Black Ess Tee eye Ultima'd (56k, go make a Mojito!)

SpoiledMan · 09-22-07, 05:43

Got a message from a fellow member that had just picked up a new Subaru STi in my favorite color. He wanted to get his car cleaned up and sealed as well as learn how to wash it so that he didn't put more swirls/scratches in it. There's nothing like an owner that has genuine interest in keeping their car looking it's best.

My thoughts prior to seeing this car were that it couldn't be that bad as it was new(not much more than 1k miles) and he's only washed it once.

So much for that! It was obvious that the dealer had "detailed" it prior to delivery and that his washing wasn't so much the problem after all. This was going to require two steps of polishing to truly make it look like a new car. By the time I finished it was also obvious that lighting wasn't going to let me get any decent after shots:

So I came back 10 days later for a wash:

Beading:

All dry! Man does this car ever hold a ton of water in the cracks and crevices. There much have been a quart of water in the rear spoiler alone! The paint was slick and shedding water like crazy.

The badging that could be removed was removed by myself and the owner.

Paint was lightly compounded with LC Foamed Wool and IP on the rotary. Polished with 106ff/5" orange pad and UDM. Cleaned and prepped for PGP with PPP using a white finishing pad on the UDM and then sealed with PGP. Tires were dressed with Hyper Dressing 2.5:1.

My best attempt at a sun shot. The sun kept coming and going and was more often than not also partially covered by clouds. Trust when I say that the paint on this car is right!

When you have this view it makes time just fly by!

Subie Evil Eye....

Nice and sharp reflections:

Debadged:

Proud and happy owner.

The red Cadi that can be seen in the background pics will be up for a refreshing in the coming weeks. It should make for some pretty good before and after shots.

Thanks for looking and post away any questions you might have.

zoomzoom mazda5 · 09-22-07, 05:55

Awesome correction and sexy black STi, great shine and wetness you did to it!

ZoranC · 09-22-07, 06:48

106FF with orange pad? Could you please let me know why?

SpoiledMan · 09-22-07, 06:48

Cause it worked.

SpoiledMan · 09-22-07, 06:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoomzoom mazda5

Awesome correction and sexy black STi, great shine and wetness you did to it!

Thanks! In those 10 days between the detail and the wash, he got the windows tinted and the wheels powder coated. He has a nice HP goal as well.

ZoranC · 09-22-07, 06:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoiledMan

Cause it worked.

Good enough reason

Did other combos not work?

SpoiledMan · 09-22-07, 06:56

Z, because of all the humps/curves, plastic/metal panels/parts on this car as well as a reputation for thin paint I wanted to finish easy. That combo was the first I tried for finishing and it worked so I stayed with it.

ZoranC · 09-22-07, 06:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoiledMan

Z, because of all the humps/curves, plastic/metal panels/parts on this car as well as a reputation for thin paint I wanted to finish easy. That combo was the first I tried for finishing and it worked so I stayed with it.

Thank you! It is great to be able to see thinking process behind it.

SpoiledMan · 09-22-07, 07:03

There's so little room to polish some areas of this car that it requires some improvising. I had to use 106ff and the orange pad and a few tries to get the spoiler, trunk lid and hood scoop corrected and finished. Being plastic, likely having thin paint and just not having much room made using the rotary on these an iffy proposition.

fishbonezken · 09-22-07, 07:19

what a fun thread to read and watch. You do excellent work

David703 · 09-22-07, 07:20

Fantastic work!!!!!!!!!!! THat makes me want to go out and buy one! (in black!)

SpoiledMan · 09-22-07, 07:28

Thanks gents! I make it my goal to produce what the owner is looking for.