2002 Steel Grey M3 -- Full Correction

imported_d00t

New member
I did this car last weekend. It was a winner in a raffle I held for a forum I sponsor.



The car is a 2002 M3 with 80,000 miles on it. Hasn't been fully detailed in a least a few years. The car was in pretty decent shape, all things considering. Your typical flavors of wash induced marring, RIDS, and holograms. But nothing outstandingly deep. The roof, and entire drivers side of the car had been repainted, so that's where the holograms came from. "Luckily" for the owner, the body shop took it apon themselves to "detail" the rest of the car while they were at it ;). But the deepest body-shop installed marring was on the drivers side door and front/rear fenders.



First things first was the wheels. Beatiful DPE's with a Stoptech BBK to fill out the faces quite nicely. Cleaned with Autoglym custom wheel cleaner, arches and tires with megs super degreaser and p21s TAW.



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Why I love the Raceglaze brush:



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Then I moved on to the engine bay. It wasn't TOO dirty--just some light dust and dirt accumulation.



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So, i sprayed it down with P21S TAW, then agitated, and rinsed.



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ready to be rinsed:



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And after (no dressing yet):



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I then foamed the car with a heavy concentration of CG Citrus Wash and Clear, before washing it with the 2BM and more Citrus Wash and Clear.



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Was a really hazy morning so I tried my best to capture defects outside:



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Inside with the halogens:



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The process I settled on was M105 on Megs Yellow Wool for spot compounding. 3M Fast Cut Plus on a Yellow Uber pad on the Makita, followed with M205 on a White LC Flat pad on the flex DA.



Here's a try at a 50/50:



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Here's after M105 on Megs Yellow Wool, pretttyyyy holograms!



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Finished down:



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Before:



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After:



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Marring on the CSL trunk:



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After:



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I then pulled the car outside and rinsed--but it was another hazy morning so no good sun pics (will save those for later!).



Brought the car back in and dressed the engine bay with poorboys trim restorer:



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I polished the glass with Werkstat Prime and buffed off with Acrylic Jett.



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The eismann race exhaust was polished with p21s polishing soap:



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50/50:



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After:



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I moved on to the interior. Befores:



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Interior detail was carried out with Gloss-It Leather Twins, Adams Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner, 1z Cockpit premium



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The paint was protected with a layer of Blackfire AFPP, and then topped with...



... Lusso Oro! I don't think I've used this wax in at least a year. I missed it! Great look, great price, intoxicating coconut smell.



Final afters:



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Thanks for looking!



As always, C/C welcome!



:wavey
 
I'm sometimes intrigued by these photographic essays, touting 'boutique' brands in a home driveway environment. The end results look fantastic. The waste water runoff down the driveway? Not so cool. Ah, but who's looking?



But, and I've been doing this 6 days a week for 8 years, who has the time to photograph each and every step of the process? I'd go broke!



<Quote>"It was a winner in a raffle I held for a forum I sponsor."</Quote>



So, you did this car for free?



What I really don't comprehend is why the owner of an 'exotic' would allow his car to be 'corrected' in someone's driveway!



But, still, the car looks great.



FLAME SUIT ON>>>



JB
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
I'm sometimes intrigued by these photographic essays, touting 'boutique' brands in a home driveway environment. The end results look fantastic. The waste water runoff down the driveway? Not so cool. Ah, but who's looking?



But, and I've been doing this 6 days a week for 8 years, who has the time to photograph each and every step of the process? I'd go broke!



<QUOTE>"It was a winner in a raffle I held for a forum I sponsor."</QUOTE>



So, you did this car for free?



What I really don't comprehend is why the owner of an 'exotic' would allow his car to be 'corrected' in someone's driveway!



But, still, the car looks great.



FLAME SUIT ON>>>



JB





Hey JB - A fixed location complaing about a mobile operation. What gives??? :D:D:D LOL.



First, you are an exception



1 - I think the results speak for the reason why the owner chose the detailer.

2 - This is not an "Exotic" by any measure. Maybe price was also an issue (just putting ideas out there) - my guess is "1"

3 - Most fixed location that "I" have seen, suck - with 1 exception.

4 - once I had a client that just purchased a brand new Aston Martin and an X5.

both dropped off at my house. :D
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
The waste water runoff down the driveway? Not so cool. Ah, but who's looking?



I don't know if this is fair.



Why don't you point fingers at the oil companies (who gladly pay $25K a day so they can dump tons of "poison" in the sea) or the coal industry?



OP - sorry for the OFF topic. I missed the "free" detail part. The owner is one lucky guy. Excellent work!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Nice turnaround, shame the sun wasn't really out for your photo session, but I'm sure it looks absolutely stunning in full sunlight !



tdekany: Agreed on the finger pointing. I'd have to go a step further and say, if the OP used an environmentally friendly biodregradable (he didn't specify what he used) car soap, then what's the issue with it running down the storm drain ? You think your Dawn dish soap and Tide laundry soap are any better ?
 
Awesome car and awesome detail. One of the few cars that still has great styling even after 8yrs. I need to pick up some M105/M205 really great results on your detail.
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
I'm sometimes intrigued by these photographic essays, touting 'boutique' brands in a home driveway environment. The end results look fantastic. The waste water runoff down the driveway? Not so cool. Ah, but who's looking?



But, and I've been doing this 6 days a week for 8 years, who has the time to photograph each and every step of the process? I'd go broke!



<Quote>"It was a winner in a raffle I held for a forum I sponsor."</Quote>



So, you did this car for free?



What I really don't comprehend is why the owner of an 'exotic' would allow his car to be 'corrected' in someone's driveway!



But, still, the car looks great.



FLAME SUIT ON>>>



JB



Cars being done is a "home" environment: The electricity that runs the equipment is the same that you use so what's the difference? You are right that the results are fantastic. All of Aaron's work typically is fantastic so why would it matter where he is doing the work.



Photographing the process: Apparently you don't have time to do it cuz there are only two pictures and a video on your website. Don't slam other people for wanting to document their work. We here on Autopia enjoy the wrte-ups.



Giving a detail away in a raffle: What is the raffle was to rasie money for breast cancer awareness? Would you ***** about it then? I give away details all the time for raffles. It's a nice thing to do and it has brought me a lot of extra business as well. Win/Win situation.



The owner "allowing" the car to be detailed in someone's driveway: What is Aaron went to the guys house to do the detail? Would it be in a hermetically sealed bubble that the owner just happened to have set up? Nope. It would be in his garage or driveway.



Water run off: The crappy little video you have of you cleaning a mat is right next to a drain. Where do you think that run-off is going?



Think before you type of don't bother.:grrr



Keep up the good work Aaron!!!
 
tdekany said:
Fantastic work and writeup. :2thumbs::2thumbs: I enjoyed it very much.



How long did it take you?



Thanks a lot! It took me 15 hours with pictures.



Labster said:
great turn around!



Thanks!



Jimmy Buffit said:
I'm sometimes intrigued by these photographic essays, touting 'boutique' brands in a home driveway environment. The end results look fantastic. The waste water runoff down the driveway? Not so cool. Ah, but who's looking?



Actually, it's not to tout boutique brands, it's to show a thorough process so amatures can see what us pro's like and don't like, and hopefully learn a thing or two. Sorry, I don't ride a high horse like you seem to think most detailers do. Don't judge a man, until you've walked a mile in his moccasins (or something like that).



You're right, run-off is an issue I'm working on correcting at a cost effective manner

But, and I've been doing this 6 days a week for 8 years, who has the time to photograph each and every step of the process? I'd go broke!
I'm not a volume worker. I know I may not make as much as a volume detailer, but this is much more exciting than the same thing over and over and over again. And I didn't photograph every step--a lot wasn't documented. But hey, you have you're judgements and closed mind, and I'll allow you to keep it.



<Quote>"It was a winner in a raffle I held for a forum I sponsor."</Quote>



So, you did this car for free?



Yes, is that an issue?



What I really don't comprehend is why the owner of an 'exotic' would allow his car to be 'corrected' in someone's driveway!



It was actually HIS driveway. You'd be surprised about how many exotic owners would rather you do it at their house, where it's more comfortable for them, and they have more control over the situation.

But, still, the car looks great.



FLAME SUIT ON>>>



JB



Well, thanks for the insight, JB.



tdekany said:
Hey JB - A fixed location complaing about a mobile operation. What gives??? :D:D:D LOL.



First, you are an exception



1 - I think the results speak for the reason why the owner chose the detailer.

2 - This is not an "Exotic" by any measure. Maybe price was also an issue (just putting ideas out there) - my guess is "1"

3 - Most fixed location that "I" have seen, suck - with 1 exception.

4 - once I had a client that just purchased a brand new Aston Martin and an X5.

both dropped off at my house. :D



Thanks a lot!



tdekany said:
I don't know if this is fair.



Why don't you point fingers at the oil companies (who gladly pay $25K a day so they can dump tons of "poison" in the sea) or the coal industry?



OP - sorry for the OFF topic. I missed the "free" detail part. The owner is one lucky guy. Excellent work!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Thanks! :)



WAS said:
Nice turnaround, shame the sun wasn't really out for your photo session, but I'm sure it looks absolutely stunning in full sunlight !



tdekany: Agreed on the finger pointing. I'd have to go a step further and say, if the OP used an environmentally friendly biodregradable (he didn't specify what he used) car soap, then what's the issue with it running down the storm drain ? You think your Dawn dish soap and Tide laundry soap are any better ?



Thanks a lot. The sun came out at the end! And i used CG Citrus Wash/Clear (it says in the write-up)



TSC17 said:
Aaron,



Great correction and attention to detail, and an awesome idea as a forum sponsor!



Thanks a lot, Todd!



xspwrstang said:
Awesome car and awesome detail. One of the few cars that still has great styling even after 8yrs. I need to pick up some M105/M205 really great results on your detail.



Thanks a lot!



SilverJag said:
Looks amazing! I love the interior on the car :)



Great job!



Thanks!



mose said:
Cars being done is a "home" environment: The electricity that runs the equipment is the same that you use so what's the difference? You are right that the results are fantastic. All of Aaron's work typically is fantastic so why would it matter where he is doing the work.



Photographing the process: Apparently you don't have time to do it cuz there are only two pictures and a video on your website. Don't slam other people for wanting to document their work. We here on Autopia enjoy the wrte-ups.



Giving a detail away in a raffle: What is the raffle was to rasie money for breast cancer awareness? Would you ***** about it then? I give away details all the time for raffles. It's a nice thing to do and it has brought me a lot of extra business as well. Win/Win situation.



The owner "allowing" the car to be detailed in someone's driveway: What is Aaron went to the guys house to do the detail? Would it be in a hermetically sealed bubble that the owner just happened to have set up? Nope. It would be in his garage or driveway.



Water run off: The crappy little video you have of you cleaning a mat is right next to a drain. Where do you think that run-off is going?



Think before you type of don't bother.:grrr



Keep up the good work Aaron!!!



Thanks a lot, Mose! It was done at his house. Thanks for sticking up for me too :2thumbs:



DaGonz said:
Nice work.. but that "checkered flag" pattern on the left front fender.... :grrr



Thanks! It has to do with E30(E36?) M3 race livery if I remember correctly



RaskyR1 said:
Great work Aaron! :2thumbs:



Those wheel are sick!



Thanks a lot!
 
Good work Aaron,



Jimmy come on man your excellent at what you do when I started this about 7 years ago you were one of my idols as well as scott wax and gsrstilez to name a few. I think I understand why you are doing what you are doing but you have plenty of business to keep you going. :)
 
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