db detailing™
After picking up my new 118d a couple of weeks ago and doing nothing but drive since, it was time to give it the db detailing touch.
Here’s how it stood before I got started:
Day 1 (9 hours)
First job was to get the wheels off and get them properly cleaned and sealed.
Before:
Cleaned with Meguiars Wheel Brightener at 4:1.
Leaving the following:
De-tarred with Autosmart Tardis.
Leaving the following:
Washed again then clayed with CleanYourCar Poly Clay
Next was several applications of Wolf’s Deironiser. This really made a difference and you can see the wheel ‘bleeding’ as it disolves all the baked on brake dust.
Washed again and dried before giving an IPA wipe down.
They were then given a coat of GTechniq C5 inside and out. I am really impressed with this product – so easy to use and the protection it gives is outstanding.
And the finished article:
While the wheels were off, I took the opportunity to deep clean the arches, using Megs APC, Super Degreaser and sprayed with Tardis. They were then protected with Megs All Season Dressing.
Before:
After:
Next on to the bodywork with a snow foam mix of Meguiars APC and Valet Pro PH Neutral Snow Foam.
…… and that’s when the camera battery died! Great! Any way here’s what I did next:
As the snow foam mix was dwelling I went around the car with APC and various small brushes and cleaned the panel gaps, fuel cap, rubber seals, boot and door shuts etc etc.
The car was then washed using the 2BM and Zaino Z-7 Show Car Wash.
De-tarred using Tardis.
Washed again.
Clayed using Zaino Z-18 clay and Meguiars Last Touch as Lubricant.
Washed again.
Wolf’s Deironiser sprayed on the lower side panels and entire rear end. The paint wasn’t as bad as I thought after seeing how bad the wheels were, so it was washed again.
Stone chips were then touched up with genuine BMW A52 Space Grey paint.
Then I called it a day.
Day 2 (11 hours)
No during pics as I was a bit pushed for time… here’s the process and products used anyway:
First job today was to start correcting the paintwork, and the combo for the day was Menzerna 203S on a Sonus SFX-1 Swirl and Scratch Remover pad.
Fortunately it only took one pass to get around 98% correction and the polish was breaking down and finishing very well as the temperature in the shade was pretty warm.
The car was washed again to remove polishing dust and given an IPA wipe down to remove any polishing oils.
The paintwork was then protected using Zaino Z-2 Pro Sealant with ZFX accelerator, then given a second coat around an hour later. It was then finished off with Zaino Z-8 Grand Finale.
Exterior glass was cleaned and sealed using the Carlack Twins with the windscreen being treated to two coats.
Plastics restored and protected with GTechniq C4 – again awesome product!
Tyres dressed with FinishKare 108A S Top Kote Tyre Dressing.
Exhaust tip polished with Autoglym Metal Polish.
And here’s the finished article:
Then something that was bugging me…
Before
After
Leaving a much cleaner front end.
And to finish… a well deserved beer (or two)!
Overall the entire detail took 20 hours.
Thanks for looking.
Here’s how it stood before I got started:
Day 1 (9 hours)
First job was to get the wheels off and get them properly cleaned and sealed.
Before:
Cleaned with Meguiars Wheel Brightener at 4:1.
Leaving the following:
De-tarred with Autosmart Tardis.
Leaving the following:
Washed again then clayed with CleanYourCar Poly Clay
Next was several applications of Wolf’s Deironiser. This really made a difference and you can see the wheel ‘bleeding’ as it disolves all the baked on brake dust.
Washed again and dried before giving an IPA wipe down.
They were then given a coat of GTechniq C5 inside and out. I am really impressed with this product – so easy to use and the protection it gives is outstanding.
And the finished article:
While the wheels were off, I took the opportunity to deep clean the arches, using Megs APC, Super Degreaser and sprayed with Tardis. They were then protected with Megs All Season Dressing.
Before:
After:
Next on to the bodywork with a snow foam mix of Meguiars APC and Valet Pro PH Neutral Snow Foam.
…… and that’s when the camera battery died! Great! Any way here’s what I did next:
As the snow foam mix was dwelling I went around the car with APC and various small brushes and cleaned the panel gaps, fuel cap, rubber seals, boot and door shuts etc etc.
The car was then washed using the 2BM and Zaino Z-7 Show Car Wash.
De-tarred using Tardis.
Washed again.
Clayed using Zaino Z-18 clay and Meguiars Last Touch as Lubricant.
Washed again.
Wolf’s Deironiser sprayed on the lower side panels and entire rear end. The paint wasn’t as bad as I thought after seeing how bad the wheels were, so it was washed again.
Stone chips were then touched up with genuine BMW A52 Space Grey paint.
Then I called it a day.
Day 2 (11 hours)
No during pics as I was a bit pushed for time… here’s the process and products used anyway:
First job today was to start correcting the paintwork, and the combo for the day was Menzerna 203S on a Sonus SFX-1 Swirl and Scratch Remover pad.
Fortunately it only took one pass to get around 98% correction and the polish was breaking down and finishing very well as the temperature in the shade was pretty warm.
The car was washed again to remove polishing dust and given an IPA wipe down to remove any polishing oils.
The paintwork was then protected using Zaino Z-2 Pro Sealant with ZFX accelerator, then given a second coat around an hour later. It was then finished off with Zaino Z-8 Grand Finale.
Exterior glass was cleaned and sealed using the Carlack Twins with the windscreen being treated to two coats.
Plastics restored and protected with GTechniq C4 – again awesome product!
Tyres dressed with FinishKare 108A S Top Kote Tyre Dressing.
Exhaust tip polished with Autoglym Metal Polish.
And here’s the finished article:
Then something that was bugging me…
Before
After
Leaving a much cleaner front end.
And to finish… a well deserved beer (or two)!
Overall the entire detail took 20 hours.
Thanks for looking.
