Pats300zx
Super Moderator
Awesome work guys. A true testament to your dedication. Subscribed to this thread for sure 
The AutoLavish depository: A Living, Continuous Thread
- Thread starter jlb85
- Start date
ADetailedFinish
New member
Great thread and great work guys!! Keep it up and keep busy!
2008 Audi R8
This has to be one of the best build sports cars ever. It feels so very solid, precise, crisp. Things fit beautifully, everything feels solid and finished. The owner of this 2008 R8 contacted us to prep this for a sale to make way for a new-er R8
Time was limited to a budget, so we would have to keep any paint correction to a one step. On a black car, this means low correction or buffer trails, so we would have to choose wisely. This also means we would not be able to take many pictures 
Before:
We start with the P21S Total Auto Wash on the engine bay:
... and rinsed off after lots of agitation:
Wheels treated with P21S Wheel Gel:
This has to be one of the best build sports cars ever. It feels so very solid, precise, crisp. Things fit beautifully, everything feels solid and finished. The owner of this 2008 R8 contacted us to prep this for a sale to make way for a new-er R8
Time was limited to a budget, so we would have to keep any paint correction to a one step. On a black car, this means low correction or buffer trails, so we would have to choose wisely. This also means we would not be able to take many pictures Before:
We start with the P21S Total Auto Wash on the engine bay:
... and rinsed off after lots of agitation:
Wheels treated with P21S Wheel Gel:
(Audi R8 continued)
Interior after thorough vacuuming and Einsett:
Washing via foam gun:
You can tell the is no protection on this paint by how much the water adheres to the finish instead of beading:
Next we polished the vehicle to help minimize swirl marks and bring back it's lost luster, and here is the sole picture of the polishing phase:
Engine after:
More afters:
Thanks for looking!
Interior after thorough vacuuming and Einsett:
Washing via foam gun:
You can tell the is no protection on this paint by how much the water adheres to the finish instead of beading:
Next we polished the vehicle to help minimize swirl marks and bring back it's lost luster, and here is the sole picture of the polishing phase:
Engine after:
More afters:
Thanks for looking!
MarcHarris
New member
Holy crap I forgot about the R8!
Ahh, the E46 M3. Smiles, this is one of my favorite cars, the design is so balanced yet aggressive, it has all the performance needed, a great interior, and there is even a convertible and a pretty slick no-shift option. They are great on the road, and great on the track. They take to changes in wheels very well. You can fit large wheels and almost any design looks good on the car. There is plenty of high quality aftermarket support for the car. And their resale value holds well.
This is one of the cleanest customer's car we have ever seen.
I met this vehicle last year when I was giving a client a ride home. He had dropped off another of his vehicle at our place for some services, and we were driving him home. We were in my E36 M3, and he mentioned he had an E46 M3 in the garage. As soon as I saw it I knew this client was hard core. Purchased since new, this car had never been polished. The owner, using grit guards and good detailing products, had maintained the finish in almost perfect condition. The interior is mint, and the engine and everything else on the vehicle looked like it had never been on the road. Under 12k miles on the clock, nice mods properly done (by the same shop that works on my M3!). He mentioned this one could be next for us to detail. I thought all it would need were a few hours.
After the seasons changed, the owner contacted us to do it.
Upon arrival, the vehicle was in its typical ultra clean condition.
It had been driven in light rain, only the second time it had ever seen rain in its life.
Exhaust tips wouldn't need much.
We pulled it outside to start working. The sky was cloudy, which was perfect for this as we could work in the open (the car we had been working on previously that week was in a very tight space for us to work at, so this felt particularly good).
Here, the owner is explaining how the Alcon calipers took the number of pistons from 1 to 6 on the front.
Fikse anodized wheels will be cleaned with P21S gel only.
While Marc works on the faces and holes of the wheels with the 1" brush, I work on the barrels with the wheel brush.
Then tires and a rinse...
The 2 piston rear calipers poke through the rear wheel:
Starting to work on the engine. Here I am aiming at the backside of the radiator/fan module which can only be seen from behind the hood. But I know the dirt likes to hide there!
The easiest way to polish the hood of the E46 M3 is to take the top vent grill off. Just place a towel underneath to keep polish dust from getting on the engine per se.
Foaming all:
And rinsed. That was fast
This is one of the cleanest customer's car we have ever seen.
I met this vehicle last year when I was giving a client a ride home. He had dropped off another of his vehicle at our place for some services, and we were driving him home. We were in my E36 M3, and he mentioned he had an E46 M3 in the garage. As soon as I saw it I knew this client was hard core. Purchased since new, this car had never been polished. The owner, using grit guards and good detailing products, had maintained the finish in almost perfect condition. The interior is mint, and the engine and everything else on the vehicle looked like it had never been on the road. Under 12k miles on the clock, nice mods properly done (by the same shop that works on my M3!). He mentioned this one could be next for us to detail. I thought all it would need were a few hours.
After the seasons changed, the owner contacted us to do it.
Upon arrival, the vehicle was in its typical ultra clean condition.
It had been driven in light rain, only the second time it had ever seen rain in its life.
Exhaust tips wouldn't need much.
We pulled it outside to start working. The sky was cloudy, which was perfect for this as we could work in the open (the car we had been working on previously that week was in a very tight space for us to work at, so this felt particularly good).
Here, the owner is explaining how the Alcon calipers took the number of pistons from 1 to 6 on the front.
Fikse anodized wheels will be cleaned with P21S gel only.
While Marc works on the faces and holes of the wheels with the 1" brush, I work on the barrels with the wheel brush.
Then tires and a rinse...
The 2 piston rear calipers poke through the rear wheel:
Starting to work on the engine. Here I am aiming at the backside of the radiator/fan module which can only be seen from behind the hood. But I know the dirt likes to hide there!
The easiest way to polish the hood of the E46 M3 is to take the top vent grill off. Just place a towel underneath to keep polish dust from getting on the engine per se.
Foaming all:
And rinsed. That was fast
(Silver E46 M3 continued)
After a light clay, we pulled it back in the garage. This is the only picture we have with anything on the clay.
We taped it up for polishing:
We started on the glass. Makita over the hard 3M backing plate over a special glass polishing pad and glass polishing compound:
Polishing was rather straight forward.
After polishing, a final wash to clear out crevices and remove oils:
Sealing the paint was done with Menzerna Power Loc on a gold pad
Wheels got the OptiSeal treatment:
As did the surfaces under the hood:
Plastics and rubber under hood was treated with 303:
Afters:
Sorry for the dirty lens! They really messed up the photos
Thanks for looking!
After a light clay, we pulled it back in the garage. This is the only picture we have with anything on the clay.
We taped it up for polishing:
We started on the glass. Makita over the hard 3M backing plate over a special glass polishing pad and glass polishing compound:
Polishing was rather straight forward.
After polishing, a final wash to clear out crevices and remove oils:
Sealing the paint was done with Menzerna Power Loc on a gold pad
Wheels got the OptiSeal treatment:
As did the surfaces under the hood:
Plastics and rubber under hood was treated with 303:
Afters:
Sorry for the dirty lens! They really messed up the photos
Thanks for looking!
1998 Nissan R-34 Skyline GT-R
The real deal. The cleanest car we have ever worked on. The owner has poured in time, sweat, and money taking this R-34 from Great to Legendary. AutoLavish was called upon to prep the vehicle for a show. No paint correction needed or wanted, just a nice cleaning and wax.
Now imagine how you would be feeling if this were your car, which has never been touched by anyone other than yourself, is in pretty much perfect condition, and is this particular car. That exactly how the owner felt. He was much relieved we treated the vehicle with the same level of care and delicacy as he did, and then some.
We arrive at location and proceed to start cleaning the hard things…
The vehicle was very clean to begin with:
Interior:
Starting by vacuuming as much of the dust as possible:
Looking mighty nice!
The real deal. The cleanest car we have ever worked on. The owner has poured in time, sweat, and money taking this R-34 from Great to Legendary. AutoLavish was called upon to prep the vehicle for a show. No paint correction needed or wanted, just a nice cleaning and wax.
Now imagine how you would be feeling if this were your car, which has never been touched by anyone other than yourself, is in pretty much perfect condition, and is this particular car. That exactly how the owner felt. He was much relieved we treated the vehicle with the same level of care and delicacy as he did, and then some.
We arrive at location and proceed to start cleaning the hard things…
The vehicle was very clean to begin with:
Interior:
Starting by vacuuming as much of the dust as possible:
Looking mighty nice!
(R-34 Continued)
The engine before:
All done with the engine:
Crevices:
Now it is ready for a wash:
Wheels cleaned with just wash shampoo from the foam gun, done one wheel at a time:
Foamed with a light shampoo with extra sudsing foam:
Rinsed:
Then foamed and washed once more:
Rinsed again:
And dried with the leaf blower:
We sealed with this:
The engine before:
All done with the engine:
Crevices:
Now it is ready for a wash:
Wheels cleaned with just wash shampoo from the foam gun, done one wheel at a time:
Foamed with a light shampoo with extra sudsing foam:
Rinsed:
Then foamed and washed once more:
Rinsed again:
And dried with the leaf blower:
We sealed with this:
(R-34 Continued)
Nice and matte as the sealant hazes:
While that sets, we dress the tires:
Front dressed, rear not yet:
So by now you can tell it was very dark, so no good after shots. But expect a full paint correction on this baby sometime next year.
Wheels were sealed as well.
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoy ☺
Nice and matte as the sealant hazes:
While that sets, we dress the tires:
Front dressed, rear not yet:
So by now you can tell it was very dark, so no good after shots. But expect a full paint correction on this baby sometime next year.
Wheels were sealed as well.
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoy ☺
MarcHarris
New member
Whoa - I forgot about the Skyline!
Barry Theal
New member
Wow this is a great read. I love looking at it every once in a while. Keep up the great work
Leadfootluke
New member
This is the first time I have seen this thread.
Very impressive collection of details Jacob, thanks for posting everything so far!
Very impressive collection of details Jacob, thanks for posting everything so far!