STS, FX35, GS350, MX5, Z06, ML450, Mazda3, and finally caught up! [Archive] - Autopia Forum - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum

View Full Version : STS, FX35, GS350, MX5, Z06, ML450, Mazda3, and finally caught up!

Pages : [1] 2 3 4

Scottwax

12-20-2007, 01:45 PM

2005 Cadillac STS. I detail it 2-3 times a year. The paint seems to have enough hardness to withstand tunnel washes, only had very minimal swirling. Used my UDM with an orange Soft Edge one step pad and Optimum Polish + Poli-Seal (about 4-5 BB sized dots of each on the pad per section) and finished with Opti-Seal. It was a misty, cloudy day so I didn`t even bother moving it outside the parking garage for pics.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Cadillac_STS_backend11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Cadillac_STS_front11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Cadillac_STS_frontend11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Cadillac_STS_rear1.jpg

==============

2006 Infiniti FX35. I really, really like these SUVs. I am not really an SUV person but this is one I could definitely live with. The owner takes really good care of it, hand polished and Liquid Souveran. He had seen the silver `04 G35 I have posted a few times and really liked how Opti-Seal looked on it, so he asked me to do the same for his FX. I polished with Optimum Poli-Seal using an orange Soft Edge one step pad and then applied Opti-Seal x 2.

The difference was subtle, but noticable. The softer carnauba glow was replaced with a harder wet sealant gloss, which was what he said he was looking for. Some of the pics are a bit dark, I was bumping up against sunset which seems to be the norm this time of year.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_backend1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_frontend1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_rear1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_side1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_frontend2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_rear2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Infiniti_FX35_side2.jpg

Brian_Brice

12-20-2007, 01:47 PM

Nice and slick as always.

Scottwax

12-20-2007, 01:57 PM

2006 Infiniti GS350. Really needs some deeper polishing but the customer decided he`d rather have me come out 3-4 times a year and sneak up on the spider swirls. Said at least that way, he`d be more motivated to call me out more often. Not real bad, but probably would bother most Autopians. Anyway, I used Clearkote`s Pink Moose (50/50 blend of VM and RMG) with a green Swirlbuster polishing pad and waxed with Carnauba Moose. Definitely one of my favorite (if not my favorite) combo on black. PM knocked the swirls down by about 75-80%.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Lexus_GS350_front1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Lexus_GS350_frontend1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Lexus_GS350_side1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Lexus_GS350_frontend2.jpg

Definitely one of my favorite shots of any black car I have ever detailed:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Lexus_GS350_side2.jpg

=================

2006 Mazda MX5. I`ve detailed it a couple times in the past, this time was for sale since the owner has decided to get a Lexus of some sort. Overall it was in really good condition but the carpet is utter crap. Pretty much what you find in the trunk of most other vehicles. Takes forever to vacuum. The paint was pretty good. Optimum Polish using an orange Soft Edge one step pad, Opti-Seal by hand.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_front11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_frontend11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_rear11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_frontend2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_side11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_frontend3.jpg

BioKleen TLC to clean carpets, Woolite/water for vinyl. Dressed with Optimum Protectant Plus.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_interior11.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_interior21.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2006_Mazda_MX5_interior3.jpg

imported_weekendwarrior

12-20-2007, 02:02 PM

YUK - an automatic Miata (that should be a crime against nature)...looks good though.

I love the Lexus, you really got a lot of depth to it.

Scottwax

12-20-2007, 02:03 PM

2007 Chevy Corvette Z06. I wash and wax it every two weeks. That`s right, every two weeks. Last deep polished in late April, still holding up well. Last few times I have been out, I`ve been doing an ONR wash and using the new version of Optimum Car Wax. These shots were taken after the 3rd application of OCW.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_OCWx3_front1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_OCWx3_rear2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_OCWx3_frontend2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_OCWx3_frontend3.jpg

Light interior clean-up this time too.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_doorpanel_before.jpg

After using Meguiars Interior Quik Detailer:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_doorpanel_after.jpg

Meguiars Interior QD on the vinyl, Zaino Z-10 on the leather.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_interior1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_interior2.jpg

Scottwax

12-20-2007, 02:12 PM

2007 Mercedes ML450. I detailed it back in September and ended up being bit rushed. I had just finished polishing it with Optimum Poli-Seal when the owner informed me she was leaving in 20 minutes! I used Optimum Car Wax (new version I have been testing) to remove the OPS and add some additional protection. After nearly 3 months (and 2-3 times a month tunnel or touch free gas station washes), the new version of OCW was holding up very well and what polished out via OPS will still polished out. Pretty happy about that, especially considering what an easy and quick way it was to polish and protect the paint. This time was more to focus on the interior so after washing, I just did a couple quick coats of Opti-Seal.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Mercedes_GL450_OS_front1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Mercedes_GL450_OS_frontend1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Mercedes_GL450_OS_rear1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Mercedes_GL450_OS_side1.jpg

In case anyone is wondering about the white Mazda3 in some of the pictures, that is the rental I was driving for 3 weeks after my car wreck until I bought my Maxima. Since I knew I would have it a while, I clayed it and applied two coats of Opti-Seal. No polishing though, I`m not that crazy! :chuckle:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2008_Mazda3_front.jpg

audicoupej

12-20-2007, 02:13 PM

Looking good as usual. The owner sure cares about the Z! That`s nice to see.

Scottwax

12-20-2007, 02:19 PM

Looking good as usual. The owner sure cares about the Z! That`s nice to see.

Yes he does. Makes my job so much easier! BTW, forgot this shot of it...

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2007_Chevy_Corvette_Z06_OCWx3_frontend1.jpg

Bigpikle

12-20-2007, 02:26 PM

lovely looking work. really interesting to see such a different range of products to what is commonly shown in the UK, and of course, stunning results :D

Todd@RUPES

12-20-2007, 02:51 PM

Great job on the black cars (as well as the rest of them) Scott, they look great

jpochile

12-20-2007, 03:11 PM

Terrific job on all of them as usual . Love the Z06 . Tremendous car and awesome detail work on it .

Cheers , Jean Paul

imported_JoshVette

12-20-2007, 03:25 PM

Pats300zx

12-20-2007, 03:38 PM

Great work as always Scott...

mose

12-20-2007, 03:45 PM

Graet work as usual!! But the hood of the Vette is insane!! Good job bro!

Scottwax

12-20-2007, 04:38 PM

Nice work Scott as usual.:2thumbs:

Do you have any sunlight pics?? or before and afters of any paint correction? I`m curious about the corrective abilities of the UDM, I don`t seem to get much correction with my PC not even on softer paint like Lexus and if one pushes down hard enough to correct it then your stuck with tons of marring.

You said on the Lexus that you knocked out %75 percent of the swirls and I could see the sun was partly out in the reflections but yet you don`t take any before and afters of the correction or direct sun shot on that black paint? I`d think %75 would be very obvious in a picture.

Just curious to see how well the UDM can correct as opposed to the rotary which is what I use for correction....

How come not before and afters of the paint?

To be quite honest, I don`t know how so many of y`all find time to take all those before, during and after shots. I take them when I can, but my primary responsibility is to detail the customer`s cars, not document the detail. Plus, I don`t always have the keys or a good area in the sun to move the car. A lot of the cars I post, I either wash or detail regularly, so they usually aren`t bad enough to make for good before and afters.

The UDM is noticably more powerful than the PC, even when you push down on it pretty hard, it keeps spinning at a pretty good clip. Definitely not a rotary but pretty similar to the Cyclo.

I do have some before and after UDM detail shots from previous jobs...

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1991_Porsche_Carrera_halfcompounded.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1986_Porsche_Carrera_polishing1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1986_Porsche_Carrera_polishing2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2004_Lexus_LS430_half_polished.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2004_Lexus_LS430_all_polished.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Lexus_GS300_hood_halfpolished3.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Lexus_GS300_hood_23rdspolished1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Lexus_GS300_hood_allpolished1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Saab_92_aero_halfpolished.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Jaguar_Vanden_Plas_before2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Jaguar_Vanden_Plas_after2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Honda_S2000_before1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Honda_S2000_after1.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Honda_S2000_before2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/2005_Honda_S2000_after2.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_Chevy_Suburban_halfpolished.jpg

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/1996_Chevy_Suburban_allpolished_OPS.jpg