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Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Hey all, Happy Monday. Hope you all had a good Easter. With that being said I will give you a quick back drop to my saturday and then proceed with the questions.
I detailed my boss' wife's BlacK BMW 3 Series on Saturday and spent about 6 and a half hours on it. However, it isn't completely done. The car looked as if it hadn't been cleaned, washed or detailed in at least a year. Naturally the wheels were just about black with bmw's legendary brake dust. The paint was also in rough shape and after a wash, I noticed a good amount of water spots showing up. I dried her car the same way I did mine earlier in the day and I know the process dried the car very well. Since I saw all the spots, I did not wax because I didn't want to waste my time and wax when I knew I wanted to clean the paint better beforehand.
Now onto my questions:
First and foremost: I cleaned the wheels using Detailer Pro Series wheel cleaner and the Mother's wheel cleaner brush. I was able to get off about 80% of the brake dust, but there is still a lot of REALLY stubborn brake dust and tiny black specks all over the wheels still.
- What cleaner(s) and brush or applicator would you guys recommend to help get rid of the REALLY stubborn stuff still on the wheels?
The paint seemed to be littered with old water spots and a couple other markings (not exactly sure what). My method to try and rid the car's paint of these was to clay the car down using Meguiar's Clay Kit and to polish the paint with Meguiar's SwirlX.
- Will this do a good enough job to get rid of the water spots and markings? Just a note here - My boss doesn't want/need the paint to be immaculate, but wants a good shine.
One last thing was the interior: I used Lexol leather cleaner and leather conditioner on the seats. The cleaner did an OK job on some stains but barely removed others. I was using a terry cloth and rubbing the product into the seat. I don't have a good upholstery brush YET (plan on ordering one today). Would applying the product to a brush and then scrubbing it into the seats yield better results?
Sorry I have no pictures to show as of now, camera's at home. All this will be done by hand by the way, don't have a DA polisher yet.
Thanks for any help and recommendations guys, if you need any more infor to make a recommendation just let me know!
- Cash
From PA, just outside of Philadelphia.
Still new to the game. Hobby Detailer. General car lover, but a huge Toyota enthusiast!!
Looking forward to always learning!
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Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
The paint seemed to be littered with old water spots and a couple other markings (not exactly sure what). My method to try and rid the car's paint of these was to clay the car down using Meguiar's Clay Kit and to polish the paint with Meguiar's SwirlX.
- Will this do a good enough job to get rid of the water spots and markings? Just a note here - My boss doesn't want/need the paint to be immaculate, but wants a good shine.
- Cash
Two things...
1. Meguiar's SwirlX is a fine cut polish, it might not be aggressive enough to remove enough paint quickly enough to level the surface. Consider using something a little more aggressive.
2. If nothing's changed and by this I mean however your boss took care of the car before you detailed it if this is how he's going to take care of it into the future then nothing's changed and ignore what I wrote above, just get the paint shiny and wax it. Maybe even use a one-step cleaner/wax or AIO
If your boss has seen the light and is now going to be more careful with how he takes care of his BMW to keep up it's appearance then maybe try to remove some or all of the water spots but only if the car isn't parked where the problem can happen again, like parked next to a sprinkler that always turns-on at 4:00am in the morning because the water spots will just appear again.
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Regular Member
Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek
Two things...
1. Meguiar's SwirlX is a fine cut polish, it might not be aggressive enough to remove enough paint quickly enough to level the surface. Consider using something a little more aggressive.
2. If nothing's changed and by this I mean however your boss took care of the car before you detailed it if this is how he's going to take care of it into the future then nothing's changed and ignore what I wrote above, just get the paint shiny and wax it. Maybe even use a one-step cleaner/wax or AIO
If your boss has seen the light and is now going to be more careful with how he takes care of his BMW to keep up it's appearance then maybe try to remove some or all of the water spots but only if the car isn't parked where the problem can happen again, like parked next to a sprinkler that always turns-on at 4:00am in the morning because the water spots will just appear again.
Thanks for the input Mike, just so I respond in order:
1. Do you think something like Ultimate Compund is too aggressive or is that something that would be perfect for this situation?
2. I'm not sure if things have changed yet or not, I am hoping that once he sees the final product it will shed some light on keeping it clean from now on. When I first set up the appointment he said he didn't need the clay/polish (an upsell of $50 on my price list) and I said no problem. I then talked to him an explained that the paint was marked up pretty bad and it would finish out a lot nicer if we did the step. He was fine with it because he realized the car probably could use it, and I am using this as hope lol. And I don't believe the spots came from anything of an odd occurence, it just seems to have been a while since it was truly cleaned.
The other reason I want to try and properly take care of this now is that I am hoping to make him and his wife regular customers of mine and hope to get the on a monthly maintenance plan. (They are actually good friends of mine and I spend a good amount of time around them and their family) OR at the very least, get my hands on their cars once every couple months. I know he is OK with the prices and understands that if the paint is bad enough that it needs the work. So I am hoping to clean the slate now to make future work easier on myself.
If I DID go the route of Ultimate Compound would it be much easier/smarter to wait until I have a DA polisher? I hope to get the PC 7424XP at the end of this month since my birthday is coming up.
From PA, just outside of Philadelphia.
Still new to the game. Hobby Detailer. General car lover, but a huge Toyota enthusiast!!
Looking forward to always learning!
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Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
Thanks for the input Mike, just so I respond in order:
1. Do you think something like Ultimate Compound is too aggressive or is that something that would be perfect for this situation?
That would be a good choice. Since it's a SMAT product you can stop at any time during the buffing process so it's only aggressive as you work it. When the defects are gone... stop working it or stop being aggressive.
With DAT product, technically you need to work them till all the diminishing abrasives have broken down.
Here's some good reading on this topic,
The SMAT Pack - Everything you ever wanted to know about Meguiar's SMAT products...
The Aggressiveness Order of SMAT Products - This might surprise you!
(I need to update the above thread but still some good info)
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
2. I'm not sure if things have changed yet or not, I am hoping that once he sees the final product it will shed some light on keeping it clean from now on. When I first set up the appointment he said he didn't need the clay/polish (an up-sell of $50 on my price list) and I said no problem. I then talked to him an explained that the paint was marked up pretty bad and it would finish out a lot nicer if we did the step. He was fine with it because he realized the car probably could use it, and I am using this as hope lol. And I don't believe the spots came from anything of an odd occurrence, it just seems to have been a while since it was truly cleaned.
The other reason I want to try and properly take care of this now is that I am hoping to make him and his wife regular customers of mine and hope to get the on a monthly maintenance plan. (They are actually good friends of mine and I spend a good amount of time around them and their family) OR at the very least, get my hands on their cars once every couple months. I know he is OK with the prices and understands that if the paint is bad enough that it needs the work. So I am hoping to clean the slate now to make future work easier on myself.
Cool. Sounds like you're educating your customer. That's a win/win for both of you and it will help you to up-sell him and all your customers plus get you referrals because you'll have earned their trust.
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
If I DID go the route of Ultimate Compound would it be much easier/smarter to wait until I have a DA polisher? I hope to get the PC 7424XP at the end of this month since my birthday is coming up.
Definitely.
How are you doing your work now? By hand?
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Regular Member
Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek
Cool. Sounds like you're educating your customer. That's a win/win for both of you and it will help you to up-sell him and all your customers plus get you referrals because you'll have earned their trust.
Definitely.
How are you doing your work now? By hand?
As of now, yes, I am working by hand. I hope I get gift cards to AG or enough cash to put towards getting my own DA polisher. Even though I won't need it too often, I know I would use it on my own car as well as my fiancee's when needed so it would be a huge asset. Epsecially when things like this pop up with customers.
From PA, just outside of Philadelphia.
Still new to the game. Hobby Detailer. General car lover, but a huge Toyota enthusiast!!
Looking forward to always learning!
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Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
As of now, yes, I am working by hand. I hope I get gift cards to AG or enough cash to put towards getting my own DA polisher. Even though I won't need it too often, I know I would use it on my own car as well as my fiancee's when needed so it would be a huge asset. Especially when things like this pop up with customers.
Well you can rub that car out by hand using UC followed by UP, it's a lot of work and time but you'll get some great exercise out of it...
Man versus Machine
Do try to avoid Fingermarks...
Fingermarks
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Regular Member
Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
As of now, yes, I am working by hand. I hope I get gift cards to AG or enough cash to put towards getting my own DA polisher. Even though I won't need it too often, I know I would use it on my own car as well as my fiancee's when needed so it would be a huge asset. Epsecially when things like this pop up with customers.
A couple of years ago, just liike you, I was doing everything by hand. Talk about time consuming. You won't regret getting a DA. You will find more uses for it than you think. Good luck with the water spots, I have dealt with them on my Vette.
2001 Vette (Ebony)
2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI Sport (Ally)
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Regular Member
Re: Multiple Questions to Help Me PROPERLY Finish a BLACK BMW Detail
Originally Posted by Pitch Black
A couple of years ago, just liike you, I was doing everything by hand. Talk about time consuming. You won't regret getting a DA. You will find more uses for it than you think. Good luck with the water spots, I have dealt with them on my Vette.
Yeah, thanks! I am on the fence because I know most of my customers won't really need (well, want) those processes done. But I feel like the few times I MAY need it each year, it would make the work so much easier and much quicker.
From PA, just outside of Philadelphia.
Still new to the game. Hobby Detailer. General car lover, but a huge Toyota enthusiast!!
Looking forward to always learning!
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Super Member
Originally Posted by CASH XRS
Yeah, thanks! I am on the fence because I know most of my customers won't really need (well, want) those processes done. But I feel like the few times I MAY need it each year, it would make the work so much easier and much quicker.
You need to do a AIO though, right? All the time you save by getting a DA, you'll get more cars done. Time is money the DA will pay for itself fast.
David 2000 Ford F-350 DRW CCLB BLACK/GOLD
Wish list:
Everything Mike has in his garage for detailing
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Junior Member
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