Production Detailing - Mercedes Benz CLA250.

[Aaryn NZ]

Hello Folks.

I thought I’d share a little Show N’ Shine seeing as I have found myself with a touch of spare time.

I attacked this Mercedes Benz CLA250 a few weeks back & it just so happened to be at the same time as I received a parcel of Blackfire One Step from my good friend Mike Phillips & the good folks there at Autogeek, so I was excited to try out the Blackfire One Step & this Mercedes Benz was a fantastic candidate.

The before pictures are as it arrived. Nothing dramatically different to most of the vehicles I deal with on a weekly basis, the normal dirty road film, a touch of “ran outta time” in the last few months to wash my car kinda condition. Interior was in a similar state but again - normal stuff for me here in the shop.

So - carried out the standard decontamination wash process, IronX, Clay, Wheels, Wheel Wells etc etc, dried off, left to “stretch” for a few minutes & then taken inside to tackle the rest.

Interior saw a thorough vacuum throughout, carpet floor mats were deep cleaned with the hot water extractor, all leather surfaces were steamed & conditioned , the dash, console & other associated trim detailed. All glass surfaces cleaned.

































Came out really nice, & I have to say - I’m a sucker for red belts! Something I dislike about modern cars (lots of things but this is just one) is how easily they scuff/scratch on the plastic trim. It’s a real shame as it lets down the appearance but unfortunately there’s very little I can do.

Onto the exterior - So as I mentioned earlier, a parcel of Blackfire One Step had arrived at the shop & I was excited & eagerly wanting to try it out.

Tested out the One Step on the Flex 3401 & White Lake Country CCS pads & results were really good. I would’ve been happy enough to send this Mercedes Benz out with this combination alone but seeing as I had a little time for experimentation I decided to switch it up & try Lake Country’s Orange CCS pad to see if a little extra bite was going to yield better results. Typically I find an AIO plays bette with a softer pad combo but I was pleasantly greeted with a better finish & keeping within my four passes too.

I also went over the glass using this same set up & although I have tried this approach with AIO style products before, I can’t say I’ve even been suitably impressed but with Blackfire One Step, consider me impressed. Actually, so impressed that I’m finding myself polishing the glass on most vehicles that come through the shop with Blackfire One Step!!!

Anyhow, here are a few before & after pictures -















































































So there we have it. That’s a typical days work for me down here in little ol’ New Zealand. Must say, I’m pretty impressed with the performance of Blackfire One Step to date, a very nice product indeed.

Thank you all for stopping by & taking a look.

Aaryn NZ.

[Klasse Act]

Great, detailed write up and I like how you've always got a classic something in the background

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[PaulMys]

Lookin' good as always, Aaryn!!

[FUNX650]

Hi Aaryn,

Beautiful baby 'Benz;
Exceptional attention to details.

I must also congratulate you for providing us
with exactly what a “before and after” photo
shoot is supposed to be; again: Exceptional.


Bob

[DMiglio]

Aaryn, another awesome post from you!! Giving all of us some inspiration, not only in regards to detailing but in your before and after documentation. The matching angles and lighting and of course the time it takes to not only take those shots during a detail but then posting them in order too. Just killing man!! Thanks for sharing

[LEDetailing]

As others have mentioned your before and after photos are exceptional. I’m looking at those outdoor before and afters trying to look for marks on the asphalt where you marked your place

Well done!

[Aaryn NZ]

Great, detailed write up and I like how you've always got a classic something in the background

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thanks Klasse Act.

Appreciate it my friend. I keep telling Ange a nice 356 Speedster would look great in the background of my pictures . . .

She said “NO” . . .

Lookin' good as always, Aaryn!!

Thank you PaulMys.

You’re a good man buddy.

Hi Aaryn,

Beautiful baby 'Benz;
Exceptional attention to details.

I must also congratulate you for providing us
with exactly what a “before and after” photo
shoot is supposed to be; again: Exceptional.


Bob

Bob, thank you my friend!

I appreciate your comments. I have made some great friends on this Forum & I consider you amongst them, I do hope we meet one day.

Aaryn, another awesome post from you!! Giving all of us some inspiration, not only in regards to detailing but in your before and after documentation. The matching angles and lighting and of course the time it takes to not only take those shots during a detail but then posting them in order too. Just killing man!! Thanks for sharing

Cheers DMiglio.

I’m pleased you enjoy & it’s nice to contribute at least a little something back to a Forum that gives me so much. Thank you for taking the time to comment, & thank you for being a part of my Autogeek family.

As others have mentioned your before and after photos are exceptional. I’m looking at those outdoor before and afters trying to look for marks on the asphalt where you marked your place

Well done!

Thank you LEDetailing.

Ahhh geeze, you know I wish I had darn well thought of that!!!
Appreciate it buddy, thank you.


Aaryn NZ.

[fly07sti]

Incredible work my friend. And like everyone else has said, your before and after pics are outstanding. How you capture the angles before and after are so spot on. Keep up the fantastic work.

[Aaryn NZ]

Incredible work my friend. And like everyone else has said, your before and after pics are outstanding. How you capture the angles before and after are so spot on. Keep up the fantastic work.

Thank you Brother.

I certainly don’t claim to be any good at taking pictures but a strange thing happened at the NZ Detailers Conference lately. We have a guy there who is a photographer for Porsche NZ amongst other photography work, & he was saying about how many pictures to upload to social media etc etc - personally, I didn’t care much for the way he captured a vehicle. Sure they were arty kinda funky looking pictures but just not my thing when trying to demonstrate work.

Nearly everything he spoke of about people doing things wrong appeared to be exactly how I do things ....

During the lunch break almost fifteen of the other Detailers came over & were saying how much they love the way I take photos . . .

Me, well I just “wing it”. Hahahaha.

Thanks for commenting buddy, must catch up soon!

Aaryn NZ.

[SWETM]

Awesome work and write up and pictures Aaryn!

Yeah the photagrafer might be good to take beauty shots for a magazine or a billboard. But that's not the same as showing your true detailing work for the others that knows a little about detailing work. Your winging it is awesome on the pictures. You should have told him if you have been polishing the vehicals before he's doing the beauty pictures. He would have been able to take pictures in all of the angles he wanted to as the paint would be perfect in every one of them LOL.

And this Mercedes even if it's a awesome looking car. The polishing work you did for being the most of the vehicals you do. Is just showing an amazing skill level of detailing work.

/ Tony