WX51 TXR + Menzerna/Clearkote vs Leon Cupra R

[WX51 TXR]

Less than three months old, also suffering from a multitude of sins (heavy swirls, scratches), brought about by the second worst case of dealer preparation I have ever seen (worst case was the 330Ci I posted earlier today). Fortunately the paint was smooth, so no need for claying this time. Here’s the process…



Wash (all done in heavy rain!)



Whole car rinsed at moderate pressure using the Karcher

Alloys treated with Meguiars Wheel Brightener cut 4:1, left 60 secs and rinsed with hose

Whole car foamed with Poorboy’s Slick n Suds (4:1 mix in foam gun) and left to dwell for 5 mins

Whole car rinsed at moderate pressure using the Karcher

All trims and inside the arches treated with Meguiars Safe Degreaser cut 10:1

Whole car washed with Poorboy’s Slick n Suds using lambswool (bodywork) and microfibre (wheels and inside arches) mitts, and the two bucket method

Whole car rinsed with an open-ended hose

Car then moved inside the workshop and dried with waffle weave towels



Polish



Whole car taped with 3434, then machine polished with PC, using Menzerna IP and Lake Country orange light cut pads. The IP removed all the defects in two goes (using 1000W Halogen lighting as a guide), bar an area of serious scratching on the front bumper, which took Menzerna Power Gloss and Lake Country orange light cut spot pads, with maximum pressure and speed. With the defects all out, Clearkote Red Moose Glaze was applied with a Lake Country black glazing pad, to enhance gloss and wetness. All residues were buffed with Poorboy’s Super Thick n Plush towels.



Protect



All bodywork protected with Clearkote Carnuba Moose Wax, buffed using Poorboy's’ Mega Plush towels

All exterior trims treated with 303 Aerospace Protectant, applied using a microfibre pad and buffed after 5 mins with waffle weave towels

Exhaust tips polished with Autosol and protected with Meguiars NXT All Metal Polysh, both applied using Poorboy’s Work Towels

Alloys protected with Klasse All In One, tyres dressed with Blackfire Long Lasting Tyre Gel



And here’s the pics…

 

[WX51 TXR]

Total work time was 10 hours, of which 6 hours were spent machine polishing. I was really happy with the correction work on this one, and the customer was very pleased with the final results. I needed this after the BMW! Only bummer was the amount of cloud when it came to taking the pictures – it was really, really wet in the flesh, and the pictures don’t do it justice. C’est la vie!

 

[InTheAir]

Nicely done.



However, I've never heard of a Leon before.... interesting.

 

[Scottwax]

car! The paint looks beautiful!



Poor lighting is a pain, isn't it? We all go through it though, car looks incredible in person but loses something in the picture taking process.



How well does IP work for you via PC? Any marring?

 

[WX51 TXR]

On VAG paint (Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda) I find it generally leaves a perfect finish when used with Lake Country orange light cut pads. However, on some other paints (Subaru in particular) I find it leaves fine micro-marring, and often requires Final Polish II to bring out a perfect finish. In recent weeks I've been trying out the Optimum line instead, and have found that Compound seems to have as much cut as IP, if not even slightly more, while the Polish seems to be as good as FPII. I like the fact that the Optimum line doesn't dust like the Menzerna polishes, but the downside is the residue is quite oily, and I'm finding Compound in particular clogs my pads. Just wondering though if I'm using it on too high a speed setting? I tend to make the last pass with the Menzerna polishes on speed 6, but just wondering if I should try a slower setting with Compound?

 

[The_Terminator]

Covering the "LEON" with masking tape like that?

You are hardcore!

Your details look beautiful! Just beautiful!