Customer called me back in December to set up having his Tesla Opti-Coated, unfortunately, he wrecked the car a couple weeks after he bought it so between getting it fixed and waiting for the new paint to cure, it wasn't until yesterday I was finally able to get my hands on it. It looked like they did a great job on the repairs, no over spray, orange peel matched up nicely too. But...it looked like someone had been washing it with a brillo pad.
We were working in a parking garage at the hospital the owner works at so lighting was good for a parking garage but still not that great. Good thing I had some halogen lights with me. They also have a car wash service there that is right near the reserved spots for Teslas (that is set up with a charging station) and the guy running the car wash service wasn't exactly glad to see me. Came over to me and asked what we were doing. Told him we were doing a paint correction and coating the Tesla. He said he could have me tossed from the garage, he has a contract to wash cars there. I said the owner already cleared it with the property manager and I am performing a service his car wash couldn't provide. That seemed to calm him down, and he and his buddy got back to dragging a water blade all over a black Aston Martin.
A couple hours later, he came back over to see what we were able to do with the swirls (he'd seen it initially under the lights) and seemed stunned that such a thing was possible. Then he mentioned he'd bought a new Ford truck that when he took it for window tinting, the shop informed him of all these little reddish brown dots all over his truck...and he didn't know what that was. Had to explain what rail dust was and how to remove it. My son was standing off to the side rolling his eyes. Then he started going on about doing a "high speed buff" on a white Volvo some doctor owns. Seemed like a nice guy but not very well trained or knowledgeable about true detailing. My son said he seemed intimidated by me.
Anyhoo....
After
Half n half shots
Finally polished
Full process:
ONR wash, Opti-raser pink (mild) to clay
Rupes Keramik Gloss using an Optimum orange foam cutting pad/Rupes yellow microfiber pad (on deeper swirls) using my Rupes 21 DA
3D HD Polish using a Meguiars yellow foam polishing pad and Rupes DA
Optimum Primer using a Meguiars yellow foam polishing pad and Rupes DA
ONR wipe down (gently! paint was uber soft)
Optimum Coating on the paint and wheels
Optimum Glass Coating on the windshield
Armor All on tires/wheel wells
Wasn't able to get the car 100% swirl free (be a full two day job and double the bill for that) but its at least 90% now. And the owner was completely shocked when he saw the car, said it was way beyond what he expected.
Final shots, touch grainy due to the low level of light in the parking garage. No real convenient place outside (major Dallas hospital) and both the owner and I wanted to get out of the area ASAP before the worst of rush hour choked it down.
We were working in a parking garage at the hospital the owner works at so lighting was good for a parking garage but still not that great. Good thing I had some halogen lights with me. They also have a car wash service there that is right near the reserved spots for Teslas (that is set up with a charging station) and the guy running the car wash service wasn't exactly glad to see me. Came over to me and asked what we were doing. Told him we were doing a paint correction and coating the Tesla. He said he could have me tossed from the garage, he has a contract to wash cars there. I said the owner already cleared it with the property manager and I am performing a service his car wash couldn't provide. That seemed to calm him down, and he and his buddy got back to dragging a water blade all over a black Aston Martin.
A couple hours later, he came back over to see what we were able to do with the swirls (he'd seen it initially under the lights) and seemed stunned that such a thing was possible. Then he mentioned he'd bought a new Ford truck that when he took it for window tinting, the shop informed him of all these little reddish brown dots all over his truck...and he didn't know what that was. Had to explain what rail dust was and how to remove it. My son was standing off to the side rolling his eyes. Then he started going on about doing a "high speed buff" on a white Volvo some doctor owns. Seemed like a nice guy but not very well trained or knowledgeable about true detailing. My son said he seemed intimidated by me.
Anyhoo....
After
Half n half shots
Finally polished
Full process:
ONR wash, Opti-raser pink (mild) to clay
Rupes Keramik Gloss using an Optimum orange foam cutting pad/Rupes yellow microfiber pad (on deeper swirls) using my Rupes 21 DA
3D HD Polish using a Meguiars yellow foam polishing pad and Rupes DA
Optimum Primer using a Meguiars yellow foam polishing pad and Rupes DA
ONR wipe down (gently! paint was uber soft)
Optimum Coating on the paint and wheels
Optimum Glass Coating on the windshield
Armor All on tires/wheel wells
Wasn't able to get the car 100% swirl free (be a full two day job and double the bill for that) but its at least 90% now. And the owner was completely shocked when he saw the car, said it was way beyond what he expected.
Final shots, touch grainy due to the low level of light in the parking garage. No real convenient place outside (major Dallas hospital) and both the owner and I wanted to get out of the area ASAP before the worst of rush hour choked it down.
