Oakes - Detailed: 2003 Mini Cooper S - DD nightmare

[OakesDetail]

This is a full detail of a Mini Cooper S, in prep to get it ready for sale. I detailed this car once before last winter, evidently it hasn't been touched or washed in anyway since the last time I saw it....2 full days went into the exterior of this vehicle, as well as 2 clay bars and so on. The pictures really speak for themselves with this one, alot of the paint damage was a result of daily driving...in almost any condition. For such a little car, I'm quite worn out to say the least! Regardless, the car now looks like it should and most would say better than most Mini S' with 77k miles on them!



Process:

Pressure wash - foam - Repressure wash

Hand wash

Clay bar of entire vehicle - rewash

APC cleaner on wheels



Paint correction:

Menzerna PowerGloss - KBM - Orange Pad

Menzerna PowerFinish 203 - KBM - Green Pad

Optimum Poli-Seal - Cured 3 hours

Pure Carnuaba wax



Due to brake pads being worn down to the metal for some time, metal shavings baked into the wheel pockets, looking hopeless...

An hour of letting the product sit, agitation, and careful removal resulted with this wheel

Other Wheels

After of wheels

BEFORE PHOTOS

In direct light, you can see how dirty the paint really is!

Before Photos out of the spotlight

After a pressure wash, foam, re-pressure wash, hand wash and rinse, the clay bar's still turned out like this....went through 2 of them on this small car.

Onto the good stuff, some sticker residue removed from the window

Tree Sap on the roof, one of three spots on the roof alone

All taped up and ready to go

PAINT PHOTOS

These photos are of the paint before any buffing, after the wash and clay bar

Paint 50/50 - this is after the PG step - Front fender area

Passenger Door 50/50

 

[OakesDetail]

Front bumper before/after

Rear bumper before/after

All the painter's tape removed

The vehicle then received another wash to get all the polishing dust/residue out of the crevices and such, these pics show the beading effect that was no where near present when I started

FINISHED PHOTOS

Start off with the reflection shots and then onto the full vehicle afters - REFLECTIONS

FINAL PRODUCT

Enjoy! Please feel free to comment!

 

[dheath]

you forgot to dry your car :bounce





awesome turn around!

 

[alowe]

AWESOME! Nice tape work

 

[OakesDetail]

Thanks fellas! The tape work took some time but definitely needed, and I'll be sure you dry it off before I give it back to the owner

 

[gmblack3]

Excellent turnaround! Those wheels where nasty and the rest of the car was no peach either.



KBM via menzerna?

 

[snowskate]

Awesome. Work to be really proud of.

 

[OakesDetail]

Excellent turnaround! Those wheels where nasty and the rest of the car was no peach either.



KBM via menzerna?

Thank you, the wheels were quite a bit of work. I should be a little more specific, it was more of half KBM with the Menzerna, I say half because I didn't vary the speeds as much but use the same priming techniques and it seemed to fair really well!

 

[chromecarz00]

Thank you, the wheels were quite a bit of work. I should be a little more specific, it was more of half KBM with the Menzerna, I say half because I didn't vary the speeds as much but use the same priming techniques and it seemed to fair really well!

Im sorry could you elaborate on this a bit? I for some reason have not come across KBM in my times on autopia and cant find that acronym thread...

Also, I've been off the scene for awhile, Menzerna? As in the polisher? If so what pad do you use...? Bit confused lol

 

[OakesDetail]

Im sorry could you elaborate on this a bit? I for some reason have not come across KBM in my times on autopia and cant find that acronym thread...

Also, I've been off the scene for awhile, Menzerna? As in the polisher? If so what pad do you use...? Bit confused lol

No problem, KBM = Kevin Brown Method, this method is popular to be used with the Meguiar's polishes so I figured I'd try the same technique using the Menzerna polishes. I didn't follow it to a T but it seemed to be effective for me. I used it on a PC 7424 DA polisher with orange and green lake country pads

 

[Freaky Fresh]

Wow that was a filthy mini but you have revived it very well! Nice work!