2003 Nissan 350Z

[rsunnafrank]

Hi guys...



Had a look on neatitems.com for their microfibre towels..



Question is - which one do you guys all use! They have loads of different ones. Are they all of the same quality, and its just the size that is different, or are some of the towels plusher than others...?





-andy-

[ru1thirst]

Many have found the mint green to be a bit more plush than other colors. Me, myself, couldn`t tell much of a difference if any. However I have so many towels from different places and ages that it makes a difficult to really tell. The 16x16" ones are the choice of most and I have 2 of the large ones on the way to give a try for drying. The neatitem towels are very good quality and for the price tuff to beat. However I`ve had the best luck with the quality and service with the towels from yosteve.com You can`t go wrong with either.

[BradE]

I prefer the mint greens. I have quite a few of these towels, very good towel for the $$$. I have 10 of the 16x16 (thanks to puterbum) and 10 of the 12x12. I use the bigger ones for QD, and sometimes drying after a wash. The smaller ones I use for interior work.



Good Towels. :up

[Pats300zx]

I agree the mint greens are really nice. I have 10 of them and juset ordered another 10 from Puterbum on the GB:up

[vettefan67]

I found Mint Green and White to be pretty close in plushness. My personal towels that I ordered from this GB are mostly white for paintwork.



I personally believe your ability to detect contaminants in a towel is more important than a slight plushness difference. If I can`t see a speck of dirt in a mint green towel, it doesn`t really matter if it`s plusher IMO, it will still scratch my paint!

[imported_CH.Detailing]

Hokay, time to get some work done on this write-up.

The car wasn`t really excessively dirty, it had a fine layer of grime on it, some light bug residue, and had been rained on a few times. I`ve seen worse.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/5999081523_45fd740831_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/5999627732_d765025a4a_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/5999633606_ae833fccc2_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5999627938_6c4168e857_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5999082737_2f8a1a0da8_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5999086227_1b0d96b387_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5999633804_f778352937_b.jpg
The wheels weren`t terrible either, the rears barely had any brake dust on them and fronts were only lightly coated.

Rear,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5999082231_a2d29c6851_b.jpg

Front,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5999082385_5e694d53ae_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5999082525_a525192602_b.jpg
The wheels probably would have cleaned up just fine with regular soap and water, but I had an almost empty bottle of Sonax that was begging to get used up.

Sonax dwelling,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5999634428_4f0b925092_b.jpg

Really starting to `bleed`,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5999636020_4092f1dd3a_b.jpg

Agitated and left to dwell a little while longer,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5999090053_7f365d5c88_b.jpg

Tires, wheel wells, and backs of wheels were cleaned with a mixture of Meg`s Super Degreaser and APC+
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/5999090335_37dd7b8f17_b.jpg

The tips on the Borla dual exhaust were a bit crusty and asking for some shine.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5999090975_e67f5a5510_b.jpg

Cleaned up and lighted polished with P21S polishing soap,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/5999637344_2648c12778_b.jpg

Work up a light lather with the supplied applicator, give it a little rubbin`...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6149/5999637884_b20d2a86a6_b.jpg

...and `Voila!`
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5999091463_abfa168c43_b.jpg

The car was washed under a big shade tree, giving me plenty of time to get everything clean without having the suds dry out on the paint. This was especially helpful on this sunny 90+ degree day.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6122/5999091693_1e2ef48152_b.jpg

Initially it was foamed with a mixture of Dawn and Megs Shampoo Plus.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6006/5999638656_5353506950_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6023/5999092151_c1d60ffbc0_b.jpg

While the foam was dwelling I went around the car with a bottle of APC+ and brush, removing dried wax and dirt from all the cracks.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5999639192_de26c57f72_b.jpg

The rest of the car was washed with a standard 2-bucket wash using the same soap mixture as the foaming. (there is a grit guard in the right bucket, trust me, I seem to have mis-placed one of them. )
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6030/5999638474_b2221f8ac7_b.jpg

After washing the car it was time to clean up the door jambs, filthy!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/5999084377_220af78997_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/5999631266_3feccaf85b_b.jpg

Normally I will wipe down the jambs with a solution of ONR when I clean the interior, but these were extra dirty and needed to be cleaned the same way as the rest of the car.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5999639560_f9a01011e3_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6122/5999093027_f1cf7a3b16_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5999093203_50ee7c91d8_b.jpg

Clean!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6017/5999093347_57bf01d335_b.jpg

[imported_CH.Detailing]

All clean and dry, time to inspect it in the sun to know what I`m working with!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5999093505_3fc0f36f26_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/5999094191_7b827b4785_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/5999095225_0426c23305_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/5999095605_b9e05e3cf8_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5999642838_3491e7e1c9_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5999642970_bcd1e2b3cb_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/5999096637_c42e8dbfa5_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5999644152_96aa9c9116_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5999644662_56857303d3_b.jpg

Not what I like to see, tons of defects, of all types. Swirling from minor to major with many scuffs, scratches, and deeper marring.

I brought the car inside and let it cool down before I began polishing. While waiting for it to cool I check the car over using my dual xenon Brinkmann.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5999100333_fd64eff3b5_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5999100541_77e5271dba_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5999101261_cc6f09831f_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5999648648_b1d3eb3e55_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/5999648764_04984ccefb_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/5999649598_2442146634_b.jpg

The Brinkmann didn`t show me anything good. In order to further along my growing sense of depression surrounding this car, I decided to check the paint a third time using a 1000w work light.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/5999105853_ef1c425100_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6024/5999652938_f4765dc761_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/5999106235_0a01797715_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/5999653570_a31829b506_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5999653708_b397b58c56_b.jpg

Add significant water etching to the aforementioned list of defects.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6020/5999654198_b0855d5cae_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6131/5999107401_7de6037f09_b.jpg

After getting the lay of the land it was time to clay. Blackfire Polyclay was used with ONR as lube.

After doing half the roof it became apparent that this was well overdue.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/5999656578_e34927fe6b_b.jpg

The hood was worse, and this was only a quarter of it.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6030/5999656814_a00964a409_b.jpg

Now that the car was cleaned, clayed, and inspected it was time to lay down some tape.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6134/5999657212_237d08a47c_b.jpg

I usually add and remove tape as I go, but these were the lines that could stay put throughout the correction.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6149/5999657668_4590d54e31_b.jpg

Even under the low output fluorescent lights the sorry state of this clear coat was easily apparent.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5999111521_dd9170b93e_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/5999658926_74ac7467a8_b.jpg

I haven`t had a lot of time to try out the new Megs microfiber system, so I was eager to see what it could against paint as bad as this. I`ve seen a few people mixing D300 with M105 and yielding a bit more cut than D300 by itself, without all the dusting of M105, so I jumped to that from the start.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5999112009_51b76c2bd6_b.jpg

A few blobs of each polish and a light mist of M34,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6018/5999659406_88a15abc34_b.jpg

After doing a section I was quick to check my work.

Here is the left side of the roof, uncorrected.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5999112793_2cb3380c20_b.jpg

And the right side, after buffing with M105/D300.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5999659598_cc87a7606d_b.jpg

All of the swirling was gone, although there were still many deeper scratches that didn`t show well in this photo.

After doing a second section, this happened,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/5999660682_7c8820f422_b.jpg

This is the second MF cutting pad I`ve had this happen to, and I believe I know why. I`ve been using these pads at speed 6, on what you can see is a too small backing plate, with a moderate amount of pressure. After they separate from the backing the foam is incredibly hot. I believe the biggest contributions to this failure is too much pressure and too small of backing plate. The too small plate transfers too much force to too small of an area, heating up and over stressing the adhesive that holds the backing material to the pad.

I didn`t want to risk destroying another MF pad, or wasting more time getting that system to work, so I switched to something a little more tried and true. I did the rest of the car using my Flex rotary with Menz SIP and an LC orange pad at a little over speed 2 (sorry, I can`t remember the correlation to RPMs).

The rear bumper was the worst area on the car, covered with a myriad of swirls and wetsanding marks.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/5999116211_6c0e7b37f6_b.jpg

SIP made quick work of the scratches.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/5999116427_35b2039620_b.jpg

As the day went on I started to realize I had underestimated how long it would take to tackle this car, I called up my appointment for the next day and moved him to later in the week. With that squared away I could continue to polish into the wee hours of the morning and be free to sleep the next day away.

After SIP I finished down with M205 on a LC crimson pad via PC. Tight areas were finished with M205 on a LC tangerine pad via rotary.

Here are some post polishing shots,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/5999666666_9cfc0bf2ec_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5999119749_879ab6b393_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6135/5999668534_d250798370_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/5999669042_bdf6589d49_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6017/5999122849_a0384749d4_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5999671210_06505dce68_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5999671382_dce2ded45d_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6012/5999124541_9970e1a598_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6122/5999125393_aa83fb7f9a_b.jpg

At this point it was somewhere after midnight, can`t remember exactly. With the polishing complete I was desperate to get some sleep, but I knew I had to get a coat of BFWD on the car that night, so I could put a coat of Midnight Sun on it the next day. I proceeded to give the car a wipe down with IPA, followed by the BFWD.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5999672784_2cbee56214_b.jpg

Before leaving for the night I hit the trim by the side mirrors with some 303 Aerospace Protectant, so it could soak in overnight.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/5999125649_a87d36d9e8_b.jpg

I wiped off the Blackfire and headed home for the night... well, part of it. It was my intention to have finished the car before sundown and to take some good photos of it, since I had missed the sundown I was determined to get some photos during the next day`s sunrise.

[imported_CH.Detailing]

So, after a quick 4 hour nap I headed back to the garage, knocked off any dust that had settled, gave the windows and wheels a quick wipe and headed out.

I had a couple locations in mind, but I had always shot there at sundown, not sunrise. Both spots were open east to west so I didn`t think I would have any issues with the reversed lighting...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/5995670117_b11067891a_b.jpg

...And I didn`t.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5995676951_b784e8c404_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/5995673051_651df539f5_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5995681943_5b4c12cbc9_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5995688249_515f979b1b_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/5995683313_f699f4a8f5_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5995684625_761b4c0b9d_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6122/5996243302_770d5f82b5_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/5996245862_8a19420d23_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5996253418_0ac63fb8cb_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5995690755_7a76b4a3b1_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5995708817_a3cb5f24f5_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6024/5995701395_f4d7679022_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5996263324_9bcdee98e6_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5996267552_e713cc8f29_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6138/5995713073_ae32eeee25_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5995712091_4ef3cd59a1_b.jpg

After the shoot I foamed then washed the car using Megs Gold Class, both to remove the previous night`s polishing dust and to prep the surface before applying the Midnight Sun.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5999031909_1b4a6a3cf0_b.jpg

Last night`s Blackfire beading like a champ!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/5999032141_17d1cdb4fc_b.jpg

So buttery smooth and easy to use,
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6025/5999578864_628128bd95_b.jpg

Before giving the car back I further polished the exhaust tips with Optimum Metal Polish v1.0, thoroughly cleaned the rear carbon diffusor, did a light vacuum and wipe down on the interior, cleaned the glass, waxed with Midnight Sun, re-treated trim with 303, applied Gummi Pfledge Stift to the door seals, sealed door jambs with Opti-Seal, sealed wheels, exhaust tips, and carbon with Rejex, applied 303 Aerospace to the tires (I had applied M40 the night before for an even finish)... I think thats it.

Last, but not least, sun shots!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/6000643768_b53fb72c1e_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5999034359_d809c1f121_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5999034805_1234ff8093_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6017/5999034917_711fc0f535_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5999580896_cbd85b18cd_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5999581458_63650afa7a_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5999581688_1a17ea044f_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6025/5999582626_fa93540852_b.jpg

[imported_CH.Detailing]

Forgot a couple!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/5989199149_7640bc081e_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/5992530511_5febc70d02_b.jpg

[imported_JSFM35X]

Nice work, I love that color and the flake jumps off the wet looking paint now.