Formula1_AC@NYC
New member
Hey Autopians! This is our first show n shine. I am an auto detailer at Formula One Auto Care in Long Island City, NY. Here is one of our latest jobs I wanted to share.
I recently worked on a 2005 Interlagos Blue E46 BMW M3. The M3 had been affected by our Northeast winters. The exterior was covered in a layer of dirt, grime & road salt.
The owner explained that he would be putting the M3 up for sale in the near future and wanted to correct the paint to increase his chances of finding a buyer. After discussing with the owner his expectations and budget, we agreed a 1-step correction would be the best approach. We discussed coating the M3 with CQuartz Finest but because he was selling the M3 he didnt want to invest in the long term protection. The M3 would be topped with a coat of Collinite 845.
First area I tackled were the 19" BBS competition forged alloy wheels.
I Iron-X the wheels. You can see the heavy contamination. After allowing the Iron-X to dwell for a several minutes, I agitated the wheels to remove all the loosened contaminates. I then rinsed and applied a second application to make sure everything was completely removed.
Next step was a foam dwell, followed by a two bucket hand wash.
Cleaning the small details with a 1" boars hair brush:
The exhaust is a small and overlooked detail that can significantly impact a car's overall appearance. I polished the exhaust tips with Optimums metal polish and steel wool #0000
Before:
After:
The M3 was clay barred using Pinnacle ultra poly clay, rinsed & dried.
Next step was my test spot. I decided to use the trunk lid. My go to was Menzerna FG400 on LC pads with a GG6 DA.
50/50 shots:
Porter Cable DA with 3" LC pads for the smaller areas
Wiped down with Carpro eraser and a coat of Collinite 845 applied:
The next morning the owner came to pick up his M3 and was thrilled with the transformation. I was happy I could help him put his M3 on the market for a higher resale value. The M3 is looking really good for a 10 year old daily driver with 155,000 miles!
I recently worked on a 2005 Interlagos Blue E46 BMW M3. The M3 had been affected by our Northeast winters. The exterior was covered in a layer of dirt, grime & road salt.
The owner explained that he would be putting the M3 up for sale in the near future and wanted to correct the paint to increase his chances of finding a buyer. After discussing with the owner his expectations and budget, we agreed a 1-step correction would be the best approach. We discussed coating the M3 with CQuartz Finest but because he was selling the M3 he didnt want to invest in the long term protection. The M3 would be topped with a coat of Collinite 845.
First area I tackled were the 19" BBS competition forged alloy wheels.
I Iron-X the wheels. You can see the heavy contamination. After allowing the Iron-X to dwell for a several minutes, I agitated the wheels to remove all the loosened contaminates. I then rinsed and applied a second application to make sure everything was completely removed.
Next step was a foam dwell, followed by a two bucket hand wash.
Cleaning the small details with a 1" boars hair brush:
The exhaust is a small and overlooked detail that can significantly impact a car's overall appearance. I polished the exhaust tips with Optimums metal polish and steel wool #0000
Before:
After:
The M3 was clay barred using Pinnacle ultra poly clay, rinsed & dried.
Next step was my test spot. I decided to use the trunk lid. My go to was Menzerna FG400 on LC pads with a GG6 DA.
50/50 shots:
Porter Cable DA with 3" LC pads for the smaller areas
Wiped down with Carpro eraser and a coat of Collinite 845 applied:
The next morning the owner came to pick up his M3 and was thrilled with the transformation. I was happy I could help him put his M3 on the market for a higher resale value. The M3 is looking really good for a 10 year old daily driver with 155,000 miles!
