Mini Cooper R paint correction, Opti-Guard protection: Rasky`s Auto Detailing

[RaskyR1]

Mini Cooper R paint correction, Opti-Guard protection


This hot little hatch actually belongs to the owner of the E46 I recently detailed and after inspection it was scheduled for a 2-step correction with Opti-Guard protection. After working on a full size Chevy truck last weekend, having this little thing to work on was a relief to say the least, but surprisingly, it was still a fair amount of work.

This vehicle did see occasional tunnel washes in the winter (slap n` Scratch) which was very evident upon the initial inspection. The scratching and marring on the tops and passenger side were not quite as severer as the drivers side, and the lower you went down on the side panels, the worse they were. For those of you familiar with the slap n` scratch wash, you will understand why this is. ;)

Process:

Wash - ONR
Wheels - Sonax Full Effect
Tires - OPC
Clay - Clay Magic fine clay, ONR as lube
Paint correction - D300/MF followed by 106fa on tangerine LC pads (GG6 DA). Drivers side also needed some M105/Surbuf.
Opti-Guard prep - Foam bath with OPC/CGCW followed by wash with CGCW, 15% IPA wipe-down
Glass - Meguiar`s D120
Exhaust tips/metal trim - Optimum Metal Polish
Tires - Meguiar`s Hyper Dressing 3:1
Opti-Guard application - Paint was done using CarPro Suede MF applicators, trim/wheels were done with foam applicator, plastic grills done with air brush.

Before pics:
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5797.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5798.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5799.jpg


Bleeding wheel :)
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5803.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5802.jpg



Water spots
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5800.jpg


DISO
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5806.jpg

Owner had two areas of concern....Bird poo etching
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5809.jpg


...and bug spatter etching. Both came right out with D300/MF
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5813.jpg


Door scuff
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5814.jpg


More water spots and RIDS
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111014-_MG_5817.jpg


I love PPF!
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111015-_MG_5820.jpg


Black trim shows true paint condition better
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111015-_MG_5824.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111015-_MG_5826.jpg


50/50 shots after D300
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111015-_MG_5828.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111015-_MG_5829.jpg


Lots of taping on these cars
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111015-_MG_5830.jpg


Foam bath to prep for coating
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5831.jpg


Front and rear grills were a little dull and very intricate....a PITA to clean too!
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5833.jpg


Perfect candidate for Opti-Guard via airbrush! ;)
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5835.jpg


Better!
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5837.jpg

[RaskyR1]

Finished pics
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5839.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5842.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5841.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5845.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5847.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5848.jpg

Trying to be creative
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5849.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5850.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5851.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5852.jpg


All black plastic trim was coated
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5853.jpg


Brinkmann
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5855.jpg


Halogens
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5856.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5858.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5860.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5862.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5863.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5867.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5868.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5869.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5870.jpg


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/Raskyr1/Mini/20111016-_MG_5871.jpg







Thanks for looking!

Rasky

[Ron-M]

Looks great now. What a lot of taping for a little car. The grills look like a nightmare to work with. Great idea with the air brush. Very nice work.

[TroyScherer]

Great work Chad!!!

[Fast Eddie]

Great job on the Mini Chad, looks fantastic.

[Pats300zx]

Beautiful work Chad !!!!!

[Stokdgs]

Beautiful, careful, detailed work, Chad !!!!!!!

The red must be stunning outside in the sun - and its going to be like that for a long time !

Having Detailed a few MINI`s up here, I totally agree with you - they are little but have a lot of places that require more work than a normal sized vehicle. And then we go inside the car and find out it is exactly the same - lots of intricate areas, the hatch back areas; they take about as much time as a normal sized car I think, if you are going to do it perfectly.

Awesome work, thanks for sharing !
Dan F

[RaskyR1]

Looks great now. What a lot of taping for a little car. The grills look like a nightmare to work with. Great idea with the air brush. Very nice work.

Thanks Ron! I have to give credit to Anthony Orosco on the air brush idea though as he`s been doing it for years. ;)


Great work Chad!!!

Thanks Troy!


Great job on the Mini Chad, looks fantastic.


Thanks Eddie!



Beautiful work Chad !!!!!

Thanks Pat! :)


Beautiful, careful, detailed work, Chad !!!!!!!

The red must be stunning outside in the sun - and its going to be like that for a long time !

Having Detailed a few MINI`s up here, I totally agree with you - they are little but have a lot of places that require more work than a normal sized vehicle. And then we go inside the car and find out it is exactly the same - lots of intricate areas, the hatch back areas; they take about as much time as a normal sized car I think, if you are going to do it perfectly.

Awesome work, thanks for sharing !
Dan F

Thanks Dan! Luckily no interior on this one, though I did fluff it up a little while I waited for them to arrive. The paint was pretty hard too, not to mention surprisingly THIN! Scary low readings in the high 70`s on some areas!

[MarcHarris]

My goodness, airbrush For The Win!
Great use of tools and an (expected) amazing turn around. Great work Chad.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Excellent work, Chad! That was one heck of a mess you had to start with. Now it looks better than showroom new!

[Concours.John]

Very nice!
Gotta commend you the "outside the box" airbrush idea.

[Rocket]

I`ve wanted to try the airbrush application but I need to buy an airbrush. I plan to opticoat my polished wheels with the application method.

[AndrewBigA]

nice work rasky. PPF what a pain in the arse to work with!
i always have streaking problems with whatever i use for those dam hood stripes.

[Todd@RUPES]

Amazing work Chad. That looks incredible! :rockon:yourrock

[Old Pirate]

Great work as always Chad, bet the owner was very happy with this one.:bigups