2007 Hyundai Sonata, Pearl White

[gewb]

Part 1

2007 Hyundai Sonata, Pearl White, 95,500 highway miles.

Just learning to use the Flex for correction - this is my first attempt (I'll finish the detail later this week).

Paint condition: hood and fascia have tens of thousands of small pits from gravel and sand (some into the primer), numerous RIDS, minor swirls; sides have some RIDS, a few chips to primer, minor swirls; roof as a few chips to primer, minor swirls.


Products used:
> Zaino shampoo
> Mothers Gold Clay Bar (and lube)
> Flex XC 3401
> LC foamed wool pad
> LC CCS orange pad
> LC CCS white pad
> LC CCS blue pad
> (LC) Gold hand applicator
> Gold finger pocket applicator
> Menzerna PO91E Intensive Polish
> Menzerna PO85U Final Polish
> Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
> Meguiar's NXT 2.0 sealant
> Mothers SynWax sealant
> Wolgang Fuzion carnauba polymer estate wax


PREPARATION
1) Zaino Z7 two bucket wash with grout sponge.
2) Full clay cleaning.
3) IPA wipe down.
4) Paint inspection.
5) Tape off areas on car.
6) Test area: IP on orange @ 5 to 5.25 (Flex speed setting)


The IP/orange/5 made only a modest correction to the anything only “less than light” scratches. Changed to IP on a wool pad with satisfactory results.


My Nelly after shampoo and clay cleaning.

Hood (bonnet) after clay cleaning.

Typical light swirl marks. 4

Moderate RIDS.

Starting to tape up first area.

First test set up: IP on orange.

Second test set up: IP on wool.

Stage 1 correction: IP on wool @ 4.
(only the roof was spared from the wool pad)

Hood after IP/wool.

Local inspector dropped in while I was working.

Trunk lid after IP/wool.

Trunk lid after IP/wool.

(continued in following posts)

 

[gewb]

Part 2

Stage 2 correction: IP on orange pad @ 4.75.

Trunk lid after IP/orange.

Trunk lid after IP/orange.

Stage 3 correction: FP on white.

Trunk lid FP on white @ 5.

Trunk lid FP on white @ 5.

My “eureka!” moment: FP on white is best at 3.75.

Trunk lid after FP on white @ 3.75.

Trunk lid after FP on white @ 3.75.
Right side of pic is after FP, left side is after IP.

Trunk lid after FP on white @ 3.75.
Right side of pic is after FP, left side is after IP.

Stage 4 correction: WPPE on blue @ 6.

WPPE flashed iridescent on hood.

Lights on hood after WPPE on blue at 6.

Trunk lid after WPPE on blue at 6.

Trunk lid after WPPE on blue at 6.

Side reflection after WPPE on blue at 6.

(continued in another post)

 

[gewb]

Part 3

Sealants: Half and half.

Applied by hand with gold applicator. (“Line” just right of center is a reflection.)

Hood with half and half.
Reflection of light is split vertically in the middle between SynWax (left) and NXT 2 (right).

LSP: a top coat of Fuzion.
Applied with gold finger pocket.

Trunk lid with Fuzion top coat.

Hood reflection with Fuzion top coat.

Trunk lid with Fuzion top coat.

Side reflection with Fuzion top coat.

What I learned.


> IP on orange needed Flex speed below 4.
> IP had short open (working) time and required spritzing with water in order to flash (faster Flex speed did not improve break down without additional water).
> FP had longer open time.
> FP required Flex speed of 3.75.
>Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer on blue pad @ Flex speed 6 made a noticeable improvement in the smoothness of the finish and made the pearl flakes pop – well worth the additional step!
> Meguiar's NXT 2.0 sealant and Mothers SynWax sealant finishes were indistinguishable from the other.
> Mothers SynWax sealant was very difficult to clean out of the applicator.
> SynWax was more difficult to “see” during application than NXT.
> SynWax was ever so slightly easier to remove than the NXT.
> Both sealants slightly diminished the pearl flake pop
> Wolgang Fuzion carnauba polymer estate wax added a slight warmth to the sealant finish.
> Fuzion was a dream to apply and very easy to remove.


Now to spend a day doing wheel wells, tires, trim, engine and interior!


Regards,
GEWB

 

[TheDodgeGuy]

Way 2 go GEWB! Looks killer ; - >

 

[oldmodman]

Wonderful result. I wonder if anyone has ever picked a car up from a dealer looking that good!

Since the pearl really pops before using the polymer sealant next time try just using Fusion after perfecting the paint. It will probably need to be renewed more often but I bet it would be worth it.

 

[OGauge4Me]

Vwey nice job Gary. Lots of information on how to make a white car pop.

I told my sister to bring her white Bonneville over to spend a day and I would make it look really great.

 

[alowe]

Very nice writeup and informatice pics, thanks! Great job also!!!

 

[gewb]

Vwey nice job Gary. Lots of information on how to make a white car pop.

I told my sister to bring her white Bonneville over to spend a day and I would make it look really great.

Thanks! This first Flex correction session was a great learning experience.

The Sonata is classified as a "large" car by the governemnt (just makes it over the size by about an inch!) but the Bonneville - well, that car is (or at least was) large. That would take me more than a day to do (good thing I don't detail for a living).

Regards,
GEWB

 

[gewb]

Wonderful result. I wonder if anyone has ever picked a car up from a dealer looking that good!

Since the pearl really pops before using the polymer sealant next time try just using Fusion after perfecting the paint. It will probably need to be renewed more often but I bet it would be worth it.

My Nelly looked that good when I picked her up new only because I was the only customer to drive it and the lot apes hadn't had time to trash the finish. Instead it was 95k miles of Interstate highway driving that trashed it!

Next car will get a full frontal and lower door clear wrap on day one.

As to no sealant base, I don't think it's worth the minor improvement in pearl pop for a daily driver as the pearl can only be appreciated when one is right up to the car. I'll trade the protection for that small improvement in looks.

Regards,
GEWB

 

[gewb]

Way 2 go GEWB! Looks killer ; - >

Thanks DodgeGuy. Did I read in anythere forum that you just received a Flex XC 3401 a week ago?

Regards,
GEWB

 

[gewb]

Very nice writeup and informatice pics, thanks! Great job also!!!

Thanks alowe. I wish I knew how to photograph a bright white finish to show the subtleties but alas the nature of the beast washes them out.

Regards,
GEWB

 

[Brian_Brice]

Nice write up Gewb, good job my friend, looks great.

 

[gewb]

Nice write up Gewb, good job my friend, looks great.

Thanks for the kind words Brian!

Regards,
GEWB

 

[jake66]

Car looks great. 95K on an '07, it don't sit still much does it?

 

[gewb]

Car looks great. 95K on an '07, it don't sit still much does it?

From April 2, 2007 to April 6, 2009 I drove 1,000 miles per week to/from work. Project ended April 7, 2009 and now my Nelly has become a garage queen! She deserves it 'cause the 95k highway miles was brutal on her skin.

Regards,
GEWB

 

[TheDodgeGuy]

Yep, proud to be an owner. I spent a few hours with it on my truck and the weight and balance works extremely well for me. I was using Lake Country 6.5 pads and I enjoyed the way it handled. Longevity is the only thing I am worried about now, time will tell.