You get what you pay for, One of the worst cars I've done!

[Tru_Shine]

This client sent me a message on my Facebook asking me if I could help him out with a little problem he was having with his paint. The Client had mentioned to me that he had someone wetsand and buff his entire Lexus IS350 a few weeks prior. This car was fully repainted by a Lexus Dealership a couple years ago due to a warranty issue with factory paint, So at least we weren't working with the thin factory clear coat. The complaints were swirl marks and sanding scratches were still visible. At this point I had no idea what I was getting my self into but I knew that I could help him out in some way or another. Once I met up the the client to see his car, I had two different types of emotion going on. First, I was in awe. I had never seen a paint surface this JAcked up? I asked the owner if the car was used for a science experiment to see if monkey's could mimic humans buffing on cars, but he answered no? A Local guy (no names are going to be used) gave the owner of the Lexus an offer he couldn't refuse for a Full Wet Sand and Buff for $250. After all of the WOW factor faded away, I started to get excited as I love getting a car like this, it opens an opportunity for me to save a car and show what detailing and paint correction is really about.





Here is a quick video of what the car looked like when I started.



What this Lexus IS350 looked like when I started! - YouTube



The whole car was like this from top to bottom and front to back.



Here is my process of recovery.

First you want to cleanse the surface stripping the paint of any glazes or waxes and other dirt like substances.

After the wash I brought the car in and began my correction process.



Some of these defects were very deep and required me to pull out the rotary buffer to help level out the previous buffer marks.

In this picture, I have only used the Rotary buffer with a LC purple foamed wool pad and M105 to level out the defects

How does one mess up the paint so badly you ask? (*WARNING*-This is going to step on a few toes here, so if you are a soft hearted little gurly man please skip over this part) #HatersGonnaHate



The Typical "Detailer" or "Body Shop guy" will usually grab a Rotary buffer and wool pad with a some "Rocks in a bottle" to buff out a car. In most cases they will have the rotary buffer turned up to a couple thousand rpm's, and the wool pad turned up on its side getting the most aggressive cut you could ask for. While doing this, they are eating through that clear coat like I was eating through YOUR MOMS home cooked meal she made me last night.



After that cutting stage is complete, They use a "GLAZE" which is a Filler product that helps hide and mask the swirls and makes the customer think that the paint looks great until they go to wash it a few days later. *Which reveals what I am showing you in these pics*



I cut and polished half of the hood and brought it out under the sun to show what Black is really suppose to look like.

here is a video of the 50/50 hood shot



This is before and after of the hood- w/ no sealant IS350 - YouTube

Tools & Products



Buffers:

Rotary buffer with Megs w66 BP

Flex 3401

Griot's 6in DA



Pads:

Lake country PFW

LC Cyan

LC Tangerine



Compounds & Polish

Meguiars M105 for cutting

Meguiars M205 for polishing



LSP(Last step Protection)

Black Fire Wet Diamond



Here are a few pictures after pulling it out and checking it

Here is a video of the final outcome!



Final Outcome of this Lexus IS350 - YouTube





And the final outcome.

Thanks for viewing and have a great day



-Eric

 

[Lotuseffect]

Eric,



That is an amazing save. I am guessing you just made a lifelong customer! Holy crap that hack job wasn't even worth 250!



There is a guy in my town who has a 370z with almost asany holograms in it as that one. I left my business card on his windshield a week ago. Just so sad to see once again what can pass for "detailing".



Anyway, awesome stuff, those final pics are as good as any I have ever seen by anyone here. Crystal clarity, depth, gloss, just beautiful. That customers jaw had to just drop when he saw it.

 

[Nth Degree]

Very nice, Eric. Love the cloud shots and the reflection in the lower door (3rd from last photo) is incredible.

 

[Nth Degree]

That customers jaw had to just drop when he saw it.

Now that 50/50 shots are so common I predict the next step is video taping the customers reaction when they first see their car.

 

[Leadfootluke]

Fantastic turnaround Eric, what a huge mess!



I will say, something I love about your posts is that someone who knows nothing about detailing could read your posts and understand what you are doing. I.E in many threads you detail how paint is stripped, how you wash/dry, how SFE wheel cleaner works, clay, etc. Very informational and thorough with your work.

 

[911fanatic]

Awesome save Eric. I can't imagine how the owner felt driving around in a car looking like that.

 

[Tru_Shine]

Fantastic turnaround Eric, what a huge mess!



I will say, something I love about your posts is that someone who knows nothing about detailing could read your posts and understand what you are doing. I.E in many threads you detail how paint is stripped, how you wash/dry, how SFE wheel cleaner works, clay, etc. Very informational and thorough with your work.

Thank you, I usually do my write ups for other car forums that are non detailing related. so I am usually talking to people who have no idea what products im using or when the heck I'm even talking about, lol

 

[Dan]

Excellent work and photography.

 

[white gecko]

Epic transformation Eric!

 

[JohnKleven]

Great work as always. That sure was halogrammed badly.

 

[autoaesthetica]

I looked over the pics first, to kinda see I would read...When I read the part about "an offer he could'nt refuse" I seriously thought it was going to be followed with "...because he was holding him at knifepoint".



Very nice finish, esp after that 105 step. How was the repaint? Did you end up doing some refinish work of the paint? Or was that "provided" by the other guy?

 

[dschribs]

Incredible. Do you think you could have gotten then same results via DA - in other words - did you use the rotary just as a time saver or was there no other way to save this paint????



Amazing photos. Now THAT's black.

 

[Knox Details]

Killer work there Eric! It incredible how bad that thing was. Awesome recovery!

 

[mikenap]

'Tis the season for beat-up paint and rotten interiors, apparently. Nothing short of a complete transformation there Eric. Beautiful work, and nice write-up too!:hail:

 

[Tru_Shine]

I looked over the pics first, to kinda see I would read...When I read the part about "an offer he could'nt refuse" I seriously thought it was going to be followed with "...because he was holding him at knifepoint".



Very nice finish, esp after that 105 step. How was the repaint? Did you end up doing some refinish work of the paint? Or was that "provided" by the other guy?

The wetsand job was actually really good. I didn't have to go over any., but you can obviously tell how the buffing work was finished out.

Incredible. Do you think you could have gotten then same results via DA - in other words - did you use the rotary just as a time saver or was there no other way to save this paint????



Amazing photos. Now THAT's black.

I always try the surbuff/105 combo first, weather its on my Flex or Griot's, but this time it just wasn't cutting it(no pun intended). so that's when I pulled out the rotary, and it was a breeze after that.

 

[Brad B]

Amazing job. You tripled the value of the car! Nice reflection shots!