Ok so after doing the last 4 mercedes in 3 days I was given some time to do this one which had been scheduled for a while now. Customer bought a brand new 2015 Mercedes S550 4Matic and wanted it to be detailed. He wanted the wheels and paint coated as well. Here's the materials list for this project which took place over the last few days.
Wash and prep:
CG citrus wash (two bucket method)
Mother's wheel cleaner
Nanoskin fine clay sponge
Tarminator
Wheels/Tires:
Mother's Wheel cleaner
Tarminator
Iron-X
Clayed
CarPro Eraser
CQuartz DLUX wheel coating
CarPro Pearl
Paint:
CarPro Reflect
LC Hyrbid White Pad
Flex 3401
CarPro Eraser
Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Coating
Panoramic glass roof was sealed with CarPro Reload along with the outsides of all windows on the car
So this is the car as it arrived. It had 1700 miles on it and was quite dirty
IMG_1778 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1779 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
There were stains all along the running boards on both sides
IMG_1780 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1781 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
First up after washing the vehicle were the wheels. They were removed from the car for coating.
Dirty:
IMG_1784 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Another wash with Mother's wheel cleaner and various brushes and tarminator on any tar spots
IMG_1785 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Then getting hit with a nice spraying of Iron-X
IMG_1786 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1799 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Then tires were cleaned with Tarminator. Love the naked clean rubber!
IMG_1787 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Then they were clayed and wiped down with Eraser to get ready for the coating.
IMG_1792 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Once coated they cured for 12 hours before being placed back on the car and covered so no products used on the paint would get on them during the rest of their cure time
IMG_1804 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Then it was on to the rest of the paintwork. The car was in good shape. Problem was the paint was cloudy which must have come from sitting at the dealer lot. A quick once-over with Reflect and a white hybrid pad cleaned it up. There were a few more defects and scuffs around which were cleaned up as well as the running boards and lower areas of the car
IMG_1788 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1790 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
There were two random defects on the car. I'm not sure why as they were very confined.
IMG_1814 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
FullSizeRender by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
These were also cleaned up
IMG_1816 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1825 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Random cool shot I got of a bulb filament in the paint from one of my lights
IMG_1841 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Taillights were cleaned up with Reflect as well. They only had mild swirls in them as it's a new car
IMG_1845 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1847 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
The pillars as well had a fuzzy reflection. They were also cleaned up with Reflect
IMG_1848 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1849 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures while coating the car as it was nighttime and I was tired. Anyways, the interior was up next. Overall it was in good shape. Few scuffs and such here and there and dusty. So it was vacuumed, carpets cleaned and interior wiped down.
Before:
IMG_1807 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1852 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1854 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Afters:
IMG_1857 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1862 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
IMG_1864 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
While the coating was in it's last hours of cure time the engine bay was dressed.
IMG_1831 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Now time for finished pictures!
DSC_0206 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0213 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0207 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
Close-up of the paint
DSC_0209 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0210 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0215 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0201 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0202 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
DSC_0200 by Chris Merritt, on Flickr
The customer was thrilled with the results and says now he wants his other cars coated as well haha.
Thanks for looking!
Wash and prep:
CG citrus wash (two bucket method)
Mother's wheel cleaner
Nanoskin fine clay sponge
Tarminator
Wheels/Tires:
Mother's Wheel cleaner
Tarminator
Iron-X
Clayed
CarPro Eraser
CQuartz DLUX wheel coating
CarPro Pearl
Paint:
CarPro Reflect
LC Hyrbid White Pad
Flex 3401
CarPro Eraser
Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Coating
Panoramic glass roof was sealed with CarPro Reload along with the outsides of all windows on the car
So this is the car as it arrived. It had 1700 miles on it and was quite dirty
IMG_1778 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1779 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThere were stains all along the running boards on both sides
IMG_1780 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1781 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrFirst up after washing the vehicle were the wheels. They were removed from the car for coating.
Dirty:
IMG_1784 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrAnother wash with Mother's wheel cleaner and various brushes and tarminator on any tar spots
IMG_1785 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThen getting hit with a nice spraying of Iron-X
IMG_1786 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1799 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThen tires were cleaned with Tarminator. Love the naked clean rubber!
IMG_1787 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThen they were clayed and wiped down with Eraser to get ready for the coating.
IMG_1792 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrOnce coated they cured for 12 hours before being placed back on the car and covered so no products used on the paint would get on them during the rest of their cure time
IMG_1804 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThen it was on to the rest of the paintwork. The car was in good shape. Problem was the paint was cloudy which must have come from sitting at the dealer lot. A quick once-over with Reflect and a white hybrid pad cleaned it up. There were a few more defects and scuffs around which were cleaned up as well as the running boards and lower areas of the car
IMG_1788 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1790 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThere were two random defects on the car. I'm not sure why as they were very confined.
IMG_1814 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrFullSizeRender by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThese were also cleaned up
IMG_1816 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1825 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrRandom cool shot I got of a bulb filament in the paint from one of my lights
IMG_1841 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrTaillights were cleaned up with Reflect as well. They only had mild swirls in them as it's a new car
IMG_1845 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1847 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThe pillars as well had a fuzzy reflection. They were also cleaned up with Reflect
IMG_1848 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1849 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrUnfortunately I didn't get any pictures while coating the car as it was nighttime and I was tired. Anyways, the interior was up next. Overall it was in good shape. Few scuffs and such here and there and dusty. So it was vacuumed, carpets cleaned and interior wiped down.
Before:
IMG_1807 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1852 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1854 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrAfters:
IMG_1857 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1862 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrIMG_1864 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrWhile the coating was in it's last hours of cure time the engine bay was dressed.
IMG_1831 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrNow time for finished pictures!
DSC_0206 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0213 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0207 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrClose-up of the paint
DSC_0209 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0210 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0215 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0201 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0202 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrDSC_0200 by Chris Merritt, on FlickrThe customer was thrilled with the results and says now he wants his other cars coated as well haha.
Thanks for looking!
rops: I'm trying to get better in my write ups now that I'm detailing more regularly and am out of school job searching.
