Porsche Boxster S - Minor correction

[Jimmeh]

Porsche Boxster S – 02 plate, ~50k miles.

Enhancement and Protection – Pre-sale

After being contacted by the owner a couple of weeks back, we were finally able to come to an agreement with the dates.. Wednesday evening, the car was brought up to me and locked away for the night to allow an early start on Thursday.

It had recently came back from the bodyshop; I was amazed at the state of the interior. Everything the painter/bodyshop touched, he/she left white, dusty finger prints. All over the door cards, leather, bolsters, CD unit, window switches… everywhere!? The outside wasn’t much better either.. Some impressive trails on the bonnet and a bit of splatter here and there. Hey-ho…

Process & Product

1. Sills/shuts/boot compartment(s)
2. Wheels, tyres & arches
3. Convertible hood
4. Pre-wash/wash stages
5. De-contamination
6. Single-stage minor correction
7. Glaze
8. Wax
9. Exhausts / Seal Wheels / Dress tyres
10. Interior

• AS G101
• Megs SDG / WB / LT
• 303 Convertible hood cleaner
• DoDo Juice Supernatural Shampoo / Limeprime
• Poorboys Black Hole
• Victoria Concours
• Sonus Green Clay
• Megs Endurance Gel
• Autosol
• ChemicalGuys JetSEAL

Exterior inspection

Looks clean from a far, sure, but get up close and personal, and you’re greeted with a whole arrangement of swirls/defects to tackle. Still, promises to be a nice turnaround. You could see the ghosting swirls without direct sunlight.. That’s always bad news!

First of all, I kitted up and looked at the sills/shuts/gaps

All cleaned up with G101 and a SV style brush. Rinsed, wiped dry with a few MFs.

Door sills were again, soaked in G101 and later agitated.

Wheels.

Arches filled with G101. Super-degreaser on t he tyres. G101 on the wheel facing. Wheel brightener into the rim and Degreaser also on the callipers.

Heh, that’s the one thing I hate about the EZ-Wheel brush. The splatter! The above pic was taken at the very end of the day.. Previously, I had spoken to several passers-by and handed the car back over to the owner without them saying a word. D’oh!

Still, atleast the wheels were all now nice and clean..

(some deep pitting on the inner-rims remained)


Pre-wash/wash stage..

 

[Jimmeh]

I managed to get hold of the new Supernatural shampoo for testing.

*opens the cap* and what’s the first thing I do? *sniff* Oh, no smell.. Well that’s a bumder!  I was hoping for something sweet, something to allure you into using it time and time again.

Not too worry, atleast it foams nicely:

It was quite nice to use, granted. Similar to that of my BornToBeMild really – couldn’t tell it apart in terms of ‘cleanliness’ or slickness. Would definitely use it again though (probably the worst report, ever?)

Left the car looking a little something like this:

To touch, the car felt rough. Full of contaminants and in great need of a clay-bar session.

Here’s the pick-up off the car from half of the bonnet:

And another; this time from the tailgate contaminants:

In doing this, it left a super-slick feel to the paintwork. We now have a ‘clean’ car.

Water beading much nicer too

Only now can we really see the true condition of the paint..

The grey ‘film’ covering the car really stole the true colour/depth and clarity.

Vehicle was moved in doors and I rigged up the Kestral with a 3M yellow polishing pad and primed with Limeprime.

Starting with the tailgate..

Before

After

50/50’s

Limeprime working wonders again. Happy with the progress, I continued to work the whole car. Some 75/80% correction was achieved – only leaving the deeper RDS in the paintwork

Whilst making my way around the car, I noticed some random thickness readings.

 

[Jimmeh]

Well, when I say ‘random’, I mean ‘varying’! It was obvious the car had had some paint in more than one area. O/S door and rear wing, and also the tailgate were victims of the thicker paint.

I tried chasing the sun to check my progress, but, as soon I had the vehicle outside, the sun had vanished behind the clouds once again..

Looks well though!


The clarity/colour difference could be seen without the halogens/artificial light..

O/S rear wing before

O/S rear wing after

Driver’s door 50/50

Before

After

I thought I’d spice things up a bit today! “oh, limited edition!!”

*not as good as the originals….*

Progress was good. We’re 4.5/5 hours into the detail. Time to go back on myself and work some of the smaller, hard to reach, areas by hand.

50/50 on rear bumper

Front bumper

Again, taken outside to see how things are looking. The sun really wasn’t on my side..

OK, so.. TO DO?
• Glaze
• Wax
• Dressings
• Wheels & Tyres
• And interior

JetSEAL onto the alloys to seal and protect:

The exhausts were shot. I’d struggle to get them up at all.. Befores:

After 20 minutes of sweating, swearing and polishing, I’m left with this..

Required more attention – a dremel, maybe?

Some pig tailing spotted above the o/s vent:

BlackHole applied and brought off.

Vics Concours applied and brought off.

Tyres dressed. Final wipeover and outside to start interior..


Interior inspection

 

[Jimmeh]

See what I mean about the white, chalky finger prints.. grr!! If my car came back from a bodyshop in that condition, I’d be having words!

G101 wipedoown on doorcards/plastics and trim.

Hoovered throughout. Pedals/foot-rest scrubbed. Leather cleaned and conditioned. Vanity mirrors cleaned and gubbings/holes/vents de-dusted.

That’s pretty much our lot! Finished.. 8 hours later.

Thanks for reading..

 

[S3 Rav]

jim mate great work yet again. may have to get in contact with you about my car some time.

 

[A3-sport]

whoever owns that car should be ashamed of themselves - that was outrageously filthy inside and out!!! Outrageous!! (good job mate)

 

[quattrojames]

Very good

Like you, I'd not be happy if my car was returned in that condition! When I had my new engine it came back with oily finger prints on the headlining inside the A-pillar and all over the door card :sign_unfair:

 

[Nilz]

Well done Jimbo, cracking job done there, I would be majorly peed off if my car came back like that, but with it in your hands, I would be happy if mine came out looking like that!!

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks all.

I believe the vehicles on Autotrader/Pistonheads now for sale.

Still yet to hear feedback RE this job, the chap had to shoot asap when he collected. hmm..

 

[WX51TXR]

Nice work again Jim, and yep, a Dremel is essential in the long run - it's saved us on many occasions lol! Will be dropping you a line soon to ron over a few things about potential for future business. :icon_thumright:

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks Rich. Will certainly have to look into the Dremels..

Just heard back from the owner - that's what we like to hear..

"Car has sold to 1st viewer

You'll be pleased to know that he'd looked at a few and this was the best and had "obviously been well looked after".....

...... amazing when you consider how the bodypainter had left it.............

Can't imagine a better compliment to you considering its condition when you took it off me."