Ask a professional detailer...

Originally Posted by JonF_330Ci

Thanks for the info Greg! I don't have my camera with me at the office. The scratches are very faint. I can't feel them when I run my hand over the paint... and they are only really noticable when the sun is shining on the hood. Should I go with the 2-step polish (2.5 then 1) then wax?

- Jonathan

It sounds like you might be able to get away with using the SSR 1.0 or the SSR 2.0, again it's tough to tell even with a picture sometimes. It may just be best to still get the 2.5 and 1.0 that way you'll be ready to deal with any other future blemishes. I would try the SSR 1.0 first and if it still needs more go for the SSR 2.5. If you use the SSR 2.5 then follow it up with the SSR 1.0 and then wax. These products work great when applied to the entire car. There is tremendous brightening of the clear coat and improved surface condition.

Greg
Detailed Image - Owner

Where to buy SSR products.

try www.detailedimage.com (George and Greg are sponsors here) - great people!

Originally Posted by BayerischeMW

try www.detailedimage.com (George and Greg are sponsors here) - great people!

Thanks BayerischeMW, our homepage has specials on SSR 2.5 and SSR 1, so check that out for some great savings. Bay - I'll have an email for you later today

Sincerely,

George

Hey guys. I live in NJ. How much would you charge me if i came to your shop and got the car waxed and everything to get all the hair scratches out of the paint. I have a Jet Black 330Ci.


Thanks

Brandon

We customize each detail to the needs of each car individually when we see it. Rarely do two cars get the same exact treatments. All cars that we treat the exterior for get the base exterior package which includes:wash, wheels cleaned, wax/sealed, glass and much more. Cost - $100

You describe the scratches as hairlines therefore we would probably do one to two coats of polish. We normally need to do two coats of polish or more but if they are very light than we might be able to do just one. These steps will noticeably reduce the swirls and scratches. One coat of polish is $60 and two coats is $100. Cost $60 - $100

Another additional step that really makes the paint look flawless is to apply a glaze after the polish and before the sealant. This fills in any remaining imperfections and really gives you the show car finish. Cost - $50

For sealants we carry all the different brands that you see on our site. We only use the best products available to give our customers the maximum appearance and protection. We commonly use products like Klasse AIO + HGSG, Menzerna FMJ and other products from P21S and Poorboy's World. Cost - Standard in exterior detail

There is also Carnauba Waxes which give you the show car shine. This step adds remarkable depth and gloss to the paint. Cost - $60

We have other options as well that you can find on our service page which outlines everything I have explained here at www.detailedimage.com/service. Other options are clay bar, wheel details, leather treatments, glass treatments as well as additional coats of polishes, sealants, waxes, etc. You can also add in an interior detail for $85 to any of the above packages or $100 by itself.


We are also running some winter prep packages:
Package #1 Base Winter Prep Package … $164.99
One base exterior detail, including a coat of Klasse All-In-One retails $99.99
One wheel detail including a coat of Poorboy’s Wheel Sealant … retails $49.99
One coat of Menzerna’s Full Molecular Jacket for added protection… retails $49.99

Package #2 Winter Prep + Swirl and Scratch Reduction … $219.99
One base exterior detail, including a coat of Menzerna FMJ … retails $99.99
Two coats of polish for scratch and swirl reduction (Menzerna) retails 99.99
One wheel detail including a coat of Poorboy’s Wheel Sealant … retails $49.99

Package #3 Ultimate Winter Prep + Swirl and Scratch Reduction … $299.99
One base exterior detail, including a coat of Menzerna FMJ … retails $99.99
Clay bar surface prep: paint, windows, trim, and lights … retails $74.99
Two coats of polish for scratch and swirl reduction (Menzerna)..retails $99.99
One wheel detail including a coat of Poorboy’s Wheel Sealant … retails $49.99
Additional coat of Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket … retails $49.99


You can basically customize your detail to whatever you need from the services we offer and we'll get you the best deal we can. If you have any questions you can contact me directly at 518-225-2342.

Greg
Detailed Image - Owner

Thank you very much. Ill def take a ride down soon and get some stuff done. Keep up the good work.

Brandon

Greg and George:

I have a '00 328ci, and it's black. Looking at the black car in your first post of this thread, my car seems to have very similar paint to your "before" picture. It's got pretty nasty swirl marks, acid rain and bird crap marks all over it, and it even looks like the base coat has cracked underneath the clear coat in one spot. Also, msot of the front end of the car (mirrors, front of hood and grill area, fenders, and bumper) are all splattered with what looks like tiny white paint spots. Almost like the original owner ran over some wet street stripes or something.

Can you list the steps you did to the black car in your first post, and any other steps you'd recommend for mine? I can take pictures if you like. Thanks so much, and I'll be sure to get everything I need for the job on your site!

Originally Posted by trippinbillies4

Can you list the steps you did to the black car in your first post, and any other steps you'd recommend for mine? I can take pictures if you like. Thanks so much, and I'll be sure to get everything I need for the job on your site!

This car was definately a project! I will try to recall all of the steps we used on it. I know we did three coats of polish on it all of them using a rotary buffer:

Wash / Dry
SSR 2.5 with Lake Country Cutting Pad
SSR 2.5 with Lake Country Polishing Pad
SSR 1 with Lake Country Polishing Pad
Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze on PC with LC Polishing Pad
Menzerna Full Mollecular Jacket (FMJ) on PC with LC Finishing Pad
P21s Concours Carnauba by hand

That's what we used on the paint, it was definately a night and day difference. Feel free to contact me with any further questions about the detail or what you should do for your vehicle. If your paint is that bad you definately want to use a buffer to generate as much heat as you can.

Sincerely,

George
Detailed Image - Owner

Thanks man!

I think I'm going to pick up a Porter Cable buffer from you guys, and then do:
1-PB 2.5
1-PB 1
1-Menzerna Final Glaze
1-Menzerna FMJ
1-P21S Carnuba

Can you recommend what pads I need for each step and how to take the product off? I've never really done a big detailing job like this before. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by trippinbillies4

Thanks man!

I think I'm going to pick up a Porter Cable buffer from you guys, and then do:
1-PB 2.5
1-PB 1
1-Menzerna Final Glaze
1-Menzerna FMJ
1-P21S Carnuba

Can you recommend what pads I need for each step and how to take the product off? I've never really done a big detailing job like this before. Thanks again!

Excellent selection of products those are some of my personal favorites. For the pads I would recommend you get our basic Porter Cable for 129.99 and then get our pad bundle for 69.99. This gets you:
- 1 Orange Lake Country Cutting Pad - for SSR 2.5
- 2 White Lake Country Polishing Pad - for SSR 1.0 and Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze
- 1 Black Lake Country Finishing Pad - for Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
- 4 Microfiber Towels
- 2 Snappy Clean Pad Cleaners
- 1 Velcro Backing Plate (screws in to make changing pads very easy)
- 1 Spur Brush

The P21S Carnauba Wax comes with an applicator pad that should be done by hand.

To remove the products I like to use the microfiber towels, they are soft and won't risk scratching the paint. They also pick up the products better than other towels that normally just push the excess product around. We have supplied you with four microfiber towels in the pad bundle. I don't use a towel to remove multiple different products, for example if I use a towel to remove the SSR 2.5 then i don't use it again to help remove the FMJ. Here is about how many towels you will need. You may need more or less towels it depends on how much product you apply and how careful you are.
2x coats of polish = about 5 towels
FTG = 1 towel
FMJ = 1 towel
P21S Carnauba Wax = 1 towel
With that being said I would recommend you get atleast a5 pack of microfiber towels. These towels are extra plush and very durable (good for 300 washes).

Greg
Detailed Image - Owner

Here's a crop of my front end. I know the scratch will have to be touched up with paint. Stupid UC parking garages. No car is safe.

Anyways, do you have suggestions what might take out some of those white spots? Or is an M-tech bumper and fresh paint on the front end in store for me if i want it to look perfect?

Thanks for all your help guys. I can't wait to get this thing spotless

Front end pic

Originally Posted by trippinbillies4

Here's a crop of my front end. I know the scratch will have to be touched up with paint. Stupid UC parking garages. No car is safe.

Anyways, do you have suggestions what might take out some of those white spots? Or is an M-tech bumper and fresh paint on the front end in store for me if i want it to look perfect?

Thanks for all your help guys. I can't wait to get this thing spotless

Front end pic

Commonly white specs on the front are chips. Are your white specs possibly chips or are they something on the surface of the bumper. If they are chips then you could touch it up but more than likely to have it done right you'll need it to be repainted. If they are white specs on the paint try to describe them in more detail and I'll give you a recommendation. More than likely if they are on the surface then you'll need some clay and polish. Let me know what you think and I'll get into more detail with my explanation of how to remove it if need be.

Greg
Detailed Image - Owner

Originally Posted by Gregs

Commonly white specs on the front are chips. Are your white specs possibly chips or are they something on the surface of the bumper. If they are chips then you could touch it up but more than likely to have it done right you'll need it to be repainted. If they are white specs on the paint try to describe them in more detail and I'll give you a recommendation. More than likely if they are on the surface then you'll need some clay and polish. Let me know what you think and I'll get into more detail with my explanation of how to remove it if need be.

Greg
Detailed Image - Owner

There are definitely some chips in there, but most of it seems like white specs of paint kicked up off the road or something. There's tons of itty bitty specs even on the front part of the front fenders, and there's so many, and they're so small that I think it's paint or something

Also, forgot to ask: What size are the pads in your bundle? Found out my dad has a sears brand orbital buffer. You think this would do the job well enough with your pads?

Originally Posted by trippinbillies4

Also, forgot to ask: What size are the pads in your bundle? Found out my dad has a sears brand orbital buffer. You think this would do the job well enough with your pads?

The pads we sell in the kit are the 6.5" Lake Country Pads with Velcro backs. We have a handful of 7.25" Lake Country Pads with the Hook & Loop backs mostly for rotary buffers as well.

George

Any questions you guys have don't hesitate to ask here, this is also a great research thread for detailing!!!

Detailed Image Staff

In that picture where you asked if we could see the house through the swirls, what steps/products did you use to make it so glossy?!
-dave

Originally Posted by OrangeCountyDav

In that picture where you asked if we could see the house through the swirls, what steps/products did you use to make it so glossy?!
-dave

Read about 9 posts up #209

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpos...&postcount=209

Let me know if you have any other questions about the products or process we used.

Sincerely,

George

I don't know if anyone has asked in this thread yet but what precautions do you reccomend when cleaning the engine bay?