Scottwax
02-14-2006, 10:20 PM
The two Mercedes and the BMW I did this past weekend in upper 30s to around 50 degree temperatures and 20-35 mph winds. The way the owner`s driveway is situated, the wind just kept swirling, sort of like working in a dust devil for about 15 hours over two days. Fun. Not.
I detailed all 3 interiors on Saturday along with the exterior of the ML430, and the exteriors of the ML500 and 740 on Sunday, finishing about 20-30 minutes before sundown both days. It was a loooooooooong weekend.
2000 Mercedes ML430. I`ve been taking care of this car (and the 740) for about 4 years now, once or twice a year. The owner is pretty meticulous about his cars, regularly QDs with either Meguiars Quick Detailer and Griot`s Speed Spray. Anyway, other than some major polishing on the 7 when it went through the body shop at Moritz and was covered in rotary swirls a few years ago, neither has needed any major polishing.
I used Clearkote`s Vanilla Moose v2 with a Lake Country polishing pad and applied Poorboy`s Natty`s Blue by hand. Simple combo, very wet finish.
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_front1.jpg
This shot isn`t out of focus, just the orange peel so common in the 1st gen MLs and the lack of a macro lens for close shots make the reflections less crisp.
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_frontend2.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_rear1.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_side1.jpg
===========
1996 BMW 740iL. Yes, a 10-year-old 740 which he intends to keep as long as Bangle does the 7 series designs.
A couple small scuffs, etc but nothing major. I went with Optimum Polish and a Meguiars polishing pad. I removed the excess with Optimum Car Wax and then sealed the car with Jeff`s Werkstatt Carnauba Jett. CJ works very well over OCW, seems to glide on pretty easily. BTW, CJ is a touch tricky at first but the best method I have found to apply and remove it follows:
1. Use a Meguiars Supreme Shine Microfiber. Too deep a nap and the towel drags and tries to unfold.
2. Spray onto one section at a time. Using teh Supreme Shine MF, work CJ into the paint until is pretty much is residue free, then flip the towel for a final wipe.
Carnauba Jett seems to hold up well too. I`ve had it on a couple of black Chevy Silverados, one for 5 weeks, the other for 7 weeks now. Both are conventionally washed (hose washed) and both bead very well and the slickness is still very noticable. Seems on par with Meguiars #16 or Collinite 845 at the same point. No special prep on either, one had been waxed about 8 weeks earlier with Optimum Car Wax, the other hadn`t been waxed in 6 months. The beading characteristics of the truck that had OCW on it are still really tight, typical of CJ, not the somewhat larger beads you get with OCW.
But I digress....
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_BMW_740iL_front2.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_BMW_740iL_frontend1.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_BMW_740iL_rear2.jpg
I detailed all 3 interiors on Saturday along with the exterior of the ML430, and the exteriors of the ML500 and 740 on Sunday, finishing about 20-30 minutes before sundown both days. It was a loooooooooong weekend.
2000 Mercedes ML430. I`ve been taking care of this car (and the 740) for about 4 years now, once or twice a year. The owner is pretty meticulous about his cars, regularly QDs with either Meguiars Quick Detailer and Griot`s Speed Spray. Anyway, other than some major polishing on the 7 when it went through the body shop at Moritz and was covered in rotary swirls a few years ago, neither has needed any major polishing.
I used Clearkote`s Vanilla Moose v2 with a Lake Country polishing pad and applied Poorboy`s Natty`s Blue by hand. Simple combo, very wet finish.
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_front1.jpg
This shot isn`t out of focus, just the orange peel so common in the 1st gen MLs and the lack of a macro lens for close shots make the reflections less crisp.
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_frontend2.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_rear1.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2000_Mercedes_ML430_side1.jpg
===========
1996 BMW 740iL. Yes, a 10-year-old 740 which he intends to keep as long as Bangle does the 7 series designs.
A couple small scuffs, etc but nothing major. I went with Optimum Polish and a Meguiars polishing pad. I removed the excess with Optimum Car Wax and then sealed the car with Jeff`s Werkstatt Carnauba Jett. CJ works very well over OCW, seems to glide on pretty easily. BTW, CJ is a touch tricky at first but the best method I have found to apply and remove it follows:
1. Use a Meguiars Supreme Shine Microfiber. Too deep a nap and the towel drags and tries to unfold.
2. Spray onto one section at a time. Using teh Supreme Shine MF, work CJ into the paint until is pretty much is residue free, then flip the towel for a final wipe.
Carnauba Jett seems to hold up well too. I`ve had it on a couple of black Chevy Silverados, one for 5 weeks, the other for 7 weeks now. Both are conventionally washed (hose washed) and both bead very well and the slickness is still very noticable. Seems on par with Meguiars #16 or Collinite 845 at the same point. No special prep on either, one had been waxed about 8 weeks earlier with Optimum Car Wax, the other hadn`t been waxed in 6 months. The beading characteristics of the truck that had OCW on it are still really tight, typical of CJ, not the somewhat larger beads you get with OCW.
But I digress....
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_BMW_740iL_front2.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_BMW_740iL_frontend1.jpg
http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_BMW_740iL_rear2.jpg