Pro Detailers V Paint Technicians

[Royalratch]

Hello all.

My iS is about to be on the road again after a long hibernation. I would love to have it properly detailed and protected with quality wax before service is resumed!

I am in Central London and my place has access to power and water. I'm after a true pro and will be quite demanding/anal despite the car not being that special - its special to me.
What I'm specifically after is:

1) Exterior Clean / Wax (everything down to boot/bonnet shuts etc)
2) Thorough Engine / Engine bay clean.
3) Wheels Cleaned.
4) All that Clay Bar stuff / top notch treatment - whatever is best.

The car is far from perfect paint wise. I'd say it's about an 8/10, it being let down by a few scratches and swirls.

Interior clean not needed. PM me with price / availability?

Anyone recommend anyone?

[Kos]

powelly a member here is a pro detailer

had chat with him a while back and his knowledge is top notch.

by the sounds of it you will need some paint correction

[Royalratch]

Cheers - I have PM'ed him.

[Royalratch]

I have heard about these 'paint technicians.'

They are 1-step down from a respray and can basically apply 'lacquer fill' to badly swirled paint and then buff up to bring back to life. It;s not cheap £300-600 depending on how bad the car is but I don't need a respray but I do need something done about my swirls and hazy paint.

Anyone with knowledge heard of this?

[fuzzy]

are the swirls to deep to be wet and dry rubbed then cut with a compound after?

[Royalratch]

I wouldn't know. I've already had an 'industrial polish' but I suspect the guy didn't know what he was doing as it's just 'okay.' Ill post some pix up in a mo.

[Kos]

right,

the car can be blocked and wet sanded with 3000 wet and dry depending how much clear coat is there to work with and polished, alternatively you can have the car machine polished with a cutting compound liek 3m's fast cut plus working your way thru to to ultafina


you may find that using a polish with filling agent will help to some extent, like autoglyms super resin polish, but to keep the swirl free look a good LSP is needed, a sealant or wax.

[Royalratch]

That's what I've already had done but it hasn't helped. needs to be ultrasonically checked for clear coat depth and then see what's what. Basically, it's good enough to not need a respray but bad enough that a simple wax isn't enough.

It's actually got better paint than most modern cars on my street and I'm not after a Concours finish but it will bug me everytime I wash it.

[Kos]

the rigth guy can do amazing things with a mop, and some 3M. let me dig out picture for you

you need correction, polish, glaze then a wax

[Royalratch]

Can Powelly do this? Or someone trusted and recommended?

This kind of stuff?

http://www.clean-image.co.uk/smartrepair.htm

[Kos]

paint correction guide

powelly did some work on simons alpina touring

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... hp?t=63859

[Simon13]

He brought the paintwork back to life with all the tricks going!

[Royalratch]

Powelly - where are you dude!

[Simon13]

Australia for a month he went Tuesday just gone

[Royalratch]

Anyone else? Wasn't that E46 CSL owner. C76Jon I think, down with this stuff?

[Simon13]

Jon does it as part of his hobby for his own cars not for a living, no ones seen or heard from him since he sold is e30 M3

[Royalratch]

So anyone on the Zone do this professionally or know any quality outfits?

[Simon13]

Mr. ShineOn or Paul, hes very good

[Royalratch]

Is he on the Zone? Contact details / website?

[Kos]

i do it as hobby

i can also recomend robbie at Valet Magic. pm me if you want his details, he's done my e24 when i've not had time.

[Royalratch]

His site looks phat. I think I'll need a Stage 2 Detail with some Paint Restoration as you said. Not cheap but you can see the work.

His top detail is £1250 .

[Kos]

never realised the signature detail was that much !

i think a stage 2 would be about right. some things wont need to be done. you'll need dodo juice purple haze wax. works well on metalic blue

[Ti22]

I do this professionally.

see www.ti22.co.uk

I can point you in the direction of some good pro's your way if I'm a bit far for you -

Such as robbie @ VM, as mentioned, Paul at Shine on www.shineondetail.com, Bryan at drive n Shine www.driveandshine.co.uk. Like me, Bryan and Paul are both BM mad...

Hope this helps.

James.

[Royalratch]

Cheers dude. I will be looking into making this happen sometime in Jan/Feb as I don't want the car on the street till Spring right after the work is done.

I will give you a call in the coming weeks.

[Ti22]

Welcome buddy. Advice is free - so ask away.

Definitely wise waiting for winters worst to be over before getting it done.

James

[madaboutthe30]

Ratch, just out of curiousity what area in london do you live? Im from Harrow/ Stanmore if you have heard of it

[Royalratch]

I know Harrow well, have a good friend who loves that way over at Northwood.

I'm in NW, Queens Park / Ladbroke Grove area.

[madaboutthe30]

Ahh ok, I know those areas well, I go to North Willesden college not far from you, doing a bodyshop and paint restoration course there as a hobby.

Will look out for you

[Royalratch]

You won't see me in North Willesden lol!

More like me to see round your way, play Golf round there.

[Bluto]

ti22(?) arnt you swissvax?

It all depends on what you want out of a car as to whats done with it.

I would go look at kds(?) on pistonheads, he does ALOT of beemers, wet sand etc, wont be cheap.

Other person to ask is DaveKG, see if he is in the area when you want it done, VERY cheap and really really good at what he does.

When you look at the price you think its expensive, but then you add up the cost of buying all the stuff yourself and its ALOT cheaper.

I have a PC, Rotary, over 50 pads, 100's of MFs, kranzle, Paint Gauge etc etc, thats not cheap when your not doing it as a business (I look after 30 family cars).

Pro's will also have insurance so if they do make a mistake (things happen) at least its covered.

As for wax, used a sample of Crystal Rock last month, would ask for that if same price lol

[Ti22]

Hey Bluto, yep - I'm a Swissvax (and Dodo Juice) Authourised detailer.

Crystal rock is lovely stuff.

[powelly]

Hi all, I am at Seoul airport in Korea at this particular moment in time, I will be back in the UK in about 12 hours time.
Royalratch I can do all you need I am fully insured and carry various pad/polish combos aswell as a paint depth gauge etc to determine the best achievable level of correction.

[powelly]

Thanks for the kind comments to guys.

[Kos]

good holiday ?

[powelly]

Excellent, fooking hot, this weather is a bit of a shock.