LSN Auto Detail - 2008 Merc R350

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

For those that do not think the IDA is important, a week before SEMA, we got a call from a customer who was specifically looking for an IDA Certified Detailer.

We met with the customer at his residence to do the VIF and take some photos. We and spent an hour with the gentlemen discussing his car and his concerns. Vehicle is a 2008 Merc R350 with 140+ K miles. It's a daily driver for his family (wife, kids, dogs, cats etc..). During the VIF my eye caught that the paint was different on the entire passengers side of the vehicle and during my PT readings, my PTG proved me right.

The car has seen it's share of neglect and I rated it as such on the VIF. The vehicle had never been detailed, just automatic tunnel washes once in a while. Bird bombs etched in already, wheels caked, one rear wheel looked like it had been poorly reconditioned and was caked with grease, ate a wheel woolie tool on that one! (Black Friday sale???)

The paint was neglected but HD Speed dispatched about 60% of the swirls and scratches. The front nose was too far gone for Dr. Colorchip, marred with years of hard family recreation and commuting for work, often to Los Angeles and back from AZ. The interior was just as bad. We had our work cut out for us!!! We talked packages, and we recommended an AIO With Full Interior. I actually talked him out higher levels of paint correction due to diminished returns both with my amount of effort vs. results and his budget.

On a side note, we had a lot of before photos of the interior and due to a miscommunication with Interior Gal (due to a new photo procedure). we didn't end up with the like-same-kind "after" photos. We will rectify that error on the next detail. Also, morning (when the job starts) and evening lighting (when the job finished) didn't pair for good before/after paint shots.

Onto the Detail:
Wheels - Wheel woolies, McKee's Extreme Iron Remover & Griot's Heavy Duty Wheel Cleaner
Tires - Pinnacle 4:1 APC and Mothers brushes
Engine and Engine Bay - McKee's Engine De-greaser, Megs D114, BF AIO, McKee's Trim Shine and Pinnacle Crystal Mist QD


Interior:
Metro Vac & Blow
McKee's Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
McKee's Carpet Extractor Pre-Treatment
Tornador Black w/ McKee's HD APC (10:1)
Pinnacle Vinyl Leather Cleaner
HF Tool w/ Aqua Brush
Mytee Carpet Extractor
McKee's Krystal Vision Glass Cleaner

Exterior:
Tarminator w/ McKee's Bug Scrubber
McKee's Extreme Iron Remover
Megs HW - AGO Foam Gun - Chenille wash mits
Big waffle dry towel (The Guzzler)
Nano Skin Clay Mit - Megs D114 clay lube
HD Speed / Rupes LRH MKII-15 / Rupes Green Pads
Black Trim: BF AIO Tire and Trim
Megs 105 - Headlights
Windows: Pinnacle Crystal Vision w/ Water Repellent

Tires & wheel wells
BF AIO Tire and Trim

Thanks for viewing!

 

[SWETM]

Nice work!

 

[machz]

WOW nice job ...

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Nice work!

Thanks Swetm!

WOW nice job ...

Thanks Machz!

I must say that the faux MB TEX leather cleans up nicely, despite years of abuse and dirt. Secondly, for those interested the paint code on this MB was C040, which means it was cermiclear obsidian black. See Mike's article on "C Code" MB paint: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...estions/47152-ceramiclear-paints-careful.html

Since we used HD Speed, there were really no risk factors, and the paint had so many deep scratches, dings, chips, bomb etchings along with the entire passenger side and roof no longer OEM paint, that at this point just making it shine again was the goal.

But yes, during the VIF process we photo'd the pain code and documented it as Cermiclear.

 

[TMQ]

I really, really enjoyed reading your write up. Re-read a few times and I am still learning new things from you.

Awesome results too...Gee---the owner has got to be blown away by the results. I know I am.

Your photography work is awesome as well.

Tom

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Thank you Tom for the very kind words.


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline

 

[JMak97008]

Great job... I'm wondering, though, after using Megs 105 on the headlights, do you add anything more, like a new clear coat or sealant?

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Great job... I'm wondering, though, after using Megs 105 on the headlights, do you add anything more, like a new clear coat or sealant?

Yes, we added a sealant and topped with spray wax. I informed the customer this vehicle should see me every three months for maintenance wash and spray wax/sealant. If this were a coating package, I would have used D-LUX.

 

[Inthedeck]

Nice.