audicoupej
New member
I last detailed this VW Rabbit about a year ago, but it was only to add some protection before the winter. The owner drives an hour from Ithaca to have it done and his significant other deserves a round of applause for driving a total of 4 hours to pick the owner up and drop him off :clap: It had suffered two dealership washes in the last year. The most recent was 2 days before it was dropped off. The paint came out 95% or so. There are some remaining RIDS on several panels but the Rabbit only has under 8,000 miles on it and winter is about to approach us so I didn't feel it was necessary to strive for 99%+ removal of the RIDS and sacrificing that much clear on vehicle with so much life left. It's a daily driver that's not garaged in Upstate NY.
Process:
Dawn wash
Tires/hubcaps - EO A2Z with a microfiber and tire scrub brush then washed with soap and water
Clay with clay magic blue and Mothers Gold using FK425 as lube
LC 6.5" PFW and Megs 105 via rotary 1400-1900 2-3 passes on each panel
LC 6.5" White concave pad and Menz 85RD via rotary 1100-1400-900
LC 6.5" Red concave pad primed with FK425 to apply FK2180 via PC at 2
FK Pink Wax by hand with a foam applicater primed with FK425 the next day
Tires/Fenders have FK 108
Exhaust tips have Collonite Metal Wax
Aquapel on the glass
Notice the many missed areas from the dealership wash:
Washed and clayed with flash:
Washed and clayed with halogen:
50/50 after PFW and 105 on rear fender with flash:
50/50 without flash after PFW and 105 on rear fender:
Front fender before PFW and 105:
Front fender after PFW and 105:
50/50 of fender after PFW and 105:
The hood had a repaint about a year ago after a mild accient. This shows how bad a dealership wash on soft paint is. Keep in mind this is after only two dealership washes!
After PFW and 105:
Bird bomb etching:
Etching after PFW and 105:
Rear fender before PFW and 105:
After PFW and 105 (the buffer trails polish out easily during the next polishing stage):
Front fender before PFW and 105:
After:
Scratch on front end:
Scratch after PFW and 105 (not 100% but much better):
Afters:
Afters with flash:
No flash afters:
Outside afters with the little sun I had:
Hood reflection shot:
Process:
Dawn wash
Tires/hubcaps - EO A2Z with a microfiber and tire scrub brush then washed with soap and water
Clay with clay magic blue and Mothers Gold using FK425 as lube
LC 6.5" PFW and Megs 105 via rotary 1400-1900 2-3 passes on each panel
LC 6.5" White concave pad and Menz 85RD via rotary 1100-1400-900
LC 6.5" Red concave pad primed with FK425 to apply FK2180 via PC at 2
FK Pink Wax by hand with a foam applicater primed with FK425 the next day
Tires/Fenders have FK 108
Exhaust tips have Collonite Metal Wax
Aquapel on the glass
Notice the many missed areas from the dealership wash:
Washed and clayed with flash:
Washed and clayed with halogen:
50/50 after PFW and 105 on rear fender with flash:
50/50 without flash after PFW and 105 on rear fender:
Front fender before PFW and 105:
Front fender after PFW and 105:
50/50 of fender after PFW and 105:
The hood had a repaint about a year ago after a mild accient. This shows how bad a dealership wash on soft paint is. Keep in mind this is after only two dealership washes!
After PFW and 105:
Bird bomb etching:
Etching after PFW and 105:
Rear fender before PFW and 105:
After PFW and 105 (the buffer trails polish out easily during the next polishing stage):
Front fender before PFW and 105:
After:
Scratch on front end:
Scratch after PFW and 105 (not 100% but much better):
Afters:
Afters with flash:
No flash afters:
Outside afters with the little sun I had:
Hood reflection shot: