Awwww Yeah!!!! I got to detail my own car!!! :bin:
After always putting it off and having excuses, I finally worked up the courage and energy to get it done :fishwack:
The Car:
My very own 2012 Golf VI GTi
Here is what I was dealing with:
Filthy wheels :blueCry:
Similarly filthy bodywork :blueCry:
Moderate swirling :blueCry:
The car needed a thorough cleaning! We spend four hours on just washing and decontamination!
Products Used:
- Cyclo APC (to clean out all that dirt)
- VP Bilberry Wheel Cleaner
- VP Dragon's Breath Iron Remover
- Optimum No Rinse (diluted to quick detailer strength for general cleaning use as well as clay lubricant)
- Citrus Power Pre-Wash (to loosen all that stubborn gunk)
- AF ObliTARate (to remove glue, tar and stubborn bug splats)
- AG Fast Glass (glass cleaner)
- Scholl S17 (cuts and finishes like a champ)
- Scholl S3 Gold XXL (for those stubborn areas and scratches)
- AF Tough Prep Pre-Sealant Cleaner
- AF Power Seal Paint Sealant
- AF Essence Wax
- Poorboys Wheel Wax (smells like chappies, works like magic)
- AF Finale Quick Detailer (used to even out the wax after application)
- AF Dressle (trim and plastic finishing done like no other)
- AF Satin Tyre Gel (best of the best, three types of finishes from a single product!)
Brushes, Cloths and Pads used:
- Cobra MF cloths (for buffing)
- CD MF cloths (buffing and cleaning)
- AF MF cloths (buffing and cleaning)
- AF Valet Drying Towels
- AF Pure X Savannah Drying cloths (best for glass and streak-free finishing)
- Tevo Pile Drying towels (for the wheels)
- CD Clay Mitt
- Mothers detailing brushes
- Mothers wheel brushes
- Wheel Woolies
- Daytona Jr wheel brush
- AF Budget Brush set (handiest ever, in an assortment of sizes)
- Optimum MF compounding pads
- Rupes Compounding and Fine Foam pads
- Lake Country White Polishing pads
- Lake Country HT Crimson finishing pads
Machines used:
- Flex VRG 3401 (used with a 5" backing plate and MF pads with S17, finishes beautifully)
- Rupes LHR 15es Bigfoot (used with LC whites pads to apply the AF Tough Prep cleaner)
- Rupes LHR 75e Bigfoot-Mini (used to polish and compound those small, hard-to-get-to areas)
- Shield DAS 6 (used with finishing pads to apply the Power Seal evenly)
First up, we washed the car:
Wheel cleaning
Cleaning out all those nooks and crannies
Removing the iron contamination with Dragon's Breath
Claying, using a clay mitt - it works extremely well, reduces marring and saves so much time!
More wheel and caliper cleaning
Cleaning out those hard to reach spots
Next up was the polishing, and I was surprised with the results I achieved! Though I had Scholl S17 on my shelf since last year, I'd never really gotten around to using it, till this weekend. Paired with the microfibre cutting pads and the forced rotation of the Flex, the cut and finish left behind was outstanding!
We achieved this finish using a one step with the S17 and just compounding pads. Amazing product and pads! :coolShake:
I was struggling to get decent 50/50 shots, but here's the most telling:
Before:
After:
A shot under the bright lights to show clarity, depth and finish:
We then went ahead to prep, seal and wax the car.
Here's the finished result:
The picture don't do the car as much justice as I would have hoped for, but I'm really happy with the results :coolshake:
Thank You:
- Thanks Celest for your help and support :blowheart:
- Thanks to Shezaad for his help with finishing the car
- Thanks to Kimeran and Gavin for the company
- Thanks to all you fanatics who support me :ty:
What's Next?
- Engine bay detail
- Interior detail
Photos were taken with a Sony WX50 camera and GoPro Hero4 Silver
After always putting it off and having excuses, I finally worked up the courage and energy to get it done :fishwack:
The Car:
My very own 2012 Golf VI GTi
Here is what I was dealing with:
Filthy wheels :blueCry:
Similarly filthy bodywork :blueCry:
Moderate swirling :blueCry:
The car needed a thorough cleaning! We spend four hours on just washing and decontamination!
Products Used:
- Cyclo APC (to clean out all that dirt)
- VP Bilberry Wheel Cleaner
- VP Dragon's Breath Iron Remover
- Optimum No Rinse (diluted to quick detailer strength for general cleaning use as well as clay lubricant)
- Citrus Power Pre-Wash (to loosen all that stubborn gunk)
- AF ObliTARate (to remove glue, tar and stubborn bug splats)
- AG Fast Glass (glass cleaner)
- Scholl S17 (cuts and finishes like a champ)
- Scholl S3 Gold XXL (for those stubborn areas and scratches)
- AF Tough Prep Pre-Sealant Cleaner
- AF Power Seal Paint Sealant
- AF Essence Wax
- Poorboys Wheel Wax (smells like chappies, works like magic)
- AF Finale Quick Detailer (used to even out the wax after application)
- AF Dressle (trim and plastic finishing done like no other)
- AF Satin Tyre Gel (best of the best, three types of finishes from a single product!)
Brushes, Cloths and Pads used:
- Cobra MF cloths (for buffing)
- CD MF cloths (buffing and cleaning)
- AF MF cloths (buffing and cleaning)
- AF Valet Drying Towels
- AF Pure X Savannah Drying cloths (best for glass and streak-free finishing)
- Tevo Pile Drying towels (for the wheels)
- CD Clay Mitt
- Mothers detailing brushes
- Mothers wheel brushes
- Wheel Woolies
- Daytona Jr wheel brush
- AF Budget Brush set (handiest ever, in an assortment of sizes)
- Optimum MF compounding pads
- Rupes Compounding and Fine Foam pads
- Lake Country White Polishing pads
- Lake Country HT Crimson finishing pads
Machines used:
- Flex VRG 3401 (used with a 5" backing plate and MF pads with S17, finishes beautifully)
- Rupes LHR 15es Bigfoot (used with LC whites pads to apply the AF Tough Prep cleaner)
- Rupes LHR 75e Bigfoot-Mini (used to polish and compound those small, hard-to-get-to areas)
- Shield DAS 6 (used with finishing pads to apply the Power Seal evenly)
First up, we washed the car:
Wheel cleaning
Cleaning out all those nooks and crannies
Removing the iron contamination with Dragon's Breath
Claying, using a clay mitt - it works extremely well, reduces marring and saves so much time!
More wheel and caliper cleaning
Cleaning out those hard to reach spots
Next up was the polishing, and I was surprised with the results I achieved! Though I had Scholl S17 on my shelf since last year, I'd never really gotten around to using it, till this weekend. Paired with the microfibre cutting pads and the forced rotation of the Flex, the cut and finish left behind was outstanding!
We achieved this finish using a one step with the S17 and just compounding pads. Amazing product and pads! :coolShake:
I was struggling to get decent 50/50 shots, but here's the most telling:
Before:
After:
A shot under the bright lights to show clarity, depth and finish:
We then went ahead to prep, seal and wax the car.
Here's the finished result:
The picture don't do the car as much justice as I would have hoped for, but I'm really happy with the results :coolshake:
Thank You:
- Thanks Celest for your help and support :blowheart:
- Thanks to Shezaad for his help with finishing the car
- Thanks to Kimeran and Gavin for the company
- Thanks to all you fanatics who support me :ty:
What's Next?
- Engine bay detail
- Interior detail
Photos were taken with a Sony WX50 camera and GoPro Hero4 Silver
raise: thanks guys :ty:
