benzinok

I purchased a Black 2007 E550 last week. What should I do with the car' s paint at this stage. I do not think I would need to polish it, or do I? The car looked beautiful when it was recieved from the dealership, but I would been shocked if they did any more than spray wax. I want this baby looking great for years. What better time than to start than now.

Also, I was told by the dealer that the black /obsidion black are NON-clear coat paints. Can anyone verify this? Seems like I've heard before that black and white are non-clear coat paints. If it is true, does this change what I should be doing?

thxs

c230K415

hmmm im guessing....I'd start seeing which Paint Sealant is good...and i'd probably put some Carnuba Wax on top of the Sealant on the same day I do this...dont forget about protecting the rims/wheels somehow...brake dust seems to be as common of a problem as BMWs' rims...a lot is emmitted and they stain real quick unless you take care of it. Also, make sure while you are putting on the Paint Sealant and Waxes....you are doing the correct process...black is very delicate...i think ull get swirls real easily if u dont carry out the process right..plenty of write-about's on how to do correct process though throughout this forum

TOGWT

Single stage paint (Base coat / Colour coat) requires a slightly different detailing methodology to a clear coat (Base/Colour/Clear) paint. Having said that I don't know if your paint is SS or CC, perhaps someone else will help with this...

New vehicle, Initial Care:
Most people believe that a new car needs little if any care for the first week or so, not true. Most new vehicles leave the factory, they sit in dirt parking lots, they are transported by trains, trucks, or ships, and then they are generally subjected to the removal of transit plastic protection wrap and usually harsh washing conditions once they arrive at the car dealership.

Even new cars that have been setting on a car dealerships lot for a few weeks can accumulate surface contamination; don't assume a vehicle that looks good is contamination free Acid rain, road salt; tree sap and airborne contaminants are very detrimental to a vehicles paint film surface. Brake dust or rail dust are very small, almost microscopic particles of steel, iron or their alloys.

These particles carry a negative charge while the vehicles they land on are carrying a positive charge. The vehicle surface becomes a magnet, attracting and bonding the ferrous metal particles to the vehicle surface, once you add water (dew, rain, humidity, etc) any of the microscopic particles of steel, iron that have compromised the paint surface will cause rust contamination

1. RapGard (Plastic Transit Film):
Many manufacturers are using this white plastic covering in place of synthetic or wax based shipping coatings. Plastic becomes brittle with age (90 to 180 days) and becomes difficult to remove as it "shreds" while being pulled off, additionally there maybe excess adhesive residue left on the surface.
Spray Valugard’s New Car Prep onto the Rapgard, allow to dwell for three or four minutes. Remove NCP residue with a 100% cotton towel (DFTowel) The Rapguard should now gently peel off, pull away from body at a 45 degree angle using an even pressure, you may find that it shreds. The ideal paint surface temperature for RapGuard removal is between 600F (150C) to 800F (260C) If the surface temperature is below 600F (150C) removal is best done inside. Spray the uncovered paint surface with New Car Prep to remove any adhesive residue htpp://www.autoint.com

Wash vehicle with a car wash concentrate diluted 1 oz. per gallon of water any remove any ‘solid’ adhesive residue with detailers clay. The product they use is either Cosmoline (used by Porsche amongst others) or a blend of paraffin and a synthetic wax, but it’s mainly paraffin that is used to protect new cars during shipment. They are sprayed on most engine and exterior finishes to provide a barrier to the elements. (Zymöl Strik™ Cosmoline Remover and Engine Cleaner) will remove it-
Product specific - Zymol http://fp.zymol.com/strik2.htm) or AutoBody Prep (http://www.autoint.com)

Most important; protect the finish with a polymer sealant and / or a Carnauba wax
(See also new Polymer Sealant, Polymer Sealant or Waxing New Paint)

2. Cleaning Wheel Surface:
Clean, properly conditioned wheels, tyres and fender wells greatly enhance the overall appearance of your vehicle. Today's wheels come in a variety of materials and finishes. Clean one wheel at a time, wash wheels and wheel-wells before the rest of the vehicle to avoid dirt and etc. coming into contact to newly washed surfaces. Apply a polymer to the wheel surfaces (Klasse All-In-One)

3. Cleaning Tyres:
•Rinse thoroughly with a fairly strong stream of clean water to remove any loose road dirt etc., from tyre’s and wheel wells.
•Clean tyres with a rubber cleaner (3M Tire & Wheel Cleaner -39036) or a citrus-based APC (P21S Total Auto Wash)
•Use a water-based polymer tyre dressing (Zaino Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss™)
•Apply a (UVR) protection to the tyres.

4. Detailers Clay:
Even new cars that have been setting on a car dealerships lot for a few weeks can accumulate surface contamination; don't assume a vehicle that looks good is contamination free
•Divide the Detailer's Clay into equal pieces and knead into a ball to ensure pliability
•Take one of the pieces and flatten it out into a circle, approximately enough that it will fit into two or three fingers
•Spray a 2-foot by 2-foot surface with a 5:1 lubricating solution (Distilled water / WooliteTM or Dreft™ ensure that the surface being clayed is always wet
•Glide the Clay across the area in a front to back in a straight-line aquaplaning type motion
•Use long strokes without lifting the clay from the surface
•Use a light to medium even pressure until the surface becomes smooth and silent.
•If the Clay is streaking on the paint, you need more to apply more lubricating solution, it is better to over lubricate the paint film surface than let it dry-out

5. Vinyl and hard plastic surfaces:
•Apply any dressings very sparingly as these surfaces don’t allow the dressings to penetrate very well
•Use a suitable matte type dressing (Iz Cockpit Premium) to ensure that there is no reflection on the windshield, reducing visibility.
•Apply a UVR protection (303 Space Protectant) especially to the dash and any other surface that is subjected to sunlight on a regular basis.

6. Surface Protection:
Regularly applied wax and/or a polymer sealant will both protect the paint surface from surface contamination that collects on a painted finish which includes, Industrial fallout (IFO), Rail Dust, Acid Rain, Hard Water Spots, Tar, Bird Droppings, Waxes/Silicones, Oxidation, Adhesive Residue, Road Grime Rust Stains. I would seriously consider the purchase of a clear automotive protective coating (aka Clear Bra)

Use Optimum Poli-Seal and white lake county (LC) polishing pad, this one-step product is perfect for the neophyte or experienced detailer, it will make a noticeable improvement on even brand new paint as it will deepen the shine and jetting (wet-look gloss) durability approx. 3-4 months, maintain the shine with Optimum Spray Wax- http://superiorcarcare.net/oppo.html

7. Car Cover:
The greatest treats to the preservation of your vehicle are; Airborne Contaminants, Industrial Fallout (this includes Acid Rain) Ultra Violet Radiation (UVR) Oxidation, Bird Excrement and Brake Dust, wind blown debris and pollution. Protect your investment with a car cover, outdoors, car covers offer unequalled protection against ultra-violet radiation (UVR) they are water resistant and provide protection from acid rain, pollution, bird excrement, tree sap and wind blown debris

Greg@DI

I agree with a lot of what TOGWT said but I'll add some of my new vehicle recommendations as well. First off, congrats on picking up an awesome new vehicle. We specialize in helping everyone from first time detailers to pros pick out the right detailing package. Most importantly we make sure they understand how to use the tools/products properly for maximum benefit. Additionally starting the vehicle off with the right tools and techniques will save you lots of aggravation in the end. I spend most of my time helping people fixing previous problems. Since the vehicle is black, imperfections tend to show a little more, but when black is done right nothing looks better in my opinion. You might also want to call the dealership and ask them to not do a dealer prep. Many dealerships (even high end ones) do very poor quality detail work. If you’re not confident in them I’d just assume do it myself. Many of my friends who work at car dealerships refuse to let their personal vehicle be detailed at the dealership because of the poor quality.

First off I don’t think there is such thing as a vehicle with no swirls or imperfections if it’s driven regularly. The idea behind high quality detailing is to minimize your exposure to imperfections. Here is a little background on why vehicles have so many imperfections. NEVER take your vehicle through a car wash with bristles, this will add large sweeping swirls. Touch free car washes are much safer but they are not totally safe. They almost all use recycled water which attempts to filter out dirt and contaminates but inevitably some gets by into the water supply. This means they are shooting high pressure water with some contaminates in them, which can add fine imperfections in the clear coat. Additionally the soap used as some car washes has strong stripping power which can remove waxes and sealants and also dry out rubber, plastic and vinyl trim over time. The safest method is hand washing while using good technique with the right tools. When washing I recommend never using brushes, any artificial bristle can easily leave fine scratches in the clear coat. Additionally if your vehicle is ever covered in snow never brush off the snow all the way down to the clear coat. I usually brush off the top layer and let the rest blow off or melt away.

Washing and drying is often the most overlooked step but is one of the most important. This process is where most swirls and scratches are added to the clear coat. To complete an effective wash you want to safely remove as much contamination as possible. If the mitt has contaminates in it and you’re wiping the towel across the paint you can add fine swirls. Select a true auto shampoo that has conditioners to safely break up contamination. Soaps like Dawn have powerful stripping agents that can dry out your clear coat, vinyl trim and plastic trim with repeated use. After selecting a good auto shampoo make sure you have a paint safe wash mitt. The sheepskin wash mitt is the safest mitt available in detailing, in my opinion. We recommend using two wash mitts, one for upper panels and non-heavily contaminated areas, while the other mitt is for lower panels, wheels and heavily contaminated areas. Its essential that you keep the mitt touching your clear-coated surfaces as clean as possible so you don’t drag contaminates across your paint. After completing the wash make sure you’re drying with a paint safe towel. Many people use rags and old towels that can be adding micro fine scratches in the clear coat. We highly recommend getting microfiber waffle weave towels that are totally paint safe and absorb large amounts of water. Here is a package that I think will best fill your needs.

1x Poorboy’s World Super Slick and Suds $14.99
1x Sheepskin Wash Mitt $15.99
1x Microfiber Wash Mitt $8.99
2x Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towel $34.99
A good part of this kit is our February Special!!!

A clean clear coat is the only clear coat that can give you a truly bright and vibrant shine. Tiny contaminates cling to the clear coat and inside the tiny micro ridges of the clear coat. Most of these contaminates will not be removed with a simple washing. Spray a little clay lube (quick detailer) over a small area of the clear coat, then glide the clay bar across it and wipe the surface with a clean microfiber towel. The clay bar pulls out these contaminates and leaves you with a clean clear coat. This simple process will remove lots of micro contaminates so now sealants and waxes can adhere to the clear coat better. I know your vehicle is new but you’d be surprised how much contamination gets on brand new vehicles. Many of my friends that work at dealerships bring me their cars because they know how much contamination is on the vehicle.

Clear Kote Clay Bar Kit (Includes 200g bar and 16oz Clay Lube) $29.99

Polishing: For now I don’t think we’ll need a polish because this vehicle should have very few imperfections if any upon arrival. However within 1 – 2 years you’ll probably want to get a polish. The porter cable 7424 will really pay off here because its such an effective polishing tool.

Sealants are made in labs to replicate what waxes do, but better. In general sealants give you a longer lasting shine and better protection than natural waxes. For best results make sure you have taken all the necessary preparation steps to clean and smooth out the clear coat. The cleaner and smoother the clear coat is, the better the sealant will bond to it. The very high melting point of sealants makes them more durable and resistant to nature’s elements, abrasions and harmful contaminates. Contaminates have a more difficult time bonding to the clear coat, through the sealant, therefore its easier to remove contaminates during the washing process. Sealants typically give you full protection for 3 – 12 months depending on the sealant you select and how many coats are applied. It will also enhance the looks of the vehicle by providing a more reflective surface. My personal favorite sealant is the Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket (FMJ). It applies/removes super easy, leaves a unbelievable shine, protects for months and best of all you need less than 1oz per coat. This is the most well balanced sealant in detailing and the favorite of many professionals. Apply this with the Porter Cable 7424 and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to use. Additionally you can also apply this to clean glass to seal it in, forcing any moisture to bead right up.

Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket 32oz $49.99

After using a sealant I like to use a carnauba wax, this natural wax isn't super durable but they add a deep shine to paint that’s phenomenal. If you want the absolute best carnauba wax for black then get the Souveran Paste Wax. Hands down the deepest and “wettest” looking shine in detailing. The Souveran Paste Wax kit $79.99 (Includes a microfiber towel and applicator pad) and must be applied by hand. If you want a good value the Poorboy's World Natty's Blue Paste Wax adds a deep rich glow to darker colored paints that really gives you the "wet" look. The best part about the Natty's Blue and the sealants I listed is that you need very little to do an entire coat. One jar should get you about 15 – 20 applications, that apply and remove very simply.

Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax Kit $79.99 OR Poorboy’s World Natty’s Blue Paste Wax $15.99

I would apply the Menzerna FMJ with the Porter Cable 7424. I know a buffer can seem intimidating but the Porter Cable 7424 is extremely easy and safe to use. If you apply products (especially polishes) by hand the pressure you exert through your fingertips will vary tremendously, especially through a multiple step detailing process. The buffing pad is 6.5 inches and the Porter Cable doesn’t get tired so you get consistent results throughout the detail. The Porter Cable speed depends on what step your doing in the detailing process (i.e. polishing, waxing, etc). If it’s your first time using the Porter Cable or if your new to detailing start at a lower speed and increase it as you become more comfortable with the buffer. With new pads apply a thick ring around the outside of the pad and reapply regularly until the pad is no longer dry. The amount of product you'll need with other products will vary tremendously depending on which product you have (Menzerna FMJ should only need about 1 – 2 ounces per coat). With the buffer off smear the product over an area approximately 2ft X 2ft. With the buffer touching the painted area you just smeared the product over turn the buffer on. Work in a logical pattern such as: starting in the top left corner of your 2ft X 2ft square move the buffer at a slow and steady pace left to right, it should take about 5 seconds or more to get from one side to the other. Now move the buffer down and move it right to left overlapping the previous row by 50%. Repeat this process until you have done the entire 2ft X 2ft square. Now with the buffer still on repeat the same exact process up and down overlapping each pass by 50%. During this set of passes apply light pressure so the pad spins freely, polishes require a little more pressure to be properly worked in. This should result in each part of the paint receiving four passes from the buffer. The even distribution of product and heat will help ensure a good thorough and even detail. After you have completed an area make sure that you remove the excess product with a clean microfiber towel, this will thoroughly remove the product and reduce the risk of adding fine scratches. Good microfiber towels are plush and are able to pull the product off the surface as opposed to pushing it around the surface. Sealants and waxes should need about 1 - 3 microfiber towels each (16 x 16 inches) to fully remove all the product on the surface. If the towel is saturated with product use a new clean microfiber towel. Never use any dirty or contaminates microfiber towel, these contaminates can add fine scratches.

Porter Cable 7424 Starter Kit $159.99 - Includes: PC 7424, Velcro Backing Plate, White Polishing Pad (I’ll substitute this pad for a black finishing pad for you, which is ideal for applying the FMJ)
Atleast 5X microfiber towels $17.49 or 10X general purpose for $31.99

For the interior here is what I recommend you get the Interior Kit #3 from our site which includes:
1x Leatherique Prestine Clean 32oz
1x Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil 32oz
1x 303 Fabric Cleaner Concentrate 32oz
1x 303 High Tech Fabric Guard 16oz
1x 303 Aerospace Protectant 16oz
1x Stoner's Invisible Glass 19oz
1x Firm Bristle Upholstery Brush

This kit gives you everything to take care of your interior and more with only the finest detailing products. Use the 303 Fabric Cleaner on any vinyl, plastic, leather and fabric surface. For more difficult stains or to help stir up debris embedded in carpets use this firm bristle brush. After you have cleaned your carpets or fabric seats give them the valuable protection they need with the 303 Fabric Guard. The 303 Fabric Guard helps seal the carpet from stains and other harmful build ups that cause stains and fading. This is a perfect product to use on a new vehicle. Provide your vinyl, plastic, leather, rubber and fiberglass surfaces from harmful UV rays with the 303 Aerospace Protectant. It doesn’t have a greasy feeling like other protectants, just a beautiful matte finish that is sure to catch the eye. Get all the glass crystal clear with the Stoners Invisible Glass Cleaner that is safe to use on all glass including tinted windows. To get your seats looking new use the Leatherique Rejuvenator, it’s applied first and delivers rich conditioners deep into the leathers surface. Apply the Prestine Clean directly on top of the Rejuvenator and get the maximum cleaning power too. This whole package is everything your interior needs and more. This whole package is everything your interior needs and more to do a professional high-end detail.

Here is a link to the how to page on our website that will explain how to use each one of the products mentioned above (http://www.detailedimage.com/store/howtos_prod.php). I also recommend you read our How To section for each step in the exterior process we discussed (wash/dry, clay bar, sealing, waxing). I realize there is a ton of information here, so I’m ready to answer any questions you may have. If you’d like to purchase these products you can get them all on our site, paypal the funds or just call me and I’ll take care of everything. Thank you again for writing and I hope this information has been helpful. I look forward to hearing from you.

Greg @ Detailed Image

benzinok

Wow -

Thanks to everyone to all of the tips.

Like to also thank Greg for his assistance on getting all the correct stuff.

Can't wait to get started. We are supposed to get up to around 5 degrees this weekend, so I'm thinking that is perfect weather

Greg@DI

Thank you for your support, your order is shipping out today. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Nickc0844

Don't you just love to hear a success story?!

Frankster