2018 Equinox: BF classic TPS AIO + PNS

[acuRAS82]

This is my mom’s car and it’s treated like junk. Her driveway is covered by a maple tree and a pine tree, both of which I assume have birds nests in them. TONS of sap and bird poo etchings on the roof. Dead bug guts all over the hood and front. Tar behind all the wheel wells. The hood looked like a nightmare of etchings every inch or so. Gulp!

I regretfully didn’t take any before pictures because this detail came out of nowhere starting with a 6pm deep clean wash and my OCD had me ending with an LSP at 4am.

Wash (to get rid of 6 month old Collinite 476 and grime):
- Mckees Coating Prep Wash: 4oz per 3 gallons water
- 2 oz Megs D101 APC

Decon (to tackle poo, bugs, tar and sap)
Hood and spot repair only:
- Wolfgang Bug Remover Spritz
- Mckees Engine Degreaser
- Megs D101 APC 1:4
- Goo Gone*

*The Goo Gone did the most to remove tar and sap, then had to clean the Goo Gone residue off.

Wheels/Tires:
Megs D101 APC 1:4
Mckees Hydro Blue
Mckees Gloss Tire Gel

Glass:
WG Perfekt Vision Glass Polish
Pinnacle Glasscoat Window Sealant

Headlights:
PBL Surface Cleansing Polish
Mckees Headlight Coating

Trim:
Megs Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer

Polish/AIO
Hood, other spots with etches:
- Megs Ultimate Compound
Everywhere:
- Blackfire Total Polish and Seal (AIO)**

**I got this BF AIO when they were selling off the old label stuff for cheap. I think this 32oz bottle was $5-$10. It’s from the days before One Step. Reminds me more of Mckees 360 as it supposedly doesn’t require buffing, but it really does, and is easy nonetheless. I doubt the durability is near that of 360 or we would have heard a lot about it to this day. It lays down Wet Diamond Polymers like BF Sealant.

LSP:
Sonax PNS


Incredibly, the decons and polish removed 98% of etching!!! Score 1 for GM paint, and -1 for BMW paint since I could barely affect my own car’s etching issues.

Based on the beginning condition (sorry no pics!!!) and the final outcome, this binge detail was more satisfying than some corrections on my own vehicles. It’s a different feeling making a filthy car look really good versus making a good car look great.

Pics:
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[SWETM]

Awesome work and write up and pictures!

Did you polish it by hand or polisher?

A nice sharp crispy look you got on your mom's car! A benefit that the PNS and BSD gives you. But mostly it's the polishing that makes the most on the looks. Impresive that you got those results from the UC and BF AIO. When you mentioned all of the etching problems on it. Maybe a nod at the Collinite 476s as it may have been worse if unprotected.

Does she have access to a touchless car wash near her? At least every other week to minimize the etching problems if it's even possible. Harsh conditions for a vehical and would be interesting to hear how the PNS stands up to it. Depending on how long she's keeping the car a coating could be an option for a heavier protection. Even if the coating may be etched it could save the paint better in the longrun.

Tomorrow the weather conditions says to be better so I'm going to try to polishing the Kia cee'd SW. Need to take every chance I get as the winter is coming fast LOL. Hopefully it gets a nice weather for a day or 2 next week so I can do the Ford Focus too.

/ Tony

 

[acuRAS82]

Awesome work and write up and pictures!

Did you polish it by hand or polisher?

A nice sharp crispy look you got on your mom's car! A benefit that the PNS and BSD gives you. But mostly it's the polishing that makes the most on the looks. Impresive that you got those results from the UC and BF AIO. When you mentioned all of the etching problems on it. Maybe a nod at the Collinite 476s as it may have been worse if unprotected.

Does she have access to a touchless car wash near her? At least every other week to minimize the etching problems if it's even possible. Harsh conditions for a vehical and would be interesting to hear how the PNS stands up to it. Depending on how long she's keeping the car a coating could be an option for a heavier protection. Even if the coating may be etched it could save the paint better in the longrun.

Tomorrow the weather conditions says to be better so I'm going to try to polishing the Kia cee'd SW. Need to take every chance I get as the winter is coming fast LOL. Hopefully it gets a nice weather for a day or 2 next week so I can do the Ford Focus too.

/ Tony

I polish only by machine, forgot to mention I used LC yellow (heavy cut), only a few passes for etching parts, then followed with LC white for AIO. I used LC orange (light cut) for the AIO everywhere else. This was the vehicle’s first ever paint cleansing or polish.

I didn’t think of it, but as you mention the 476 may be the difference between her car (it’s had 476 on it for over a year, applied every 5-6 months); and my poor X5 that had some sort of coating on it at the time I bought it.

My parents live within a mile of a touchless but unfortunately I don’t expect them to listen to me and use it. The car is just an accessory to them. The car is a lease that is up next October, so I only use affordable, low maintenance products on it for the last 2 years.

Despite the fact people believe maintenance isn’t important on a lease, I absolutely believe the dealership would have charged hundreds, if not more if she brought it back in the previous condition... it was really noticeable and looked permanent.

 

[DMiglio]

Despite the lack of before pictures, this being a mommy hauler and lease, I’ll use my imagination to predict what it may have looked like before. The afters look remarkable though, a heck of a lot of shine and gloss! That’s an awesome job and great write up as well!!

 

[PaulMys]

Despite the lack of before pictures, this being a mommy hauler and lease, I’ll use my imagination to predict what it may have looked like before. The afters look remarkable though, a heck of a lot of shine and gloss! That’s an awesome job and great write up as well!!

^^^This!^^^

 

[acuRAS82]

Thanks Dmiglio & Paulmys. It was a dumper and sad that a car owned for only 2 years (October 2017 lease start) could get to that point... but I guess that’s why every family needs an Autopian. :dblthumb2:

 

[vobro]

Great job!

 

[Sizzle Chest]

Wow! That was a marathon...finishing up at 0400! Excellent results, and I imagine she is thrilled with her 'new' car!~

 

[acuRAS82]

I didn’t want to create a new thread for this new detail, so writing it here.

The parents’ Equinox will be going to the dealer in January because the lease is up. Per my suggestion, they will search for a 2918 or 2019 used car to finance (I convinced them to stop leasing). They’ll probably get another Equinox since my mom likes it and it meets their needs.

So obviously I decided I would clean their current vehicle up so it looks decent through December and during turn in for January.

I did some bird poo and water-spot correction with BF Polish, washed with M37 Coating Prep Wash (bought here at AG awhile back), sprayed and rinsed with HydroBlue (bought at AG), and then applied 2 coats of 10 Minute Paint Sealant (bought at AG). The sealant something I rarely use anymore so opportunities like this are good ways to use the old products.

I also put the same LSPs on the windows, trim, and wheels. And dressed the tires with Gloss Tire Gel.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take before pics, but the car was a dirty mess when it arrived.

 

[weekend warrior]

...your mom's car looks great....it looks brand new....she has to be happy...LOL the dealer will be happy also...hope she gets the car she wants...

 

[JustJesus]

Nice initial write up and work.

Good to see the car still looks good

 

[acuRAS82]

Nice initial write up and work.

Good to see the car still looks good

Thanks, I didn’t really touch on that, but the car was indeed in good shape, had only light swirls, and marks all over the hood from birds and sap and water... but those were polished out as mentioned. I doubt they washed the car at all in the last year which is probably why only light swirls (which if I had to guess, may be caused by snow removal with a traditional snow brush last winter).