Just bought a BMW... Planning full detail, need some help (pics)

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ExplorerXLT95

New member
First of all, let me say that I have been a member here for quite a while and have not seriously detailed any of my vehicles in about 2 years. Yes I know, a travesty, but I simply lost the interest to detail the vehicles I owned after the Cobra was gone. Well, that changed 13-Jul-2007...



I finally found my wife a nice 2001 BMW 330ci Convertible. Here are the stats:

Exterior Color: Siena Red Metallic

Interior Color: Sand Montana Leather

Options:

- 100% OPTIONS (whatever that means)

- Sport Package

- Premium Package

- STEP-TRONIC Transmission

- Xenon Headlights

- Black Soft Top



Two quick pics:

P7130004r.JPG


P7130005r.JPG




I would like this vehicle to serve as my re-motivation to detail. I already did a preliminary cleaning of the vehicle just to get it to a somewhat respectable state; no wax, just a good scrubbing. I know that there's a coat of wax on it from the dealership (water still beads nicely), but I know this vehicle can look much, much better.



I have two basic concerns at this point: the viability of my products (most of which are going on 3 years of age) and two problem spots in the interior of the vehicle.



Here is a listing of what I have (most purchased mid-summer of 2004):

- Klass AIO and HGSG

- Pinnacle Souveran

- Menzerna IP, FPII and FTG

- 3M SMR for Dark Colored Paints

- Eimann Fabrik Powerwash+

- Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo

- Pinnacle Poly-clay bar (out of lubricant)

- Pinnacle Crystal Myst QD spray

- Plexus (1 newer bottle)

- Porsche Tequipment Insect Remover

- PC 7424 w/ 6" velcro plate (plus tons of white, yellow and black pads)

- Viper MF towels (including 4 'Magic Towels', plus tons of regular and glass-cleaning towels)

- Big and Little Blue Towels (multiple)

- Meguiar's All-Purpose Cleaner (diluted and used for engine degreasing, etc)

- Luster Lace and Revitalizer (used for stainless steel exhaust polishing)

- Aerospace 303 Fabric Guard/Protectant

- Lexol Cleaner/Protectant

- Blackfire Interior Detailing Kit

- MF wash-mitt

- Various foam/MF/terry-cloth pads

- Garden Hose water filter (from Garden Hose Filters)

- Eagle One Tire Wet (aerosol)

- Tire swipes (SUV and Car)

- Various horse-hair scrub brushes



Here are my questions:

1) Should I replace 3 yr old Klasse AIO and HGSG? They have not been in a very well climate-controlled environment (outside shed). AIO does not appear to be as thick as it once was (even after significant shaking) and there is not a lot left. I have not tried HGSG yet and have used it significantly less in the past...



2) Should I replace 3 yr old Pinnacle Souveran? Again, they have not been in a very well climate-controlled environment (outside shed). If I should replace it, I recall that P21S was an acceptable replacement. Is it?



3) I really feel like I should throw away all my old pads and start over. What pads do I need to be able to accommodate each of the Menzerna and Klasse products? Ideally, I'd like to have a single pad for a single product. I am VERY out-of-touch with the current pad technology.



4) Should I purchase new MF towels for exterior detailing? Mine are at least 3-4 years old. Some have stains that do not come out in the wash (liquid Tide; no fabric softeners) and some are getting noticeably less plush. What towels are good (and cheap) nowadays?



5) What is a good product for removing what appears to be water spotting and/or fading on metal (chrome or polished aluminum?) window trim?



6) What is a good product to protect wheels from brake dust without having to clean them every 2 weeks? (P21S Wheel Cleaner, Sonus Gel Wheel Cleaner, Amazing Roll Off, or Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity Cleaner??)



7) How can I repair faded/discolored leather? I have a section in the rear seating area where there is noticeable discoloration of the leather. I have no idea what it is from. I will try to get a picture up as soon as possible.



8) How can I repair faded/discolored vinyl? There is a section on the convertible top cover (the part seen when the top is down) that is discolored uniformely around the outer edge of the cover. I believe it is vinyl, but I suppose it COULD be leather. I will try to get a picture up as soon as possible.



9) How can I get wrinkles out of leather? The leather in certain areas of the car is a little wrinkled. Not very much cracking at all, but just wrinkles here and there. Is there any good cure for this? I will try to get a picture up as soon as possible.



10) What is a good cleaner and a good protectant for convertible tops? I found this link: BMW E46 Convertible Top Cleaners/Protectors on properautocare.com, but which do I choose?





Thanks in advance for any input or advice you have, my fellow Autopians!!
 
ExplorerXLT95 said:
Here are my questions:

1) Should I replace 3 yr old Klasse AIO and HGSG? They have not been in a very well climate-controlled environment (outside shed). AIO does not appear to be as thick as it once was (even after significant shaking) and there is not a lot left. I have not tried HGSG yet and have used it significantly less in the past...
Click to expand...



I would think that the products would all be OK. I know I've read posts where people have had Klasse a lot longer than that and not had problems with it. AIO and SG are watery thin products.



2) Should I replace 3 yr old Pinnacle Souveran? Again, they have not been in a very well climate-controlled environment (outside shed). If I should replace it, I recall that P21S was an acceptable replacement. Is it?
Click to expand...



I'd say not to throw that away either. I've had mine that long and I still use it. I've got a tub of Nattys that I melted down and put in the refrigerator because it was all cracked up and it still works fine.



3) I really feel like I should throw away all my old pads and start over. What pads do I need to be able to accommodate each of the Menzerna and Klasse products? Ideally, I'd like to have a single pad for a single product. I am VERY out-of-touch with the current pad technology.
Click to expand...



If it used to work, you can rest assured that it probably still does. If the pads are quality, I'd keep them. As for which pads to use. That depends on the paint. I'd go with a light cutting pad or polishing pad depending on the marring (the car looks good in the pics, but pics can be tricky) for the Menzerna. I'd use a polishing pad for the AIO and *I* apply SG by hand with an MF applicator.



4) Should I purchase new MF towels for exterior detailing? Mine are at least 3-4 years old. Some have stains that do not come out in the wash (liquid Tide; no fabric softeners) and some are getting noticeably less plush. What towels are good (and cheap) nowadays?
Click to expand...



If they're getting less plush, then I'd say go ahead and get rid of them. I'd check out Excel Detail or Danase on here and see what kind of deals they have going. They're both very competitively priced and provide great service.



5) What is a good product for removing what appears to be water spotting and/or fading on metal (chrome or polished aluminum?) window trim?
Click to expand...



I have polished aluminum wheels on my car and I use S100 polishing soap for the first polishing step. If the trim is coated or is plastic, dont use the S100 soap on it. I've also got some Poorboys Pro Polish that is pretty useful in many situations.



6) What is a good product to protect wheels from brake dust without having to clean them every 2 weeks? (P21S Wheel Cleaner, Sonus Gel Wheel Cleaner, Amazing Roll Off, or Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity Cleaner??)
Click to expand...



After cleaning your wheels well, seal them with a sealant. You can just use the Klasse that you already have, or you can pick up a dedicated wheel sealant such as Poorboys or Wheel wax. The idea is that they'll clean up without the use of harsh cleaners if you use sealant on them. I dont know if you can stop them from dusting, it's a Bimmer. :D



7) How can I repair faded/discolored leather? I have a section in the rear seating area where there is noticeable discoloration of the leather. I have no idea what it is from. I will try to get a picture up as soon as possible.
Click to expand...



I cant be of much help here. Never dyed leather myself.



8) How can I repair faded/discolored vinyl? There is a section on the convertible top cover (the part seen when the top is down) that is discolored uniformely around the outer edge of the cover. I believe it is vinyl, but I suppose it COULD be leather. I will try to get a picture up as soon as possible.



9) How can I get wrinkles out of leather? The leather in certain areas of the car is a little wrinkled. Not very much cracking at all, but just wrinkles here and there. Is there any good cure for this? I will try to get a picture up as soon as possible.
Click to expand...



I'm not much help here either I'm afraid.



10) What is a good cleaner and a good protectant for convertible tops? I found this link: BMW E46 Convertible Top Cleaners/Protectors on properautocare.com, but which do I choose?
Click to expand...



I've used the 303 kit (top cleaner and fabric guard). I've not detailed any cars with worn out tops or anything and the 303 stuff worked great.





HTH
 
What are the non-acronym versions of the following products and where can I find them:



1) EC

2) SIP

3) Poli Seal

4) EZ Creme

5) Opti Seal
 
Don't have any answers for you, but I wanted to drop in and say that is a nice looking car. Mind telling us the mileage and what kind of deal you go on it?
 
ExplorerXLT95 said:
4) Should I purchase new MF towels for exterior detailing? Mine are at least 3-4 years old. Some have stains that do not come out in the wash (liquid Tide; no fabric softeners) and some are getting noticeably less plush. What towels are good (and cheap) nowadays?
Click to expand...





It is real tough to beat the orange Zoom MF towels from Target, they work great & are cheap.



I was at Target a few days ago & they had lowered the already cheap price even more, I bought four packs of the towels & they where something like $.50 a piece.



~John
 
You've got some good advice here so I will only comment on a couple.



3) Pads can be expensive. You didn't mention an Orange pad. Assuming they're LC then the orange is a nice step between the yellow and white. Also, have they been stored in plastic? You may want to clean them well before using.



4) Quality towels last a long time. If you're thinking about new ones there are plenty of vendors. I've heard good things about Danase and I love pakshak's discounts on bulk orders.



9) I own several BMW's and the leather wrinkles are normal. It's just part of the aging process. Keep them well conditioned and don't worry about wrinkles.
 
ExplorerXLT95 said:
What are the non-acronym versions of the following products and where can I find them:



1) EC

2) SIP

3) Poli Seal

4) EZ Creme

5) Opti Seal
Click to expand...



EC - Hi Temp Extreme Cut ( HTEC )

SIP - Menzerna Super Intensive Polish

Poli-Seal - Optimum Poli-Seal ( OPS )

EZ Creme - Chemical Guys EZ Creme Glaze

Opti-Seal - Optimum Opti-Seal ( OOS )
 
intoran said:
Don't have any answers for you, but I wanted to drop in and say that is a nice looking car. Mind telling us the mileage and what kind of deal you go on it?
Click to expand...



It has an excellent maintenance history, it had 75K and I got it for $19,375, including a brand new set of tires and brand new BMW floormats. The vehicle is in excellent condition mechanically. The exterior and interior have been taken care of, though, not as well as a fellow Autopian would have. They obviously took decent care of it.



jmorton10 said:
It is real tough to beat the orange Zoom MF towels from Target, they work great & are cheap.



I was at Target a few days ago & they had lowered the already cheap price even more, I bought four packs of the towels & they where something like $.50 a piece.



~John
Click to expand...



Now I want cheap, but not to the extreme of significantly reducing quality. In otherwords, I want a good solution that is as cheap as possible while still being a good solution. Call me a detailing snob, but right off the bat without having used them, I am not open to the idea of using Target-bought towels on the BMW. Have many used them and recommend them?



pigbat said:
You've got some good advice here so I will only comment on a couple.



3) Pads can be expensive. You didn't mention an Orange pad. Assuming they're LC then the orange is a nice step between the yellow and white. Also, have they been stored in plastic? You may want to clean them well before using.



4) Quality towels last a long time. If you're thinking about new ones there are plenty of vendors. I've heard good things about Danase and I love pakshak's discounts on bulk orders.



9) I own several BMW's and the leather wrinkles are normal. It's just part of the aging process. Keep them well conditioned and don't worry about wrinkles.
Click to expand...



Obviously I'd like to not have to buy new pads if possible, but at the same time, I do not want to use the wrong tools for the job. I've used mostly white pads and the black pad once for Klasse HGSG. They have been stored in plastic, but not air-tight plastic. How does one clean them well enough to not have to worry about mixing products on the same pad?



I guess it's really only 1 or 2 of the MF towels I have that are starting to lose plushness. The blue, green and yellow Viper towels I have are still pretty soft. I will look at Danase, Pakshak, Excel Detail and CMA to see what they're offerring.



I guess I'll try not to worry about the wrinkles too much, but I truly wish they could be flat like from the factory again.



grease said:
EC - Hi Temp Extreme Cut ( HTEC )

SIP - Menzerna Super Intensive Polish

Poli-Seal - Optimum Poli-Seal ( OPS )

EZ Creme - Chemical Guys EZ Creme Glaze

Opti-Seal - Optimum Opti-Seal ( OOS )
Click to expand...



Cool, thanks! Any of those polishes work well when used with a PC, not a rotary?





I really need to get some close-up paint pics of each quarter panel in appropriate lighting, the two interior issues, and all of my supplies. I'll try to do that by Saturday.
 
Still haven't gotten the pics up yet, but it's been gloomy and rainy here recently so I haven't been very motivated.



Got a few more questions though:

1) Is P21S a suitable replacement for Pinnacle Souveran?



2) Can a PC7424 achieve the proper cutting ability with the correct pad and Menzerna IP, FPII and FTG to remove slight swirl marks and spider webbing? If so, what pads would be ideal for each of these, using a PC7424?



EDIT:



3) Is the following an acceptable way to wash PC7424 pads:

- Wash in bucket of carwash and water

- Rinse thoroughly

- Wring-out any excess water

- Allow to air dry



My concern is having left-over residue of previous products on pads, and then using a different product on the pad and getting undesired results.
 
ExplorerXLT95 said:
Anybody got anything for me?
Click to expand...



I'm still very much a newbie, and based on your inventory I'm willing to wager you have more experience than I. That said I had pretty good results on a black carerra with a ton of swirls this weekend with the following steps:



wash/clay/wash

IP by pc with yellow ccs compounding pad

FFPII by pc with white ccs

kaio with white ccs

AJT



*shrug* If that beamer were mine and I had your inventory I'd probably go IP, FFPII, glaze, kaio, souveran.



Regarding pad cleaning--if you don't mind spending a couple bucks, I used the snappy pad cleaning stuff and it did an awesome job cleaning my pads. After which I let them sun dry before putting them in plastic bags. I found it a lot easier to do that then wash your way, but I don't think your method will hurt the pads any.
 
I will be tackling this vehicle's exterior tomorrow. Here's what I'm planning on doing:



1) Wash (Eimann Fabrik Powerwash+)

2) Clay (Pinnacle PolyClay w/ Meguiar's clay lube)

3) Wash (Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo)

4) Polish (Menzerna FPII by PC w/ LC yellow pad)

5) Cleanse/Prep (Klasse AIO by PC w/ LC white pad)

6) Glaze (Menzerna FTG by PC w/ LC white pad)

7) Seal (Klasse HGSG by PC w/ LC black pad)

8) Wax (Pinnacle Souveran by hand/foam applicator)

Tires: Meguiar's #38

Plastic: Plexus

Glass: SIG

Convt Top: 303 Aerospace Fabric Guard



My main point of concern is how the AIO, FTG and HGSG will play together. If you have any suggestions on these steps, please feel free to share. Thanks in advance!!
 
ExplorerXLT95 said:
I will be tackling this vehicle's exterior tomorrow. Here's what I'm planning on doing:



1) Wash (Eimann Fabrik Powerwash+)

2) Clay (Pinnacle PolyClay w/ Meguiar's clay lube)

3) Wash (Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo)

4) Polish (Menzerna FPII by PC w/ LC yellow pad)

5) Cleanse/Prep (Klasse AIO by PC w/ LC white pad)

6) Glaze (Menzerna FTG by PC w/ LC white pad)

7) Seal (Klasse HGSG by PC w/ LC black pad)

8) Wax (Pinnacle Souveran by hand/foam applicator)

Tires: Meguiar's #38

Plastic: Plexus

Glass: SIG

Convt Top: 303 Aerospace Fabric Guard



My main point of concern is how the AIO, FTG and HGSG will play together. If you have any suggestions on these steps, please feel free to share. Thanks in advance!!
Click to expand...



So this is a bulletproof process? No one has any comments/suggestions/advice/concerns?
 
I was confused about the same thing and elected not to use a glaze. If I were to use one, I was going to reverse your steps 5 and 6 as I was also concerned about having anything between my AIO and sealant. :nervous:
 
Gopher said:
I was confused about the same thing and elected not to use a glaze. If I were to use one, I was going to reverse your steps 5 and 6 as I was also concerned about having anything between my AIO and sealant. :nervous:
Click to expand...



Right, but if we go with FTG prior to AIO, won't AIO just remove the FTG?



Anyone?
 
AIO will definitely remove a glaze. You would glaze after polish/AIO and before wax/sealant.

General comment: I would try what you have and get back in the swing of things/process and then add a few new tools/products. I could recommend a ton of products but everyone has their favorites.

Nice looking BMW.
 
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