REVscene Automotive Forum - Amaru the Amateur vs. Bertha the Bimmer

A while back, I posted this thread looking for hand polish and clay bar product suggestions... I received a lot of good suggestions (thanks to all who contributed, especially Ken aka 911fanatic who is perhaps the ultimate detailing guru).

Anyway, this past weekend I finally found the time to put my new products to use detailing my daily driver (a 2002 BMW 330ci). I'm a detailing n00b so the results of my detail job aren't anywhere near perfect, especially since I'm working by hand on an 8-year-old car with 160,000km under its belt!

Products used:

Dawn dish soap (just 1 or 2 drops in the wash bucket)
Meguiar's Gold Class shampoo
Simoniz Clay Bar kit (it was the cheapest, haha)
Meguiar's Scratch X (for a few major scuffs)
Meguiar's Ultimate Compound (just hand polished two small areas where there were obvious swirls)
Chemical Guys Wet Mirror Finish (hand applied)
Victoria Wax Mayhem (only 1 coat for now - will apply another coat after the next wash)
Aerospace 303 protectant (for rubber/plastic trim and tires)

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail1.jpg

Before

I went skiing last Thursday, so my car was absolutely filthy. Mud, dirt, sand, salt, and a lot of insect guts (they tend to stick quite well at 160km/hr)....

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail2.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail3.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail4.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail5.jpg

After

Apologies for the awful photos - didn't finish working on the car until the wee hours of the morning so I just took a few snaps after I had finished. Might try to get a few more pics in the daylight tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail6.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail7.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail8.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail9.jpg

http://www.borlandstudios.com/car/detail10.jpg

:wooha:

I'm very pleased with the results, given that I haven't done any real polishing or paint correction in over a year. I absolutely love the Victoria Wax Mayhem -- applying by hand (literally) gives excellent control and makes it easy to spread a thin, even coat. Will likely be recommending this stuff to anyone with a dark-coloured car!

Anyway, thanks again to all who helped provide advice and product suggestions. :hotbaby: