Sharing my first experience of detailing.
Just became an owner of an immaculate Black Z4. It didn’t take long before I found two large splodges of pigeon poo on my drivers door. I hadn’t used the car for a couple of days, hence they’d baked. Carefully cleaned off, the surface had been quite badly attacked.
What a problem it is! If I find it, I wipe it off but I don’t go and check my car every few hours!
I read the articles, the recommended tools and products and got stuck in.
Before playing with my Z4 I started by working on reviving the whole of my 1980 Scimitar GTC. It had very oxidised paint.
I bought a dual action rotary polisher and I cannot impress upon the uninitiated what an essential Labour saving tool it is.
Various grades of hoop and loop foam pads, Meguiar’s Compound and seal, clay bar and microfibres.
I decided from research not to use wax.
The GTC took an afternoon to work the whole car from washing, clay barring, through to final sealing.
I stood back and was pretty chuffed.
A few days later, now more confident, I set about the pigeon damage on the Z4.
It was on the top sloping area where it meets the driver’s window seal.
Wash then clay bar the area first.
This time the same process was not enough.
I bit the bullet and got the 2000 grade paper out. Soaked it for 20mins and with a cup of soapy water started very gradually to take the surface down.
Very slow. With many stages, stopping to check. This is the way to irreparable big mistakes if you go too far.
Very light pressure, side to side only, with the 2000 grade keeping it constantly lubricated with the soapy water (washing up liquid). Stop and check, stop and check, it removes the surface fast.
Clean with soapy water, dry and stare hard before proceeding. Don’t, DON’T over use the emery paper.
Next the polisher machine with Megs compound and soft foam. Again, stop. Clean. Check. Don’t go too far, too fast.
It was then just the finishing touch with the sealer on a light foam pad.
Done.
The marks gone. Perfect!
This job took around 2 hours.
G
Just became an owner of an immaculate Black Z4. It didn’t take long before I found two large splodges of pigeon poo on my drivers door. I hadn’t used the car for a couple of days, hence they’d baked. Carefully cleaned off, the surface had been quite badly attacked.
What a problem it is! If I find it, I wipe it off but I don’t go and check my car every few hours!
I read the articles, the recommended tools and products and got stuck in.
Before playing with my Z4 I started by working on reviving the whole of my 1980 Scimitar GTC. It had very oxidised paint.
I bought a dual action rotary polisher and I cannot impress upon the uninitiated what an essential Labour saving tool it is.
Various grades of hoop and loop foam pads, Meguiar’s Compound and seal, clay bar and microfibres.
I decided from research not to use wax.
The GTC took an afternoon to work the whole car from washing, clay barring, through to final sealing.
I stood back and was pretty chuffed.
A few days later, now more confident, I set about the pigeon damage on the Z4.
It was on the top sloping area where it meets the driver’s window seal.
Wash then clay bar the area first.
This time the same process was not enough.
I bit the bullet and got the 2000 grade paper out. Soaked it for 20mins and with a cup of soapy water started very gradually to take the surface down.
Very slow. With many stages, stopping to check. This is the way to irreparable big mistakes if you go too far.
Very light pressure, side to side only, with the 2000 grade keeping it constantly lubricated with the soapy water (washing up liquid). Stop and check, stop and check, it removes the surface fast.
Clean with soapy water, dry and stare hard before proceeding. Don’t, DON’T over use the emery paper.
Next the polisher machine with Megs compound and soft foam. Again, stop. Clean. Check. Don’t go too far, too fast.
It was then just the finishing touch with the sealer on a light foam pad.
Done.
The marks gone. Perfect!
This job took around 2 hours.
G
