Tornado Red Golf 7R - Detailed by Lawrence

lawrenceSA · Feb 17, 2016

An existing customer of mine recently purchased this car and with roughly 30k km's on the clock, it was obvious the previous owner didn't show it any love. The swirls you will see ran so deep into the paint, 2 compounding session wasn't enough to remove all of it, and in hindsight, a full wetsand would have probably been a better approach - but that wasn't the scope of the detail.

Whichever 'body shop' did the repaint on the front end also didn't show much love for their work either, but that's unfortunately par for the course in a lot of cases...

So time to get started. The engine bay was tackled first. It wasn't all that dirty and so the a basic clean was performed - everywhere was cleaned using Carchem APC and MF towels, Q-tips, a blower and various brushes. The plastics were then dressed using Autofinesse Dressel and the painted surfaces cleaned/polished/protected using Autofinesse Tripple

Next up the wheels. I was asked by one of the forum members to show the brushes I use for wheel cleaning so here is a small sequence of pictures to show what I typically do when cleaning the wheels.

First, I have a dedicated wheel bucket with a grit guard in it

I usually fill it halfway with hot water, then to 3/4 with cold, and some shampoo, and hit it with the hosepipe to create some suds

I then take my brushes

And place them in the bucket a short while before getting started on the wheels/arches/tires etc.

This is what the wheels looked like on arrival

It was still early in the morning making it difficult to capture the defects in the paint

This was all over the passenger side rear quarter panel

Tar remover was used to knock off the bulk off it (the rest was polished off)

Then it was time to tackle the door jambs and boot jamb, and other little areas all too often overlooked.

Cleaned/Polished/Protected - Autofinesse Tripple | Q-tips | MF towels

The sunroof also needed some attention

Exhaust tip cleaning - Carchem APC
Exhaust tip Polishing and Protection - Menzerna Polishing Cream | Meguiars NXT All Metal Polish

Then it was time to tackle the paint.

Paint readings
Bonnet - 189µ to 264µ
Driver's side A-pillar 74µ to 93µ
Remainder of the car - 102µ to 138µ
Paint Correction - Menzerna FG400 | Blue Lake Country Hybrid Wool Pads / Flex 3401 (twice everywhere, with certain spots hit for a third time)
Paint refinement - Menzerna SF4000 | White Lake Country Hybrid Pads | Flex 3401
Paint Inspection / Pre-sealant Clean - Gyeon Prep
Protection - Dodo Juice Iron Gloss Sealant | Dodo Juice Orange Crush

Then the interior was sorted out

Glass - Autoglym Fast Glass
Plastics - Clean with Carchem APC | Wipe with damp MF towel | Protect with 303 Aerospace
Carpets - Vacuum | Brush | Vacuum
Leather - Clean with Carchem APC | Wipe with damp MF towel | Protect with Collinite 855
Door rubbers - Clean with Shield Heavy Duty Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner | Protect with Aerospace 303

Finally the exterior rubbers and glass were tackled.

Exterior Rubbers - Shield Heavy Duty Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner | Aerospace 303
Exterior Glass - Gyeon Prep

lawrenceSA · Feb 17, 2016

Some after shots with my cell

And with my DSLR

Total time taken 48 hours

Thanks for looking, and as always any questions or comments are welcome.

:hi:

11Silverado · Feb 17, 2016

I love your show n' shine posts. I noticed you taped off a body line when compounding/polishing the doors. Is it necessary to do this? I know it's a case by case, but I've always wondered when and which body lines should taped off.

Sizzle Chest · Feb 17, 2016

Great post!!! Excellent work! Thanks for posting!

FrankS · Feb 17, 2016

Excellent work as usual Lawrence!

Priyaka · Feb 17, 2016

Beautiful job! Great detailed write-up as well. Thanks for sharing.

Mike@DedicatedPerfection · Feb 18, 2016

Wowzers. Outstanding work as always Lawrence. Love your attention to detail.

You mentioned you had to perform two compounding steps from the severity of defects. You may want to grab some SC300... Don't worry, the 3401 equipped with the white Hybrid/SF4000 has the ability to pull out the more aggressive cutting step.

Thanks for sharing.

lawrenceSA · Feb 18, 2016

11Silverado said:
I love your show n' shine posts. I noticed you taped off a body line when compounding/polishing the doors. Is it necessary to do this? I know it's a case by case, but I've always wondered when and which body lines should taped off.

Thank you very much. I guess its a case of each to his own when it comes to taping, but I always tend to err on the side of caution - a roll of tape and an hour to tape up over the detail is far less of an issue to me, than potentially striking through an edge and having to absorb the cost of a repaint, and a knock to my credibility.

I typically assess each panel before correcting it and if I feel there is any possibility that I cannot properly correct the panel without the polisher running over an edge, I tape it up. This is only for the compounding step - for final polishing I don't usually tape up

Sizzle Chest said:
Great post!!! Excellent work! Thanks for posting!

Thanks Scott

FrankS said:
Excellent work as usual Lawrence!

Thanks Frank

Priyaka said:
Beautiful job! Great detailed write-up as well. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you

Mike@DedicatedPerfection said:
Wowzers. Outstanding work as always Lawrence. Love your attention to detail.

You mentioned you had to perform two compounding steps from the severity of defects. You may want to grab some SC300... Don't worry, the 3401 equipped with the white Hybrid/SF4000 has the ability to pull out the more aggressive cutting step.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Mike. Oh how I wish for some SHC300.... As I have mentioned before, the availability of detailing products over here is limited primarily to 2 companies that bring stuff in.... and only 1 has been bringing in the Menz products, and even then it has been pretty much only FG400/PF2300/SF4000, 3-in-1 and Powerlock... It looks like they are however phasing that out and focusing on Angelwax products, and so I am going to have to start bringing it in myself if I want it.

The problem though is a) the current exchange rate is beyond a joke for us and b) as everyone knows, shipping costs are quite crazy (especially bringing in some weight) and are only exacerbated by the exchange rate...

I am in the process of trying to find some local guys who would be willing to do a group buy and split shipping costs, but its proving a bit tougher than I'd hoped.

Glad to know though that SF4000/white has enough pull to deal with the hazing from the initial cut with SHC300:xyxthumbs:

Sicoupe · Feb 18, 2016

Beautiful as always my friend!

4u2nvinmtl · Feb 18, 2016

Great Job!

What did you think about the car? I'm thinking of getting one of these as my Daily Driver.

Thanks for sharing.

Joe@NextLevelDetail · Feb 18, 2016

As always excellent work, and excellent write up Lawrence, keep up the great work.

That Golf Looked Mean in some of those shots !

Mike@DedicatedPerfection · Feb 19, 2016

lawrenceSA said:
Thanks Mike. Oh how I wish for some SHC300.... As I have mentioned before, the availability of detailing products over here is limited primarily to 2 companies that bring stuff in.... and only 1 has been bringing in the Menz products, and even then it has been pretty much only FG400/PF2300/SF4000, 3-in-1 and Powerlock... It looks like they are however phasing that out and focusing on Angelwax products, and so I am going to have to start bringing it in myself if I want it.

The problem though is a) the current exchange rate is beyond a joke for us and b) as everyone knows, shipping costs are quite crazy (especially bringing in some weight) and are only exacerbated by the exchange rate...

I am in the process of trying to find some local guys who would be willing to do a group buy and split shipping costs, but its proving a bit tougher than I'd hoped.

Glad to know though that SF4000/white has enough pull to deal with the hazing from the initial cut with SHC300:xyxthumbs:

That is crazy that the company wants to focus more on a boutique car care company that caters to the 1% rather than target a world class manufacturing company that directly supplies major automobile manufactures with product that is utilized on the assembly lines. Unfathomable.

Another option would be the PE14, Hybrid wool, and FG400...

lawrenceSA · Feb 19, 2016

Sicoupe said:
Beautiful as always my friend!

Thanks Kyle

4u2nvinmtl said:
Great Job!

What did you think about the car? I'm thinking of getting one of these as my Daily Driver.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks. Well I haven't actually driven one, but all the feedback I have heard from my fellow VW Club members is that it is an awesome piece of kit.

NextLevelDtail said:
As always excellent work, and excellent write up Lawrence, keep up the great work.

That Golf Looked Mean in some of those shots !

Thanks so much!

Mike@DedicatedPerfection said:
That is crazy that the company wants to focus more on a boutique car care company that caters to the 1% rather than target a world class manufacturing company that directly supplies major automobile manufactures with product that is utilized on the assembly lines. Unfathomable.

Another option would be the PE14, Hybrid wool, and FG400...

It is crazy isn't it....oh well... as for the PE14, its second on my list of new tools to get - the rotary will obviously munch through really badly swirled out cars a lot easier.... but first I really want to get one of the Rupes Nano iBrid long neck machines to deal with all the smaller areas :dblthumb2:

emmjay · Feb 19, 2016

Gorgeous....just gorgeous....

zckid · Feb 19, 2016

awesome lawrence :xyxthumbs:

dipping wet red :iagree:

lawrenceSA · Feb 21, 2016

emmjaygti said:
Gorgeous....just gorgeous....

zckid said:
awesome lawrence :xyxthumbs:

dipping wet red :iagree:

Thanks very much guys:dblthumb2:

Aaryn NZ · Feb 22, 2016

Lawrence my man, I sometimes wonder if I should even look at your posts . . . especially when theres a Golf involved! Just makes me want one!

rops:

Thats an outstanding comeback on that poor R. I know how much work these Dubs can be & there is some serious sweat put into this one. A shame its was so neglected in the first place but geeze - makes for a stunning before & after thread! Beautiful beautiful workmanship Lawrence! Bravo!

rops:

Love the pictures too mate! :dblthumb2: Tell me, do you know if thats the factory ride height? Looks pretty staunch in those pictures. Nice car . . . fantastic post mate, thank you!

rops:

Aaryn NZ.

lawrenceSA · Feb 22, 2016

Aaryn NZ said:
Lawrence my man, I sometimes wonder if I should even look at your posts . . . especially when theres a Golf involved! Just makes me want one! rops:

Thats an outstanding comeback on that poor R. I know how much work these Dubs can be & there is some serious sweat put into this one. A shame its was so neglected in the first place but geeze - makes for a stunning before & after thread! Beautiful beautiful workmanship Lawrence! Bravo! rops:

Love the pictures too mate! :dblthumb2: Tell me, do you know if thats the factory ride height? Looks pretty staunch in those pictures. Nice car . . . fantastic post mate, thank you! rops:

Aaryn NZ.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment Aaryn - it is always appreciated.

Yeah it breaks my heart seeing cars I love so much treated with such little respect but I know the owner of this one, and he WILL look after it now that he has a decent base to work from, so that is at least re-assuring.

Its definitely not stock ride height.... Not sure if it is on coilovers or just a set of lowered springs, but the owner has a tendency to modify his cars (also own a silver Audi TT and a white Lexus IS-F)

haris300 · Feb 22, 2016

Looking real good. Another job well done.

Tornado Red Golf 7R - Detailed by Lawrence

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