Detailer's Domain: Fixing up a CPO'd Mercedes ML350

Subject: Mercedes ML350

Believe it or not this was truly a dealer hack job. This was sold as a CPO'd car from an authorized MB dealer. Wow is about all I can say, please take a look at how it was delivered.

What was done -
Exterior

- Wheels were prepped with Sonax Wheel Cleaner and cleaned up with various brushes
- Tires were spritzed down with Adam’s All Purpose Cleaner and washed down
- Wheel wells were cleaned up
- Pre Washed with W99
- Iron Cut
- Wash down and rinsed
- Door jambs were cleaned up
- Clayed
- Dried
- Tires dressed
- Masking
- Paint Measurement
- Meg's M105 with Surbuf Pad and Uber Yellow Pad with the Flex PE14-2-150
- Menzerna SF4000 with Uber Green Pad with the Flex 14-2-150
- Inspection with Fenix, 3m Sun Gun, Infratech, and natural sunlight
- Last Step – Menzerna Power Lock with an Uber Black Pad and the Porter Cable
- Wheel wells were cleaned and dressed
- Rubber and Plastics Treated
- Exterior windows and mirrors cleaned and sealed
- Exhaust tips cleaned
- Windows were clayed, cleaned, and sealed

Products used

Links to products used -

1Z einszett W99
Adam's All Purpose Cleaner
Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner
Uber Clay Bar Kit
Meguiar's M105
Menzerna Super Finish
Menzerna Power Lock Sealant
1Z einszett Vinyl Rubber Care
Optimum Metal Polish

Glass
Uber Glass Cleaner Kit

Tools used
Uber Wool Wash Mitt
Uber No Name MF Towels
Flex PE14.2.150
Porter Cable 7424XP
Uber Buffing Pads
Defelsko Paint Meter
Fenix TK35
Brinkmann
Kranzle Pressure Washer
Cam Spray Foam Canon
2 Grit Guard Buckets with Caddies
Uber Firehose Nozzle
Metro Air Force Blaster

Before shots







Prep - including pre soak, decon, clay, wheels cleaned, tires cleaned, wheel wells cleaned

Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner in action


APC on the tires - dirt being lifted up from the tires


APC on the wheel wells


Pre Soak




Rinse


Sorry no shots of the Decon

Super Drying Towel being used to dry the ML


Inspecting the paint after the prep - brings us to paint defects everything you can imagine its on this SUV




I'll let the next few pictures do the talking (this was on every panel)









Before front fender


After


Before shot of the Door


After


Various 50/50 shots







After all the paint correction was done we did a nice wash prior to applying Menzerna Power Lock as a last step



After shots

 

Good job phil! how many hrs was this detail?

 

Sweet job Phil and team, that thing is now looking how it should have off the lot, looks mint.

 

Looks great Phil!! Superb turnaround! That thing was tunnel washed and half assed detailed to death!! I was wondering how big the uber drying towel was. Huge! I have to get a couple of those.

 

Nice work Phil, that thing was hammered.

-Kody-

 

Damn Phil, this thing was one of the worst ones you've done so far. What did you put on the tires?

 

Great job Phil! The paint was horrid but you brought it back to life.

 

Great work Phil! You weren't lying when you said this car was hammered. Nice turn around

 

Nice! That thing was hurtin for a detail.

 

I believe it was about 15 hours.

 

Wow, it was hammered and you hammered it back to a shine!

 

yes sir it was hammered.

 

Commented on the .Org.................but bears repeating, hammeredness into tightness.

 

thanks!

 

Super duper save Phil !! Great save .