed with some Cyclo APC which was left to dwell for a few minutes before being agitated with a Mothers Fenderwell Brush. The owner bought along some Wurth Tar Remover which seemed to work really well and is equally priced to most others. Once that was finished I used Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover, liberally and repeatedly, to get rid of all the tar. They would later be dressed with Glossworx Extreme Tire Shine.

The brake calipers were cleaned using Cyclo APC as well as Valet Pro Dragon's Breath and the later coated with Gyeon Wet Coat.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2695_zpsbdfe8e22.jpg

It is always nice to be able to actually get a wheel off the car to clean it, because you can take something that looks like this

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2690_zps21c7fc16.jpg

And make it look like this

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2692_zps405cf3bd.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2693_zps5d4521c7.jpg

Tire clean - Meguiars All Wheel and Tire Cleaner
Tire dressing - 2 coats of Autofinesse Gloss
Wheel wash - Valet Pro Billbery Wheel Cleaner / Daytona Jnr wheel brush / Valet Pro Boars Hair Brushes
Wheel tar removal - Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover
Wheel iron removal - Valet Pro Dragons Breath
Wheel protection - Gyeon Wet Coat

The car was then placed on the ground and the engine bay tackled, which had the usual build up of dust and dirt.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2696_zpsf42ba519.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2697_zps3dcb6ecd.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2698_zps8b4c107e.jpg

Cyclo APC was used in conjunction with various brushes to clean, and the bay was then dressed using Shield Sheen.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2820_zpsc6bbe137.jpg

The car was then washed and dried
-Valet Pro Citrus pre-wash to lower half
-HP Rinse
-Maxi Suds II / MTM Hydro
-HP Rinse
-Maxi Suds II / MTM Hydro
-Gyeon Bathe / Lambswool wash mitts / 2 Buckets / Grit guards
-HP Rinse
-Sheet dry
-WW Drying towel / Glossworx Quick Detailer

Decontamination:
-Tar removed using Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover
-Iron removed using Valet Pro Dragon's Breath
-Remaining contamination removed using Shield Heavy Duty Clay with ONR as lube

I had taken paint thickness readings a few months ago when the owner came for an initial inspection and quote. I re-measured just to make sure and nothing had changed. The driver fender ranged from 97μ to 124μ (avg 113μ) and on every other panel, I really had to struggle to find anything under 300μ and on a lot of the panels, couldn't.

The problem with whomever re-sprayed the car was a few (a lot less than I usually see on re-sprays) sanding marks, but more so just a completely flat finish - I dunno what they used to do their last polish with? :cry:

The best way I can illustrate the change in the paint is by showing you the reflection of an overhead energy saving single bulb on my garage roof.

On this side of the tape mark I have worked FG400 on a 5'5" LC Cyan Hydrotech pad with a flex at speed 3.5 for 6 passes. Notice how you can see the design of the actual bulb in the reflection.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2706_zpsaed61a0b.jpg

Now on the other side which has not yet been polished you can't even make out what the light source actually is.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2707_zps1e0b0862.jpg

This would be followed with Menzerna PF2500 on a 5.5" LC Tangerine Hydrotech pad using the Flex at speed 5. A Shield DA using 4" LC Orange and White CCS pads with the same polishes would be used on the smaller areas, with only the last of these steps being necessary to bring the B-pillars and Tail Lights back to an acceptable condition.These and the paint would be protected using Menzerna Powerlock.

Then the rest of the items were dealt with

Exhaust Tips: Meguiars NXT All Metal Polish.
Leather Cleaning: Cyclo APC
Leather Protection: Collinite 855
Plastic Cleaning: Valet Pro Citrus Pre Wash
Plastic Protection: Aerospace 303
Door & Window Rubbers : Shield Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner / Aerospace 303
Glass : Glossworx Glass Cleaner

Here are a few pics of the finished car

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2830_zps24e8ad6b.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2795_zps98c717d2.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2810_zpsf557bf6d.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2845_zpsb874137f.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2850_zpsb5f4db77.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2782_zps85621ce4.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2845_zpsb874137f.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2787_zps4ba43c6a.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_165346_zps563313d3.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2752_zpsaa7fcf69.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_165327_zps46b94ea0.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_165424_zps6c4e2214.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2746_zpsdf0e2c5f.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2739_zpscace5efa.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_165237_zps2fbafdef.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2732_zpsd5740d89.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2718_zps38ec4857.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2725_zpsafd0ae18.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/IMG_2718_zps38ec4857.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_164924_zpsdf3575ad.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_164827_zps387ac093.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_164843_zps142f625e.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_164904_zps101e0fb5.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_164818_zpsf521ab7b.jpg

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd393/polo_playa/Detailing%20-%20Sershin%20Golf%206%20Gti/20140921_165237_zps2fbafdef.jpg

Total time spent = 31 hours

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

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Outstanding work Lawrence! That GTI looks proper now. You really put a lot of love and attention into now only your work but Show 'N Shines as well.

Remarkakable improvement with the lights and wheels. Nicely done good sir.

How is the Flex/Menzerna working out?

Thanks for sharing.

[Aaryn NZ]

Outstanding work Lawrence! That GTI looks proper now. You really put a lot of love and attention into now only your work but Show 'N Shines as well.

Remarkakable improvement with the lights and wheels. Nicely done good sir.

How is the Flex/Menzerna working out?

Thanks for sharing.

:iagree:
Yep-as always beautiful work, great post & again another fine automobile! :dblthumb2: Awesome job!

[lawrenceSA]

Outstanding work Lawrence! That GTI looks proper now. You really put a lot of love and attention into now only your work but Show 'N Shines as well.

Remarkakable improvement with the lights and wheels. Nicely done good sir.

How is the Flex/Menzerna working out?

Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Mike. Means a lot coming from you.

The Flex.... ah man.... I love the thing hey :buffing:Im the MAN

My wife even told me she has noticed an improvement in the last three cars I have done with it, so I guess if she notices.... welll then...:dunno:

While doing this car I suddenly realized that the first 3 cars I have done so far a red, black and silver - all colors of the flex... then I frantically went to search my booking schedule hoping for a white car to be next to complete the color scheme....

But...




I am doing a Blue BMW X5....

:awman:

Anyway, I am sure I will still be grateful I have it when it comes to tackling that beast

:laughing:



:iagree:
Yep-as always beautiful work, great post & again another fine automobile! :dblthumb2: Awesome job!

Thank you very much !!!

[RobRabbit2.5]

Excellent work on another beautiful Vdub. I am going to be doing my engine bay and wheel wells this weekend and would like to know some specifics about how you did that. If you could share them i would really appreciate it.

I have a blk mkV rabbit. Did you wrap electrical components with plastic bags and then remove after APC and dressing or were you just very careful with the locations that the chems made it to?

Your work looks great and i'd like to adopt whatever processes you are using on these awesome cars.

Thanks in advance.

Rob

[jamesboyy]

Amazing job well done on that Golf 6 Gti

[Sicoupe]

Fantastic work again Lawrence! That silver really shines now��

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Thanks Mike. Means a lot coming from you.

The Flex.... ah man.... I love the thing hey :buffing:Im the MAN

My wife even told me she has noticed an improvement in the last three cars I have done with it, so I guess if she notices.... welll then...:dunno:

While doing this car I suddenly realized that the first 3 cars I have done so far a red, black and silver - all colors of the flex... then I frantically went to search my booking schedule hoping for a white car to be next to complete the color scheme....

But...

I am doing a Blue BMW X5....

:awman:

Anyway, I am sure I will still be grateful I have it when it comes to tackling that beast

:laughing:



Always willing to help when I can.

Happy to hear you are enjoying the machine. That's an incredible response from the wife. If she can see an improvement then you really must have developed your skill set. :props:

Can't wait to see the job on the X5 Lawrence. The level of professionalism you display is top notch.

Hoping to see the newly acquired Hybrid pads/Menzerna products displayed on this upcoming detail.

:cruisin:

[Wadey]

Beautiful work Lawrence! Would you be willing to share your methods for dealing with this area? It's my time-sucking nemesis. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/09/26/d7e847943fc8635aed4fe4bd72531b8d.jpg

My wife's camry has a similar lower grille area -- plus these dammed honeycomb cutouts above.:p

[Paul A.]

Absolutely phenonemal writeup and the resulting beauty shots show what a whopping 31 hours yields! Thanks for sharing that wonderful work with us and the time it took to post it.

[Tato]

You always do fabulous work, and this one is no exception. It's great to hear the Flex is helping you out, and although I see little to no room for improvement on what you do, the Flex will be able to always put you one step higher.

As a superstitious guy, I enjoyed the Red, black and silver coincidence, but now the Blue would mean a Rupes 21? hahaha ;)

Really like your work,

Thanks for sharing.

Kind Regards.

[Suspect81]

Wow. 31 hours? What does a job like that run? Looks amazing.

[kirkatizer]

Great work as always.

[lawrenceSA]

Excellent work on another beautiful Vdub. I am going to be doing my engine bay and wheel wells this weekend and would like to know some specifics about how you did that. If you could share them i would really appreciate it.

I have a blk mkV rabbit. Did you wrap electrical components with plastic bags and then remove after APC and dressing or were you just very careful with the locations that the chems made it to?

Your work looks great and i'd like to adopt whatever processes you are using on these awesome cars.

Thanks in advance.

Rob
Hi Rob - thanks for your kind words.

For the engine bay, I actually used some aluminum foil (although plastic wrap would work just as well) to cover off the exposed alternator. On these cars the coil packs (another sensitive [and costly] electronic component) sit under the plastic engine cover and are therefore not easily reached so nothing was done to them. I then checked that the battery cover was properly secured and looked for any exposed wires, but didn't find any.

Then I started with the underneath of the hood and used some APC and brushes to clean that first, so that any dirt and dirty water that dripped down into the actual engine bay, could be cleaned after.

I then used some APC via a foaming trigger and let that dwell on the engine bay bits, before agitating with various brushes.

Then I used a HP washer and sprayed from a few feet away so that there was only a light mist landing on the engine bay - this is enough however to get the APC 'foam'/residue to 'flow' off the engine bay.

Then I usually use a compressor to blow out all the little nooks and crannys, start the car, let the engine warm up a little and then let it air dry completely, before dressing.

I hope this helps a little.


Amazing job well done on that Golf 6 Gti
Thank you


Fantastic work again Lawrence! That silver really shines now��
Thanks my friend


Always willing to help when I can.

Happy to hear you are enjoying the machine. That's an incredible response from the wife. If she can see an improvement then you really must have developed your skill set. :props:

Can't wait to see the job on the X5 Lawrence. The level of professionalism you display is top notch.

Hoping to see the newly acquired Hybrid pads/Menzerna products displayed on this upcoming detail.

:cruisin:
Thanks Mike - unfortunately the new hybrid pads are not yet 'acquired' - it is going to be a couple of months before I can get those in (by piggybacking on a local detail suppliers next order from AG to cut out the ludicrous shipping costs) so I only anticipate starting to use them from 2015 onward.


Beautiful work Lawrence! Would you be willing to share your methods for dealing with this area? It's my time-sucking nemesis. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/09/26/d7e847943fc8635aed4fe4bd72531b8d.jpg

My wife's camry has a similar lower grille area -- plus these dammed honeycomb cutouts above.:p
Thanks - yeah I am not particularly fond of these areas either.

Basically when it comes time to wash the car I hit these area with a citrus pre-wash (which I usually apply to the lower half of the vehicle). Then this gets HP rinsed off and I hit it again with foam via the foam cannon - whilst the foam is dwelling I will take a Valet Pro Boars Hair brush and agitate the whole area. Then HP rinse again. Then it gets washed again during the 2BM wash, final rinse and dry.

Then I will use an aerosol based dressing (in my case a local product called Shield Sheen) to easily dress the area.


Absolutely phenonemal writeup and the resulting beauty shots show what a whopping 31 hours yields! Thanks for sharing that wonderful work with us and the time it took to post it.
Thank you for your kind words.


You always do fabulous work, and this one is no exception. It's great to hear the Flex is helping you out, and although I see little to no room for improvement on what you do, the Flex will be able to always put you one step higher.

As a superstitious guy, I enjoyed the Red, black and silver coincidence, but now the Blue would mean a Rupes 21? hahaha ;)

Really like your work,

Thanks for sharing.

Kind Regards.
Thanks so much Rafael


Wow. 31 hours? What does a job like that run? Looks amazing.
Well over here in South Africa the detailing market is nothing like overseas - with the ludicrous shipping costs, product cost are literally double what the guys in the states are paying.

Then add into the equation that detailing over here is still such a small industry that most car owners do not understand the difference between a full correction and a quick polish at the local car wash, that the market is still a long way off from being able to absorb a decent rate for detailing....

So without going into the specifics, half the revenue and double the product cost, and you are more or less at what we can 'earn'.

Of course our exchange rate doesn't help anything either.

On a job like this I would probably charge around (if I had to do a direct conversion into $) $250 and spend $90 on products


Great work as always.
Thank you very much

[Loach]

On a job like this I would probably charge around (if I had to do a direct conversion into $) $250 and spend $90 on products


Thank you very much

First off, your work is top notch, this car came out great! Secondly, you have got to absolutely love what you do to offer this level of service in a market where there is no demand for it at the proper price. Keep up the great work, I just wish that you were rewarded more for your quality of work and effort put into it.