Black 2005 CTS Detail

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DSMu4ia

New member
I've been lurking on autopia for about a year now, and just started detailing back into the spring. I have about 6 details under my skin, and I figured that I've reached the level that I can start posting and be proud.



I'm a little anal/OCD, so car detailing and me goes hand and hand.



This is my 05 Cadillac CTS, I haven't detailed it what so ever since getting it from the dealer 7500 miles ago. Just normal washes. It's became fairly swirled in that time, which I believe is just a combination of the black color, and ****** GM clearcoat.



It had a nice "dealer installed" scratch on the fender, and it was keyed a few weeks ago, so I did my best to take before and after pics. The key mark was useless to get out, but I did make it less noticeable. I will probably wait until Spring time to get that panel repainted.



I'm not sure if its "proper" to post pictures of this size on the forums, they are all 1024x768 resolution. I work on a 20" Widescreen LCD, so they seem fine to me, if I get time I'll put them at 800x600 and link in this thread.



Pictures taken with a Canon S2-IS, and while I'm nowhere near a great photographer, I think they came out decent, and I'm sure you guys will too.



Process was as follows:



1. Wash with Meg's Gold Class

2. Clay with Mother's clay (whatever they sell at Pep Boys)

3. Poorboys SSR2.5/Exceldetail Green Pad (speed of 4-5)

4. Poorboys SSR1/Exceldetail Green Pad (speed of 4-5)

5. Topped with 2 coats of NXT Liquid by hand.



All products were hand removed with MF's from exceldetail.com, and Porter Cable 7424 was used as the buffer.





Full Size PICS!

http://www.doitbig.org/cts_detail/
 
Don't even think about having that fender or key maks totally repainted please . It will not be correct to the rest of the car - even though it's just black . They will be a VERY easy scratches to touch up and buff leveled and will blend in perfectly with the original paint .
 
papi_jay said:
Don't even think about having that fender or key maks totally repainted please . It will not be correct to the rest of the car - even though it's just black . They will be a VERY easy scratches to touch up and buff leveled and will blend in perfectly with the original paint .
Click to expand...



Got any good links on how to accomplish something like that? The fender is nearly impossible to notice, but the key mark really bothers me.



It's DEEP, enough to snag your fingernail on it anywhere. I was against using a paint pen due to it not being level.
 
Just my .02, but I had a key job on my 3 week old VW Jetta. Had the door repainted in black, and it does look great. Just find a GOOD bodyshop. Not so easy...:(
 
I'd try to touch up the key marks before repainting too. If you're willing to wetsand I think it can be done with a paint pen. There are a lot of threads about wetsanding on Autopia, so a search would be a good place to start if you want to investigate that route.



Excellent job, by the way.
 
BEFORES~!



rear_shot_before.jpg


rear_shot_before2.jpg


side_shot_before1.jpg


key_mark2.jpg


fender_scratch2.jpg


hood_before1.jpg


hood_before2.jpg


fender_before.jpg
 
Very litte of the fender scratch left!

fender_scratch_after1.jpg




Key Mark improved about 25%!

key_mark_after1.jpg




Rained about 3 days after, here are two beading pictures!



gotbead2.jpg


gotbead3.jpg
 
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