This is a full restoration detail with the aim to getting the SUV as close to perfect as we could within a certain time and budget. So boil the kettle and open a new packet of biscuits as this is probably one of the most in depth and comprehensive write ups I have done!!! The patient in question was a stunning 2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS in just as stunning GTS red which is a special order colour that is only available on the GTS. When the Cayenne arrived it was in what I would describe as normal condition for a family friendly SUV with the usual car park dings general swirling and wash marks a few scuffs and corrosion on the alloys and in general need of a lift. In the beginning, the SUV was treated to a full contamination wash and I have to say credit to the owner as there was actually very little contamination present but still it stripped back any protection and revealed the true condition of the paint work. I have not shown any pictures of the wash stage mainly because the vehicle was clean and we have soooo many to get through but our usual wash routine was employed. First up was to unlock “The Dude” from isolation to relieve the Cayenne of its battle scars and any panel ripples as this was not going to leave until it was arrow straight. In total we removed nearly 20 dings and ripples. Now some may claim to have the best PDR expert but we have to lay claim to actually having the best. The Dude actually served his time hand forming new replacement panels for some of the world’s most exotic sports cars including classic Aston Martins, Bentley’s, Ferrari’s you name it so he was doing it even before it was invented until he retired and now does this to keep sane!!!!! He also manufactures his own tools and has made tools on site to suit certain dents. This man is an absolute genius at what he does and it is a pleasure to watch him in action. Some say he can remove dents only by thinking about then but all we know is he is called “the Dude”!!!!! Once this was done, we could then jack her up and place her on axle stands remove the wheels which are going to be fully dipped and then powder coated in fine silver metallic with a dark tint. Also as well as axle stands we place jacks under the vehicle for added safety as this girl is heavy!!!! Once the wheels were off and shipped to Canavan’s to be refurbed ( many thanks guys you pulled out all the stops including air freighting 4 new tyres from France overnight), I was able to tackle the wheel arches. First up liners were removed to access the metal behind to remove any mud and dirt and give a general clean and protect. Once refitted, they were detarred and cleaned using steam and all purpose cleaner and various brushes. Once everything was clean then the metal components were painted and the alloy arms and air suspension units were polished using Orchard Autocare Metal Restore. The arch liners then received several layers of dressing over the course of the week. Finally, the hubs they were painted in the factory grey with a clear lacquer applied over to help it last without fading, the wheel nuts were sanded down and painted and the Calipers were touched up and received 5 coats of Zaino Z2 ZFX.. Once this was done, the rear bumper was corrected fully first to allow for the wrapping of the brushed aluminium loading strip, that was scored and damaged. A replacement one from Porsche is over £75 pounds and for this I feel it looks much smarter, ties in with the colour of the vehicle, can be replaced easily if damaged again and is much cheaper, Big thanks to Dee the main man with the heat gun for helping us out!. The exhausts were also cleaned and brought back to life using Orchard Autocare Metal Restore with wool and applicator pads. The towbar was also painted to make it look better. Now onto the correction. The car was an absolute nightmare if the truth be told. The paint was sooo rock hard, nothing and I mean nothing worked on it. It actually proved as to the level of fillers that is in the the likes of the Megs microfiber system and several other brands that claim not to have fillers. In the end it boiled down to Megs 105 with some additional bite (its great being able to make your own products!!!) using spider sandwich pads and very very slow and long sets IPA wipe down after each set to ensure a true level of correction. In total it was close to 60 hours for the correction alone!!! Here are the pictures taken during this part of the detail!!! When we finally corrected and refined the Cayenne, it was time to bring her out and remove the 3-4” of dust the had been collected over the marathon correction session, jacking covered cleaned and dirt removed. As you can see, we had applied Perfection to the glass and its working well. Once washed, it was dried off and brought back inside for LSP to be applied and all the finishing touched added! LSP for this detail was Zaino Z2 ZFX with a coat of Z6 between and finished off with Z8. The interior was fully cleaned with the leather fed and alcantara cleaned. Plastics and rubbers were dressed with Orchard Autocare Interior Wizard. When the wheels were returned, they were sealed with 3 coats of Zaino Z2 with ZFX and tyres were dressed with Z16. Many thanks for taking time to read through the detail. It was a very challenging one but enjoyable. I actually learned a lot whilst doing it which I really love and it goes to prove you can never know everything!!! I would love to hear what you think and as usual all C&C are welcome!! Many thanks to all the guys who helped on this detail and to the owner for trusting us with his pride and joy…. Rollo
True restorative work!!!!!, love this effort displayed as it shows just how far you can take something....................... 10/10ths. :worship2:
many thanks for the great comments. Much appreciated and it makes taking time to write it up worth it!Glad you liked it.
