omen666 Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Right then, having recently bought a M3 CSL I needed to get it up to my standard, particularly as I’d taken to a trackday and it was covered in brake dust, rubber from track and worst of all molten brake pad deposits! So this detailing session is not major on paintwork, but about attention to detail and returning the car as close to factory cleanliness as possible. So set aside Sunday and laid out my weapons of choice. EXHAUST Autosol Megs NXT Metal Polish Steel Wool, fine Cotton cloth Megs MF WHEEL ARCHES Virosol Toilet Brush!!! AG Intense Tar Remover AG Vinyl/Rubber Care WHEELS Virosol AG Super Resin Polish NXT Tech Wax Spray Megs Wheel Brush Cotton cloth Megs Water Magnet (an old one) Comma Tyre Black 1 x Clear Bucket INTERIOR Compressed air cleaner AG Interior Shampoo Paint Brush Lint free wipes Megs NXT Glass Cleaner Lint roll (not pictured) WASH Johnson’s Baby Bath…YES Baby Bath 2 x Clear Bucket 1 x Megs MF Wash Mitt – new for above rub-strip 1 x Megs MF Wash Mitt – older for below rub-strip, rear & front bumper and general ‘bug’ work (windscreen and wing mirrors) 1 x Megs MF Wash Mitt – really old for under sills, front splitter and rear splitter 3 x Megs Water Magnet for the above 1 x Megs Chamois to draw water out from gathering points; inside wing mirrors, wing vents, between rear bumper and quarter panels etc PAINT PREPARATION Megs Bug/Tar Remover 3 x Megs Clay bars for various parts of car (as above) Lubricant – Baby Bath 1:20 mix Megs MF cloth for wiping of lubricant mix post clay bar HD Cleanse Megs Applicator Pad Ettore MF cloth PAINT FINISH Zymol Titanium Wax Megs Applicator Pad CAR CONDITION First of all the car is in mint condition. It’s a 2004 CSL with 7k on the clock. Been garaged most of its life and armourfended front bumper and wing mirrors. That said, most of the miles are track miles, Nurburgring and Spa. Track work brings with it high temps, lots of debris, mostly very sticky stuff. There is no corrective work to be done on the car, just a lot of stubborn barnacle like ‘attachments’ THE PROCESS Exhaust first. Loads of Autosol applied with the Fine Steel Wool. The outer cleans up straight away, but the inner is left to ‘soak’. Leave that and move onto WHEELS Virosol doing its magic. Fantastic stuff, citrus based so no damage to wheels. I use it neat as it is so cheap. Then the wheels have to come off. The track work leaves lots of debris on them. Hot brake pad deposits and tyre rubber really bonds itself on. So after Virosol and Megs Tar remover, its clay bar then finally AG Super Resin Polish. The tyres have recently been replaced so its time to get rid of the adhesive patches left by the removed wheel weights. I use a vinyl sticker ‘smoother’ to do this to avoid scratching the wheel paintwork. Then another jetwash blast and drying, finishing with Megs NXT Spray Wax and tyre black WHEEL ARCHES These need a good scrub for the usual road grime, but also to remove rubber from trackdays. So liberal amounts of Virosol and scrubbing with bog brush! There were lots of patches of oxidation in the arches. AG Intense Tar Remover sorted them, then a good scrub, dry and finishing with AG Vinyl & Rubber Care. All brake and suspension parts degreased and dressed. All that x 4 and wheels back on…nice….. EXTERIOR First off all it was addressing all of the rubber marks left from track rubber flying up and hitting the car. Then its washing….usual two bucket method, but I use 3 different Megs MF Wash Mitts. Basically I have them aged/graded per area of the car; working down to grimmest area last. Using the foam function of Karcher jetwash, then on with the wash mitts. Usual straight lines only, two bucket rinse and regular change of water. Finish with nozzle off hose rinse. Then drying with similar grading of Megs Water Magnet, newest on bodywork, mid on all inner sills/seams and oldest on engine bay and wheels. Megs Chamois is used to draw out water from seams and detailed bits like wing vents, under rear light clusters etc. ENGINE BAY After drying with oldest Megs Water Magnet it’s a wipe down of all components with Armor All Car Wash Wipes. Then the carbon fibre induction intake is finished with Zymol Titanium wax. The carbon fibre really seems to love the Zymol… PAINT PREPARATION So onto the paintwork. Same approach with the claybars, based on age of clay bar and area of car. No pics of process, but it took about 1.5 hours. The benefit of the Steel Grey is it shows every single tar spot. Believe me there were lots and I got every single last one of them; a painstaking process. Worthy of a mention is the Supaguard film on the bumpers and wing mirrors. The edges really grab the claybar and you have to keep stopping and using you fingernail to gently remove the claybar ‘grabbed’ by the edges of the film. Then Zymol HD-Cleanse on every panel. Despite the car being in shade it seems to dry extremely quickly and proved hard to get off. The finish was very smooth thought. I am still doing this by hand as there is no corrective work on this car. But I think I will invest in a PC as it will save time and cleanse better than hand job! Ooo errr ;-p A final wipe down with a clean MF cloth to ensure I have got all the HD-Cleanse off and prepared the surface for the wax. WAX Zymol Titanium is my first venture into anything other than the Halfords Megs range. Applied with a foam applicator rather than by hand (my neighbours think I am barmy already without them seeing me rubbing the car with my hands!!!). Once again the carbon fibre comes up a treat… FINISHING Finally all external glass is finished with Megs NXT Glass Cleaner Then a final rub down off all surfaces using a MF cloth and she’s finished. It took 10 hours start to finish and the car now looks like new. The final pics are in fading light. The second set are the next morning after a night of dust (house on a very busy road) and morning’s dew had evaporated, but the light is good and provides the best before v’s after comparision I could get due to the late finish on Sunday night. Next day Check out the clouds :nice: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omen666 Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 That was a week ago... Did a mate's Black CSL this weekend http://public.fotki.com/omen666/valeting_and_detailing/daveps_csl/ A few teasers... Looks the dogs in the 'flesh' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 come and do my Boxster seriously, why did nobody bless me with the paitence to do a job that good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Damon, what is your hourly rate???? CSL is looking superb!! Job done! Will you take me on track in that as well now?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGee Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Seem to have seen this before . One of the best details I have seen and on a quality car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woppum Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 I could cry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loddrik Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 I admire your passion, but i couldn't think of a worse way to spend a sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omen666 Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Seem to have seen this before . One of the best details I have seen and on a quality car. [/ QUOTE ] Yep been pimped around a few forums, but can you deny me that after such a day Which forum btw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hixster Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Mate the bar has been raised...oh god, i'm gonna have to get my wheels off now and clean the arch interiors ..haha. Love cleaning the wheels , but never take em off, get them looking great from the outside.. but no longer...must go to the next level...arrrghhh!!! That's a great job mate, lovely looking car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHIZZER Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Seem to have seen this before . One of the best details I have seen and on a quality car. [/ QUOTE ] Yep been pimped around a few forums, but can you deny me that after such a day Which forum btw? [/ QUOTE ] IM guessing detailingworld.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil84afc Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Very impressive mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Very deserving of applause indeed. Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks of wasting a Sunday away on their car - but I don't take the wheels off the 6 and might well have to do that now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrax Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 what can I say...wow!!! Think my missus would call an ambulance if I spent all Sunday doing that though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Rewarding work - lovely job!....If only I had a spare whole day I usually have about 2 hours weekly to clean my car. At best for a polish and seal about 4 hours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_C Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 Now <u>THAT</u> is how it's done! Superb write up too. Excellent results. Nice to see another Zymol HD-Cleanse/Carbon wax user. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Stunning. I wish I had the time and effort but more importantly, I wish i didn't have what appears to be RSI / carpal tunnel or similar in my right arm preventing me from doing much at all like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Omen666, as I've said above the car looks absolutely stunning - but can I ask why you used Zymol Titanium? I came across it on Clean And Shiny's site and it was referred to as being specifically developed for Vans & Trucks! It certainly looks the part on a CSL though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Looks superb!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omen666 Posted August 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Using Zymol's site it came up as the best for my colour car. I also am happy with the fact that as a '4x4 wax' it is supposed to protect better and have better longevity, and given the CSL is going to do a lot of track time, thats a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Is that Porters CSL you did? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omen666 Posted August 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Yes the black one is indeed Porter's the fellow Unixhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverama Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Omen that CSL looks fantastic You really showed that putting in the time and effort gives brill results! I'm a Zymol convert just based on word of mouth, and it really is good stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 [ QUOTE ] So set aside Sunday and laid out my weapons of choice. [/ QUOTE ] Nice collection - complete with table and radio - and stunning results Damon. Are all those available off-the-shelf from Halfords btw? (bar the bog brush of course!) A similar Sunday blitz is going to be necessary when I pick up my next car up.... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d3fy Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Unreal - hats off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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