2009 M3 Engine Detail

[TTQ B4U]

So a referral came to me after seeing a few details I've done while attending cars and coffee. He asked that I simply detail his engine bay to help with the sale of his vehicle. Car is a 2009 with 90k+ on the clock and regularly tracked.

Keeping it simple with a few before and after pics:

[Sizzle Chest]

Well that will help the sale a lot! Great before/after.

[SWETM]

Great work and it's always does alot when you look at a clean car you are interesting to buy.

/Tony

[LEDetailing]

Even if you charged him $100-150.00 it was money well spent. That looks so much better than before.

What products did you use? How long did it take you?

[TTQ B4U]

Even if you charged him $100-150.00 it was money well spent. That looks so much better than before.

What products did you use? How long did it take you?

Spot on. $125 for this one as it wasn't bad.

Super Clean Degreaser mixed 50/50 in a spray bottle. It's super strong stuff and peels off the grime. Handful of low quality Wally World MF Rags. I rinse with Rinseless wash in a spray bottle then blast the muck downward and out with a leaf blower.

Once done I use Griot's engine Detail Dressing. I actually like Adams In and Out better but I ran out and forgot to order more so I picked up the Griot's at a local detail store for just a couple bucks more per can but it goes farther too. I'll use up the 2.5+ cans I have left. It goes on super thin and dries quick.

From start to finish including my silly washing of the hood fenders and front wheels to remove any overspray/mess, 2hrs on the nose.

[TTQ B4U]

Great work and it's always does alot when you look at a clean car you are interesting to buy.

/Tony

Agree.

This one is a rough car. It's 9yrs old, 90k+ on the ODO and is set up as a track car. Rides great, sounds awesome but unless the buyer is planning on racing it, they will likely run from such a vehicle. The suspension, wheels, rubber and brakes are $6,500 so one could re-coupe some costs selling those and even the current owner should IMO revert them back to stock.

The other really bad thing going for it is the MAACO paint job. Somewhere early in its life it was keyed badly and whoever sprayed it did a poor job. It needs a complete re-paint IMO. I measured what's on there and it's like 10-12mils thick all the way around. They basically sanded it lightly and then resprayed it quickly. The front bumper is aftermarket but many areas of the paint are delaminated clear as it lived the past 4yrs wrapped in silver and when it was removed it pulled the poor paint job off. Inside as it sits it's a 9/10 though.

We'll see. The current owner still has fun with it but wants something else. My guess is there's another reason but I'll never know.

[SWETM]

Those can be some beasts on the track. With a well tuned handling you get a pretty fast corner taking car. No wonder it was so bad in the engine area with grime. Racetracks has a lot of road grime that's is swirled up from the road and sucked in there. So impresive results you got cleaning it.

Wonders how it would be if he rewraped the paint?
The prices of a quality paint job is high here in Sweden. And accually not to bad of work either. It's seems to be a big difference to what you have in the US. Generally speaking of course. The standard paint work and insurance jobs is great quality work. Then you have some hacks out there too. But not so many you could think. But a quality full wrap job in the color of choice is 1/5 of a great paint job. So for the DD with trashed paint it's a great choice to full wrap them I think. Many business vehicals with their logos is often full wraped not days. And that saves the paint on them many times. Then the hassle to take off those logo signs that left an untouched paint when removed is also adding when they sell them. And the there is some pretty cool and nice wraped vehicals with the printed wrap. Think a full wrap in the shape of a racecar copy with all they have on them with numbers and sponsors and such could be cool.

[TTQ B4U]

Those can be some beasts on the track. With a well tuned handling you get a pretty fast corner taking car. No wonder it was so bad in the engine area with grime. Racetracks has a lot of road grime that's is swirled up from the road and sucked in there. So impresive results you got cleaning it.

Wonders how it would be if he rewraped the paint?
The prices of a quality paint job is high here in Sweden. And accually not to bad of work either. It's seems to be a big difference to what you have in the US. Generally speaking of course. The standard paint work and insurance jobs is great quality work. Then you have some hacks out there too. But not so many you could think. But a quality full wrap job in the color of choice is 1/5 of a great paint job. So for the DD with trashed paint it's a great choice to full wrap them I think. Many business vehicals with their logos is often full wraped not days. And that saves the paint on them many times. Then the hassle to take off those logo signs that left an untouched paint when removed is also adding when they sell them. And the there is some pretty cool and nice wraped vehicals with the printed wrap. Think a full wrap in the shape of a racecar copy with all they have on them with numbers and sponsors and such could be cool.

I think the owner is willing to simply sell it for less vs trying to fix the finish. Downside to wraps is how they hold up here in Ohio due to temps in upper 90's through winter lows, etc. They tend to last 3-5 years and people think you're trying to hide things with them.

[oneheadlite]

... We'll see. The current owner still has fun with it but wants something else. My guess is there's another reason but I'll never know.

Have they done rod bearings yet? At that mileage it’s a ticking time bomb in my experience if they haven’t. With lots of track use it could be due for round 2...