Impreza STi Spec D Correction and Protection Detail
13 July 2008, 08:36 PM
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Impreza STi Spec D Correction and Protection Detail
This Spec D belongs to a fellow Impreza Owner Mike.
It arrived looking a bit dull and jaded with swirling and RiDS preventing it looking it's best.
Mike wanted the car restoring to it's best but with good long term protection as he's not too keen on the wash and polish routine and prefers to rinse it off when it's needed.
Some Before's.
Onto Washing the car.
Wheels and tyres sprayed with Chem Guys Redberry Safe Wheelcleaner at 4:1, allowed to dwell for 2-3 mins then cleaned with the EZ Detail Brush, MF Sponge and Rolson Detail Brush.
Arches sprayed with AutoSmart G101 at 4:1, allowed to dwell for 2-3 mins, cleaned off with various brushes.
After wheels and arches onto the bodywork.
Foamed with Chem Guys Citrus Snow Foam and allowed to dwell for 6-7 mins.
Rinsed and washed using Two Bucket Method, Chem Guys Super Sud's and Sheepskin Mitt's.
Rinsed off to leave a clean car showing no signs of protection. No evidence of beading or sheeting here.
During the wash stage I could feel contamination on all area's of the paintwork dragging the washmitt although none was actually visible to the eye.
Straight onto Claying whilst the car was still wet.
Chem Guys Superfine Poly Clay and AutoSmart Reglaze used as a Lube. ( A very good cost effective Clay Lube IMO, 50ml to 400ml water makes a great lube for claying).
A fair bit of contamination was removed and was visible on the clay, paintwork left nice and smooth.
Washed again via Two Bucket Method, rinsed and dried off, then inside the workshop for a full inspection.
Paintwork was dull and flat with some etching and whole car had swirling and some RiDS.
PTG Readings Taken and car taped up in prep for Polishing.
PTG reading's from inside of Drivers Door.
Thinnest area of paint.
Deepest area of paint.
Readings Taken around the car showing between 110 and 130 microns in general.
Bootlid showed signs of extra paint and filler where a WRC Spoiler had been previously removed.
Tried a couple of combinations to give best correction, went with a Megs W8006 Polishing pad and a blend of 3M 80349 Extra Fine Compound and 3M 50383 Ultra Fina, the combination gave full correction over most area's and left the surface LSP Ready, a few small area's were hit with a Sonus SFX 1 Pad and 3M 50417 Fast Cut Plus to remove more serious defects and refined with the Polishing combo.
Good Clarity to the finish under the worksop lights, no swirling, marring or RiDS visible.
Rear offside light had some form of chemical etching which needed dealing with.
Out with the Micromesh Plastic and Acrylic repair kit.
Sanded with the Micromesh 4000 grade material on the supplied pad and refined with the 6000 grade material again on the pad using the polish supplied in the kit as a lube/polish.
Finish left by the 6000 material, was pretty good but still a little more refining required.
After a run over with 3M Ultrafina on a 3" pad on the PC.
Rest of the car was finished off and given an IPA wipedown before 2 coats of Collinite 476 were applied.
After buffing off the first coat of 476 and left to rest before the second layer the windows were cleaned inside and out with AutoGlym Glass Polish.
Rubber, Plastic Trims and Tyres were all treated with Chem Guys New Look Trim Gel.
Wheels had 2 coats of chem guys Jetseal applied, each layer applied and left to bond for around 20 mins before removal.
Some Afters.
Hope you all enjoy looking
Robbie.
It arrived looking a bit dull and jaded with swirling and RiDS preventing it looking it's best.
Mike wanted the car restoring to it's best but with good long term protection as he's not too keen on the wash and polish routine and prefers to rinse it off when it's needed.
Some Before's.
Onto Washing the car.
Wheels and tyres sprayed with Chem Guys Redberry Safe Wheelcleaner at 4:1, allowed to dwell for 2-3 mins then cleaned with the EZ Detail Brush, MF Sponge and Rolson Detail Brush.
Arches sprayed with AutoSmart G101 at 4:1, allowed to dwell for 2-3 mins, cleaned off with various brushes.
After wheels and arches onto the bodywork.
Foamed with Chem Guys Citrus Snow Foam and allowed to dwell for 6-7 mins.
Rinsed and washed using Two Bucket Method, Chem Guys Super Sud's and Sheepskin Mitt's.
Rinsed off to leave a clean car showing no signs of protection. No evidence of beading or sheeting here.
During the wash stage I could feel contamination on all area's of the paintwork dragging the washmitt although none was actually visible to the eye.
Straight onto Claying whilst the car was still wet.
Chem Guys Superfine Poly Clay and AutoSmart Reglaze used as a Lube. ( A very good cost effective Clay Lube IMO, 50ml to 400ml water makes a great lube for claying).
A fair bit of contamination was removed and was visible on the clay, paintwork left nice and smooth.
Washed again via Two Bucket Method, rinsed and dried off, then inside the workshop for a full inspection.
Paintwork was dull and flat with some etching and whole car had swirling and some RiDS.
PTG Readings Taken and car taped up in prep for Polishing.
PTG reading's from inside of Drivers Door.
Thinnest area of paint.
Deepest area of paint.
Readings Taken around the car showing between 110 and 130 microns in general.
Bootlid showed signs of extra paint and filler where a WRC Spoiler had been previously removed.
Tried a couple of combinations to give best correction, went with a Megs W8006 Polishing pad and a blend of 3M 80349 Extra Fine Compound and 3M 50383 Ultra Fina, the combination gave full correction over most area's and left the surface LSP Ready, a few small area's were hit with a Sonus SFX 1 Pad and 3M 50417 Fast Cut Plus to remove more serious defects and refined with the Polishing combo.
Good Clarity to the finish under the worksop lights, no swirling, marring or RiDS visible.
Rear offside light had some form of chemical etching which needed dealing with.
Out with the Micromesh Plastic and Acrylic repair kit.
Sanded with the Micromesh 4000 grade material on the supplied pad and refined with the 6000 grade material again on the pad using the polish supplied in the kit as a lube/polish.
Finish left by the 6000 material, was pretty good but still a little more refining required.
After a run over with 3M Ultrafina on a 3" pad on the PC.
Rest of the car was finished off and given an IPA wipedown before 2 coats of Collinite 476 were applied.
After buffing off the first coat of 476 and left to rest before the second layer the windows were cleaned inside and out with AutoGlym Glass Polish.
Rubber, Plastic Trims and Tyres were all treated with Chem Guys New Look Trim Gel.
Wheels had 2 coats of chem guys Jetseal applied, each layer applied and left to bond for around 20 mins before removal.
Some Afters.
Hope you all enjoy looking
Robbie.
Naughty Mikkel 
must try harder 
14 July 2008, 12:59 PM
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Looks great! The Micro-mesh gear looks useful, any major advantage over say machine polishing out the etching with 106FA instead? Presumably just greater level of available cut?
15 July 2008, 12:59 AM
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I use the KR70 Kit which IMO is the best for Detailing needs, kit contains:
1-3" x 6" Sheet 1500 MICRO-MESH
1-3" x 6" Sheet 1800 MICRO-MESH
1-3" x 6" Sheet 2400 MICRO-MESH
1-3" x 6" Sheet 3600 MICRO-MESH
1-3" x 6" Sheet 4000 MICRO-MESH
1-3" x 6" Sheet 6000 MICRO-MESH
1-3" x 3" Foam Sanding Block
1-2 oz. Bottle MICRO-GLOSS
2-Flannel Cloths
Everything you need for minor defect correction on paint and plastics with the beauty of washing the abrasive cloth off in an APC solution and drying to re-use at a later date, one sheet can be used 3 or 4 times I find before it loses it's capabilities.
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