Greetings. This is my first shine and show post. The subject is my wives BLACK 2006 Cadillac SRX that is often neglected and washed at automatic car washes. Surprisingly the most recent visit to the dealer for service included a complentary hand wash. It was the worst car wash I have ever seen. The entire car was filled with scratches, deep swirls, and hallograms. It was a mess. I was going to demand the dealer do a detail but never got around to it. Safe to say we won't get it washed at the Caddy dealer again. I’m not a professional detailer, but do like to keep up with my cars and frankly the wives car gets treated last as she doesn’t really care. Howver, it got to a point where I just couldn't take it any more. You'll see the dates of photos are weeks apart. After i took pictures, I researched here and other sites to decide what i wanted to do and purchased a few new polishes, more below. My process: • Wheels: Eagle 1 AtoZ Wheel & Tire Cleaner • Dawn Wash with foam gun, wool mitts and power washer • Used CRSpotless for wash and rinse • Zaino Clay with 50/50 of Zaino Z6 QD and Distilled Water • Menzerna Power Gloss with Meg Red Cutting Pad x2 • Menzerna SIP (1st time with this terrific product, amazing) w/ Meg Red and Lake Country Orange power pad – was good enough for LSP but I tried a few more things • Zaino ZPC (swirl mark remover) with green CCS pad • Hit hood with 3M Ultra Fina on black finishing pad (another 1st for me, very nice bling with this finisher) • Wash with Zaino Z7 • Zaino Z5pro x2 with Zaino wipe down with Z8 • Zaino Z2 pro x1 • Trim with Stoner’s Trim Shine • Tires with Armorall • Invisible Glass Engine • Gentle Power Washer rinse • P21S TAW and various brushes, rinse and let dry • Dressed with Stoner’s Trim Shine Interior – also hammered but no photos • Griots Interior Cleaner (best interior cleaner I’ve found) • 1Z Cockpit Dessing Some pictures: A few Before/Afters, as you can see the swirls are everywhere and rather obvious. BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER The halogens on the ceiling fan are a good reference for the shine factor (If I can read the bulb wattage in the refelection, then i know i'm done :headbang Several spots required some wet sanding/correction, like this nasty key scratch (wife got this in a parking lot from some A$$, some people have no respect for cars) Careful wet sanding with 2000 and 2500 grit After polish the scratch was much smaller but remaining required touch up paint as it was through to the primer. With touch up and polish, its not perfect but good enough for now. I'll try 1 more touch-up and if i can't live with it, I'll look at a repaint. BEFORE: Engine wasn't bad... AFTER: But not good enough... A few Final Shots While I'm very happy with the results I welcome any suggestions or comments. Cheers, Galco
great job on the touch-up, if you didn't post a before of the scratch and mentioned it, I wouldn't have noticed. Nice JAWS shirt btw! you get that from Universal Studios?
Thanks. The touch up is more visable in person, the photos don't show enough detail. The good news is scratch is low so when looking down at the panel, it's not that obvious. BTW, the Jaws shirt is from Universal.... a former employer
Great turn around, you may not consider your self a profesional but there is nothing wrong with your results :thumb: Besides there are others that call them selves profesional and don't achive what you have done so you should be proud of your acomplishment. I agree with you, seeing vehicles with key scratches is very sad and really anoying, there is no need for that...but such is life :shakehead: Thank you for taking the time to share with us vehicle looks great :thumb:
For the touch up I used tiny brush and dabbed it on the factory touch up paint. Color sanded down the high spots and polsihed to remove sanding marks. Not perfect, but OK for now....
