Lexus LS460 molested by the body shop

[Scottwax]

I`ve been taking care of this 2007 Lexus LS460 for a couple years, hadn`t seen it for a while. Two accidents (hit both sides on separate occasions) and a front end repaint due to excessive chipping and a scrape on the front bumper and incompetent body shop buffing left the paint in pretty sad shape. The goal was to remove the rotary swirls and protect the paint for the (hopefully) mild winter. The car sits outside 24/7 so a full correction will have to wait until the garage gets cleaned out enough to put the car in. The owner lives out in the country, so between a constant barrage of leaves, sap, birds, wild and domestic animals and whatever else is either falling from the sky or jumping on the car, a full correction doesn`t make too much sense.



Started off with an Optimum No Rinse Wash and Clay Magic blue clay.



The swirls were even worse in person, the fall`s low sun angle makes it harder to get good shots of them.



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_before1.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_before2.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_before3.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_before4.jpg



I started off with Meguiars D300 Compound mixed 50/50 with Meguiars #105 Compound with a Meguiars microfiber cutting disc using my PC 7424 XP. Did a good job removing the rotary swirls and also the spider swirls. It was leaving some noticeable marring, as to be expected with an aggressive polish/pad combo on black paint. I then followed with Optimum Hyper Polish using an Optimum microfiber polishing pad, then 3M Ultrafina and a white LC foam polishing pad. On the hood, to finish off some stubborn light holograms on the hood, I had to use 3M Ultrafina with a blue Ultrafina finishing pad with my Dewalt 849 rotary.



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_after1.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_after2.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_after3.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_after4.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_halfnhalf1.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_halfnhalf2.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_halfnhalf2_after.jpg



I finished the car off with Clearkote`s Carnauba Moose, using Quikshine to make sure the car was dust free. Just a few final shots, owner had to leave and now that his Lexus was black again, he wanted to drive that instead of his wife`s EX35.



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_front1.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_frontend1.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_rear1.jpg



http://uploader.ws/upload/201111/2007_Lexus_LS460_frontend2.jpg

[Thomas Dekany]

What a difference Scott!!! Wow! It looks almost perfect. How long did it take you?

[Scottwax]

Compounding took a couple hours, other two steps about 45 minutes or so each. Waxing went quick. ;)

[kakeuter]

Excellent work Scott, one of these days we should get together, I know there`s a lot I could learn from you.



-Kody-

[az57chevy]

Good job!

Wow

[chrisguga]

Beautiful job.



I just ordered the Meguiar`s microfiber system and planned on using the cutting and finishing discs with the appropriate polishes. It seems like some don`t use the finishing discs at all and opt for foam pads. Do you feel the microfiber discs don`t finish down well? Are they going to be pretty much useless to me?



Thanks!

Chris

[Scottwax]

I use the finishing pads when I use D301 Finishing Wax. They finish down fine but if I am using a polish, I use a polishing pad.

[imported_Erik Mejia]

Cleaned up really well. That car was in need of some TLC, glad you gave it some.

[bigfish528]

great turnaround Scott ,rough life for such a nice car

[mikenap]

Fantastic job, and amazing you were able to do it in that time too!

[jimmie jam]

beautiful result !!!

[Scottwax]

Thanks y`all, I appreciate it!

[Lotuseffect]

Amazing work as always Scott. I notice in a lot of your write ups you tend to finish with 3m Ultrafina. Is that your "go to" final polish product or do you use it in specific instances? I have a bottle but the few times I tried it I wasn`t able to get down to the gloss I wanted off a final polish product. Just wondering if there is a learning curve with it.