Detailing Day for my scoobs again :)

[presa900]

Looking very good bigman , especially the black STi, the missus has a black car which is so difficult to keep looking mint, no matter how you clean it you still get visible fine scratches in the paintwork, I use the Meguiars three stage system on the 1 which gives excellent results, not so good on the black car tho' can anyone suggest a better product and method for removal of these scratches prior to polishing

[The Swede]

Yup, presa !

If the car is very dirty, I use Carplan paint cleaner to gently polish out bigger scratches.

Then I used the Zymol paint cleaner to get residu's of the former out and ensure the Zymol bonds well.

Then I put Zymol Concours on the car. See result below (no holograms ). Car now 5 years old and 85K miles, and doesn't have an easy life as used in Northern Finland, carwashed in winter, etcetc.




Before a wash



After the wash, simply using a local "water and brushes" carwash (No wax was applied and car hadn't been Zymoled for 9 months !)

[WR1 Bro]

I'm sure those pics do the car a little too much of a favour...

Not waxed for 9 months

[The Swede]

What do you mean with the picture do the car too much favour? They're standard pics taken with a little digital camera and not much light actually.

I am actually always surprised how good the car looks even after a quick wash.
That being said, the paint on the Merc is of better quality than the paint I had on the scoob. It's much easier to get it to a good finish.

9 months between waxes indeed ! The issue being that in Finland, we got a very long winter and an even longer period where it's not more than 10C (in which case the Zymol doesn't bond well). Combine that with lot of travel,...
The pic was taken in June and the car was last Zymoled in August/September the year before.

[WR1 Bro]

Black cars, taken in poor light look mint...

I've taken pics of my blakc Golf and it looks spanking in the poor light. In reality the bodywork is shocking! Dents, swirls, scratches, chips (not like the ones on Pasty's shoulder at the moment).

[The Swede]

True.

Unfortunately, the bottom ones are taken on a clouded day at 66 degrees North where the light is never great, except between Feb and April when the sun reflects on the snow.

The top two ones are taken in Southern France though and I think the first one is also close enough to show the bodywork has no swirlmarks or anything after waxing.

[WR1 Bro]

True.

Unfortunately, the bottom ones are taken on a clouded day at 66 degrees North where the light is never great, except between Feb and April when the sun reflects on the snow.

The top two ones are taken in Southern France though and I think the first one is also close enough to show the bodywork has no swirlmarks or anything after waxing.

Surely the France pics are years old... I seem to remember these pics around the time you were upsetting many people with the towbar insults?

[The Swede]

They're summer 2006 if I am not mistaken and the car is 2002.

Main point is that it's not a brand new car at all where you'd expect an unblemished paint.

It's a car that suffered harsh climate, intensive use and is black.

Presa900's question was how to get a black paint polished so it looks

Just gave him a possible method.

[presa900]

Thanks for the response Sandy, I will be giving that a go

How do you and Bro apply the mentioned products?

I assume by hand with applicator pads etc rather than machine dual or rotary
action rotary polishers as you have maintained a higher original quality
level with your paintwork.

The missus takes her car onto construction sites and did get site
operatives to pressure wash it and clean it with a brush until I found
out Hence its in a bit of a state so it may need machine polishing,
something that I know takes skill and can go very wrong if not done
properly, may be worth getting it done by an experienced valeter

[The Swede]

Presa

If the paint is badly damaged, then a first polish with a machine and a good cutter might be necessary. Try Carplan T-Cut for metallic paints.
Potentially also then treat with a coloured paste.

Then I'd clean it with Zymol HD Cleanse (HD Cleanse).

This you do with an applicator and buff with microfiber, never with a machine !

Following that, you use Concours wax.
This wax you apply by hand and buff up with microfiber.

If you want any, I will order some from the US by end of this week.

See post in Car Care.

[bbigman2000]

What do you work as out in Finland swede ?>

[SPIKE LIKE MIKE]

What do you work as out in Finland swede ?>

The skinniest "SNOWMAN" on the planet

[bbigman2000]

pmsl,must be cool livin out there anyway

[SPIKE LIKE MIKE]

pmsl,must be cool livin out there anyway

More cold than cool

[bbigman2000]

I daresay have you got a dog team for the real depths of winter swede ?

[The Swede]

No, I put my ex-wife in front of the sledge !

[bbigman2000]

pmsl, muzzle her up