Verifying Detail Process for a 2010 Range Rover Sport (Santorini Black)

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raheelc

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New member here. Been detailing my own vehicles for a while now, but just starting to realize how many different options/products are out there! I'm planning on detailing the exterior of my 2010 Range Rover Sport (black) this weekend, and was hoping to get everyone's input on my detailing process, and if I should make any changes. So here are my steps:

1. Wash and clean wheels with Sonax
2. Wash with Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II Super Suds (using a foam blaster)
3. Iron X
4. Re-foam with Maxi Suds while Iron X is still on the vehicle and wash again with a wash mitt (This step taken directly from a post by Mike Phillips)
5. Rinse the vehicle
6. Apply another later of Suds to the vehicle, and rub the vehicle out with Nanoskin Fine Grade Wash Mitt
7. Rinse
8. Dry
9. Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish (applied by hand. Don't have a polisher at the moment)
10. Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Prep
11. One coat of Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Coating

Do these steps look good? Anything I should change/add/remove?

Thanks for all the help!
 
Without a machine to enhance gloss and swirl removal there is really no other options you can tweak.sounds good to me.
 
Thanks! Yeah at the moment I don't really have anywhere to use a machine to polish because I live in an apartment, and while they have a car wash area, there's no electric outlets nearby where I can plug a machine in.

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How experienced are you with applying paint coatings? I've used the BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat and found it to have a bit of a learning curve as it can be tacky to work with. I'd recommend something like Optimum Opti-Gloss or Wolfgang Uber Ceramic Coating if this is your first time using a coating.
 
I agree with Haris300, if you do not have a lot of experience with coatings I would not start with the Blackfire. Wolfgang Uber is a amazing coating and is easy to work with as is gloss coat, McKee's37, and a few others by Palm beach. There is a slight learning curve in general. Also make sure you are happy with the results by hand since machine is not a option. The black range rovers I do are 14s-16s in year range and are mostly black. They are very scratch sensitive and also a challenge to correct by hand. Take your time with the coating and make sure you have read a good Mike Phillips article on application. Best of luck
Just did this Z06 in Uber but granted its polished over 8 hours. View attachment 47373
 
Like others have said, Blackfire Crystal Coat has a slight learning curve compared to some other coatings available on the market. I would go with Wolfgang Uber or Opti-Gloss if you don't have much experience with coatings. The most important part of a coating is having a clean base to work with for maximum results/performance.


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Thanks for the advice! This will be my first time applying a coating. I decided to go with Blackfire because I have previously used some of their products and liked them more than others so decided to stick with their brand. I have been reading up on the application process on the forum and watching any available videos. That being said if you know any particular articles/posts that I should read, it would be a great help if you can point me in the right direction. I would consider returning/exchanging the Blackfire coating for the Wolfgang Uber but I paid expedited shipping fees just so I could have it in time for my weekend detail :-( That cost will have been for nothing then :-(

However, I'm not one to back down from a challenge! I think with the right preparation (reading through the forum etc.) I should be ok. As far the condition of my vehicle is considered, there aren't any deep scratches or anything in particular that requires extensive paint correction (vehicle was professionally detailed a while back), so the paint is in good shape.
 
If you are going to move forward with the BF Coating, work on a small area and work fast.
 
Before coating the whole car, do a test spot like on the quarter panel.
Check your results , if you are satisfied with it go ahead a do the whole car(small sections at a time.)
 
Also, don't use gloss enhancing polish before a coating, it won't bond, take that out of your process. It leaves behind oils and the coating won't adhere to the paint. So don't do that. Use a nice cleaner like that leaves nothing behind like Duragloss or Ackee's coating prep. Also, I wouldn't apply any coating if I was hand polishing prior, you're just going to be locking in all sorts of defects. I'd say wait until you have a space and a machine to properly apply a coating. Stick with a nice sealant for now.
 
The paint is free of defects, it was professionally detailed a while back, so the paint is in good condition.

With regards to using the gloss enhancing polish, isn't that what the crystal coat paint prep is for? To remove any oils that may have been left behind?

well from the readings I've done last night I may go with another coating since BF is difficult to apply. Just hesitant because I'll lose the money I spent on expedited shipping cost.


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raheelc said:
The paint is free of defects, it was professionally detailed a while back, so the paint is in good condition.

With regards to using the gloss enhancing polish, isn't that what the crystal coat paint prep is for? To remove any oils that may have been left behind?

well from the readings I've done last night I may go with another coating since BF is difficult to apply. Just hesitant because I'll lose the money I spent on expedited shipping cost.


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Click to expand...

So you've taken out some proper light and inspected the surface? Professional detail or not, there's marring, it happens. In regards to gloss enhancing polish, you can cut that out you don't need it. You can use other products that clean and prep the paint in one step like McKees Paint Prep, you'd then eliminate the Gloss Enhancing Polish and the Paint Prep Spray. And I wouldn't do coating at all, coating should be applied to well prepared proper surface done by machine polishing, not hand. IMO you're just wasting a coating if you're hand polishing, theres only so much hand polish can do. I'd stay away from coating all together, if I were you I'd use a great AIO or A nice cleaner and sealant, especially doing this by hand, i don't think I have ever seen anyone here or other forums hand polish a car and then apply a coating. its just not "right". anyway if i were you thats what i would do, but I am not so..... :) and if you're worried about losing your shipping price or what you paid, keep your coating sealed and trade it to a member here or something, you'd get some products back you'd use in return!
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The more I think about it, and after reading everyone's more experienced opinions, maybe I am better off sticking with just a sealent since I can't machine polish at this point in time. I do have the blackfire wet diamond sealant and blackice wax that I can use instead. The weather doesn't look like its going to cooperate today either so I may have to wait till tomorrow.

I just received the blackfire coating kit, haven't opened it yet, still sitting in its box. Any takers on a trade? :-)

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I would be a bit hesitant to clay or nanoskin a vehicle without being able to follow up with a machine polish. It has been my experience that even with a light clay fine marring can occur. I'd suggest using a friend's garage and maybe getting a cheap Porter Cable or just not clay bar the vehicle.
 
raheelc said:
New member here. Been detailing my own vehicles for a while now, but just starting to realize how many different options/products are out there! I'm planning on detailing the exterior of my 2010 Range Rover Sport (black) this weekend, and was hoping to get everyone's input on my detailing process, and if I should make any changes. So here are my steps:

1. Wash and clean wheels with Sonax
2. Wash with Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II Super Suds (using a foam blaster)
3. Iron X
4. Re-foam with Maxi Suds while Iron X is still on the vehicle and wash again with a wash mitt (This step taken directly from a post by Mike Phillips)
5. Rinse the vehicle
6. Apply another later of Suds to the vehicle, and rub the vehicle out with Nanoskin Fine Grade Wash Mitt
7. Rinse
8. Dry
9. Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish (applied by hand. Don't have a polisher at the moment)
10. Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Prep
11. One coat of Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Coating

Do these steps look good? Anything I should change/add/remove?

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...

I'll add my $0.02 here...

If you can navigate well around a tool shed, handy with tools, and have used a DA before then you are probably good to go with the Blackfire coating. All you really need to do is focus on a test spot - say the lower rear quarter panel. If you mess up you can simply polish the area before the product cures and you can restart with some experience. I haven't used Blackfire coating yet, but what I found with WG Uber, CQuartz and Opti-Coat is that any error I made was easily recoverable as long as you follow the "less is more" principle.

Here is your process with my comments and suggestions:

1. Wash and clean wheels with Sonax
2. Wash with Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II Super Suds (using a foam blaster) (rinse but don't dry)
3. Iron X
4. Re-foam with Maxi Suds while Iron X is still on the vehicle and wash again with a wash mitt (This step taken directly from a post by Mike Phillips)
5. Rinse the vehicle
6. Apply another later of Suds to the vehicle, and rub the vehicle out with Nanoskin Fine Grade Wash Mitt
7. Rinse
8. Dry
9. Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish (applied by hand. Don't have a polisher at the moment) Only those areas that need it, since you say the paint is in good condition
10. Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Prep
11. One coat of Blackfire Crystal Coat Paint Coating
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Your thoughts and opinions have been enlightening. To update, I wasn't able to detail the exterior of my vehicle over the weekend due to sketchy weather, Although I did clean up the interior. After reading everyone's thoughts, what I am now thinking of doing is changing out the gloss enhancing polish to the Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish. Once the vehicle has been polished, if the overall condition seems good, then I may end up applying the Wolfgang Uber Coating (Nick was kind enough to get that out to me! Awesome customer service at AG!). If I feel the condition/look of the paint warrants a machine polishing before applying the coating, I will then just apply the BF Wet Diamond Sealant, topping off with the Black Ice Hybrid Montan Wax, until I'm able to purchase a polisher and find a place to use it.

On another note, has anyone ever washed/detailed the engine bay of a RRS? I was planning on cleaning it up, but have never done so, and the electronics of these vehicles are known to go haywire from time to time, so don't want to get any water in the wrong areas. Any suggestions would be great! For context, there are quite a few plastic covers covering most of the engine/components. These covers are pretty dirty/dusty, the engine and parts themselves seem to be fine. I was thinking of pulling these covers off and just washing/cleaning them while they are outside of the engine bay in order to reduce the risk of water getting into something that it shouldn't.
 
Another update. I actually picked up a Griot's Garage 6 (Open Box) from Autopia Car Care for $90! So the search for finding a place where I can use the polisher begins! I wasn't planning on picking one up since I didn't have a place to use it, but the price was just too tempting, so I jumped on it.

Which combinations of pads would you all recommend, and how many of each? I will be using the Blackfire SRC finishing polish.
 
Finally had a chance to go over the Range Rover this weekend. Process was as follows:
-Rinse
-washed vehicle with a foam gun (chemical guys Maxi Suds II)
-Rinsed, but didn't dry
-Iron X
-Re-foamed with Iron X still on the vehicle, and agitated with wash mitt
-Rinsed the Vehicle
-Foamed vehicle again, and rubbed out the vehicle with Griot's Fine Grade Surface Prep Mitt
-Rinse
-Dry
-Sealed with Blackfire Wet Diamond All Surface Paint Protection (1st coat was applied yesterday, applied 2nd coat today. The below picture is after the first coat)
-Will Apply Blackfire Black Ice Hybrid Montan Wax tomorrow after sealant cures.

Decided not to polish right now since I have no place to use my GG 6".

Reflection Shot:
0cBtwMv.jpg
 
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