This weekends mission is cut and polish the rest of the car. Did the bonnet last week and it came out great. Used 5000 wet and dry to get rid of any deeper imperfections.

I've just masked the side up

Just turned the compressor on and it's died.

Great!!!

A bit more work I know, but it isn't difficult to take the trims off. I took mine off when it went in to be resprayed and gave them a coat of bumper black paint while the bodywork was being done. Not only does it make the trims look better but it will allow you to get right into the edges.

I once tried to take a side trim off but I couldn't get it to budge and I didn't want to overdo it. Not sure how they come off really.

I managed to get close into it without destroying my cutting disc. Masking tape was more for keeping the compound off the rubbers as it can be a right nuisance to get off sometimes.

Got one side done with my big polisher. Needed the compressor for my small tool for getting in round the lower tailgate paraphernalia. Been rained off now. Continue the saga tomorrow.

Remove the plastic nut that you can see on the inside of the door and then use a plastic trim removal tool to pop them off. I don't normally do cosmetics, just mechanics, but if I can manage it I'm sure you can (although I did cheat and read about it in RAVE first.....).

ah a secret screw! I'll have a look tomorrow. Masking up is a PITA.

Or you can do as I've just done. Pay a mobile firm to come and detail it. Cost £150 cash (instead of £200). It didn't really need it but I wanted it prepped for the winter.

I don't reckon a mobile firm wouldn't do what I've done for anywhere near £150. I've spent hours hand sanding and re-colouring stone chips and I also resprayed my mirrors Let alone the time it actually takes to cut, polish and wax it. It was £30 to buy just the compound and wax. Father in law sent his in a few months ago for just a machine polish at a cost of £30. Came back looking nice and shiny but full of swirl marks, polish stuck in all of the gaps and still with loads of imperfections when you inspected it at about a foot a way. You can inspect mine with a magnifying glass and not find a mark. It's overkill by most peoples standards I imagine, but my paint looks brand new and shouldn't need doing again for years. The kind of attention only you as an owner would give and it's also 1000% satisfying to have done it yourself.

I agree, BPS. Your paintwork looks stunning. It must give you a big buzz when you look at it knowing it's all your own work. Unfortunately my health stops me doing any DIY these days so I have to pay to get these things done.

Thanks for the paintwork comment. Ironically, that picture was taken before i'd started. lol

Done!

Compounded with Farecla G3 then G10, polished with Mer and then waxed with Farecla Wax. I'm not a Farecla rep. Other products are available! lol

Looks awesome

Very nice work. Did you clay it first or go straight in with the G3?

I've obviously missed a couple of steps. After mine had been resprayed I left it for a couple of weeks, went over it with G3 on a power polisher and then Mer (by hand). It looked so good, it's only ever been washed since then. Are you saying it wants wax on top of the Mer?

Polish doesn't stay on the car - it is used to remove imperfections. Wax is what makes it pop, and does form a layer on top of the paint.

I thought Mer was just an alternative to using wax. Lot less elbow grease required and it doesn't make white streaks on the black bits either.

Proves how often I polish cars though.......

Morat wrote:

Very nice work. Did you clay it first or go straight in with the G3?

Bonnet was the worst. Could feel loads of bits when I ran my hand over it. I hand sanded with 5000 grit instead of claybar then went on to the G3. Rest of car I just did with G3 straight off the bat unless there were any deeper imperfections which again I hand sanded but with 2000 grit.

Gilbertd wrote:

I've obviously missed a couple of steps. After mine had been resprayed I left it for a couple of weeks, went over it with G3 on a power polisher and then Mer (by hand). It looked so good, it's only ever been washed since then. Are you saying it wants wax on top of the Mer?

Mer is great to put on. It requires no work and always leaves a great finish. However, it is only a polish which is a very very mild form of cutting compound. It'll look great but offers zero protection from bugs, dirt, finger marks and most importantly the sun (although not too much of an issue in England). Wax is a sealing coat which is literally a layer of wax spread on top of the paintwork and as Sloth says makes the colour pop. A piece of Oak looks great but if you stick some wax or varnish on it, it brings out the grain and makes it look great. Get yourself some Farecla Wax. £12 for a litre bottle and will last you forever. It's as easy to put on as Mer. Wipe it on, let it haze, buff it off. Zero elbow grease required. I've only got one coat on at the moment but i'll be applying a couple more. It should last for about 3 months. When you noticed a mark or mucky spot on a waxed car, buff it off with a clean cloth and it'll look good as new again as the mark is on the wax and not the paintwork.