2003 Nighthawk Honda Accord

[Calogero]

***TWO POST DETAIL***

I have a buddy who has been saying now for two years he wanted me to detail his Honda Accord for him. He`s noticed the increase in scratches and after me explaining what swirls are, noticed those as well. There were parts of the car were you could see a good towel inflicted swirl. Some parts were really bad. He also had bird etching. After setting up two appointments, we finally figured out the best day and time to get her all cleaned up and to the best possible condition. Upon the drop off, we inspected the car to see how bad it truly was.

Some before notes:

* Owner is a really neat guy so never had to do interior but didn`t really take care of exterior and is going to begin now!!!
* Car has never been waxed since he got it from the dealer in 2003
* Car was apparently what he said `black`
* Car had bird etching in it
* The last wash was about 3-4 months ago and at one of those drive throughs (not touchless)
* Does not hand wash the car
* Wheels and Tires have never been fully cleaned/detailed/dressed. Only switched to ceramic brake pads to reduce brake dust but after years of not cleaning them, he was left with what you`ll see below
* Parked outside for a good part of 2-3 years through Canadian winter
* My longest and biggest write up as of yet. Lots of pics!!!
* Had a buddy come by to show him how to use the PC

Products Used:

Hyper Wash Car Wash soap with two bucket and Chenille Mit
2 Water Magnet
Blue Clay with Last Touch 1:1
M80
M83
M66
M07
M16
M21
2 x W - 8006 for M80
1 x W - 8006 for M83
1 x W - 8006 for M66
Foam Applicator for M07
Foam Applicator for M21
Foam Applicator for Black Wow
Supreme Shine Microfibre
Meguiars/ADS Glass Microfibre
Hyper Dressing 4:1 and 10:1
Wheel Brightener 4:1
APC 4:1
Safe D-Greaser 10:1
Rain-X
Black Wow

Process:

Wash with Hyper Wash Soap
Clay
M80 with W - 8006
M83 with W - 8006
M80 with W - 8006
M66 with W - 8006
M07 with foam applicator
M21 with foam applicator
Black exterior plastic dressed with Black Wow
Tires dressed with Endurance High Gloss x 2
Wheel Wells dressed with Hyper Dressing 4:1 x 2
Interior cleaned with #40 and then dressed with Natural Shine
Engine Cleaned with APC 10:1 and 4:1 and then dressed with Hyper Dressing 4:1 x 3
Engine Dressed with Black Wow (parts near the front)
All windows cleaned with Auto Gunk Window Cleaner with Meguiars/ADS Glass Towel and Supreme Shine Microfibre and topped with Rain-X

Start Time: 8:00 am
End Time: 7:30 pm

The end results were AMAZING!!!

It turned out that his car was not actually black but instead a Nighthawk colour that has blue metallic flakes. When I called to check with him, he didn`t remember this, but after sometime remember hearing the name Nighthawk and then remember what it actually looked like when he picked it up. So you see, it was covered in dirt and everything, to the point where its true colour wasn`t showing. It truly amazing to see this colour actually come through and I was amazed at it because I didn`t even know it was the true colour myself. I was going on what he told me as it was black.

And now, here`s your writeup and pics for you.

Step 1: Evaluate the paint and surface.

As you can see, that`s bird poop on the side door. When I asked my buddy how long it`d been there, he said a good few weeks or maybe a solid month. Wasn`t exactly sure. Either way it left an etching. Barely any reflection in the paint, its dull and not shiny.

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00663.JPG

Swirls, Swirls, Swirls and bird poop!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00664.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05926.JPG

Shot of the hood in direct sunlight and look at those SWIRLS!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00666.JPG

Back trunk lid covered in swirls!!!

Look how dirty it is!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00667.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC01644.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05928.JPG

Paint transfer, scuffs, scratches and swirls, ALL IN ONE!!! Oh did I mention more bird poop!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00668.JPG


Dead on shot. Covered in bugs, bugs, bugs, but nothing my Gold Class Bug And Tar Remover can`t handle!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05930.JPG


BUGS BUGS BUGS!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00675.JPG

Rear driver side pillar. Badly swirled!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00670.JPG

Look at what you can see!!! Or better yet, what do you NOT see here!!!

There is everything.

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC01642.JPG

More bird poop/etching!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05933.JPG

Tires and wheels!!! WOW!!! Worst I`ve seen or I should say worst I`ve had to clean!!!

He told me he got ceramic brakes to help with the brake dust and although they reduce the amount of brake dust, if they`re not cleaned on a regular basis, that little brake dust builds up to become a lot and then continues to build up and this is what happens!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00665.JPG

A dirty engine that had never been touched since he got it from the dealer!!! Not once was it cleaned or wiped!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05934.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05935.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC00674.JPG

Step 2: Wash and clay the car!!!

Here is a shot post wash and post clay!!! Looking pretty good.

To bad it took me over 3 hours to wash engine, wash tires, wheels and wheel wells and car!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05938.JPG

Water from the tires and wheels!!! Much worse in person!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05939.JPG

Step 3: Prep and Test SPOT!!!

Once it was totally cleaned I pulled the Honda into the garage and began prepping it. I taped it up fully and set up my test spot. I was hoping that M80 would do the trick. But unforunately that was not the case here. The car had been neglected for far to long, taken through to many car washes for it to be M80 alone.

So with the test spot set up I went at with M80 with the W - 8006 pad to first see what I could achieve.

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC01645.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05941.JPG

Upon inspection I didn`t quite like the results. And so the next step was to go more aggressive and out came my M83 and the W - 8006 pad again.

A pass of M83 with the W - 8006 followed by a pass of M80 with W - 8006 was exactly what I was looking for.

The M83 removed the major swirls that were inflicted on this once lovely car, while the M80 helped in removing the hairlines and other light swirls which was evident not only by my eye but by Aaron`s as well.

Below is the completed test. M83 to M80!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC01646.JPG

Yes, unfortunately some scratches still remain, but that is exactly what they are: scratches and deep ones I might add.

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05942.JPG


Those side by side comparisons that we all love so much!!!

For your viewing pleasure!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05943.JPG

Step 4: Paint Clean

So once I established what I would be using in M83 followed by M80, I proceeded to complete the entire car. These two steps alone took a solid 3.5 - 4 hours. This car was heavily swirled.

Here is a shot of the hood under the halogens following the M80!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05949.JPG


That little white thing on the bottom right is a rock chip right down to the metal!!!

Unfortunately for my buddy I can`t fix those.


http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05950.JPG

Aaron hard at work.

Following M83 and M80, I took M66 to the whole car which is what Aaron below is applying to it right now. Reason. For those fine, micro scratches. Although this paint was really hard, the hardest one I`ve worked on to date, in some spots it didn`t feel as hard and was more susceptible to tiny little scratches and so in removing M80 by hand, I needed M66 to take care of that problem.

As is it did, it was also pointed out by Aaron that M66 helped remove some other finer scratches, which was awesome!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC059521.JPG

M66 waiting to dry!!!

Excellent job done by Aaron here in applying it!!!

Awesome overlap and small sections!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05954.JPG

[Calogero]

Once I finished with M83, M80 and M66, I gave the whole car a coat of M07 by hand with an applicator pad, to help bring back that glossy finish and add to its shine.

Now this is where the true colour started to show. Upon drop off, and of all the years I`ve known my buddy, I`ve known and seen the car to be black. Mind you, I wasn`t looking at cars like I am now, but still, it should have been noticeable that the car is actually not Black, but instead Nighthawk, which is black with blue metallic flakes in it.

The M07 helped restore that colour and beautiful shine!!!

I was so impressed up to this point!!!

Can you see the blue here!!! I tried my best to capture it!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05959.JPG

I attempted to capture the blue metallic flakes in this pic!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05986.JPG


M21 waiting to dry!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05960.JPG

After a coat of M07 I applied a coat of M21 with an applicator pad for my final LSP!!!

And boy, what a difference. The shine! The colour! The wet look! The gloss!

BEAUTIFUL!!!

Here`s a shot off the hood into my product wall!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05956.JPG

Step 5: Enjoy the results!!!

Although all the scratches could not come out without a rotary, I`d say that the transformation was close to 95% give or take. It was a HUGE DIFFERENCE as you may be able to tell from when I got the car to when it left. Only some minor scratches there were fairly deep that the PC could not do, that I could not remove that are left. But the swirls are all gone.

I was very pleased with the outcome and the work put into it and it shows with the final results.

Seeing how it was Canada Day the next day here is a salute to the Great White North I call home.

Happy Canada Day!!!

Rear driver side door shot!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05962.JPG

Remember the dead on shot earlier!!!

Same shot, pretty much same angle!!!

Look at the difference!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05963.JPG

Hood shot in direct sunlight outdoors!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05964.JPG

Oh how bad was that trunk lid!!!

Well here`s that shot again just post Buff N Stuff Detailing!!!

All that is left on this lid is some fine scratches that need to be done with a rotary!!!

But the transformation I`d leave that open to you all!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05965.JPG

Side reflection shot and removal of bird etching!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05966.JPG

More trunk lid!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05970.JPG

So the wheels!!!

I tried Multi Piece but although that product could have probably done the job with a lot more passion, I pulled out my Wheel Brightener (WB) which was diluted 4:1 and went at it. The tires were cleaned with NXT Tire Cleaner.

I first hosed done the wheels/tires really good for a good solid minute or so including the wheel wells. Once I had this done, I sprayed WB on them and watched the brake dust disappear before my eyes. A little help from a wheel face brush and I was good to go.

Afterwards, I clayed them with Meguiars Blue Clay and some Last Touch 1:1 to help get out those stubborn brake dust stains. Worked AWESOME!!!

Very impressed!!!

And come to think of, my buddy didn`t think they`d turn out like they did!!!

How about these bad boys now H?

Topped with a coat of M26!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05968.JPG

Two coats of Endurance High Gloss Gel, while the wheel wells got a spray of Hyper Dressing 4:1 and these tires and wheels look brand new!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05980.JPG

The entire exterior trim and one part of the engine was coated with Black Wow!!!

You do know its available in Canada right!!!




http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC059811.JPG

Ah the engine. She purrs once again!!!

It was cleaned with some soap and water, APC 4:1 and 10:1 and then sprayed with Hyper Dressing 4:1 x 2.

The part of the engine cleaned with Black Wow is the front part that is the same as the black plastic exterior trim!!!

Worked awesome!!!

Sorry about that glare. It was just to clean I guess !!! Being it was silver, I guess the sun caught it as I was snapping away!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05984.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05987.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05988.JPG

Although he doesn`t look like it, he was extremely happy with the final result!!!

Customer happy = Me happy = BUFF N STUFF DETAILING VERY HAPPY!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05992.JPG

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05994.JPG

Another hood shot that I couldn`t resist!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05996.JPG

The send off in one very clean, shiny and beautiful 2003 NIGHTHAWK Honda Accord!!!

http://buffdetails.soundsoft.org/Detailing/2003%20Honda%20Accord/DSC05997.JPG



The End,

Thanks for looking,

Buff N Stuff Detailing
Calogero

[Clutch34]

...WOW!! FANTASTIC job!! :yourrock

[mrclean81]

nice work, but if that`s the worst wheels you`ve had to deal with I would love to trade you places for a while lol

[OCDinPDX]

NBP is an absolute bear to get looking great but you did a fantastic job!

[tmacsad]

Outstanding Job :rockon

[sal329]

Man that is one heck of a job awesome work. Is that your garage? I really like it, looks like you are fully stocked. I am jealous lol. Look forward to more details from you

[RyansAutoDetail]

awesome job, hopefully i can bang out a job like that this summer

[Calogero]

Man that is one heck of a job awesome work. Is that your garage? I really like it, looks like you are fully stocked. I am jealous lol. Look forward to more details from you

Yes that`s my garage.

I`m loading up as we speak too right now. Just placing another huge order.


awesome job, hopefully i can bang out a job like that this summer

Thanks.

I`m sure you will be able to.

Let us know.

[sal329]

Pics of the garage man don`t hold back.

[Calogero]

Pics of the garage man don`t hold back.

I will.

Wait to my order comes in then I`ll show them both off.

Honestly speaking, I`m in the middle of organizing it right now. Getting rid of a ton of junk in there as speak and painting the rest of the walls white.

Should be done in a couple of weeks and then will post for sure.