2012 Mercedes AMG C63. Owner recently picked it up from the original owner who lived in San Diego. Unfortunately, the paint's condition made me wonder if it had been up north or maybe to the mountains because it looked like someone used a broom to brush snow off it. Lots of diagonal scratches across the hood. The owner wanted as many of the swirls and defects removed as possible within reason (no wetsanding, or spending 6 hours on the hood) and was considering having me apply Opti-Coat to it.
The sun wouldn't cooperate this morning with regards to capturing swirls/scratches on the hood; you can see them if really look.
By the time I got to the sides, I had more sun.
The hood took several slow passes with Meguiars M100, a Meguiars MF cutting pad and my Rupes 21 DA. The PPG Ceramiclear paint is pretty hard!
After M100 and 3D Polish
By the time I finished polishing, the owner had been able to leave work and stop by to check on the car. He was really happy with the amount of defect removal. The car isn't perfect, about 90% corrected, but it would probably take at least twice the time I already had in it to get the last 10%. And the owner felt for a daily driver (and I tend to agree), that the condition it is in now makes chasing perfection not worth the additional time and cost. He said plans on keeping the car about a year, and really didn't want to have to wax it so he was leaning towards Opti-Coat. The other option would be to have me come out in 6 months and go over the paint once with a polish and seal it again and that would save him a little money over applying Opti-Coat. But then that means he'd have to have me out one more time after that prior to selling it. He then looked at my Opti-Coated car and said "that's the look I want".
Opti-Coat it is!
ONR wash, Opti-Raser mild to clay
Optimum Power Clean @ 3:1 dilution and ONR to clean wheels and wheel wells
Meguiars M100 using a Meguiars MF cutting pad and Rupes 21 DA polisher
3D HD Polish using an Optimum MF polishing pad and Rupes 21 DA
ONR Wash
Optimum Opti-Coat on paint and wheels
Optimum Opti-Glass on windshield
Armor All on tires/wheel wells
The sun wouldn't cooperate this morning with regards to capturing swirls/scratches on the hood; you can see them if really look.
By the time I got to the sides, I had more sun.
The hood took several slow passes with Meguiars M100, a Meguiars MF cutting pad and my Rupes 21 DA. The PPG Ceramiclear paint is pretty hard!
After M100 and 3D Polish
By the time I finished polishing, the owner had been able to leave work and stop by to check on the car. He was really happy with the amount of defect removal. The car isn't perfect, about 90% corrected, but it would probably take at least twice the time I already had in it to get the last 10%. And the owner felt for a daily driver (and I tend to agree), that the condition it is in now makes chasing perfection not worth the additional time and cost. He said plans on keeping the car about a year, and really didn't want to have to wax it so he was leaning towards Opti-Coat. The other option would be to have me come out in 6 months and go over the paint once with a polish and seal it again and that would save him a little money over applying Opti-Coat. But then that means he'd have to have me out one more time after that prior to selling it. He then looked at my Opti-Coated car and said "that's the look I want".
Opti-Coat it is! ONR wash, Opti-Raser mild to clay
Optimum Power Clean @ 3:1 dilution and ONR to clean wheels and wheel wells
Meguiars M100 using a Meguiars MF cutting pad and Rupes 21 DA polisher
3D HD Polish using an Optimum MF polishing pad and Rupes 21 DA
ONR Wash
Optimum Opti-Coat on paint and wheels
Optimum Opti-Glass on windshield
Armor All on tires/wheel wells
