Exterior Detail: 2006 F-150 FX4

justin30513

justin30513

Mobile Detailing Services
This one that I did last week for a buddy of mine. He is putting it up for sale and wanted me to do the exterior. This was after he spent 2 days on the inside. He said he'd leave the rest to me! Boy was it dirty. Maybe even filthy! I opened the engine bay and asked him what would he think if he was the customer and saw this? He shook his head and told me to just "handle it".



Here's the process......



Engine Bay:

(ZEP Citrus Degreaser 1:1 & Armor All Tire Foam)

This was my first major test for this new ZEP product. I wanted to try it full strength but didn't. Did a good job. Strong even at this dilution. I then used and entire can of Armor All Foam after rinsing. I shut the hood and baked it for about 30 minutes. I still cannot believe how easy this process is. Not to mention the results! I wish I could say it was all me but Armor All has a winner here.



Wheels, Tires, and Wells:

(ZEP CD at 1:1 and Armor All Tire Foam)

Pretty much the same process here. I did agitate the wheels with a wheel ShMitt though. Then the same for the tires and wells. I then put on a coat of AATF while wet and then removed while still damp. This was for cleaning purposes. A final coating went on later. The wells also got two coats. The wheels then got a layer of DP's Surface Spray Shield. Some lucky customer is going to have easy wheels to clean!



Wash Cycle:

(NXT Car Wash, 1 cup of ZEP CD, and black ShMitt)

If you can get a vehicle clean with this combo, it's in need of sand blasting. Yep, it's gonna take off any wax there is. That's why I'm doing it. Am I going to do this on every wash? Heck no. It's only before a full detail. What I like is that this new ZEP is not hurting my hands or drying them out. There was no need to clay after this. Maybe I was just lucky, but this mix just removed a ton of filth on it's own



Paint Correction:

(XMT#4 and CYCLO using EDGE2K Yellow Pads)

This combo pretty much took care of swirls and really cleaning the paint. I used two pea sized drops per pad. This was all that was needed per panel. I simply use the same pyramiding process used with a rotary. Fast and no pressure then slow and some pressure finished off by no pressure and fast overlapping passes. This takes care of any hazing.......even with this tough combo.



Paint Protection:

(Pinnacle's Liquid Souveran and CYCLO using EDGE2K White Pads)

With this products success on white, it was an easy choice for me. Also, very easy to use. I use it in the sun and leave it on for an hour and still have no problems with removal. Once the pads are primed, you can do multiple panels before reapplying any product to the pads. I put on a layer that is nearly invisible. Maybe this is why I've gotten over 60+ used out of one bottle....with a 1/4 left still. The look is wet and deep. Very glossy, even for white.



Befores....

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Great work as usual! I really enjoy reading your threads.



I agree about AATF. I bought a can a couple of months ago to try on my fender wells and was really surprised by how nice it looked. I end up using it on my tires most of the time since I've grown lazy and don't like messing with a gel or spray tire dressing.
 
Frito Bandito said:
Great work as usual! I really enjoy reading your threads.



I agree about AATF. I bought a can a couple of months ago to try on my fender wells and was really surprised by how nice it looked. I end up using it on my tires most of the time since I've grown lazy and don't like messing with a gel or spray tire dressing.
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It has some of the best cleaning agents I've ever seen. Try spraying it on and wiping it off to get the tires clean. Then come back with a final coat.



Thanks for the compliments. Means a lot here.
 
Great job Justin...Here's something you might want to know. I used to use ZEP Citrus Degreaser as well for bug and tar removal - until I noticed it said on the bottle "do not use on paint." What are your thoughts on this?
 
xfire said:
Great job Justin...Here's something you might want to know. I used to use ZEP Citrus Degreaser as well for bug and tar removal - until I noticed it said on the bottle "do not use on paint." What are your thoughts on this?
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House hold paint. I contacted them.
 
I've always love searching through the click and brags and finding Justin's Threads.:dance



Great job on the FX4! Looks awesome!
 
That's great, Justin. I really love a good engine bay detail, I suspect you share that satisfaction as well :).



You know, the sad thing is, though, most people wouldn't care about a dirty engine bay. I guess its like swirls and "common people," people just don't "notice" so much... they almost expect it :(



However, I did get a compliment when I took my car to the dealer the other day... they popped the hood and the guy said "wow, its clean in here!" It's nice to see that someone appreciates our OCD nature once in a while :lol



I also love the AA Tire Foam, and will use it when I need some dressed tires but not quite enough time/energy to apply the Endurance gel as well. Those tires really look nice, :goodjob (as does the rest of the car but I assume you get tired of hearing that all the time :rofl )
 
paul34 said:
That's great, Justin. I really love a good engine bay detail, I suspect you share that satisfaction as well :).



You know, the sad thing is, though, most people wouldn't care about a dirty engine bay. I guess its like swirls and "common people," people just don't "notice" so much... they almost expect it :(



However, I did get a compliment when I took my car to the dealer the other day... they popped the hood and the guy said "wow, its clean in here!" It's nice to see that someone appreciates our OCD nature once in a while :lol



I also love the AA Tire Foam, and will use it when I need some dressed tires but not quite enough time/energy to apply the Endurance gel as well. Those tires really look nice, :goodjob (as does the rest of the car but I assume you get tired of hearing that all the time :rofl )
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It just makes a difference when a customer looks under the hood when one's for sale. It shows that you take the time (or money) to maintain you vehicle. I always tell my customers it's like cleaning under your bed or sofa at home. Not many will know that you did........but you will.
 
Nice work Justin, I enjoyed reading the process. You didn't find the need to follow up the xmt 4? Also what speeds were the passes made at? Diferent for each pressure/speed change?
 
Shockwave said:
Nice work Justin, I enjoyed reading the process. You didn't find the need to follow up the xmt 4? Also what speeds were the passes made at? Diferent for each pressure/speed change?
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I used the Cyclo. It has only one speed. I just vary the pressure and the speed of the passes as the polish breaks down.
 
justin30513 said:
It just makes a difference when a customer looks under the hood when one's for sale. It shows that you take the time (or money) to maintain you vehicle. I always tell my customers it's like cleaning under your bed or sofa at home. Not many will know that you did........but you will.
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I agree it does make a difference if you're selling, though. Just was saying about the "average joe."



It also gives you much better chance of getting your car back in one piece if you ever take it to the dealer or mechanic, since they know that someone who keeps their engine bay clean is meticulous and cares a lot for their vehicle.
 
Looks amazing, but my only question is. What is that scuff/scratch mark on the front bumber behind the foglight on the passenger side. Third picture before last pic of the after photos. Could it not be buffed out, play of light. Or was it overlooked?
 
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