Uber M3 Hot Import Nights Show Prep
You might recall that DetailingGurus detailed the Uber M3 in March The owner gave us a call, asking us to help prepare the car for a serious go at possibly winning the Hot Import Nights show the following weekend in Concord, NC. The car was in decent shape, with no oxidation whatsoever, very few water spots, but quite a few swirls. A show car that receives a lot of preening and pruning is inevitably going to see some light surface scratches reappear, but a strict regimen of wipe-downs with quick detail spray and microfiber towels will go a long way towards ensuring the owner has more success in maintaining a swirl-free finish in the future.
Abbreviated Detail Summary:
As we found out with our previous experience with the Uber M3, the super-hard PPG clear coat requires a heavy cut, even for minor surface swirls. A single pass with the Medium cut Edge 2k yellow twisted wool/acrylic pad with Menzerna Super Intensive Polish quickly leveled the paint to remove the heavier swirls. The micromarring seen is typical of a heavy cut.
Multiple, slow passes were made with Menzerna 106ff on an Edge 2k white 6" finishing pad to further remove swirls and micromarring, leaving a highly reflective, glossy finish.
This is the kind of finish required when showing the car under harsh Sodium lighting at major car shows. Hopefully it will pick up a few more trophies to add to those seen in the background here:
Wheels were polished with the help of a Mother's Powerball and some Optimum Polish. The owner likes to get hands-on with the detailing on his car and was instrumental in the shine seen here!
After discussing the options for an LSP with the owner, we settled on going straight to a quality
Carnauba wax after preparation with an automotive Paint Cleaner (PrepSol, Prep-All, or the equivalent). We had used a sealant in the past, but decided that the long-lasting protection was not necessary on this car, and that the deep blue metallic color would benefit from a rich
Carnauba wax. Boy were we right!
The richness and depth in color in the deep blue metallic paint really came out with the
Carnauba wax. It definitely suited the car more than the glassy, mirror-like reflections seen with a Sealant.
Afternoon thunderstorms finally let up and allowed us to step outside to take some pictures with the trees reflecting in this stunning paint (that really needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated).
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Abbreviated Detail Summary:
- ONR wash
- Sonus Medium (Gray) Clay / ONR Clay Lube
- Edge 2k Yellow 50/50 twisted wool/acrylic with Menzerna SIP, 1300rpm
- Edge 2k White Foam pad with Menzerna 106ff, 1500rpm
- PrepSol paint cleaner
- Natty's Blue Paste Wax
As we found out with our previous experience with the Uber M3, the super-hard PPG clear coat requires a heavy cut, even for minor surface swirls. A single pass with the Medium cut Edge 2k yellow twisted wool/acrylic pad with Menzerna Super Intensive Polish quickly leveled the paint to remove the heavier swirls. The micromarring seen is typical of a heavy cut.
Multiple, slow passes were made with Menzerna 106ff on an Edge 2k white 6" finishing pad to further remove swirls and micromarring, leaving a highly reflective, glossy finish.
This is the kind of finish required when showing the car under harsh Sodium lighting at major car shows. Hopefully it will pick up a few more trophies to add to those seen in the background here:
Wheels were polished with the help of a Mother's Powerball and some Optimum Polish. The owner likes to get hands-on with the detailing on his car and was instrumental in the shine seen here!
After discussing the options for an LSP with the owner, we settled on going straight to a qualityCarnauba wax after preparation with an automotive Paint Cleaner (PrepSol, Prep-All, or the equivalent). We had used a sealant in the past, but decided that the long-lasting protection was not necessary on this car, and that the deep blue metallic color would benefit from a rich
Carnauba wax. Boy were we right!
The richness and depth in color in the deep blue metallic paint really came out with the
Carnauba wax. It definitely suited the car more than the glassy, mirror-like reflections seen with a Sealant.
Afternoon thunderstorms finally let up and allowed us to step outside to take some pictures with the trees reflecting in this stunning paint (that really needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated).
Thanks for looking! Please Digg this article! Click on the "Digg It" icon.
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