Latest details v. dealership molested jet black 335, plus a big ol` Silverado

[Scottwax]

I was contacted via e-mail by a lady who recently purchased a jet black BMW 335. She had it tuned at Cobb and one of the guys there who I know from another message board recommended she contact me.



This is part of the e-mail she sent me after I replied:




I`ve attached some photos of the swirls/streaks. As you can see from the photo, the hood is in BAD shape (what the hell were these people doing?). There are also several areas where they actually left wax to dry on the car (in door jambs/seams). I got it off as best I could but in some areas it`s just stuck there. Oh, and yes the car is Jet Black, not metallic.



I did definitely let them know that I was unhappy. I bought the car pre-owned, and they blamed it on the previous owner -- I saw the car in full sun before they "detailed" it and it definitely did not have these swirls, so I know they are to blame. A make-ready detail should take longer than 20 minutes, which is how long they spent on it before delivery. I didn`t notice the swirls until I washed it about a week later, and they seem to be getting worse with every wash. I`ve started just leaving the car dirty to hide them. It`s embarrassing. I didn`t buy a BMW to have it look like crap, you know?



And here is one of the pictures:



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/335_hood.jpg



She wanted me to get rid of the swirls as best as I could without going overboard on cost since it is a daily driver. She will probably repaint the hood at some point due to rock chips anyway.



I get there this morning, ugly, cool and wet. The weather guessers were promising sunshine by afternoon so we decided to go ahead with the detail today. Luckily they guessed right, sun came out by mid-afternoon.



Before shots:



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_before1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_before2.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_before3.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_before4.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_before5.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_before6.jpg



I kind of played around with polish/pad combos to see what would take out the most without excessively hazing the paint. Meguiars D300 wasn`t aggressive enough, Optimum Compound II a little too aggressive. Meguiars #105 with the Optimum microfiber cutting pad is what worked best. Feels smoother buffing than the Meguiars microfiber cutting pad, left the paint looking better too. Compounding took a good 2.5 hours to get out all the buffer holograms and really put a huge dent in the spider swirls.



A couple half `n half shots:



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_halfnhalf2.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_halfnhalf1.jpg



After compounding on jet black BMWs, I switch to foam pads, they seem to finish out better.



Full process



Optimum No Rinse wash, Optimum Opti-Raser (official name will be similar I think) to clay

Meguiars #105 using an Optimum microfiber cutting pad and my PC 7424 XP

Meguiars #205 using a Meguiars yellow foam polishing pad and PC

3M Ultrafina using a Meguiars yellow foam polishing pad and PC

Clearkote Carnauba Moose Wax

Optimum No Rinse at QD strength to clean glass

Armor All on tires/fenderwells



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after2.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after5.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after6.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after3.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after4.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_after7.jpg



By the time I finished, full sunlight was limited, wish I had been able to get a good shot of the hood but the sun was at too steep an angle to get anything other than a lot of sun flare. but all the holograms were gone and it was virtually spider swirl free as well. Shame about the stone chips...



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_front2.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_frontend2.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_side1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_rear1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_front1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_frontend1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_BMW_335_rear2.jpg

[Thomas Dekany]

Looks perfect Scott. Amazing work, on THE worst paint.

[Scottwax]

2008 Chevy Silverado. Detailed his TSX a week prior, truck unfortunately wasn`t available at the same time so I took care of it earlier this week before we got socked in by rain. It had been a couple years since I had detailed it, really needs more work than he is willing to put into it, might be selling it and getting a white truck to replace it. He treats his trucks like trucks and that doesn`t work well with black.



Optimum No Rinse wash, Opti-Raser to remove bonded contaminants

Optimum G-P-S using an Optimum microfiber polishing pad and my PC

Armor All on tires/fenderwells

ONR at QD strength to clean glass

3D Trim Protetant on the exterior trim



Interior was detailed as well, but too much sun flare in the pictures to make them worth posting.



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_Chevy_Silverado_side2.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_Chevy_Silverado_front1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_Chevy_Silverado_backend1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_Chevy_Silverado_side1.jpg



http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/ScottwaxH/cars3/2008_Chevy_Silverado_rear1.jpg

[DaGonz]

Nice work on both vehicles, Scott.

[Scottwax]

Looks perfect Scott. Amazing work, on THE worst paint.



Still some light spider swirls in the sides (looks like it regularly went through a brush car wash or a brush was used on it regularly) but for 3 steps I was pretty happy how it turned out and the owner was thrilled that her car is now black like it is supposed to be.




Nice work on both vehicles, Scott.



Thanks!