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Ask a professional detailer...

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#1 ·
As a new e46 sponsor specializing in automotive detailing supplies, I thought I would open a thread for people to ask their questions about exterior and interior care of their vehicles. There is so much information out there regarding automotive detailing and we've been in the business for years. I have used a majority of products available on the market and have hand selected the products I stand by for our shop, www.detailedimage.com .

Don't be afraid to post up any questions that you have no matter how simple or complex it is. I'll do my best to give you a timely answer.

Here are a few samples of the work we do at Detailed Image. Once again, please don't hesitate to ask ANY question!



Before:


After:


Great Before and After Pics:
(notice the house faintly thru the swirls and hazing?)




If you'd like to see some more pictures just say the word. We look forward to becoming active members in the e46 community!

Sincerely,

George & Greg
Detailed Image - Owners
www.detailedimage.com
518.429.8435
 
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#1,053 ·
Thanks Greg....I knew I was reaching. Guess I'll probably have to get a quote for a respray.
 
#1,055 ·
My experience with you guys was incredible - from the great pricing to the fast delivery and the great results from the products. THANK YOU GREG AND GEORGE FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK!!!

I got my kit and worked on my car about a month ago. It took me a total of 16 hours to work on both the exterior and interior since I was doing all by hand and really carefully. Needless to say, I was so sore from all those products that I couldn't do much for the next two days, however I had wonderful results worth all that hard work!

I have a question on what possible went wrong here, though.

That's the trunk after all that work, but as you can see there's a small white spot. This is what it looked like today:

I now have extra spots that look like rusty dots. Did I do something wrong? Can I do something to reverse this? That white dot in the first pic is the big one on the right of the second pic. I have a similar one on the other car, a black 323Ci. Any ideas what it could be? Nothing else on the car looks like this.

Second question: when should I redo all that hard work? As in, every how many months :p

Anyways, THANK YOU GUYS once again for running such a wonderful business. I'll def. be making a few more purchases in the near future (Leatherique products, Poor Boy's Trim and another drying towel) and I have been telling everyone how I got my car to shine so nicely.
 
#1,056 ·
Greg,

Your bad news for Albo got me thinking (cause I have similar chips in my Schwarzblau front end), what about touch-up paint like AutoVisuals AutoSharp Pen? Are they effective for tiny chips?

I'm also curious to advice for Milla above. I have one similar spot on my rear deck that is haunting me.
 
#1,057 ·
Milla - We're always pleased to here that our customers are getting the great results they should. Looks like you got a great deep shine from your efforts. We work hard to provide you with quality information and products.

Now to the marks, first off its hard to say from just the picture. Is the mark on top, at, or beneath the surface? Are they brand new? Often times customers discover new marks and blemishes on their vehicle when they spend that much time with it (16 hours! thats a serious commitment, congrats). They could be sap marks or a small bird dropping that etched into the clear coat. Another possibility is small bubbles in the clear coat, that are now more exposed after polishing. Try and provide us a little more information about the mark and we'll try and narrow down the possibilities

You can redo the work whenever you want. We typically recommend doing it 1 -2 times a year. Inbetween we typically wash/dry and seal/wax. I typically do this maintenance step every couple weeks, while some do it every couple days and others twice a year. I recommend setting a schedule of when you want to do it and stick to it.

tpedwards - I have not used those tools, so I can't speak about them knowledgably. I believe if you search this forum you'll find some comments from other users.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,058 ·
Greg, the mark seems to be on the top layer. I don't feel any bumps or dips in the paint when I run my finger or a microfiber towel over it. I washed the car and tried seeing if it was just bird-doodoo (that's when I took the pic), but I think it might be a little more than that. It wasn't there when I first got done cleaning the car with all those products a month ago.

Should I try washing it again and using another of those products to see if I can get any results? The white big mark is under the coat I believe, so I'm not sure I can do much about that.

Thanks once again!
 
#1,059 ·
It looks like a bird poop etching or a hard water spot. Since you're working by hand it'll be hard to get out either way. The first thing I'd try is a chemical cleaner (Klasse AIO, Werkstatt Prime, etc...), use it just like a polish. If that doesn't do it an abrasive polish may, but as I said working by hand it can be very difficult to remove bird etchings (if that's what it is).
 
#1,062 ·
I would recommend you wash and dry and apply the polishes on those areas. This will most likely remove anything that could be removed. As for the mark under the clear coat that probably won't come out.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Milla said:
Greg, the mark seems to be on the top layer. I don't feel any bumps or dips in the paint when I run my finger or a microfiber towel over it. I washed the car and tried seeing if it was just bird-doodoo (that's when I took the pic), but I think it might be a little more than that. It wasn't there when I first got done cleaning the car with all those products a month ago.

Should I try washing it again and using another of those products to see if I can get any results? The white big mark is under the coat I believe, so I'm not sure I can do much about that.

Thanks once again!
 
#1,063 ·
I am an absolute begginner in this. So, some beginner questions:

I want to take care of leather in my car and wash it correctly. Not interesting about waxing or clay since I am too scared to do those for now.

This is what I plan to order:
B067 Leatherique Cleaner & Rejuvenator 16oz Bundle - Save Over 10%
B103 Poorboy's Super Slick Suds Wash Kit - Save Over 10%

1.I got my car used and the car has leather seats with minor wear on the drivers side. If I get the leatherique bundle, in what order should I apply cleaner and rejuvantor? I read some of you responses but could not understand what to apply first if the seat is not new and also which one to sink in?

2.There are some minor marks on the headliner, what would you advise to use?

3.As far as the exterior washing goes, is the sponge/microfiber towel enough? or you really have to have sheep mitt? Considering I am not going to wax is there any thing else I need to do after washing?

4. Is it ok to use sticky lint remover picking up stuff from interior that the vacuum could not?

Thanks:thumbup:
 
#1,064 ·
Don't worry about the rookie questions we've helped many new users become knowledgable and skilled detailers. With a little knowledge and the right products you should be getting great results. I would make a slight change in the products you listed, get this kit:

B104 $29.98
MP10 - Microfiber Wash Mitt $8.99
B067 Leatherique Bundle - good as is

1.) . If you want a deep conditioner that really helps revive the leather I massage the Leatherique Rejuvenator by hand first and let that bake into the seat. I apply this one generously and let it sit on the seat, then put the car in the sun all day to bake in. Now put the Leatherique Prestine Clean right on top of it with the applicator. Let that sit for 15 - 20 minutes and remove it by wiping a damp microfiber towel with medium pressure across the seats followed by a dry microfiber towel.

2.) If these marks are dirt, grease, etc. you can clean them with the 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover. This is a great all purpose cleaner that I use on fabrics, vinyl, plastic, rubber and more. It cleans your dashboard, doors, console, carpets, etc.

3.) I would get the bundle I mentioned above (Poorboys Super Slick and Suds + WW drying towel) and a microfiber mitt. Another drying towel and mitt will make things easier. Two towels is perfect for a thorough dry but some people can do it with one. Two mitts are good because I keep one very clean for painted surfaces and glass only. I use the other mitt for more heavily contaminated areas like wheels, wheel wells, some lower panels, etc. The Sheepskin Wash Mitt is great for washing and ensuring that you don't add more micro scratches, you could get this in place of the microfiber wash mitt.

Just curious how come you don't want to wax the vehicle? Waxing or Sealing provides valuable protection and a great shine. This step is relatively simple and important, let me know if you'd like some more information on the subject.

4.) Those tend to work well and are perfectly safe. Another way is to get the haris out is to use an iron handle brush (scrub brush) and just light brush the fabrics. The brush can usually pull hairs, fuzz, lint out. Also you can use the 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover on the fabrics at the same time to help break up and remove contaminates. When I do detailing I typically do a quick vacuum of the worst debris then brush the seats (if fabric) and carpets thoroughly. Then I do a final vacuum and brush the carpets all in one direction for a great clean and uniform look.

Hope this helped and feel free to post or PM us with more questions.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,066 ·
MackN666 said:
One more question. After I clay my car, should I spray it down with water to wash away all the lubricant (Water & car shampoo), or am I supposed to buff it with a MF cloth like I would with polish and wax?
It mostly depends on what you use as a lubricant. Most quick detailers and clay lubes will wipe clean and leave no residue behind. With this type I wipe it clean and start detailing, any polishes used after would easily and safely remove residue. Some people feel more comfortable with washing after, it kind of depends on what you like best. If you're using a shampoo mix (water+soap) then I would definitely wash it again to remove the residue.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,069 ·
Greg- I'm looking to pick up a package to detail my ride and I'm on a budget here. I've decided on the following process, and all of this will be done by hand using the applicator pad set available on your site.

- Wash and dry
- Diamondite Speed Clay
- SSR 2.5
- SSR 1
- Meguiar's Show Car glaze (already have this stuff)
- EX sealant
- Wax (already have Turtle F21 paste but I'm open to suggestions)

Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions on this, and also which pads to use for which steps. THANKS :thumbup:
 
#1,070 ·
OneTime - If its gritty I'm guessing some contamination is on the applicator, painted surface or in the paste wax. If you believe there may be a product defect please contact Steve at poorboysworld@att.net.


3TARD said:
Greg- I'm looking to pick up a package to detail my ride and I'm on a budget here. I've decided on the following process, and all of this will be done by hand using the applicator pad set available on your site.

- Wash and dry
- Diamondite Speed Clay
- SSR 2.5
- SSR 1
- Meguiar's Show Car glaze (already have this stuff)
- EX sealant
- Wax (already have Turtle F21 paste but I'm open to suggestions)

Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions on this, and also which pads to use for which steps. THANKS :thumbup:
List looks good I'll make two small changes that I think will really help take your detailing up a notch. First off I assume you have wash and dry materials, if you need some advice let us know. I'm glad to hear your picking up the applicator kit, it works great! Let me know if you have any questions. For the clay I recommend getting the Clear Kote Clay Bar Kit. Instead of the Turtle stuff use the Poorboy's World Natty's Blue Paste Wax. It makes the black paint on Bimmers really pop and get that deep wet look. I'll fore warn you, two coats of this can be blinding. It lasts extra long so you'll get many great uses. Other than that the order of products and other selections looks spot on.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,071 ·
Hi Greg,

Thanks so much for providing all this useful info. I have a question on how I can wash the car when there's "hard water".

The last time I washed it it was cloudy and when the sun unexpectantly came out it dried up some of the water. There are now "water spots" that don't want to come off the paint.

I'm planning on detailing the car using a series of steps, but my main question is how can I wash my car in the future using this water supply? Are there ways to reduce the effect of "hard water" during car washes?

Thanks!

Mike
 
#1,072 ·
Do you guys have any current packages that include the porter cable? I checked your website and didnt find any packages with them. The current condition of the paint on my car is quite bad. There are tons of swirls and micro marks all over the car. I polished and waxed the car by hand during the winter and it gave a temporary fix but from the pictures that ive seen it looks to me that the porter cable with eliminate the swirls and scratches instead of just covering them up. If you dont have a package that would help me with these problems, what would you recomend for me to order. I am looking to get rid of all the scratches, polish, wax and maintain the shine. Thanks
 
#1,073 ·
If I followed this routine:

Wash / Dry
Clay Bar using Clay Magic and Poorboy's Spray & Wipe QD
Re-wash / Dry
SSR 2.5
SSR 1
Klasse All-In-One
Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield
Poorboy's Natty's Paste Wax x2

...what kind of maintenance would a job like that require? Would I just wash the car weekly and reapply the caranuba wax every couple months, maybe redoing the entire thing twice a year?
 
#1,074 ·
picus said:
It looks like a bird poop etching or a hard water spot. Since you're working by hand it'll be hard to get out either way. The first thing I'd try is a chemical cleaner (Klasse AIO, Werkstatt Prime, etc...), use it just like a polish. If that doesn't do it an abrasive polish may, but as I said working by hand it can be very difficult to remove bird etchings (if that's what it is).
Thanks, I didn't think about using Klasse AIO. *slaps forehead*
 
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