Explorer, 325, Suburban, Accord, LS430

Scottwax · 08-13-07, 10:40

A couple of easy (sorta!) one steps. I am part of an employee award program. Those who exceed their monthly goals get a 1 step exterior detail and interior vacuum. Usually they are pretty easy to do because I tend to see the same vehicles regularly so they don't get too bad in between. This time, however, I had an Explorer I dread doing. The owner is a chain smoker and you can smell the stench of stale smoke as soon as you get close to it, even with the windows up. Just hideous when you actually open the doors. Ash everywhere and a plethora of cigarette burns all over the interior. I hope she never wants the interior detailed. To make matters worse, this past week was the first really dry week since April....but 3 months of way above normal rain means the humidity was sky high. Nearly 100 degrees with 50-65% humidity in the afternoon all week, plus I was working on concrete with no shade. Still beats doing this when it is 35 with 20 mph north winds.

Anyway, I supressed my gag reflex long enough to vacuum out this 2004 Ford Explorer, gave it an Optimum No Rinse wash and then one-stepped it with Poli-Seal using green Edge Cyclo polishing pads.

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Same process on this 2001 BMW 325ci. I had done it two months prior and except for looking like he hadn't washed it since, once I got it clean the paint looked decent and was still pretty slick. The paint really needs some deep polishing in a few areas (he's been hit 3 times by other drivers and clobbered by hail once) but he has decided to just use the freebies as the paint gets better each time I do it and it doesn't cost him anything other than what he tips me (nice deal, in fact, they all give me tips).

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I was back out 2 days later for this 2003 Chevy Suburban. She actually had saved up 4 of her freebies so she'd have enough for a full detail. My son and I detailed it last summer and it was still in pretty decent shape...good enough I was able to knock it out in 5 1/2 hours!

Poli-Seal using green Edge Cyclo polishing pads and Opti-Seal by hand. Also used Opti-Seal on the trim along the sides of the doors, mirrors, wipers, etc. The running boards and trim on the bumpers got Nascar Tire Shine (on sale at Big Lots, $3 for 23 oz!).

tdekany · 08-13-07, 10:53

Scott, you can make any car look fantastic!!!

Excellent work my friend.

PS: We are very lucky if we have ONLY 55% humidity around here.

Scottwax · 08-13-07, 10:55

2006 Honda Accord. Used Opti-Seal on it a few months ago, still seemed to be beading well and had good slickness despite all the rain we've had. Figured I'd keep a good thing going so I applied another layer of OS after an ONR wash.

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2003 Lexus LS430. Regular wash customer, I see this car about twice a month. Other than an occasional dealership wash when she has it in for servicing, I am the only one who washes it. I'd applied Werkstatt's Acrylic Jett Trigger to it in June of last year and again in October. Since then, no wax, no sealant, no QD. Just ONR washes. 10(!) months later, including 3 of those with way above normal rainfall, the paint was still beading.

That is a lot of the reason I hadn't waxed it since. "Well, it still beads when it rains" she'd always tell me when I suggested waxing it again. When I pointed out how long it had been, she said I should go ahead and wax it this time. The paint was still 95% swirl free so I just applied a coat of Optimum Opti-Seal this time. OS definitely has a wetter look than Acrylic Jett, only time will tell how it stacks up with regards to durability.

Not sure if that is a bug on the fender or something got on my camera lens.

RTexasF · 08-14-07, 06:33

As always, fine examples of exemplary work. I feel for you on that Suburban....that's a lot of real estate to deal with. Also a lot of ladder movement over and over and over for that roof! You have just about convinced me to spring for the Opti Seal since it is holding up so well.

topnotch · 08-14-07, 06:51

Great work, I love poli seal as a 1 step. Thanks to that product I have been able to offer a great 1 step to customers who are not willing to pay or dont have time to wait for a complete polishing job.

Hey, Moe! · 08-14-07, 07:38

Always fun to look at your work, and good to actually see some sunshine in your pics. It doesn't look like there's been too much of that in your neighborhood for quite a while.

bigfoot · 08-14-07, 08:19

Great job, Scott! I would've leved to see the explorer's interior before you touched it. Wait, you said you gagged, nevermind!

audicoupej · 08-14-07, 09:10

Great work Scott! You're a

machine.

I agree with Thomas. The humidity around here is aweful!

How do you find the durability of AJ on cars that do not get washed very often or at all?

I did my parents cars at the end of June. One got SIP then AJ, the other got prime then AJ and neither was beading at all when I washed them over the weekend. I know the grime sitting on the paint kills the LSP, but I expected at least some minor beading considering it had been just over a month.

mongo · 08-14-07, 09:28

Looks great !

Scott, what do use to apply ONR to the paint Microfiber cloth or cotton?

fishbonezken · 08-14-07, 09:32

love seeing your work,
sets a fine example for us to follow.
thanks Scott

Totoland Mach · 08-14-07, 03:54

Scott: Man, I don't know how you work in this heat! I have a big black Mercedes CS 550 (or some such model)...but it's an AMG version with a huge motor to do this Saturday. I've convinced the owner to let me get started at 6:00am and knock out a lot of the car before noon.

I guess I'd better load up on water and stay hydrated. And, keep my blood sugar normal too...heat can really drop that level.

Super Work Sir!

Toto

Scottwax · 08-14-07, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfoot

Great job, Scott! I would've leved to see the explorer's interior before you touched it. Wait, you said you gagged, nevermind!

You don't want to see it and you definitely don't want to smell it.

When I went back to do the Suburban, the lady with the Explorer was just getting back from lunch with the others....but she was the only one in her Explorer, the others crammed themselves in a Sebring. Two things are pretty obvious...she can't stop smoking long enough to ride in a non-smoker's car and no one will ride with her in her Explorer. Oh well.

audicoupej-several months even when I don't wash the cars regularly. Could be the cars were parked regularly under trees on rainy days, that tends to kill beading pretty quickly.

mongo-all right here how I use ONR. http://autopia.org/forum/car-detaili...ight=wash+cars

Toto-you just get used to it is all I can tell you. Some days are tougher than others though.