Hey guys,

 

Been a while since I posted in here, but thought I'd share some thoughts. Been "detailing" for around 7 years now. Just my own car and mates cars for favours, I am not a professional. But yesterday I did a good friends 4x4 and managed it all in one day. This wouldn't have been possible without a few handy products; namely Sonax Perfect Finish and my Carpro Clay Towel. These two products alone saved me so much time. It took 9 hours from start to finish, but was made up with how the day went. Anybody can do this, like I said, no formal training, just browsing the web picking up ideas and practicing on my own cars before doing anything for my friends.

 

Anyway, here is a little write up for the day. If this is against the rules then apologies, please remove it mods. I don't take payments though and won't do anyones cars other than my own or really close friends, so this is not a tout for business; I'm quite happy with my job.

 

Hope some of you guys find it useful.

 

When my mate gave me a massive lift my helping me change the electric motor for my window on my Focus CC (which was stooping the roof from opening in the nice weather!) I decided that one good turn deserves another (he saved me around £500 in labour at a garage!). So I said I'd detail his new-to-him Mitsubishi Shogun. It has 100K on the clock but is in decent nick for the mileage.

Products used:-
2BM with Wolf's White Satin
AS Tardis
Carpro Iron X
Einszett Color-tec Wheel Cleaner
Meg's APC
Carpro Clay Towel
Menzerna Fast Gloss
Sonax Perfect Finish
Sonax Brilliant Wax 1
AG Bumper Care
CG New look Trim Gel
CG Hexlogic Orange Pads
Scholls Concepts Orange Pad
SIM 180 Rotary

This was pushing what I am capable of in a day, so at 0730 this morning, I really cracked on!

 

So, on with the wheels!

Done and dusted!

Tar remover a[pplied then on with the Iron X

 

Quite a bit all over the car really. All decontaminated by 0930! So masked up and ready to go.

Scratch

Gone

More

Easy peasy!

There were a few other marks that were rectified before I got on with the enhancement work.

 

Nice and intricate around the back.

Top half done

You get the idea, so I carried on to finish the whole car, plastics and tyres treated and we were left with this!

 

 

Cheeky sun reflection shot

 

 

Thanks to my friend for letting e loose on his pride and joy, really enjoyed pushing myself to see what I could do in a day. Finished just before 1600, happy with that.

Thanks for looking everyone. Really chuffed with this one!

Neil

Very nice turn around.  Love to see these kind of transformations.

 

Looks like a pain to polish up though with all of those contours and body mouldings.

 

How do you like the Brilliant Wax 1, this is the liquid version of the Sonax Xtreme system Protect and Shine NPT and Brilliant Shine Detailer.  I have heard really good reviews on 2 and 3.

It is really easy to apply, doesn't flash quickly like the Polymer Net Shield and Protect and Shine. BSD sits over it extremely well and durability is decent thus far on my mates Superb, i'm using it for winter on my focus without top ups to see what real life durability is like. But it's perfect for when you've been machine polishing for 6 hours and a quick product to use trhat gives a great shine and crazy water behaviour.

Really well done. I'm sure your friend will be over the moon with it.

Nice bit of correction work too, well done for the time slot too that's a big old beast.

I used to have a Toyota land cruiser amazon as a company car, that used to take a couple of days to detail.

Anyway ace job, I bet he's out showing it off now

Lovely work

RE: Sonax Perfect Finish Polish

Ive been using it a lot recently

In comparison to Scholl S17+, I find it works in a similar way:  ie: initial quick cut and then diminishes fairly quickly BUT doesnt leave behind too much dust, like the Scholl does

Thanks guys! The land cruiser Amazon's are massive! It would dwarf the Shogun.

 

Yes Chris, the only issue I have with perfect finish is it can clogg the pad a little when too much is applied, so takes a bit of getting used to initially. But when you realise how little you need, you really appreciate how good it is. I found it finishes down better than S17+ too, on my Focus I initially used S17+, but it left holograms galore with the Hexlogic Orange pad, whereas the Sonax didn't. Great product, not that S17+ isn't, but Perfect Finish suits my style better with the rotary.

Wow - 9 hours mate..... stunning effort and a proper job for sure!

Results look superb and i'm sure it was a challenging day / detail.

 

Thanks for sharing - i trust your mate was properly chuffed with the end result. 

Outstanding work pal, well done. That'd have taken me a few days!

Excellent work, you can tell you had an early start by the mist in the earlier pictures, yes as nights are drawing in you have to crack on , but I find the cooler temps easier for polishing. Been so busy at work and only one mid week day off for three weeks so  my wife`s car is a right mess, her alloys look black now and I bet my neighbours are wondering whats going on! Hers is a 4x4 (IX35 )and they take longer as you have to stand on a buffet to do the roof, but the shogun has so many intricate panels you did really well in that time 

but the shogun has so many intricate panels you did really well in that time 

 

Definitely this ^^

Thanks for the kind comments guys. Yes, the panels were honestly the most challenging that I've ever done. The rear tyre guard and the plastic panels at the bottom of the doors especially. Got to be so careful.

 

He was chuffed, he is very particular with his cars, the interior is imaculate and the exterior always clean. Set's it off a treat now though. Some of the producs that I've aquired recently do make the job much quicker.

Well done, looks great. Keep up the good work.

A credit to  you Neil, to say it had over 100k on the Mitzi, it is in a very good condition ( even before your Detailing job on it).

Tony

Nice job.  9 hours showed the time and attention paid.  I remember a Jeep Cherokee I did back along.  Boy that was a mammoth!

The BMW I did last Saturday took the best part of 9 hours too!!

That was mainly down to the hard paint

I didnt even get time to clean the inside...Long days to get the required outcome

Thats Car Detailing against mere Valeting

Keep up the good work everyone!!

I've done a mates BMW 5 Series Estate before, couldn't agree more Chris, that was such hard graft due to the paints properties. I've never been so happy that a car had a panoramic sunroof!

 

Thanks again everyone. It's funny, when you see a car someone did and you remember the things you've done, whenever I see someone carry out an epic job, I'll think, "I remember that Shogun I did, that was a hard days work!"