Pre-prom detail, my '09 GTI, lots of pics!

I'm 16, nearly 17, and just started detailing cars for money. I got some samples of several products (Thanks Denzil!) and I've been trying stuff out. I've done two of my neighbor's cars, and will be doing several more after spring break. I've been wanting to do a full detail on my GTI for a long time, but I haven't had the opportunity. To make a long story short, I scraped a tree with the bumper, and had to take it to a bodyshop. Thank GOD I gave it a quick wash to get all the salt and grime off it before they got their hands on it, they marred it some on the hood and doors with whatever they washed it with...and the car was spotless when they got it! They detailed my dirty interior also, so I didn't get a chance to do it either. But last weekend was prom, so I spent all Friday afternoon detailing it. I'm really slow, so I need to work on speed. It's taken me 3.5-4 hours to do my first two cars but then both of them were the soccer mom runabout, filthy! On to detailing stuff...

Exterior

Megs Gold Class car wash soap, foamed the car with a cheap fertilizer sprayer

MS 2:1 SGS on my brake rotors, various brushes on the wheels.

Tires dressed with Megs Hot shine spray (I need something better, I needed a dressing and that's all I could find locally)

Interior

Wiped down with microfiber and Megs APC, 10:1 and 4:1

Dressed with Poorboys Natural Look


Now...pictures! Here's some befores. I never let my car get too dirty, but I'm OCD when I detail it so it takes forever.












So, on to cleaning. First thing I did was clean the brake rotors with MS SGS 2:1, since I've read that it's effective in wheel/tire cleaning diluted as such. It used all of my sample to get it diluted but it worked great!



I just cleaned the wheels and tires with Megs Gold Class car wash soap, brushes, and an old sea sponge. Nothing ever gets caked on my wheels so I don't need anything more aggressive than that.

Then I sprayed it with the hose, tried to get as much crud off as possible. Then I foamed it with that sprayer I got. I'm still messing with dilution ratios of soap to water, I think I need more soap. I used 4 ounces to half full of water. I try to keep my paint from getting marred too much, there's already some swirling from where my dad would insist that using a dirtyish sponge would be fine for washing :yikes: . Thank God I found this site.





Then I washed it using the two bucket method and a sheepskin mitt. Now, on to the interior!

Vacuumed it, then wiped it down with Megs APC and Costco microfiber towels. Dressed it with PB's Natural Look. It works great, and I get compliments on how good my car smells. Used megs apc and some brushes to clean my floormats. Doorjambs weren't dirty, just needed a wipedown with a MF towel after I washed it. Same with the engine bay, I just wiped everything down. After pics!







I dunno if you can tell by this picture, but the rear bumper (repainted by the bodyshop) is swirled, WAY worse than the rest of the car. Not sure how they managed that.






My awesome stickers. The DON'T PANIC one turns off the traction control.




I like this shot, both of my cars chillin' out.


I had more before pictures, but I can't seem to find them. I probably posted too many as-is. Anyway, thanks for reading, if you have any tips/critiques of my method please let me know, I'm just starting out so a lot of this is new to me.

 

Lookin good man, keep it up and you will be posting some good detail threads before you know it. Don't worry about time, worry about the quality!!

 

Great job on the GTI man! Makes me want huffs on my baby...what LSP is on it now?

Speed will come with time, just focus on quality and the speed will come as you get more details under your belt.

Just one suggestion, loose the dealer sticker under the GTI badge.

 

Zymol cleaner wax, picked it up at Target on clearance for $6.

haha, as for the dealer badge, it's gonna stay at least for now. My parents would NOT let me remove it, and I figure that if the car is still around in 40 years, someone will be glad that the original dealer badge is still there.

 

sweet deal man. 3.5-4 hours is about right depending on the job and how bad things are . . . . . if you are doing some polishing work and stuff expect around double that give or take again depending on the job.

 

love the buttons. niiccceeeeeee. looks red again. good job

 

V dubbbbbbb

 

ludicrous speed. thats :lol:

 

great work! Love that GTI!!!

 

My thoughts exactly... worry about quality first and then once you have that down, you can work on reducing your time consumption.

I'm glad you're using the samples I gave ya, you're quite welcome! I agree with Ankeet, I would remove the dealer sticker (unless it provides you with some sort of dealer benefit). Also, what does your license plate frame say? If it's dealer related, I'd remove that also.

Other than that, your work looks great! It seems you made really good use of some of the stuff you got from me. I totally dig the stickers on your buttons by the way, LoL. Again, great job!

 

nice job on the GTI man. i gotta ask where you got those stickers though. i need them for mine.

 

Right here. Thanks

 

Looks great!

Love the beatle... wanted one for years... they are all way way too rusty up here....

 

looks like you're bringing that super back to ife as well, show some more!!!!

thumbs up on the detail

 

Great job, I love the look of nicely finished red in the sun! Great car too btw!

 

Nice job. Once you start purchasing better shampoo, the foam will be much thicker. I like Adams Car Shampoo. Foams nicely with my regular garden hose hook up.

Once you start with the better products, its near impossible to stop.

Best of luck.

I hope you at least got laid after prom.

 

^^^LOl, thats what I was thinking!

OP- I think you should post your prom pic to make this thread complete!

Great work! :applause:

LuDawg

 

Thanks for all the compliments guys

Per requests...pictures of the Beetle and of me and my date






(I know we don't match...my date did NOT want me to match at all. Made it easy.)

I'm taking the Beetle for senior prom, I'm painting it this summer and doing some other stuff as well.

 

As an amateur photographer, may I suggest that the next picture be of you two standing? Her sitting makes her look like you're 6' 6" (which you probably are!) and her be 5' flat.

Nice GTI though! TR is too eye-catching, it's a cop magnet! I like my Deep Black Pearl.

 

I agree, anytime I buy a new car I loose the plate frame with their name, and any other dealer logo stuff. Their is no reason why you should advertise for them, unless there giving you something in exchange, like a free car.