DetailersDomain.com - 1st gen 3m clear film removal - Porsche 911 - a must read

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Detailer's Domain: 01 Porsche 911 - Clear Film Removal Nightmare!!!



You've seen this story play out on Facebook and Instagram, here it is in its entirety.



Subject: an 01 Porsche 911 Carrera needing some much needed love.

Requirements: Remove 1st gen 3M Paint Protection Film - wow has clear film gone a long way! - Full paint correction, Quick Engine Detail, Interior Detail.



This 01 Porsche 911 had a pre cut 1st generation 3m clear film on the car installed when new, unfortunately I'm not sure why dealers sell products without providing proper information to clients. We try very hard to let customers know that clear film should last 3-5 years before it should be removed and or replaced. Clear film will turn and change color over time. It can scratch and it can haze. Some can be polished out and some can not. This takes it to a new level, 12 years of being on the paint without proper car or attention or just old technology? After 20 hours (I know I'm gonna get all the critics for this one, so I'm ready) we were able to remove all the clear film off the mirrors, partial hood, leading edge, and full front bumper. Material used - plastic razor blades, 30 or so mf towels (tossed out later as the adhesive embedded in the towels) 10 microfiber cutting pads, 4 gallons of water in the steamer, lots of blood (bloody knuckles) and blisters. While removing the film we found the installer broke the Porsche crest without replacing it (I've seen this before but why not do the right thing and replace it), the new one is on order and will be shipped to the customer.



After the clear film removal we were able to get 85% + level of paint correction on this car, the normal trouble spots we were not able to approach - hard water spots on the rear decklid and around the rear Carrera badge, years of left over compound and polishes. We danced around those area to avoid breaking the emblem. The products used to correct the paint were Menzerna FG400 with an Meg's MF Cutting Pad, Adam's Paint Correcting Polish with Meg's MF Cutting Pad and Adam's Orange Pad, and finally to get the Guards Red to pop like a candy shell we used Sonax Perfect Finish with an Uber Orange Pad this was all done with the Rupes Bigfoot LHR15 and LHR21. To protect this new found shine and look we used Sonax Polymer Net Shield.



Interior was cleaned up with a quick vac, carpets extracted, leather cleaned and conditioned. (all products used listed below)



Engine was hit quickly with APC and agitated and Adam's In and Out Spray was used to dress it out. (all products used listed below)



Exterior



- Wheels were prepped with Sonax Wheel Cleaner and cleaned up with various brushes

- Tires were spritzed down with Adam’s All Purpose Cleaner and washed down

- Wheel wells were cleaned up

- Washed with Adam's Car Wash

- Decon with Wolf's Decon Gel

- Wash down and rinsed

- Door jambs were cleaned up

- Nano Scrub AutoScrub

- Dried

- Tires dressed

- Masking

- Paint Measurement

- Compound - Menzerna FG400

- Final Polish - Sonax Nano Polish

- Last step - Auto Finesse Desire

- Inspection with Fenix, Brinkmann, and natural sunlight

- Wheel wells were cleaned and dressed

- Rubber and Plastics Treated

- Exterior windows and mirrors cleaned and sealed

- Exhaust tips cleaned

- Windows were auto scrubed, cleaned, and sealed



Interior:

- Complete interior steam cleaned

- Complete interior vac

- Vinyl/Plastics cleaned up

- Leather cleaned and condition



Engine

- Clean

- Dress



Links to products used -



Adam's Car Wash

Auto Finesse Iron Out

Stoner's Tarminator

Auto Finesse Oblitarate

Adam's All Purpose Cleaner

Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner

NanoSkin AutoScrub System

Menzerna FG400

Adam's Paint Correcting Polish

Sonax Perfect Finish

Sonax Polymer Net Shield

Adam's Super VRT

Auto Finesse Crystal Glass Cleaner

Auto Finesse Mercury Metal Polish



Interior

1Z einszett Plastic Deep Cleaner

1Z einszett Cockpit

Leather Master Rapid S

Adam's Leather Conditioner



Tools used

Uber Wool Wash Mitt

Uber No Name MF Towels

Griot's 6 inch Random Orbital Polisher

Rupes LHR75

Rupes BigFoot LHR 21ES Random Orbital Polisher

Rupes BigFoot LHR 15ES Random Orbital Polisher

Uber Buffing Pads

Adam's Orange Pad

Meg's MF Cutting Pad

Defelsko Paint Meter

Fenix TK35

Brinkmann

Kranzle Pressure Washer

Uber Foam Canon

2 Grit Guard Buckets with Caddies

Adam's Firehose Nozzle

Metro Air Force Blaster



Interior before

Leather Master Strong Cleaner used on the leather





1z einszett Plastic Deep Cleaner used over Cockpit for cleaning ability, take a look at how much dirt and grim was pulled off the plastics and leather.





Carpet were cleaned up





Dirt and grime coming out of the mats





Questionable stains on the rear seats - maybe mold, something spilled







After seat cushion





Under the cushions we found







After









Engine: Before







During











Engine: After - a nice quick clean up so the motor job is more complete, this was not a concours leave engine detail - it was clean and dress.







Clear film removal



The mirror





Don't let your clear film get this bad.













Steam - 4 gallons of water used





and now the plastic razor - we repeated these steps till all the clear film was removed, following that we used Tarminator and Obiltarate to soften the adhesive, then we sacrificed more than a few microfiber cutting pads with various compounds to clear it out.











Close up













 
Pieces of the clear film in the vac









Some of the products used (most were thrown out already)





The moment we all say AHHHHHHHHHH











Broken Porsche crest







Wheel wells were hit up with some Adam's APC and the Wheel Woolies







Wheels cleaned up

Before





Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner













Tires hit with APC and brushed







Full prep on the car after the film removal





Before shots

Hard water spots/dull paint/swirls/scratches/bird poo - this is as good as it gets.















Paint Correction

50/50 shot





50/50 shot





50/50 pass door





50/50 of the pass door and front fender





After

Close up







50/50 shot

 
Finishing touches (Pre wow followed by Black Wow - advised the customer that this would be a temporary solution and the fading may come back)









Pre Wow pulled quite a bit of dirt and grime off.





Black wow applied









Afters























































Just a recap

Before





After





Enjoy
 
Beautiful car! And I feel your pain removing that clear bra, I had some old decals on a truck the guy wanted removed, I ended up sending him to a friend that does bodywork - he has one of those wheel gizmo's that takes it right off. I'd get one too if I had more jobs that required it but at 250-300 bucks, I can't justify it.
 
Removing the clear bra was definitely a royal pain in the tookas, but the car came out fantastic! :xyxthumbs
 
Phil,



That film is a MIRROR of what we just got done with in the shop. 2002 BMW 330ci 'vert, film looked exactly like that. I feel your pain, it was an AWFUL tedious job to remove.



Brian
 
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