2015 Hyundai Sonata 2.0 First Full Detail

[FreakyNorm]

I bought the car new and have had it almost 2 years now. Initially when I bought it I wanted the clear bra installed. They couldn`t get me in for a few weeks and then when they put it on, it was a combination of poor craftsmanship and the hood had several deep chips in it already. I drive about 40 miles to and from work daily, so it gets dinged quick.

So they told me they had to redo the bra, but also they had to repaint the hood. They also said they would remove all the swirls they installed with my purchase. They redid everything and of course did the worst job ever. It was hard to see except in direct sunlight, but they had created a ton of holograms and it looks like the body shop did some machining damage to the paint under the clear coat. Luckily this time around they did get the clear bra installed right with no bubbles or edges peeling up.

I got a gift card to Chemical Guys and ended up buying a Torq10x, some pads, interior/exterior cleaners, wax, sealant, etc. I also picked up some Poorboys SSR1, Black Hole, and Natty`s Liquid Red. I cleaned off my trunk and did some test spots. The CG stuff didn`t do much. I was expecting a lot more I guess. So I tried the SSR1 on a white CG pad and it kicked butt. It removed all the swirls, fine scratches and left a way better shine to the paint. It was a night and day difference.

So Saturday I did the interior, the engine bay, wheels, windows, and exhaust tips. I used CG Inner Clean on the dash and trim. I didn`t bother dressing it since it was still glossy from the last time I did it. I cleaned the tires with CG Nonsense which is a great APC. On the rims I used CG Diablo Gel. It was ok but not aggressive enough for my tastes. I used Hydro2 on the rims for protectant. On the wheels I used some Armor All tire dressing. It works really nice but it`s like a liquid dye and so it gets messy and you gotta clean up the spillage off your rims. I topped it with CG Black on Black Instant Shine.

For the exhaust I used CG Nonsense with some #00000 steel wool to get all the crud off of them. Then polished with Mother`s Mag and Aluminum polish. I did the engine bay with CG Nonsense and then topped with CG Black on Black. For the windows I used McKee`s Window Restorer on a white pad followed by McKee`s glass coating.

Sunday I did the exterior. I did a rinse, then a foam cannon wash with CG Honeydew Foam Shampoo. I rinsed again and then used a Nanoskin clay mitt to clay down the paint. It`s so quick and easy with that thing. I rinsed off and dried it up. I used PB SSR1 on a CG white pad and it really did a great job on the paint. The only thing I don`t like about the SSR1 is that it`s pretty dusty and flaky once it`s been worked in. So you gotta do an extra round of wiping/dusting on the car when you`re done polishing. It does such a great job though it`s worth that little hassle.

I had no clue how bad the paint actually was and how much sparkle it actually has to it. I also had no clue you could polish the clear bra. It made it look like new. Some spots are just so beat up in the front and I couldn`t get them 100% without going more aggressive and I just didn`t have it in me at that point.

Once the polishing was done I used PB Black Hole glaze on a blue pad, followed by CG Jet Seal on a black pad, then topped with PB Liquid Natty`s Red on a red pad and it looked phenomenal. I was impressed at how good I did considering I have never done this stuff before. It`s like a whole new car. Better than new actually since we all know how good dealers take care of their inventory.

My biggest frustrations are it seems like all my my MF towels lint like a mofo after washing them the first time. I use Car Pro`s MF wash on cold and tumble dry on low on the delicate setting. It drives me nuts. Am I doing something wrong?

The other thing is cleaning the pads with the wax, glaze and sealant. They have so much product in it and I swear it doesn`t seem like I am using that much. Obviously I am though or it wouldn`t have so much in them when it comes time to clean them, right?

The car looks 95% perfect now. The only real "issue" is the machining damage on the hood. It`s only really visible at night under the streetlights. I am guessing it`s under the clear coat because the polishing had no effect on it at all. So it doesn`t drive me too crazy at least.

[lloydrm]

Well done! How much time you put into this?
I hope you go show off your car to the clear bra installers.
IME, and based on the process you described, the lint you are getting probably has to do with the towels themselves and not with your process. I learned that the same way you did and then I understood why autopians spend $5-10/towel instead of $0.5-3/towel.
Have fun and I hope you enjoy the results of your hard work.

[OzzieMike]

Looks awesome! Great job!

[FreakyNorm]

It took the better part of a day. I will have to invest in some solid towels then. If anyone has any recommendations, I have no problems splurging for the good stuffs.

Here`s a shot I got today in direct sunlight. It looks so dang good!

[TTBear]

Great work - especially considering it was your first kick at the can.

Thanks for posting. I remember my first detailing post on Autopia. I was worried whether it was worthy, LOL. Great bunch of guys and girls, here - always helpful, and SO crazy informative.