Ruby Black MC detail

[Angelus666]

I'll start a thread here as I'm working my way through a good old detail on my 86k mile daily driver Ruby Black MC. I keep her pretty clean, wash her once every other week, keeping to good washing convention (rinse, snow, rinse, 2 bucket wash, rinse, gorilla microfibre dry, then whatever wax I'm feeling that day), but it really doesn't matter as you'll inevitably inflict a bunch of swirls over the course of the year on a black car...so my task this next 3 weeks is to get the majority of these out and then try my best to keep her swirl free for the remainder of summer (this won't happen).

My approach is a panel a day, Megs microfibre cutting pads with Menzerna 400 cut, then refine with the Menzerna 3500 final finish. I'm getting to about 95% correction, and you have to catch yourself as you chase that final few bits. It takes me about 2 hours a panel.

Ruby black is a funny paint, has so many different colours to it....I've attached a close up of one of the wings I took after a cutting session then the sun hit it and really made it pop.

I'll update this thread with all the bits as I go.

With this lockdown, I've had a few of my neighbours who never clean their cars ask me how to properly clean a car, asking for tips and products to use (from a Peugeot 308 , Fiesta ST and a Merc CLA)...funny old time we are living in.

 

[ChrisS]

Amazing colours.

I have a 1999 Z3 in black and want to pop out the colours. It’s done just 26k miles from new and needs a detail, thanks for the tips

 

[Deleted member 32480]

Interesting. I look forward to the updates/pictures.

Just spent 5 days doing the Mrs 1 series with 105's, 205's using hex logic pads. The thought of picking up the DA again in the next couple of months would make me feel ill!

 

[Angelus666]

Boot detail today, start off thinking let's do a hoover and an interior carpet shampoo....end up taking off all the interior trim, the lights, the bits of carpet I can remove and even the cleaned the warning triangle cover

 

[-Tom-]

I did the same with my boot yesterday You've picked up just how complex that colour is in your photo, they look like pretty big flakes, our normally dull weather doesn't show that off enough.

 

[Angelus666]

Did the interior today, gave the seats a really good clean, got them looking really matt and 'almost' new again. I've tried everything over the years to get the leather back to that new matt look, with different levels of success, but then I came across this nice trick. So, this is slightly controversial but the absolute best tool, bar none, is a simple magic eraser sponge. Soak the sponge in water, use some leather cleaner on the seats and then very lightly use the sponge over the seats and you'll get results that no microfibre towel, brush or expensive cleaner can get near. Be careful not to go too hard, very light pressure to make sure you don't damage the plastic clear coat on the leather. Not something you need to do more than once, so get some quality conditioner on the seats after and you'll be set for a good while.

If your leather seats are now over 10 years old, with 80k+ plus miles on them and a bit too shiny for your liking, then give this a try...amazing results! (pic of the armrest and handbrake handle, and driver's seat)

Also, I took out all the air vents and cupholders, cut up and added anti-rattle felt tape to loads of areas and....bingo....not a single squeak or rattle now. Feels/sounds like a proper built BMW now. When you take them out and give them a slight twist you realise how squeaky they are....this trick is a simple but amazingly effective modification.

 

[Angelus666]

I'm going to take off the steering wheel trim for a refurb....can someone point me in the direction of the best way to remove these bits?

 

[Gazza51]

Do they screw on from the rear ?

 

[baconJazz]

I just used the Autoglym products on my leather seats , came up a treat & looks almost new. Got rid of all that nasty shiny stuff and now there's a lovely soft matt finish.

 

[Angelus666]

Yep, I've used the AG stuff as well, and it works to a certain level, but nothing quite like the magic eraser does. What you think is good/matt is nothing until after you use one of these magic little things.

 

[john-e89]

I'm going to take off the steering wheel trim for a refurb....can someone point me in the direction of the best way to remove these bits?

The thick 6 o’clock one definately screws in from the back so don’t prise it or it will break. Pretty sure the side ones are snap in.

 

[Angelus666]

Thanks. Do I need to take the central airbag unit off at any point?

 

[tomscott]

Ive always used liquid leather cleaner then conditioner (not sure if you can get it anymore) but that stuff is magic. Nice tip on the magic eraser will certainly bare that i mind. My current Z4M has red seats and I think they will be more of a challenge than black.

Interestingly I saw this on facebook of a guy who had wrapped his steering wheel trim in 3M foil matt which matched the original colour and texture. Looks fantastic. Screen shotted to remind myself when I get around to doing it!





The name and the date was 6/4/20 so you will be able to find it on the facebook page. He didnt say exactly but I think the 9 and 3 are snap fittings so have to be careful with them.

Mine is a mess too so this is also added to a long list.

 

[john-e89]

Thanks. Do I need to take the central airbag unit off at any point?

Nope no need to, it’s just a bit fiddly getting the 6 o’clock screw out from the back. Alternatively it’s no biggie to take the steering wheel off and make life easy, disconnect the battery for half an hour to be silly safe, then there are two small holes at the back of the 9 and 3 o’clock spokes, using a very thin screwdriver insert and flick the airbag retaining springs, the bag unit then just falls out. Bit fiddly the first time you do it but once you’ve done it once it’s a doddle. Apologies if I’m teaching grandma to suck eggs... :lol:

 

[bearded_ed]

Yeah it's definitely a faff to get the bits on and off with it on the car!!
I just wrapped my wheel plastics in the same carbon style wrap I did the rest of my interior with. Very happy with how it turned out but....

I actually swapped the wheel with one I bought on ebay that came with the buttons on. Turns out it's got a thick cover on it and it means the buttons etc don't sit right. Whole lot gotta come off again now as the plastics now sit unevenly and dig into hands when driving!!

 

[Angelus666]

Wet sanding Sunday...always looks scary when it looks like this

 

[Angelus666]

A 2000 / 2500 / 3000 grit wet sand followed by then menzerna 400 then 3500 polish made for a decent days work...! Looks ok-ish now...could really do with a respray but the paint touch up a few days ago now looks pretty good all sanded back

 

[Z4M-2006]

Superb work...

 

[Angelus666]

This DI vessel to purify the water is amazing. If you live in a hard water area and have a dark coloured car....well worth the £80...!