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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Claying, polishing, waxing... share your secrets in here.
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ph001
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 12:27 pm

OK, so been doing lots of cosmetic work on the Zed over the last few weeks so thought I'd share a few pics. Like many people have said previously I'd absolutely recommend to purchase a DA polisher. I'd say it's virtually impossible to do any damage with them unless you go completely mental with a ridiculously aggressive pad / compound. I think more importantly, it's really satisfying to do. Very enjoyable actually (although I'm not sure I could do it as a job day in day out).

Here is a link to all the products I am using... viewtopic.php?f=15&t=99630

So the order of work was:

  • Brush soft top down with rubber bristled brush and spray with 303 cleaner to lift dirt with nail brush
  • Thoroughly wash and dry car with wax free shampoo.
  • Hose rinse and dry with quality microfibre...
  • Soft top - When fully dry, mask any risky runoff areas and apply dye to restore colour.
  • Wait until thoroughly dry and apply soft-top proofer for protection
  • Remove masking and clay down paint using quick detailer spray as lube...
  • Remove any remaining clay residues with quick detailer and microfibre towel
  • Mask rubber seals and trims with tape and start test polish on a small area with least aggressive pad / compound, moving up to more aggressive pad if necessary.
  • Wipe area with panel wipe and inspect with bright diffused light source.
  • When satisfied, wipe down entire car with panel wipe and treat with quality sealant (main purposes to give hardness to paint and increase resilience to further swirl marks). Do the wheels as well (make sure they are fully cleaned and panel wiped first)
  • It's important that car is protected from elements after the sealant (ideally garaged and left overnight )
  • Apply quality LSP (last stage protection) by hand with foam applicator. Buff off with clean microfibre.
  • Treat all rubber seals with gummi pflege.
Roof dyed with Renovo..
Roof dyed with Renovo..
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Looking nice and black
Looking nice and black
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Some pretty bad paint defects to sort!
Some pretty bad paint defects to sort!
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Some pretty bad paint defects to sort!
Some pretty bad paint defects to sort!
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Some pretty bad paint defects to sort!
Some pretty bad paint defects to sort!
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Not perfect but looking better.
Not perfect but looking better.
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Not perfect but looking better.
Not perfect but looking better.
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Not perfect but looking better.
Not perfect but looking better.
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Mirrors were awful!
Mirrors were awful!
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Much better colour now.
Much better colour now.
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2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

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ph001
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 12:28 pm

After the Sonus nano protect but before wax...
692.jpg
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2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

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jamie_z4
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by jamie_z4 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 1:40 pm

Wish I had a 'coloured' zed so I could see results like this. Looks good
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

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ph001
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:25 pm

I actually added quite a lot of artefacts with the clay bar (brand new). Not sure if that's because I ran out of quick detailer as a lube so just used washing up liquid diluted about 100:1 in a spray bottle. No obvious contamination in the clay and car was perfectly clean. Was pretty horrified when I saw what it had done but the DA got them out no problem without too much work.

This colour looks amazing when glowing but seems ridiculously sensitive to even the smallest of swirls. I'd take grey any day!
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

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jamie_z4
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by jamie_z4 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:25 pm

Is it Monaco blue? My old coupe was Monaco n I know how sensitive that was to scratching.
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18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

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ph001
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:37 pm

jamie_z4 wrote: Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:25 pm Is it Monaco blue? My old coupe was Monaco n I know how sensitive that was to scratching.
That's the one! It's even worse than black for that, does look lovely though.
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

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jamie_z4
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by jamie_z4 » Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:44 pm

I did use the rotary on mine a couple of times but just give it a couple of coats of poorboys black hole to cover up the holograms I caused and all the swirls :rofl:
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

john-e89
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by john-e89 » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:08 pm

jamie_z4 wrote: Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:44 pm I did use the rotary on mine a couple of times but just give it a couple of coats of poorboys black hole to cover up the holograms I caused and all the swirls :rofl:
:rofl:

Yep, precisely why mine has stayed in the box un-used so far J...I'm too chicken to try the damn thing... :lol:

Car looks superb OP...great job... :thumbsup:
M roady...OEM CSL’s, strut brace, Remus back boxes, ZHP
MR2 MK 2
E89 35i project car...mapped 365bhp, M4 stoppers & wheels, KWV3’s, H&R front ARB, M3 front arms, strut brace Eisenmann cat back race exhaust, VRSF downpipes inbound
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deka1
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by deka1 » Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:23 pm

Nice work is the midnight blue metallic

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ph001
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:59 pm

And finally...some outdoor pics
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2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

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ph001
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Posts: 3870
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: N. Yorkshire.

Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:02 pm

Image00006_lowres.jpg
Image00006_lowres.jpg (227.45 KiB) Viewed 2246 times
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

bz4kev
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by bz4kev » Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:22 pm

Looks mint l know what your saying regarding scratches mine attracts them like a magnet
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2004 z4 30i auto Toledo blue stubby Areo front back sideskirts and rear spoiler M/// MFSW DLV exhaust mod mma tips vanos overhaul 108s refurbed ram air scoop E46 M3 heated seats clear rear lights M/// sport black grills

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ph001
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Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:22 pm

Image00011_lowres.jpg
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2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

User avatar
ph001
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Posts: 3870
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: N. Yorkshire.

Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by ph001 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:23 pm

Lovely pic Kev!
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

jamie_z4
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Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

Amateur detailing with a DA polisher....with pics!

Post by jamie_z4 » Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:27 pm

That interior wow
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

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