Want to revive my old Bimmer`s finish

[gldnedge]

First post, new member.....whewboy, here we go.



I`ve been reading for a few days and finally gathered the nerve to post to you, the experts. The knowledge base here is astounding, so here`s my attempt to tap into it.



I have an `88 BMW with the original paint still in pretty nice shape. When the car is clean and waxed it looks quite nice from 5` away, but when you look at the finish closely it`s obvious that something needs to be done to remove the "clouds" in the paint. I assume this is a clear coat issue?



I see a lot of potential in this paint job, however I simply do not have the expertise to bring out a deep shine. I`ve asked Santa for a Porter Cable polisher, but I don`t have a clue what kind of products to use on the car and in what order to apply the products.



Would someone be so kind to point me in the right direction? I know there are a million product choices, but until I get a little guidance I`ll never know where to start.



Thanks so much everyone.....and Happy Holidays to you all.



Gldnedge

[SilverLexus]

If you can post pictures, I think the pros on the board could be more specific.

[koko_b_ware]

Sounds like your BMW`s paint needs an extensive polishing. Basically, the top layer of the paint is "dead" and oxidized, and you need to remove it by polishing with an abrasive polish. Generally, the worse the paint defect, the more aggressive the process must be.



Click on the "Learn" button to explore the paint polishing process.

[JasonD]

Gldnedge,

First, I`d like to offer my sincerest....:welcome :wavey There`s no need to build up nerve to post here, new detailers are always welcome! :xyxthumbs



Okay, let`s see if I can help out a little bit here. Before we get started, pictures always help out a tremendous amount so we can accurately point you in the right direction. Just like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and when you are talking about paint surfaces that saying never meant so much.



Assuming your 88` is in pretty good condition as you say, I would think it`s safe to say that is in definite need of a good compounding. This will remove all/most of the oxidation that has built up over the last 16 years. The end result of your efforts are all going to depend on how well you`ve maintained it over the years and also how well you polish it now. Like I said, start off by compounding it really well. I recommend 3M Perfect It III Rubbing Compound and an orange Sonus DAS Pad or something along those lines.



Actually, back up a moment. Before you start doing any of this, you will need to wash and clay the car to get rid of all the built up contaminents. Okay, now we can move on.



After you compound, your surface should be perfectly smooth, shiny, and as defect free as possible.



Next, move on to a moderate polish worked in with a polishing pad. There are bunches to choose from so I won`t specify a polish but will use Poorboy`s SSR2 as an example since this seems to be pretty popular. This polish will remove any hazing left behind the compound and begin to *refine* your polishing and compounding efforts. Don`t expect your paint to really start looking better until this point.



After that, you can move to a non-abrasive polish or paint cleaner like Vanilla Moose, AIO, SEPC, PB`s PP, etc. (If you don`t know what these stand for you can look them up on the home page in the decoder section). This will prep the surface for your protectant.



Now you are ready for protectant. You have a wide variety of choices here, so your options are wide open. Basically, just keep reading posts and looking at pictures until you see the look you are after and find out what that person used. You will probably end up with multiple products within the next few months because this can get very addictive.



Something else I suggest, is downloading the Autopia Guide To Detailing. It will go into great detail every single step I mentioned and will give you a better idea of what to do and how to do it. Good luck, and I hope this helps a little.

[gldnedge]

I hope this picture link works....



I`m at work, so I don`t have access to many pics of the car. This is as good as I can do for now:



http://mail.roadfly.com/Session/7971-hAE26Xl1CB2uNkBGNd4P/WebFile/Aaron%27s+pictures+051.jpg



Hope this helps.



BTW, thank for the info so far. You guys are good.



Gldnedge

[JasonD]

Oh shoot, that doesn`t look bad at all. I don`t even think you will need compounding, spot compound at the most.



I would start off with a good polish and polishing pad on a PC and go from there. I think you will be very happy with the results. Very well kept car.

[gldnedge]

Remember that this is the 10` view....it doesn`t look nearly that good up close. The clouds in the finish are obvious even to the untrained eye.



I`m reading the "learn" section now....will check back later.



Gldnedge



Edit:



Trunk lid, roof and hood show the most clouds. Interesting...it`s always been garaged?!?