20 Hours of Polishing 02 Lexus GS430 Perfected

[imported_JoshVette]

This is an 02 Lexus GS430 that was purchased out of state and the dealership told him the paint was in perfect condition.... there were scratches all over it, ecspecially on the hood and trunk spoiler and rear bumper and significant scrapes on the fenders and such.



I spent 3 days on this one over the labor day weekend and at least 20 hours of sanding and polishing. Although there was great reflection and little orange peel, it seemed as if the majority of the car had been repainted as the sanding marks in the back end came out very easily but the scratches in the hood took me over 5 hours to remove.



The interior didn`t need much work since it just came from the dealership, however they did manage to put a healthy amount of armor all on the inside so it was nice and oily. :mad:



Process:

Dawn Wash

Claybar

Polished with Menzerna PG w/LC Orange pad at 1700 to cut the swirls

Wetsanded Hood scratches, Trunk and Spoiler scratches and Rear Bumper scratches and other scratches with 1500-2000 grit.

Followed up with PC and Yellow pad with Menzerna PG at 6000 rpm.

Back over again with Rotary and Orange pad and Menz. IP and ZPC a few times till sanding marks were gone

Polished entire car with Zaino Fusion w/LC White pad at 1300-1500

Zaino Z5



On the third day, the skies were horribly overcast so some of the after pics will be in completely different lighting.



Interior was in good shape, not much to do but vacuum and wipe down.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00205.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00207.jpg

Start off with some pics of all the scrathes

Hood scratches

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00080.jpg

Hood

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00081.jpg

Hood

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00079.jpg

hood

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00094.jpg

Wetsanding all of them since they didn`t come out after buffing with rotary orange pad and Menz PG

Before and after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00135.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00139.jpg

The blueness is the lights I have up on the fan, they are blue globes, looks pretty cool on the ceiling:D

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00134.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00138.jpg

whole hood before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00136.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00140.jpg

Front fender scratches before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00211.jpg

Obviously touch up paint was used then after drying I buffed it 2 times.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00212.jpg



Much more to come.

[imported_JoshVette]

Driver`s door handle had hundreds of little scratches so I sanded it too.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00129.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00148.jpg

scratch beneath the spoiler sanded

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00126.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00146.jpg

spoiler scratches

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00085.jpg

trunk scratches

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00086.jpg

spoiler and trunk scratches sanded, sorry about the sideways pics

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00125.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00141.jpg

after spoiler and trunk

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00142.jpg

Next up rear bumper touch up and wetsanded and buffed

bumper scratches. Also notice the scratched underneath the plate.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00088.jpg

Touched up painted the plate marked, buffed out what I could, now time to sand

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00127.jpg

close up after, there are still a few deeper scratches that didn`t come out completely, but much better then what it was.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00145.jpg

After, what you think look like scratches here are actually reflections (honest) of the ground and plate, you`ll see some little nicks though.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00143.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00144.jpg







Still more to come......we haven`t even got to the swirls yet...:grinno:

[imported_Suprchargd]

Jesus that`s nuts. How much did this work cost the guy?

[imported_JoshVette]

Okay, so enough scratches now I`ll show you the swirls.

The order I`m showing you the pics in is not the order I actually did the car in, I just figured you all would like to see the scratch removal first.

I actually buffed out all the swirls first, which will also remove most of the finer scratches leaving the deeper ones exposed so then I`ll know what actually needs to be sanded.



So here is the swirls elimination.



First to tape it all off, here`s the ball of tape I went through.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00122.jpg

Car taped

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00116.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00120.jpg

Swirls on front fender

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00100.jpg

after one pass with rotary, orange pad, Menz PG, you can see there still may be one or two left over, but that will be eliminated with the follow up pass later on.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00106.jpg

same fender before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00101.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00107.jpg

half and half shot

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00103.jpg

Drivers door before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00104.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00105.jpg

pass door before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00109.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00112.jpg

rear fender before

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00113.jpg

after

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00114.jpg



more pics of the whole car afters to come....

[stiffdogg06]

Looks great! Can`t wait for complete afters!



Followed up with PC and Yellow pad with Menzerna PG at 6000 rpm.



Hope you were moving at 1ft per second or faster. :buffing:



I know you probably meant 6000 OPM since you did it via PC. :nana:

[imported_JoshVette]

Finally it is finished after 20+ hours, sorry I lost track staying up till 2:00am one night to get it ready for him the next day.



The sky was dark and no real sunshine so these pics could be a lot better.....I was disappointed after all that work that the sky was so dark.:grrr



I`ll through in a few reflection shots as well.:2thumbs:



http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00219.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00215.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00213.jpg

notice the pt cruiser in the background....

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00164.jpg

pt cruiser reflection

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00229.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00196.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00194.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00189.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00193.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00198.jpg

my ugly mug

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00187.jpg

me giving the final approval or my work:grinno:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00158.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Joshvette/Detailing/Bordens%2002%20Lexus%20GS430/DSC00171.jpg



Hope you enjoyed, questions and comments are welcome.



Josh

[ThEGuN1]

very beautiful job!

[David703]

FANTANSTIC RESULTS!! GREAT JOB. How can u get such a clear pic when holding your camera with one hand?? Mine would be blurry!

[BLKSWAN]

Man what a turnaround...that is an excellent display of your skills

[imported_JoshVette]

Jesus that`s nuts. How much did this work cost the guy?



Typically, this would be a good $800+ job, but he`s a personal friend, and in school so I cut him a substantial break. Plus I estimated the price at 12-14 hours of work, not 20 hours. Most of the car`s been repainted and those parts of the clear were very hard were as the rest of the car`s clear was very soft and easy to correct so.....

[imported_JoshVette]

Looks great! Can`t wait for complete afters!



Followed up with PC and Yellow pad with Menzerna PG at 6000 rpm.



I know you probably meant 6000 OPM since you did it via PC. :nana:





Oh yea, right.:thx

[RTexasF]

What a miracle recovery that one is! You should be proud.

[Adam's Polishes]

WOW... amazing turn around... LOL @ the selling dealer claiming the paint was perfect. By what standard is that perfect paint?

[White lexus 23]

wow awesome attention to detail. car turned out amazing! great great job

[imported_JoshVette]

WOW... amazing turn around... LOL @ the selling dealer claiming the paint was perfect. By what standard is that perfect paint?





Exactly, and of all places, it was a BMW dealer too. However they did buff it over, I could tell from all the buffer trails and holograms it had on it not to mention swirls.



Josh