Almost Done Black BMW 745Li

I

imported_Totoland Mach

New member
This is black Bimmer numba' 2 out of 4 black ones....my eyes are hurting from looking at halogens!



Decent paint on this car, but swirls abound. DeWalt rotary with cutting pad and 3M Extra Cut to start.



745Li_DoorStartingSwirls.jpg




Work in process. After compounding I used the 3M Swirl Remover instead of the shops 3M glaze...BIG Difference in finishing!



745Li_OneDoorPartial3MSwirl.jpg




745Li_DoorAfter3MSwirlremover.jpg




After using compound, I power wash the vehicle, bring it back in the shop and apply 3M Swirl Remover with the gray glazing pad.



Back out in the sun after the Swirl Remover



745Li_QuarterAfter3MSwirlremover.jpg




745Li_SideViewAfter3MSwirl.jpg




On the lift for a shot of the rear following the Remover.



745Li_RearViewAfter3MSwirl.jpg




Tomorrow, I'll add 3M Ultrafina SE, then a final power wash to remove excess product from body seams, then a coat of #26 applied with the Festool. Now that the shop's inventory of 3M Dark Glaze is diminished, I'll be switching to this product following all compounding. I really like the way it finishes down....for lighter cars, I could go right to #26.



Toto
 
Toto - I love your blacks (and you get quite a few of them)! I've always been curious as to the marked up value of the vehicle after you do your magic. Feel free to decline to answer if it puts you in an uncomfortable position but...how much more does the dealer get as compared to just washing it and placing it out front? You obviously spend some time on these and when you're done they look amazing. I would even go as far as saying they are possibly better looking than they were at initial delivery.
 
Puckman said:
Toto - I love your blacks (and you get quite a few of them)! I've always been curious as to the marked up value of the vehicle after you do your magic. Feel free to decline to answer if it puts you in an uncomfortable position but...how much more does the dealer get as compared to just washing it and placing it out front? You obviously spend some time on these and when you're done they look amazing. I would even go as far as saying they are possibly better looking than they were at initial delivery.
Click to expand...



Puckman: that's an easy one! The dealer considers reconditioning a BMW as getting the car as close to "as new" as possible. The shop doesn't have a "lot"....we showroom 3-4 cars in my work area and the rest are stored until an interested party contacts him. He only sells approx. 100 cars per year and it's all a referral business (he's been in BMW's for 35 years).



For instance: I just replaced my 02 330Xi (which was totaled) with an 04Xi loaded that he sold for $23,500. Kelly Book is around $27/k for this car on average, so his markup is pretty tame. Most dealer pricing has a lot of overhead to cover, but this dealer is just himself, his wife, and me....plus a small leased building and storage.



Sometimes, he'll get a car on trade that will go right to a wholesaler and we don't do a thing for those. It's definitely fun to see a customer get one of his cars. Most of the time they are in disbelief that the appearance is that good and most want to talk to me about keeping it in pristine condition...that's a big compliment to me personally.



he has a very nice website bavarianagDOTcom (don't know if I can post that or not) and you'll see some pricing for comparison.



Talk to you nice Autopians later.



Toto
 
Toto, I'm glad you posted that address. I'll be looking for a BMW in 1.5-2 years. If I can get what I'm looking for with a detail like the ones you've been posting, I'll be happy to go to KC to get it.



Great job as always!
 
nice work!



out of curiousity, how much was that Snap-On lift? I can't seem to find it on their website. How does it work? does it use air to lift the car?
 
Kewjoe said:
nice work!



out of curiousity, how much was that Snap-On lift? I can't seem to find it on their website. How does it work? does it use air to lift the car?
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Kewjoe: I think the dealer told me the lift was approx. $3,500. I'll ask him tonight about the pricing and where he purchased it.



The lift is hydraulic with mechanical stops (4 or 5 levels for positive locking).



I have seen similar lifts in Hemmings Motor News and pricing generally is $2,000 and up.



Toto
 
Cool! thanks Toto.. did some googling, they're calling scissor jacks. Your pricing sounds about right from what I've seen. Ok, no more derailing your great work.. ;)
 
[Insert usual :bow regarding Totoland Mach's work here..]



Sounds like you're using the 3M Extra Cut more and more these days....you're getting sorta 3M-centric overall when it comes to such products, huh?
 
Accumulator said:
[Insert usual :bow regarding Totoland Mach's work here..]



Sounds like you're using the 3M Extra Cut more and more these days....you're getting sorta 3M-centric overall when it comes to such products, huh?
Click to expand...



Looks that way Accumulator: Extra Cut + Swirl Remover + Ultrafina seems to be a very good product mix. But I still use Meguiar's #26 as the LSP. It doesn't stain trim and adds the final wow factor to the cars. Plus, the dealer is "sold" on the 3M line due to their body shop experience.



Toto
 
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