Last week i recieved my goodies from Polished Bliss, Clean your car and i4detailing. Late birthday present for myself. I gave the car a good going over last weekend and the results here good. (20~hours, most machine polishing)

1) 2 Bucket Method - Megs Lambs Wool Mitt and Megs Shampoo Plus

2) Wheels cleaned with Bilberry Wheel cleaner 1:4 and Meguiars Ultra Safe Wheel Spoke Brush

3) Dry using Poorboys Waffle Weave Towl and Megs Quick Detailer

4) Clay'd using Megs Quick Detailing Set

5) Washed again as step 1+2

6) Auto Smart Tardis to remove Tar residue and bugs

7) Machine Polish Using Kestral DA Polisher using Menzerna Intensive Polish (PO85RD 3.02)

8) Machine Polish using Menzerna Final Finish (PO 85RD)

9) Dust down with Buffing Towel

10) Apply Dodo Juice Lime Prime Lite using Buffing Pad on machine polisher.

11) Finished with Victoria Consours Wax.

However i've got the detailing bug, and i wasn't 100% happy with the finish.

Today I decided to re-correct my very first attempt at Machine Polishing, The problem for me was i didn’t really rate with how well I worked in Menzerna Final Finish 85R.

So..

First up, re-wash the car again with 2bm using Lambs wool mitt, and Megs Shampoo Plus. No wash pics for this post sorry. Cant be found on another post of mine on detailing world if your really care.

After the wash..

First I sheeted most of the water off with an open hose..

Paintwork doesn’t look too bad, Couple of deep ‘scuffs’ I couldn’t get out first time. (See bottom right of door).

Bonnet looks good, but got a serious stone chip problem. Needs a re-spray ideally.

Bum looks okay, again some deeper scuffs on boot lip, general ‘in-out’ marks, and a couple of minor scratches from getting the spare out in the past.

Just as I was about to start drying, it started raining, so quickly scrambled her into the workshop at the bottom of the garden. Very messy and a little dusty, but it was that or call the detail off.

Dried using Poor boys Waffle Weave towel and Megs Quick Detailer (left over’s from Quick Clay kit). Paintwork looks clean, but doesn’t ‘pop’ like I want it to.

Off with the reg’ plate so I could get a good attempt at polishing the recessed paint around the holder.

Gone.

Think the CZ original holder really sets off the look of the Fabia along with ‘debadged’ rear.

Rain now coming in and temps nice and chilly, time to crack on with the work ahead.

My dads’ old skool Sharp Radio to keep me company. Kudos to who can tell me what radio station its tuned to :-D

The tools..

Working in.. (I’ve not M3 taped up this time, Last time I taped up the car it took tiny bits of chrome off the badge and small bits of black lacquer off the door handles. Am I doing something wrong? Left on for maybe 18hours.)

And Buff off..

Results after 85RD. (Hiding in the background)

Edited 9 December, 200817 yr by Jimb0

Now Lime Prime Lite from Dodo Juice applied using Buffing Pad (No pic sorry)

Then Finished with Victoria Concours Wax.

The roof..

Whole car then Wiped down after an hour with Quick Detailer as some finger marks had appeared during the buffing off the Wax.

Impressed with the results., (Only one pic here as batteries died in camera)

Need to dress the plastic trim tomorrow with my Sample of Megs Hyper Dressing and Rainx the Windows. Inside needs another good vacuum. Shoes get very dirty living in the sticks. Then sometime this week need to remove the alloys and give a proper clean inside with Autosmart Tardis and Bilberry wheel cleaner and then seal with Super Resin Polish/Extra Gloss Protection.

This is my first real attempt at a proper detail, comments welcome as always.

I’m happy with the results.

Regards,

James.

Very shiny indeed! Nice job.

Missed a bit.................................. :P Very nice work.

Could be a cracking little detailing set up there with some work............

Nice little detail there and your always onto a winner with black!!

Very nice indeed.

I should really get mine done soon !

Cheers guys.

Baker21: I've asked my dad if he'd help me put some doors on the front and add a few extra strip lights, at the moment when it rains the car can get wet, depends on how windy it is.

That's a really deep shiny finish. Very, very nice indeed.

Great result - and thanks for the feedback on the Kestrel in my other thread - it seems you are impressed with it!

Looks great - good result

I remember that sometimes mine looks like that! Not at the moment though; currently a lovely shade of grey

Steve

looks great..how did you apply the vic wax, and buff it off?

Well done, that looks lovely! I'm also keen to know what you think of the Kestrel polisher...as I'm thinking of ordering one

looks great..how did you apply the Vic wax, and buff it off?

Rotated on using a Megs Foam Applicator, already have a small collection of them, there brill! Used to use a microfiber cotton cloth bundled up around my fingers, this is about 5 times more efficient.

As seen here..

But you can apply using your bear hands. My conclusion after reading some posts about it, by hand seems equally as good however results in using a lot more product. Personal preference I guess, some might like an excuse to stroke their car more :-). I did apply by hand the other day on my sisters’ alloys to seal them. Hands got very cold but I know 100% coverage was achieved.

Buffed off with a uber premium detailing towel here..

With the Vics concours wax you take off still 'wet' as such, and this fluffy towel is perfect for it.

Leodhasach;

Kestrel polisher is very easy to learn with, and does achieve good results. But don’t expect it to be a 5min job. It takes a good 10-20mins for each panel. Several times with different pads and products. Because of the Dual Action 'oscillation' the breakdown of the polishes is slower, but it is ‘more’ user safe. If you’re going to be carrying out regular paint correcting maybe a Rotational polisher might be better like a Makita, does the job quicker but more risk of paintwork damage when learning to start with I guess. It's also more expensive.

Now my fabia is 'corrected' as best I can manage, it’s just topping up of the wax for a while, so the Kestrel isn't needed. I've been asked to spend some time on a number of cars from my father’s friends, but it isn't going to be a full time job for me, so a DA was the sensible route until I’m a wizz. Don’t want to be heavy handed on someone else’s car with a paint type I’m new too. Jap cars = Softer paint, VAG cars = Harder paint is the very general rule (someone correct me If I’m wrong please), and require different amounts of working time and products to achieve required results. For me the Makita was a little scary on a completely original 1971 e-type v12. Slow and steady drives captain safe :-)

Wardy;

I know exactly what you mean, there have been long periods of time where i’ve not washed the car, mainly working hours/winter day light. After a while of driving a dirty car you forget how great it can look. But I’ve seen the light :p and I’m hooked. Certain amount of pride now involved knowing I spent x hours on her.

Thanks everyone else for the positive comments. Very much appreciated :-)

Regards,

James.

Edited 13 December, 200817 yr by Jimb0

99.5 Radio 1

Looks super; great job

99.5 Radio 1

Nope :p Prefer Radio2 over Radio1. But go higher than that.

Is it radio 5 live?

is it radio 5 live?

bingo!

MW all the way on that old baby! haha.

MW

I didn't know it was still used

Leodhasach;

Kestrel polisher is very easy to learn with, and does achieve good results. But don’t expect it to be a 5min job. It takes a good 10-20mins for each panel. Several times with different pads and products. Because of the Dual Action 'oscillation' the breakdown of the polishes is slower, but it is ‘more’ user safe. If you’re going to be carrying out regular paint correcting maybe a Rotational polisher might be better like a Makita, does the job quicker but more risk of paintwork damage when learning to start with I guess. It's also more expensive.

Now my fabia is 'corrected' as best I can manage, it’s just topping up of the wax for a while, so the Kestrel isn't needed. I've been asked to spend some time on a number of cars from my father’s friends, but it isn't going to be a full time job for me, so a DA was the sensible route until I’m a wizz. Don’t want to be heavy handed on someone else’s car with a paint type I’m new too. Jap cars = Softer paint, VAG cars = Harder paint is the very general rule (someone correct me If I’m wrong please), and require different amounts of working time and products to achieve required results. For me the Makita was a little scary on a completely original 1971 e-type v12. Slow and steady drives captain safe :-)

Many thanks for that, that's exactly the kind of info I was after I've just ordered a Kestrel and a variety of products as a wee Christmas gift, for the car or myself...

I'm in largely the same boat as yourself, I'm what you could call a 'recreational detailer', doing cars in my household and those of friends, and this will be my first foray into machine correction. I'm used to spending lots of time on the job, so I'm looking forward to it.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my little query with a comprehensive answer.

Many thanks for that, that's exactly the kind of info I was after I've just ordered a Kestrel and a variety of products as a wee Christmas gift, for the car or myself...

I'm in largely the same boat as yourself, I'm what you could call a 'recreational detailer', doing cars in my household and those of friends, and this will be my first foray into machine correction. I'm used to spending lots of time on the job, so I'm looking forward to it.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my little query with a comprehensive answer.

Your Welcome So how did you get on with your Kestrel? Hope your happy with the results even if it Does take a bit of practice. Stick with it. I feel much more confident already after only a handful of uses.

James.

Your Welcome So how did you get on with your Kestrel? Hope your happy with the results even if it Does take a bit of practice. Stick with it. I feel much more confident already after only a handful of uses.

James.

I got on very well I was very pleased with what I managed to acheive. So pleased in fact, that I did a wee write-up:

http://briskoda.net/styling-car-care/first-time-out-kestrel/133014/

I've since done my father's black VW Polo, which was in a bit of a bad way but now looks fantastic. I too feel much more confident using the machine, in fact I'm looking forward to my next detailing project

Cheers,

Andrew

very nice..!