Need Guidance - Jet Black 335i - First Detail (UDM, Menz., FK1, Blackfire products)

Boomer44 · 03-19-08, 10:52

Hello all! I am a new member who has been reading the forum for a couple of months now to get ideas/suggestions/knowledge on various methods and products so I can start truly detailing my vehicles. I am going to attempt my first true detail this weekend on my jet black 335i and I am kind of nervous. It has some scratches caused by my 3 year old daughter and a rock (don't ask)

and some other light marring/scratching from dirt in a brush I thought was safe for use on a car (learned my lesson). But, I just want to give it a good polishing/sealing/waxing job to make it look as good as new. Below is a list of what products I have just obtained...

ONR
FK 118 Car Shampoo
Blackfire PolyClay II Kit
SIP
106FF
Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish
FK 216 Wet Glaze/Sealant
FK 2180 Sealant
FK 1000P Synthetic Wax
FK 2685 Pink Wax
FK 146 Finish Restorer/Cleaner QD
FK 425 Poly Wipe QD

I purchased the UDM from autogeek due to their $99 special. I ordered LC CCS 6.5" pads previously and have their yellow, orange, green, white, black, and red pads. I also have LC CCS 4" orange, white, and red pads. Hopefully these will work fine with the UDM.

My questions are in regards to what polish I should start off with, what pads I should use in combination, and how many applications of sealant/wax I should use.

Should I start with the SRC finishing polish (3000 grit) and see how that does first or should I start with the 106? My understanding is if I start with the 106 and it does well I can immediately move to the AIO or 2180 sealant. Do the green pads finish well enough, or should I use white with the 106? Same question if I were to use the SRC instead of the 106. With the sealant I am planning on using the red pad. Would multiple layers of 2180 be wise or just one then top with the 1000p and then pink wax?

But, as mentioned, I am pretty nervous and want to make sure I am being as productive and efficient as possible when using the products because we all know they are not cheap. So, please confirm if I am heading in the right direction and also what you would do if you had these same products. And I know it is hard to tell when you don't know the exact condition of the car, but assume the fine scratches can come out with either of the 106 or src.

I appreciate it!

gmblack3a · 03-19-08, 01:11

Tape off a 2x2' area and start with that. Try 106ff on a white pad, examine the area with halogens or a brinkman. Do not move on to the next area till you are 100% satisfied. You will also want to check this area in the sun as well.

Slow passes 1" per second with medium pressure.

RAG · 03-19-08, 02:31

Scratches caused by your daughter with a rock might not come out all they way, depending how deep they are.

Blackfire SRC polish and Menzerna PO106FF are the same stuff. Sorry.

RAG · 03-19-08, 02:37

The UDM does not have a lot of power, so it's going to take you a while to get through actual "Scratches"...shoot, it even takes a while to get through regular 'ol wash-induced swirls (light scratches). Play around bit first with the Green pad and 106FF, but you're going to need to go to the nasty yellow and orange pads along with SIP to get through the deeper swirls and scratches...too bad you didn't have a heavy duty compount too. This will haze the paint, but you will be able to restore gloss by polishing a while with the green pad or white pad and 106ff, and then for a final finish you're going to want something softer on that black paint...so finish with the black pad and 106FF and light pressure to eliminate any micro-marring haze.

Bence · 03-19-08, 05:46

E90/92 Jet Blacks are stupidly soft, so they are easily correctable, polishable. Keeping them in a swirl free condition is another challenge.

Product regimen is very good, so using the described techniques you'll succeed. You can use the 2180/1000P/Pink combo or just the 1000P/Pink, or even the 1000P OR Pink alone (2-3 coats).

Boomer44 · 03-19-08, 08:54

Thanks for the insight.

RAG, even though I knew they were similar, I thought the SRC polish was finer when compared to 106 (3000 grit vs. 2500). Do you think I should wait and get Menzerna Powergloss and try that first? I truly believe that the other fine wash induced scratches will easily be removed by the 106. I am not sure how much of the rock scratches I will be able to correct. I can barely feel them with my fingernail so unfortuneately they might require professional work. I have read that the 106 can be worked down to a gloss that is ready to seal, so I guess I don't have to worry about getting another final polish and either use the 216 and/or the 2180 on top of the 106 will be sufficientwork?

Bence, I have read a lot of your posts (and others) in regards to the FK products and I am fired up about trying them! I was going to go a different route until I read more about them so hopefully they will be as advertised.

Also, at some point I do want to get a rotary, but I want to get some initial experience using a DA before I get into the big leagues.

Thanks for the input and I will try to take some pics during the process and afterwards. I can't wait to tell my wife that I need most of Friday or Saturday to work on the car.