April BMW Start Black 530i

[Totoland Mach]

Started on one of the bad ones: black 530i with lots of road miles and accompanying scratches/chips/swirls.

Here's the driver's side of the front bumper...ain't pretty folks

I wet sanded the bumper to smooth out some scratches and small chips

Next: Used the Metabo and Meguiar's 7006 cutting pad with compound. I like the small backing plate/pad combo on plastic bumpers. Lots of control and I can check the surface temp of the plastic easier.

Switched to a 8006 Meg's pad and glaze (3M + XMT mixed on the pad)

Next up: driver side doors and rocker panels. Lots of scratches and swirls! Switched to the larger backing plate and pads because of the surface area.

The compound worked well in defect removal

Pic of the doors and panels on drivers side after compounding

Finished driver's side with glaze. Tomorrow is hood, passenger side, trunk.

The front bumper came out pretty well and took about 1.5 hours just on this plastic piece to recondition.

I'll post some pics after full glazing with 3M Ultrafina SE.

Totoland Mach

 

[Nuke33]

Looks great, you had your work cut out for you


p.s. I love your shop

 

[Jimmie]

You've got to be kidding. That's amazing. Thought she was a goner and you brought her back.

 

[tonyspop]

Holy smokes,where were they driving that car,through cactus fields????!!!!!!Nice work Toto,work like that really shoots the $$$$$ value up.

 

[AL417]

Your work is simply amazing. Thanks in advance for posting your progress on the cars you have lined up.

 

[HighEndDetail]

Great work on the bimmer, I am jealous of your lift you get to use

 

[Mike T]

Wow! Great job.

 

[Nica]

Wow toto very nice turn around..question for you, isn't the Metabo to rough for plastic areas? I'm going to look into the types of pads you used. Another question, when you use the Metabo. Do you put the product on the pad or on the paint? Just wondering.

Amazing turn around and the bumper looks really good not to mention the door areas well done Toto.

Thank you for sharing my friend...oh hey you know what I found the lift you have...the cheapest I found it here in Canada is for about $2,700...I'm very temted on purchasing...very!!

 

[Totoland Mach]

Wow toto very nice turn around..question for you, isn't the Metabo to rough for plastic areas? I'm going to look into the types of pads you used. Another question, when you use the Metabo. Do you put the product on the pad or on the paint? Just wondering.

Amazing turn around and the bumper looks really good not to mention the door areas well done Toto.

Thank you for sharing my friend...oh hey you know what I found the lift you have...the cheapest I found it here in Canada is for about $2,700...I'm very temted on purchasing...very!!

Nica: The Metabo works better/as good as the Festool. Being a true rotary, you have to use extra care working with plastic. I've found that using the smaller pad/backing plate allows a bunch more control of the tool. Plus the Metabo is lighter and easier to handle than the DeWalt. I really like the Meguiar's 7006 pads for cutting. They are not as harsh as the 3M waffle pads we have for the DeWalt and I can work the product a lot longer. The process for plastic is: long working time, minimal heat. As far as product placement, I "prime" the pad with product and add more by applying a line of compound directly on the work area.

The lift price is probably reflecting Canadian currency exchange rates, but that's not too bad. You can do a ton of light/medium service on vehicles with that lift.

See You Folks! I gotta do more tonight and tomorrow night...Thursday, I'm checking in the hospital for a stent insertion in my human oil pump (lines are a bit clogged)

 

[Jimmie]

Nica: The Metabo works better/as good as the Festool. Being a true rotary, you have to use extra care working with plastic. I've found that using the smaller pad/backing plate allows a bunch more control of the tool. Plus the Metabo is lighter and easier to handle than the DeWalt. I really like the Meguiar's 7006 pads for cutting. They are not as harsh as the 3M waffle pads we have for the DeWalt and I can work the product a lot longer. The process for plastic is: long working time, minimal heat. As far as product placement, I "prime" the pad with product and add more by applying a line of compound directly on the work area.

The lift price is probably reflecting Canadian currency exchange rates, but that's not too bad. You can do a ton of light/medium service on vehicles with that lift.

See You Folks! I gotta do more tonight and tomorrow night...Thursday, I'm checking in the hospital for a stent insertion in my human oil pump (lines are a bit clogged)

Best to you with your stent. Please check back with us as soon as you can. I'll be thinking of you until then.

 

[Nica]

Nica: The Metabo works better/as good as the Festool. Being a true rotary, you have to use extra care working with plastic. I've found that using the smaller pad/backing plate allows a bunch more control of the tool. Plus the Metabo is lighter and easier to handle than the DeWalt. I really like the Meguiar's 7006 pads for cutting. They are not as harsh as the 3M waffle pads we have for the DeWalt and I can work the product a lot longer. The process for plastic is: long working time, minimal heat. As far as product placement, I "prime" the pad with product and add more by applying a line of compound directly on the work area.

The lift price is probably reflecting Canadian currency exchange rates, but that's not too bad. You can do a ton of light/medium service on vehicles with that lift.

See You Folks! I gotta do more tonight and tomorrow night...Thursday, I'm checking in the hospital for a stent insertion in my human oil pump (lines are a bit clogged)

Thanks Toto, I got another question though..sorry..but what exactly do you mean by "I prime the pad with product and add more by applying a line of compound directly on the work area."? I just want to make sure I get it, this is what I imagine. You take some compound and you goo it on the pad make sure the pad is completely covered with compund then you put some more on the paint? Is that right? Sorry to bug so much but I want to understand this concept so I can start applying with my Metabo Feed back please .

I hope all goes well at the Hospital buddy, keep us posted hopefully everything will go smooth.

 

[Totoland Mach]

Thanks Toto, I got another question though..sorry..but what exactly do you mean by "I prime the pad with product and add more by applying a line of compound directly on the work area."? I just want to make sure I get it, this is what I imagine. You take some compound and you goo it on the pad make sure the pad is completely covered with compund then you put some more on the paint? Is that right? Sorry to bug so much but I want to understand this concept so I can start applying with my Metabo Feed back please .

I hope all goes well at the Hospital buddy, keep us posted hopefully everything will go smooth.

Nica: when I "prime" a pad (especially on vertical surface work such as door sides), I just put a circular bead of compound approx 1/2 distance from center to outside edge of pad. Once that Metabo starts running, it's going to spread it evenly.

3M has a good video of rotary use and when they apply a bead to the car's surface, they angle the rotary so the product is picked up approx. 1/5" from the pad edge.

Hospital should go ok....stents are getting to be a "production line" procedure for us aged folks....they'll probably have a drive-thru procedure one day LOL.

Toto

 

[ORC]

How did your car get all scratch up like that? But you did made it look good.

 

[Truls]

Just love your post Toto, nomatter how bad the swirls are on the first pics, i know you get the best out off it, everytime.....

Looking forward to the next posting..

 

[sparkie]

Toto, you are a master detailer. I enjoy your post.
Hope everything works out for you at the hospital, I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[Totoland Mach]

How did your car get all scratch up like that? But you did made it look good.

ORC: The car belongs to the dealer. He just bought it at the BMW Lease Auction (1 of 5 cars this month) and a lot of these cars have a rough appearance from lack of owner care. The maintenance is good on them because they were leased with warranty/maintenance, but they see a lot of brush automatic washes, etc.

I've got some updated pics to post in a few minutes.

Toto

 

[Totoland Mach]

More Process Pictures

Finished the body late last night and will power wash tonight, then put a coat of #26.

Trunk lip before shot

Compounded trunk lip and bumper

Rear shot of car without flash. shows the depth of the paint now

Passenger side of car done. I used a wool pad on this side, then compounded and glazed.

Toto

 

[Nica]

Toto, I seriously can't get over your set up you got there lol...I love how you turn those BMW's around like nothing...well at least it seems like nothing I'm sure it takes some work.

Thanks for sharing and thanks for the tip on priming the pads. Um...you wouldn't happen to have a picture of a primed pad would you? Just wondering, I think I got it but you know how I love pictures.

Thanks buddy.

 

[Totoland Mach]

Toto, I seriously can't get over your set up you got there lol...I love how you turn those BMW's around like nothing...well at least it seems like nothing I'm sure it takes some work.

Thanks for sharing and thanks for the tip on priming the pads. Um...you wouldn't happen to have a picture of a primed pad would you? Just wondering, I think I got it but you know how I love pictures.

Thanks buddy.

Thanks Nica for the compliment! I'll take some pics tonight of a primed pad. I washed them all last night but have to apply a coat of #26 to the car after power washing.

See Ya

Toto

 

[Totoland Mach]

Finished Pics

Finished the car last night...gotta get to the hospital in the next hour (Thurs morning) for admission (getting a stent in my human oil pump)

Here's some finished pics...came out nice!

Washed, but not waxed with #26

Another washed/not waxed. I used the Festool to do a spot repair on a scratch that I didn't see when it was inside the shop (trunk lip edge)

One more outside

It was dark when I applied #26, but the appearance didn't change, so I took a reflection shot inside the shot.

I'll talk to you folks Friday! Gotta stay overnight in the hospital.

Toto