Germany's Finest Meets Pinnacle - My Story

[Nick McKees37]

When it comes to being an automotive enthusiast, it doesn't matter if you're in to classic American luxury, British sports coupes, or big cubic inch muscle cars from the 70s, because every time a big German luxury sedan with that tri-star emblem drives by, you do a double take. Well, at least I do. If I don't do a double take, I often look at the Honda logo on my steering wheel, sigh, and then think to myself; "Some day......” Then the guy behind me honks the horn, jolting me back to reality: clutch in, first gear engaged, time to move.

Last week I inched closer to my goal of one day owning a German luxury sedan. When I say “inched closer”, I mean I got to sit in one and move it from the parking lot to the Show Car Garage. Baby steps, right? Maybe next week I'll get to drive a CLS63 AMG with the performance package. Anything is possible.

The featured car belongs to a co-worker of mine, and it is a 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350. I was more than willing to give this two ton mass of German luxury a little TLC. I knew that hiding beneath the dirt and road grime was a beautiful Iridium Silver Metallic bullet that when polished to a high gloss shine, would complement the crisp, refined, muscular body lines that are so evident on the new E-Class. Dirt and road grime is not the appropriate way to represent the most well known and respected luxury marque. In order to flaunt the vaunted tri-star emblem on the hood that represents 125 years of unsurpassed German luxury, this prom queen in sweat pants needed the right dress.

As you can see above, the E350 was pretty filthy. The massive 18" wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber were an eye sore that desperately needed attention. There was also evidence of tar here and there, along with the normal road grime and bug guts splattered all over the front end. Karl Benz would not be proud of his name on a car this filthy.

Big German luxury sedans were designed to blast down the Autobahn at 150 mph while keeping four occupants comfortable with the heated seats and retractable sun shades. Sticky Pirelli P-Zero tires were equipped for speed and comfort and the massive brakes were engineered to haul this beast down from 120 mph in safety, and in style. Big German luxury sedans were not designed for the suburbs or for grocery shopping, they were engineered to be driven, and to be driven hard. This car was crying out for attention, it needed to be cleaned, and it wanted to be cleaned. This car desperately needed the attention that only a true automotive enthusiast could provide.

This is an E350 we're talking about, not a CLS63 AMG with the performance package. We're in Florida, and you're lucky if you see 80 mph on the interstate, let alone 150 mph. Most people think the Autobahn is a store where you buy vacuum cleaners, not Germany's most well-known and respected strip of pavement. You will never fully take advantage of the cross drilled brake rotors, or those sticky Pirelli tires, but what matters is you have them. If I can't stretch the legs of this car and put it through its paces, I'll at least make sure it looks the part.

For the wheels and tires, Wolfgang Tire & Wheel Cleaner was the obvious choice. What I like about this product is that it will effectively clean brake dust and road grime off wheels, along with the tires. It's safe on all wheel finishes and actually has a pleasant scent. Whenever I'm working on a vehicle that isn't mine, and I'm not sure what product to use, I use the good stuff. The good stuff is represented by products that are trusted and also work well in their intended use.

The Daytona Speed Master once again comes to the rescue, cleaning every nook and cranny that your ordinary wheel brush wouldn't dream about touching. The Daytona Speed Master takes what appears to be a time consuming task, and not only makes it quick, but also easy. I'd like to think that a group of the best scientists and engineers in the world all collaborated in the design of the Daytona Speed Master. It was probably the same group of scientists and engineers that designed the space shuttle. The Daytona Speed Master wheel brush is that good.

The 20" Montana Boar's Hair Wheel Brush works great for cleaning the face of the wheel along with the tire. I can't say enough good things about this brush. I would like to, but I think there is a limit for how many words are allowed in each post. It's one of those tools when you're getting everything ready for your Sunday wash and you look around for a minute and realize you can't find the brush. You have a panic attack and then realize it's hiding in the corner behind your work bench. Close call.

The last time I spent this much time around a Mercedes-Benz was at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit Michigan. After the staff at the show emphasized the word "share" several times, I was kindly asked to move on to the next car. I also learned while I was there that it's frowned upon to pop the hood and check the oil level on a vehicle that's not even in production yet. I suppose I should have allowed the other automotive enthusiasts who traveled from around the world to check out the latest and greatest in German Luxury. Call me selfish, but I really didn't care. Most of the people that traveled from around the world flew in on private jets sipping chardonnay. I coasted into the parking lot with a half pint of gasoline in the tank of my friend's 1996 Grand Am with a re-heated McDonald’s coffee in my lap. However, the show closed at 6:00 and the parking garage at 6:30, so we had to leave eventually.

Fast forward five years and here I am living in Florida, surrounded by exotic vehicles from around the world that you would never dream of seeing on the streets of Detroit. Not only am I living in Florida, but I'm in the Autogeek Show Car Garage in the process of claying a Mercedes-Benz. Granted, it's not my Mercedes-Benz, but I still got some one on one time with it. Maybe five years from now I'll be test driving a pre-production model of the newest SL Roadster for Car and Driver.

The E350 was clayed using Pinnacle's Ultra Poly Clay. After washing and drying the vehicle, and performing the baggy test, surprisingly the surface wasn't too gritty. That's one of the great things about having a warm cozy garage for your car. It saves the paint from being bombarded by contaminants in the outside air 24/7. Plus, a German luxury sedan shouldn’t be left outside anyway. If it’s not in the garage of a collector or in the hands of a discriminating automotive enthusiast, it should at least be garaged.

The Pinnacle XMT line of car care products is all about machine application. XMT stands for Xtreme Machine Technology. XMT was introduced several years ago to accommodate to the changing industry trend to machine application. If you haven't jumped on the dual action polisher band wagon, you don't know what you're missing. Products such as Pinnacle's XMT 360 enable you to correct, clean, and seal in one simple step! You're simply not going to get the same results by hand. We could all ride a horse and buggy to work every day, but we choose not to. Why do we choose not to? Because we have the automobile! The right tool for the job isn't just about making the task at hand easier, but more effective too. The Mercedes-Benz E350 pampers the driver with class and luxury. It was only appropriate to return the favor and pamper the E350 with Pinnacle.

As much as I enjoy hanging out in the Show Car Garage, taking advantage of the air conditioning and watching the Speed Channel, I wanted to go home eventually. For the sake of not staying too late, I went with an AIO (All In One) product. Pinnacle XMT 360 was the AIO of choice because it is designed for machine application, has minor correction ability, has excellent cleaning ability, and when used in conjunction with a Lake Country Hydro-Tech Tangerine Polishing Pad, it is a pleasure to use. With XMT 360, it takes very little product for each panel and there is no residue to buff off. You simply apply the product and work it in until it's gone.

Polishing a car is therapeutic for me. After working all week I'll come home, gather my supplies for the weekend, and find a car to polish. If I'm polishing an economy car, I don't get too excited, and more often than not I'll just focus on getting the job done. However, if I'm polishing a German luxury sedan or American muscle car, I'll often day dream. My mind will usually wander to one of the thousands of articles I've read over the years in my favorite automotive publications.

While polishing the E350 my mind couldn't help but wander to the article that I was reading earlier that morning. In the latest issue of Car and Driver I was reading about the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. With its hand-built naturally aspirated mid-mounted 6.2 V8 pumping out a healthy 571 horsepower and body lines that look back at the legendary 300 SL, I couldn't keep this car out of my head. What would it be like to feel 571 horsepower? With the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission cracking off shifts in the blink of an eye and sport seats holding you firmly in place, you couldn't help but feel invincible driving this car. If there is a concrete reason for setting goals and working hard, this is it.

[Nick McKees37]

Before I knew it the car was finished. All that day dreaming really makes time fly by. Five minutes before taking these pictures my mind was in the seat of an SLS AMG blasting down the Autobahn in Germany as the tachometer was quickly approaching 7,000 RPM as I was getting ready to crack off another shift. My phone rang loud enough to jolt me back to reality again. I had to inspect the E350, make sure it was flawless, and deliver it to the owner.

I was actually very pleased with how the car turned out. Like I mentioned earlier, the XMT 360 was applied using a polishing pad and this is how it looks. Because the XMT 360 also contains a sealant, the E350 not only looks the part of a beautiful German luxury sedan, but the paint is also protected against the elements for months to come. The E350 turned out fantastic and was a pleasure to polish. I think it's about time to trade my McDonald's coffee for a Starbucks' frappuccino because after working on this car for several hours, I feel classy.

After finishing the E350, closing down the Show Car Garage and delivering the car to its rightful owner, it was time for bed. The following morning I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Iridium Silver Metallic bullet that I had spent so much time with the night before. Needless to say, when I saw the car pull in to the parking lot, it looked worthy enough to flaunt the tri-star hood emblem that represents the best of the best.

There is no doubt in my mind that I enjoyed cleaning and polishing this fine representation of German luxury. It was an experience unlike any other, and far surpassed the days of drooling over such a car at the auto show. It was more than just polishing a car, it was an experience that only a true automotive enthusiast can understand and appreciate. This is certainly not my last encounter with the tri-star emblem. Next time, the car will be mine to take home.

[dad07]

Great Story Nick!
Awsome pics, Great Job!

[CrownKote]

Very very good post Nick! Thank you for it!

I love the flow you added...

Personally my favorite German works of art are Bimmers but MBZ comes in a very close second.

My wife wants a MBZ so I have been on the look out for an older one that needs a bit of love... I think that I will probably be settling on a 1998 E320 4Matic sedan for her...

You can get in on a MBZ for around 5k...

[Bamaboy007]

I was hoping you were more of a BMW guy. Oh well I'll still call you my friend and depend on your advise for all my purchases. It is always very appreciated!!

[BobbyG]

Nick, you write well and the photos and illustrations are easy to follow and very impressive. A truly nice story along with some great photos of a finely detailed German automobile....

Taking pictures is easy but capturing what you truly need the reader to see isn't always easy to do. The various angles, content, reflective shots, and depth of field really raises the bar from mere pictures to subject specific photographs.

[Marc08EX]

Amazing write up Nick!!! The outcome of the detail is fantastic! I enjoyed reading your article!

[mdb917]

What a fun and informative story to go along with your explanations on products and how to use them.

I am continually amazed at how those of you who are really good at this detailing thing can make colors that I would not normally think could pop look outstanding.

I lean towards BMWs however any car person should take notice of an AMG as it strolls (strolls ?? yeah right) by. There are several MBs I'd be thrilled to have grace my garage, one in particular is this baby - the SL 65 AMG Black Series.
( Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series ).

[embolism]

great writeup Nick

I enjoyed reading it very much

[Cat ji]

Good story, good writing. Thanks.