This isnt soft paint, this is M&S Butter (56k get a brew)

FinerDetails

Official SCN Supporter
A truely full job again today, full exterior wash, clay and multi-stage de-swirl, engine and interior job.

Here's the Vauxhall Astra TDi SRI on my arrival early this morning:
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Some close ups of the dirty areas:-
Bonnet lines....
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Wing Mirror....
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Finger prints through the dirt!!
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FinerDetails

Official SCN Supporter
On with it, first pre-soak with DP foam gun shampoo, then two bucket wash. Clayed using Pinnacle Poly Clay, and trigger gun for lub. Engine bay was rinsed, pre-saoked with APC, scrubbed and rinse off. Back to the bodywork to re-rinsed, dried with a Cobra Guzzler and moved into the garage for 3m taping and PDG readings.
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No great suprises what I was dealt, a nice layer of swirls and minor scratches.
Pic under halogens:
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And by the Brinkmann:
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I then taped up a test area:
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FinerDetails

Official SCN Supporter
I started with my much loved combo of rotary, Wolfgang polishing pad and Pinnacle Swirl Remover. Then moved to blackfire finishing polish, and then to another, and another, and another. End combo resulted in the PC, a polishing pad and Megs Speed Glaze!!:doublesho :doublesho :doublesho Its been an aweful long time since I de0swirl anything with this combo. And why? Quite simply the paint was so soft, trying to use anything more abrasive just created marks, marring and scratching. This was going to take an age to do, I had to work very very slowly, and use hardly any pressure to keep from marking the butter - oops, I mean paint. BUT, that wasn't the main problem - this is what a pad looked like after completing an 18 inch square!
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So with three polishing pads on a rota: one on the PC, second soaking in APC to clean, and the third drying I worked for the next four hours to try to de-swirl and not bugger up my stock of polishing pads.:wall: :wall:

Here is a half and half shots after the de-swirl on the test section:
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After the Megs Speed Glaze I switched the pad to a finshing pad and applied XMT Finishing Glaze with Carnuba to the whole car, this was worked on a max of L4 and left to cure for 45 minutes.

Whilst the Glaze cured I got to work on the interior, cleaning the Drivers seat with Treble S and the Megs All Purpose Interior brush. All glass with Stoners Invisble Glass, and then the leather treated to Pinnacle Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. Here's the before and after of the drivers seat.
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Back to the exterior, wiping, with extreme care, the cured glaze from the car. I then applied DP max wax (knowing this wax provides a very rich deep colour and provide as much protection as I could to the soft butter like paint. Whilst the wax cured I applied Megs #20 to the alloys, cleaned the interior matts and applied Poorboys Bold N Brite to the engine bay and arches.
Engine shots, before and after:
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With the wax still curing, I used Pinnacle Crystal mist to clean all the door shuts etc, and applied Megs Endurance gel to the tyres after removing the sealant on the alloys. I then used a Cobra Super Plush MF to remove the wax and take this pic below.
Here's a shot to consistency over my last two days.
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Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
top job as usual my man

cant wait to get a car actually worth working on so i can down to see you :)
 

CH1

Full Member
Jul 6, 2004
503
0
Looks good as always, in that last shot the red paintwork looks gleaming!

I'll have to get mine done soon...(you may remember its black Leon with some swirls)

P.S like your new van -does that mean you're mobile now?
 

pickie

Full Member
Jul 8, 2005
222
0
cool :) looks great ?? from what i read on your site that would cost £80 ??

if im ever up your way ill defo get mine booked in

cheers
pickie
 

slinger

Full Member
Dec 18, 2005
142
0
north of watford
that is unbelievable.

you know i spend 4 hours doing a little bit of "spit and polish" and well, doesn't look a thing like that and i think i've done a good job! :D

you really do earn your money! i doft my cap to you "sir finer of details!" :clap:
 
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