220S

That's total b.s. I'm telling you (and this will be the last time ) take it to John Mikhail. I already gave you his contact info.

When I had my 2009 W211 Sienna Black Metallic E350 he made it look like you were looking into a black painted swimming pool. It was totally a wet black (with zero holograms and swirls needless to say.) He made it look like it had clear coat three inches deep.

Some people do crap work. You have to find the right person who knows what they're really doing and not learning on your car.....

K-A

That just annoys me. Oh well, two mistakes already on this car, so hopefully that's the magic number! LOL.

I'll take it to him next time for sure. I figure if I'm taking it to a detail shop who doesn't have those fancy different types of lights to blast onto the car when they're done to ensure me that I won't see swirls/holograms in ANY lights, then they won't do a perfectionists job.

Arrie

So does it make it better if it is finished by hand?

Quadcammer

not sure what you mean by finished.

Gentlemen, this is not as complicated as you're all making it out to be.

You or your detailer will do the following:

Wash car
Claybar

Then you determine how much work the paint needs and that drives product choice. Heavy swirls/rids, etc, most pros will use something like a meguiars 105. After, the car is wiped down with isp alcohol to make sure heavy swirls and rids are gone. Then a less aggressive product like a meguiars 205 is used to take out any holograms or lighter swirling. At that point, depending on the finish, you can either move on to a wax or use a finishing product (essentially a very fine polish). Before any wax is added, you again wipe down with alcohol to assure that the swirls are actually gone and its not just covered up. All of this is done by machine.

Then wax is applied, typically by machine, and then removed by hand. Depending on your preference, the car can then be jeweled or other tricks.

go to the autopia click and brag section...but this is what a properly done black mercedes looks like:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...orrection.html

BenzE350

I want a black car!

You can't handle a black car! Son, we live in a world that has tough roads, and those roads are h*ll on a black car. Who's gonna detail it? You? You, K-A?

I have a greater knowledge of your psych than you can possibly fathom! You weep for for your car. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that your anxiety will eat you alive and require you to post about every swirl mark or speck of dust on your car.

You don't want a black car, because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you know it will be the death of you! You use words like "BMW", "Twin Turbo", "M Sport". You use these words as the backbone of a life spent posting on automotive forums. You use them as a punchline! I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a guy who goes out and leases a black car and then frets about it every day on this forum. I would rather you just said "I'm off to bimmerfest," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you deal with your black car. Either way, I don't give a d*mn what you post on any forum.

Did you order the black car?

You're go**amn right I did!!

Courtesy of the movie - A Few Good Black Cars.

(Just having fun - don't go postal on me)

K-A

Someone's getting their drink on prematurely today.

BenzE350

Yes, and I currently own / lease 3 black cars.

K-A

Hopefully this doesn't ruffle more feathers, lol. But I finally got a REAL Paint Correction, no more holograms and swirls. The paint truly looks stunning!

Karl901

Why your at it , post some pictures of your ugly girl friend too.

rjm

K-A: Beautiful photos and beautiful car. There's nothing more stunning than a black car. Stay away from the commercial car washes that use brushes and you can keep it looking like that. Mine is 4 years old and still looks great.

michael10128

K-A, remind steel grey that his E coupe is a C class. He is on the wrong board.
Love the F10

K-A

Thanks!

I totally agree, a nice black car just stands out so much. Yeah, I REALLY learned my lesson about commercial car washes (I should have already known better and thought I did), never again! It was a pretty expensive mistake!

Glad to hear yours is looking so good after 4 years, makes me hopeful!

Thank you, Michael!

Haha. I've reminded him so many times, yet he still doesn't seem to register it.... can't tell if it's denial or selective misinformation.

threeMBs

If anyone has a problem with E coupe being based on C, then complain to MB not to members here. MB itself called it E coupe (instead of CLK, which what it is), then its an E-class. Period.

K-A

It was more a slight to a certain member who tells others without a W212 to get off the W212 boards.... when the E Coupe itself isn't a W212.

Your argument is a good one, however, technicals aside. It's the same one I used when that same certain member criticized my car for having dozens of "M" badges scattered all over it.... BMW put it there, so it's an "M" according to them!

Took some others today before the car got too dusty (already totally dusty) to benefit from the fresh detail. These are taken with a Phone camera (previous ones were with a Nikon Digicam), and have no filter at all (just played around with flash/non flash in the parking lot). Under the fluorescents you can really see how smooth the paint is now:

220S

Did BMW put that chrome license plate frame with the M logo on your car, too?

K-A

Lol, no that one I got separately from the Dealer. I saw some guys on Bimmerfest had it and liked it. It's interesting in how BMW treats its "M Sport" line, in that they badge it more-so as an "M" (literally speaking). BMW has a whole "M Performance" line which they offer for all their cars which includes parts scattered with M badges (all aesthetic, i.e rocker panel decals, license plate frames, etc.).

In actuality, what it comes down to, is BMW has really whored the "M" name out, while M-B doesn't ***** out the "AMG" name so much. Ironically enough, at the same time BMW doesn't ***** out the M Sport Package as they still charge a nice premium for it, therefore keeping it relatively more "exclusive", while M-B ****** the "AMG Package look" out so much, it's become the standard look in the States (non AMG Package cars becoming more of the "exclusive look" nowadays).

220S

So then, would you have ever put an AMG license plate frame on your E350 W212?

K-A

Nope, never woulda. Different cultures by both manufacturers in terms of how they handle the M and AMG badges/names.

BMW makes their "M Sport Line" very openly interpreted as something that can wear the "M" badge (all 4 door sills, on the steering wheel, on the third pedal, and on all 4 wheels), and then advertises us to buy "M Performance Accessories" that are all "M" badged aesthetic equipment (with the exception of an exhaust which I think is the only "performance oriented" mod then offer.... maybe some suspension stuff).

M-B on the other hand have a different mindset with the "AMG Sport Package", which isn't even called an "'AMG' Sport Package" anymore (which further exemplifies how differently they go about these packages), instead just a standard "Sport Package". They don't badge it as an "AMG" Package, and don't charge for it, while BMW charge for theirs, and actually badge and name it "M Sport".

Which is why I personally never put any AMG-named accessories on my Merc but added one to my BMW M Sport. Of course, putting an "M5" badge on the trunk would be false advertisement.

ddeliber

Looks great! What paint correction product/process did you end up using?

K-A

Thanks! I didn't do it myself, but just got a good full detail done this time, the works basically. I know Menzerna Polymer Sealant was used on it, which looks and feels great.

Now hopefully I don't F it up myself now that the paint is FINALLY ripe enough for me to be able to maintain it myself. I just bought some super plush Microfibers which are what I plan to use when washing the car myself.

RNBRAD

Nice car KA. Better get ready for some buffing experience, it will help you sleep better at night. It's hard to see a hairline scratch or smudge then try to sleep. Even the dealer hazed my paint with their "protective" pad they place over the fender to change my oil. I was livid and never let them touch anything. No free wash.... nothing!!


Swirls marks are just very fine scratches. They come from everything, literally!!! Hand drying with a towel will cause a certain amount of swirling. Hand washing is a big no no!!! If you can't wash a car with high pressure water and not touch it to get it clean, then get ready for significant swirls. A simple clean fingerprint against clean paint can swirl it. Microfiber towels can swirls it, although less so, they still will and can. You touch your car with anything, you swirl it. Rain washing dirt over the paint will swirl it. It's almost impossible to avoid swirling, you can lessen the amount of swirling with sealers and care, but using a proper orbital and polishes will bring a pristine surface back once again. I'm like KA, no one is more **** than me. Only reason I went with a black car is because it is not a DD and is only driven in good weather. Otherwise it would drive me insane. Even as beautiful as black is, I don't think i'll go black again. Too much maintenance, to please my eye, for me to go through this with another car. I see one smudge, out comes the Flexx immediately.

Also an improper buff job can lead to swirls, if the proper dissapating polish abrasives are not used. Black is hard because the oils in a polish can actually mask the swirls and you will only notice the swirls after you wash them off. It takes a very good polish and a high speed professional buffer to truelly do the best job. A Flexx can do it with a little more work and are more forgiving of mistakes. Also little to no risk of burning your paint. But nothing can truely match a high speed wheel for the best shine. I use a high speed to put down the ultimate wet glaze shine and a Flexx to maintain it. You just can't use a high speed buffer very much or your clear coar will be gone. It literally heats the surface up and pushes the paint around at the molecular level while also removing it. It does it very quickly too. If I didn't have this, no way could I live with a black car. My silver 04 has been buffed one time. My black car has been buffed one complete time and hit with the Flexx in a dozen areas. It also only has 8700 miles on it.

K-A

Thanks for the info, Brad.

You've TOTALLY paranoid me about mentioning the "protective" cover for the fender at the dealer. I ALWAYS have a paranoia about that thing, now especially with my black I'm paranoid to let the Dealer touch the car when I take it in.

Grr.

hyperion667

haha, I never let the dealer wash my cars either.......when I do go there.....which isn't often if I can help it....
but I have not been so uptight about the color black as of late.....it is what it is.....
I try, but it's an uphill battle.....

RNBRAD

The only reason I let them do it is because it was free. They gave my 1st three changes free. Well somethng happened and they didnt count the first two, one was at 1000 miles, second at 3k. I took my car in for a service issue, steering wheel was locked in full upright position. When I went to fix it, I thought I was out of oil changes, they asked me if I wanted them to change the oil as it was time and I had 2 free ones left. Of course I was like yea!!! Who am I to argue with a free 100 dollar oil change, lol. They scratched my fender up pretty good, but spend about 15 minutes on it when I got home. I guess it will all come out in the wash since I got a free oil change. Just wish they would be more careful. I bet the back side of those pads, although soft, they probably pick up a lot of dirt against other cars. Guy leans into it and it just swrils the living **** out of the paint. I think I'm going to buy my own and take it to the dealer next time and have them use my clean one.

That's true hype, sometimes we just kind of give up and live with a few more swirls. I had 4 black cars at one time so I had to make concessions somewhere or I would be a fultime professional buffer, that would also be broke. lol.

K-A

Lol.

Yeah, I just wanted a clean slate, I accept some swirls will happen, but at least I wanted to have them done under my care (hopefully none will happen at all, but you get what I mean). I don't expect the car to look flawless under direct sunlight.... as long as it's good-enough in direct light, and looks clean/un-marred in less intense lights then I'm good, which is pretty doable with some proper yet not too intensified care I'd hope/think.

I'm gonna make sure to very adamantly inform the Dealer how **** I am about my paint, and to watch out for it. I'll even mention that I'll go over it after picking it up with my LED flashlight to make sure things are copacetic.

Brad: Do you have any experience with a California Car Duster? It's been great to me on my other cars with less-delicate colors, but I've been very adamantly advised by some pro's to not let it touch my BMW Jet Black. It sucks as it was always a great way to keep my cars looking clean for longer by prolonging the washes, and on black, which shows dust so immediately, I was really counting on it to extra benefit the prolonging effect.