This 135i has previosly had work done by myself a few months ago. Previous work removed swirling, bird etchings and more defects in the form of an Enhancement Detail. This time the client returns to get his beloved BMW (alongside his sisters Seat Leon FR) protected ready to fight the less favored time of the year for car lovers. So, onto the detail..
Firstly removing the licence plates from both front and rear of the vehicle, the heavily covered wheels were misted with a fallout remover and left to soak into the brake dust for a few minutes. An assortment of wheel brushes and wheel woollies allowed access to all areas of the wheel including spoke backs and barrels. The arches were sprayed with an APC and a long reach brush helped to free the accumulated dirt. A pressure rinse of both the wheel and arch removed any final grime.
Heavier soiled panels such as the rear and lower side panels were sprayed with a citrus pre-cleaner to breakdown the dirt on the surface of the paint with a little extra bite than a regular pre-cleaner would. A foam pre-wash was then coated over the car and left to dwell for 3-5minutes. This gave enough time to agitate intricate areas like window rubbers and badges with a boar hair detailing brush. Door shuts were cleaned with APC and a boar hair brush also.
After thoroughly rinsing away the pre-wash, the car was moved onto the bucket wash. A two bucket method accompanied a high quality synthetic wash mitt and a pH neutral shampoo solution to cleanse the body free of surface dirt. Once washed down, another rinse down and the car was then partially dried off and moved out of the heavy wind for the next few steps.
Tar spotting was removed from the vehicle by misting a microfiber with Tar&Glue Remover and carefully massaging the spots away. A fallout remover was then applied via a pump sprayer and once the whole car was covered, it was left to work. Any ferrous particles in the paint would be indicated with a chemical reaction that turns the chemical a deep red colour. Essentially making that said ferrous particle water soluble to be rinsed away. After the fallout remover was left to work for around 5 minutes, the car was pulled back outside and rinsed thoroughly with a pressure washer; ensuring extra attention was paid to areas such as water traps. Once rinsed, the panels were checked for smoothness. As this car was enhanced by us a few months ago, the paint didn’t need to be clayed - de-tarring and fallout remover can substitute. A second foam pre-wash (at a more diluted mixture) was applied to the car and left to dwell for 1-2minutes. This carries away any remaining contamination safely without the need to re- wash the car.
With the car rinsed for the final time and moved inside, the car was dried down with a combination of towel and warm filtered air.
Gtechniq Liquid C2v3 Liquid Crystal was used as a drying aid whilst removing the last few droplets of water from the car. Once the whole car was wiped over with the C2v3, a second coat was applied approximately 15-20mins after the first was buffed to a clear finish. This laid a highly durable protection ready to see the car through many months of harsh weather. The body was then left for a while whilst other areas of the car were being worked on.
The glass received a highly-durable and hydrophobic rain repellent treatment, ensuring enough time was left to cure before buffing. Next step would be the wheels, firstly wiping down the alloys with a light mist of quick detailer to remove any dusting and water spots. A dedicated wheel wax was then applied to each wheel one-by-one. Once all 4 wheels were waxed, a microfiber cloth was used to buff the residue away once it had cured. Once all wax was buffed, Gyeon Q2 TIRE was used to dress the tyres to a stunning 'as new' finish, no high gloss here.
Once the glass and the wheels were taken care of, the body was then taken to the third and final paint protection stage - a coat of detergent-proof wax. Applied by hand in circular overlapping motions, the wax was spread thinly and evenly. After the whole car was covered, it was left to cure for a few minutes before being buffed thoroughly to a gloss.
The front air ducts and grill on the upgrade 'aero' bumper and arch liners were dressed with Auto Finesse Dressle, whilst the exhaust tips were polished with Auto Finesse's Mercury metal polish to restore a highly polished exhaust tip to full glory.
The interior received a thorough vacuuming of all surfaces, removing loose crumbs and debris. The floor mats were then sprayed with an APC and steamed thoroughly to remove embedded dirt without over-saturating the pile. The mats were then forced dry before Gtechniq I1 Fabric Guard was soaked and massaged into the fibres of the carpet, protecting against build up and spills.
Finally, the door and boot seals were wiped over with a protectant that prevents them from sticking (then tearing) during those cold winter nights - A well protected little BMW ready to hit those roads regardless of weather!