Started to Detail my E89

[True-Blue]

Thought I’d make a start on detailing my E89.

Today was Pre-wash, wash, fallout remover, re-wash then start to correct the paint.

Started correction today with the bonnet, firstly Clayed then 2 passes with Megs 101 Foam Cut on a yellow cutting pad, followed by 2 passes with Megs 205 ultra finishing polish - using my trusty old DAS 6 PRO

No ‘in progress’ photo’s, really struggled to get ‘pre’ photo’s too despite having a pair of powerful led lights... but the paint had plenty of swirls, typical of a well looked after 7 year old car really.

Bonnet finished, but not product on it yet.



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[Ole gits rule]

Looking good sir - still love that colour

 

[Stevo1987]

Looks good but a question to all you expert detailers out there. In the lifetime of the car how many times can you do this? Y'know reducing the clear coat, because that is what is happening when removing swirls and stuff. I have seen the "pros" on da tube and they have gauges to measure the thickness. I assume they can tell if the car has been done before and if it can't be taken any further.

 

[True-Blue]

Looking good sir - still love that colour

Thank you, yes it makes such a difference when the suns out though.... roll on summer

 

[Ole gits rule]

Just wish my budget had allowed one, one day a 35iS in VO

 

[True-Blue]

Looks good but a question to all you expert detailers out there. In the lifetime of the car how many times can you do this? Y'know reducing the clear coat, because that is what is happening when removing swirls and stuff. I have seen the "pros" on da tube and they have gauges to measure the thickness. I assume they can tell if the car has been done before and if it can't be taken any further.

There isn’t a numerical answer to this as it depends on many things.

In my case, and I’m not a pro detailer, I use a DA (dual action) polishing machine which is much less aggressive and more forgiving than a rotary (especially in the hands of a novice!)

In addition, once I’ve done a car it only ever really needs ‘doing again’ with a finishing compound which removes almost no clear coat using a DA machine... plenty of info all over the internet about it

 

[tomscott]

Results look amazing.

I had a go on my M this weekend, same prep but Mags DA with ultimate compound and 5" red foam cutting pad 4 passes on the bonnet barely made a dent in the clear coat that paint is rock hard. Same on my 996 C4S 16 years old took all the swirls out... paint looked amazing.

I know the Z4s paint is renowned being hard but wow... its all original paint too. Think I might need a more aggressive pad and compound...

 

[True-Blue]

Results look amazing.

I had a go on my M this weekend, same prep but Mags DA with ultimate compound and 5" red foam cutting pad 4 passes on the bonnet barely made a dent in the clear coat that paint is rock hard. Same on my 996 C4S 16 years old took all the swirls out... paint looked amazing.

I know the Z4s paint is renowned being hard but wow... its all original paint too. Think I might need a more aggressive pad and compound...

Thank you,

BMW paint is hard, you’re spot on! VAG paint is also typically hard, But rather that than something like Honda, which is typically very soft.

I’ve been ‘practicing’ with my DAS 6 pro for circa 10 yrs+, I’m not familiar with the Megs Ultimate, but Megs 101 Foam Cut is designed for hard paints as are the yellow cutting pads I have. I’ve also got some microfibre cutting pads, which work very well with the Megs 101 on super-hard paint.. but there’s a different technique altogether for those, slower speeds etc.

I find it therapeutic, it took me a few hours to do the bonnet (big panel on an E89 ) and I’ll do a bit more each day until the cars completely corrected and ready for some sort of sealant or ceramic wax

 

[True-Blue]

Spent a little bit more time in the garage this morning,

Went over the bonnet again with a softer finishing pad and 205, then applied a coat of Autofiness Ultra Glaze with a super-soft glaze pad. Not sure what wax / sealant I’m going to apply yet but finding love all over the net for the turtle wax ceramic waxes currently... so might give that a try

I wouldn’t normally apply any kind of product until I’d DA’d the whole car, but it’s a massive panel and I can easily work around it when working on the front bumper and front wings.

Very happy with how it’s looking so far.

 

[1000rr]

Mint.

 

[Stevo1987]

Looks good but a question to all you expert detailers out there. In the lifetime of the car how many times can you do this? Y'know reducing the clear coat, because that is what is happening when removing swirls and stuff. I have seen the "pros" on da tube and they have gauges to measure the thickness. I assume they can tell if the car has been done before and if it can't be taken any further.

There isn’t a numerical answer to this as it depends on many things.

In my case, and I’m not a pro detailer, I use a DA (dual action) polishing machine which is much less aggressive and more forgiving than a rotary (especially in the hands of a novice!)

In addition, once I’ve done a car it only ever really needs ‘doing again’ with a finishing compound which removes almost no clear coat using a DA machine... plenty of info all over the internet about it

Yes, there is "plenty of info all over the internet". You could answer most posts on here with that comment.

 

[True-Blue]

Looks good but a question to all you expert detailers out there. In the lifetime of the car how many times can you do this? Y'know reducing the clear coat, because that is what is happening when removing swirls and stuff. I have seen the "pros" on da tube and they have gauges to measure the thickness. I assume they can tell if the car has been done before and if it can't be taken any further.

There isn’t a numerical answer to this as it depends on many things.

In my case, and I’m not a pro detailer, I use a DA (dual action) polishing machine which is much less aggressive and more forgiving than a rotary (especially in the hands of a novice!)

In addition, once I’ve done a car it only ever really needs ‘doing again’ with a finishing compound which removes almost no clear coat using a DA machine... plenty of info all over the internet about it

Yes, there is "plenty of info all over the internet". You could answer most posts on here with that comment.

Ok Steveo, 99 times.... but don’t come back moaning if you break through the clear coat at the 66th attempt

 

[True-Blue]

Bit more work on the car today, same process, tackled the boot and the roof..... I’m never buying a ‘non-metallic’ black car Ever, never worked on straight black before... nightmare!

 

[Ming]

I have the same car in the same colour coordination. Can't say mine is ever gonna be as sparkling as yours, but even with "normal" washing, polishing and waxing, I'm loving the colour

 

[Richfarr]

Not sure what wax / sealant I’m going to apply yet but finding love all over the net for the turtle wax ceramic waxes currently... so might give that a try

It gets my vote easy to use and great results

 

[True-Blue]

I have the same car in the same colour coordination. Can't say mine is ever gonna be as sparkling as yours, but even with "normal" washing, polishing and waxing, I'm loving the colour

Good choice sir 8)

 

[True-Blue]

Not sure what wax / sealant I’m going to apply yet but finding love all over the net for the turtle wax ceramic waxes currently... so might give that a try

It gets my vote easy to use and great results

I’ve been doing a bit more research, and I think I’m going to ceramic coat the car now instead... I’d strip the glaze from the bonnet and do an IPA wipe down first.

Each of the panels I’ve done so far has come up really well, even the roof (after much effort )... so I’m thinking ceramic coat is the way to go :wink:

 

[Argyll Andy]

Not sure what wax / sealant I’m going to apply yet but finding love all over the net for the turtle wax ceramic waxes currently... so might give that a try

It gets my vote easy to use and great results

I’ve been doing a bit more research, and I think I’m going to ceramic coat the car now instead... I’d strip the glaze from the bonnet and do an IPA wipe down first.

Each of the panels I’ve done so far has come up really well, even the roof (after much effort )... so I’m thinking ceramic coat is the way to go :wink:

I’ve got a ceramic coating on mine, a quick wash then a spray with liquid wax and wipe down and it looks like you’ve spent hours on it

 

[True-Blue]

It gets my vote easy to use and great results

I’ve been doing a bit more research, and I think I’m going to ceramic coat the car now instead... I’d strip the glaze from the bonnet and do an IPA wipe down first.

Each of the panels I’ve done so far has come up really well, even the roof (after much effort )... so I’m thinking ceramic coat is the way to go :wink:

I’ve got a ceramic coating on mine, a quick wash then a spray with liquid wax and wipe down and it looks like you’ve spent hours on it

Did you do it yourself or pay to have it done? Which coating do you have?

 

[Ole gits rule]

Think I am going to have to learn to detail, valet is no issue but you guys go one further