Back in November 2016 our client of ours opted to have their black Porsche 991 undergo an Enhancement Detail along with Gyeon Quartz Q2MOHS ceramic coating (click here to view the previous feature). After a few months had passed the client had replaced said Porsche for a brand new 911 GTS and was expecting delivery soon, so we received a phonecall to install the Gyeon Quartz protection upon his latest investment. Since the previous job, we had become a Gyeon Quartz Certified Detailer, meaning that we can provide the vehicle with a warranted five year protection this time around. Before we move onto the detail itself, lets have a little background about this model 911.. The 2017 Porsche 911 GTS may not appear to be much different from the other many 911 choices, but it squeezes itself pretty comfortably between the entry-level 911 and GT3 models of the range. A few subtle aesthetic alterations including some bigger center-lock wheels, swapping all silver exterior trim for satin black and an interior that is oozing full of alcantara on pretty much every surface (including steering wheel) with a touch of leather to tie it all together. The twin turbo 3.0L boxer engine is given a little boost (excuse the pun) to 444bhp and the suspension is 20mm lower than that of a regular carrera; something Porsche has named the 'Powerkit' option. Well, time to get to work on this New Car Protection..
The Porsche was delivered to us one week after the client collected it from the local Porsche Centre and had a mere 95 miles on the odometer. As you can imagine from the low amount of use the car was pretty clean upon delivery, only a very light surface soiling was present on both body and wheels. Before we began, we electronically raised the rear wing to gain access to the underlying plastics and trim..
The satin black lightweight wheels were given a liberal covering of Gyeon Quartz Q2MIron to breakdown and loosen surface brake dust. As the product dwells for a few minutes, a change in colour will indicate metallic particles being chemically changed into a water soluble state. This allows most of the light brake soiling to be removed from these Porsche wheels with a simple rinse using a pressure washer. Any remaining particles were then agitated with an assortment of brushes and wheel woollies using Auto Finesse Revolution wheel soap in a dedicated bucket only used for these dirty sections of a vehicle. The inner barrels, spoke backs and callipers were cleaned as best as possible whilst being still fitted to the vehicle, reducing the cleaning needed once removed later.
Before rinsing, the wheel arches were sprayed with a diluted all-purpose cleaner (APC) and agitated with a long reach soft bristled brush. Both the wheel and the arch were then rinsed of all soap using a pressure washer before moving onto the next continuing until all four corners of the vehicle had been completed. We moved our attention onto the bodywork giving all panels a thorough rinse to carry away any loose surface debris, all purpose cleaner was sprayed liberally onto the nose, lower sides and rear of the GTS to pre-soak the road soiling for a few minutes. Whilst the APC was dwelling and breaking down any protective waxes and polishes used between assembly and the clients collection from the dealership, Gyeon Q2MFoam was applied to the entire vehicle in order to further breakdown surface grime. The foam would also carry away any grit and dust particles as it begins to slide down the bodywork making the wash process safer.
In the 3-4 minutes that the foam was allowed to dwell on the surface, the wash buckets were prepared. One bucket contained fresh water, the other contained the wash solution - in this case Q2MBathe shampoo. Rinsing away the remainder of the foam (and lifted horribleness), the Porsche was then carefully washed with a lambswool wash mitt which collected any stubborn soiling from the panels. Working from the roof downward, each panel was washed in straight lines with no physical pressure - once each panel had been washed, the wash mitt would be dipped into the fresh water bucket to release any collected dirt particles that could cause marring on the follwing section. Once the wash mitt was rinsed and then wrung out with the fresh water, it was then re-dipped into the wash solution before taking it back onto the car; using the two bucket method greatly reduces wash marring and swirling which over time can dull the finish. Once the entire vehicle has been washed safely, the solution and suds were rinsed away before moving onto the three-step decontamination.
The first step in the decontamination process would be to remove any tar spots and glue residues from the vehicle. As the Porsche was brand new, the protective plastics that are installed after assembly would have been removed at the dealership before handover to the customer. We sprayed AutoSmart Tardis onto a section and allowed it to soak for up to 30 seconds, in this time any tar present would begin to dissolve and streak down the paintwork. A clean microfiber misted with the same tar remover was then massaged over the section to both encourage the removal of the deposits and collect them simultaneously. The upper panels were removed of glue residues in the same way, rinsing the areas thoroughly after being treated. Gyeon Q2MIron (the same product used on the wheels earlier) was sprayed onto every exterior surface and was then given time to dwell for approximately 10 minutes, this would be the second stage of decontamination. As with the wheels, any ferrous particles bonded to the paintwork would be highlighted with a change in colour. Gladly, there was very minimal contamination present on this vehicle which meant that the third decontamination step would be extremely minor. Using a surface preparation towel (a claybar alternative), any stubborn particles of contamination would be physically abraded away to leave the paintwork smooth and totally decontamination free.
A second layer of Q2MFoam, this time at a lesser dilution, was applied to the car in order to carry away any lifted contaminants. The foam also works its way into crevasses and water traps that tar and fallout removers may collect, forcing thee residues out. As there was no need for its cleansing ability, the foam only needed to sit a matter of a minute or two before a final rinse with a pressure washer was carried out and the Porsche moved into the drying bay.
Using a combination of drying towel and warm filtered air the car was then dried of any water on the paint surface. Lightly misting the drying towel with a quick detailer, in this case Auto Finesse Finale, the water was carefully and effortlessly collected in one single pass with the towel. The warm air was then used to blow out areas that hold water and often drip (and cause annoyance!) for hours after washing a vehicle - wing mirror bases, grills, door shut areas and badges are the most common areas for this. Any remaining water blown out from the crevasses was then mopped up with the towel and the Porsche was then moved onto the scissor lift within our detailing bay.
As is the case with a lot of modern Porsche's, the GTS features centre lock alloy wheels where the normal five-stud fixing is replaced with one single large pin-lock nut. These centre locks require a special removal key and a torque wrench that can secure the wheels to over 600nm when re fitted. Gladly, our friends at Flat Out Alloys were kind enough to loan their torque wrench to us to allow removal and refitting of the wheels (ourown torque wrench being more suited to the more conventional wheel torque settings). The centre caps of the wheels were removed carefully and placed to one side before the centre lock removal key was secured onto the wheel and then loosened whilst still on the ground. Once all four wheels had been slackened, the car was raised in order to remove them from the car carefully.
Whilst the wheels were cleaned during the wash stage, some water spots and remaining areas of soiling remained. The wheels were taken back outside for the barrels to be washed with a Microfiber Madness wash mitt and Auto Finesse Revolution wheel soap to ensure a totally clean surface. Using warm air to then blow dry each wheel, Gyeon Q2MPrep was then sprayed liberally onto both wheel barrel and face before removing any residues and oils in readiness for the Q2RIM application later in the service.
Turning our attention back to the 'Sapphire Blue' paintwork, we used various lighting sources whilst inspecting the paintwork, highlighting any defects such as swirling, wash marring and general surface issues that would need rectifying. Happily, the paint was in superb condition - of course, its a brand new car, but as the vehicle was washed and prepared at the dealership it is not uncommon to see swirling already imparted from poor wash techniques, tooling and experience. We discovered one area on the front bumper that appeared to have received paintwork and a visible blend was visible. To gain the best and consistent finish, we removed the front licence plate holder, which revealed an area of holograms not fully removed after the repair was carried out.
We noted this area and continued with the rest of the bodywork. With the paintwork being in such good shape with no heavier defects elsewhere, we could focus on maximising the gloss rather than the need of removing damage. Gyeon Quartz Q2MPrimer, a finishing polish designed to prepare the paint for an Si02 coating, was used in conjunction with a Rupes white foam finishing pad. This combination was enough to remove any minor marring whilst creating a beautifully smooth surface that can receive an Si02 coating with no additional need to degrease with a panel wipe if left to cure for a full 24hours. As we were going to be coating the vehicle within a shorter time the panels were required to be cleansed of any residues and polishing oils using Q2MPrep. The area of holograms and sanding marks found on the front bumper were polished with Q2MPolish and a Rupes yellow polishing pad, followed by the Q2MPrimer on white finishing pad combination.
Polishing completed, the whole car was degreased using Q2MPrep whilst a bright handheld light showed any remaining residues and streaks that would need to be removed before moving onto the ceramic coating application. Satisfied with the panel wipe process, the Q2MOHS+ kit was opened and we opened the Q2MOHS bottle after a shake. A thick bead of product was dripped onto the suede applicator before being spread onto one manageable section at a time. A brand new microfiber towel was used to remove the excess whilst a second brand new towel ensured all residue was removed with no smearing or missed patches. This continued until the first Q2MOHS layer was completed on the entire vehicle. Before a second layer can be installed, a minimum of one hour is required - in which time we continued with the Porsche's New Car Protection by moving onto the exterior glass. Q2MCleanse removed any water spotting present on the glass surface whilst also removing any previous glass treatments, allowing the best possible bond between glass and Q2Repel treatment. Two layers were applied to the windscreen and front side windows for extended durability and then any residue was buffed off with a clean microfiber before we turned our attention back to the second Q2MOHS layer (which was applied in the same manor as the first). By this time the car was starting to look sharp and glossy.
Q2MOHS+ is a two-product system consisting of Q2MOHS layers and a final topcoat of Q2Phobic; only Gyeon Certified Detailers can install Q2MOHS+ and provide a five year warranty for the installation. An intermission of four hours is required before the final Q2Phobic layer can be applied. During the four hour intermission, we returned to the satin centre lock wheels. The wheels were buffed of any light dusting on the surface and checked for any smears and water spots from the Q2MPrep carried out earlier. Using Gyeon's dedicated wheel coating, Q2RIM, the wheels were given a thick layer of product before using two fresh microfiber towels to remove the excess. Q2RIM is fully compatible with gloss, matte and satin finished wheels with no reduction in performance or protection. The brake calipers, central hubs (not the center lock hub itself) and exhaust tips were also protected with Q2RIM following a wipe over with Q2MPrep to aid in future maintenance.
Before the wheels were refitted and secured to the car, the wheel arch plastics were protected with Q2TRIM - Gyeon's dedicated plastic preserver. The wheels were re-mounted to the hubs and the central locking ring was hand tightened before using the specialised torque wrench to tighten the wheels to the correct specification and following the correct procedures - ensuring that the locking pins are correctly seated is absolutely crucial on this wheel fixing design.
To finalise the all surface application, the plastic trim was next to be protected, once again using Q2TRIM. All plastics including the intercooler air ducts, under-wing plastics, engine cover and scuttle trim were treated with the coating to ensure a complete protection, even on the areas that may not be seen. The rear engine ventilation cover situated on the rear of the vehicle was very intricate to apply the coating via a swab. After completing the coating we were not happy with the patchy and inconsistent finish due to not being able to remove all excess (see the second image below). It was decided that to achieve the best possible finish the ventilation cover would be removed and dismantled.
Reassembling the rear ventilation cover and reinstalling it to the car, it was time to return to the final layer of body protection through the Q2Phobic. Following the same methods as the earlier two layers, the car becomes slick and super smooth when buffing away the residue, not to mention the intensified gloss levels only available from this professional-grade coating. Gyeon coatings require a full twenty four hours to cure before being exposed to external conditions, or with the use of an infrared heat lamp the treated panels can be cured in ten minutes at sixty degrees. This applies to all the Gyeon ceramic coatings including Q2RIM and Q2TRIM.
The infrared curing of all the coatings takes approximately four-to-five hours from start to finish, meaning the vehicle can be driven from our premises the same day in some cases. But the New Car Protection also includes the interior surfaces, so during the IR curing process we continued with that.
Starting with a thorough vacuum of all surfaces to remove light dust and debris, the floor mats were removed from the vehicle and given a generous spray of Gyeon Q2FabricCoat which was then massaged into all fibres with a gloved hand. The alcantara seat inserts were also protected with Q2FabricCoat, although the product was sprayed into a gloved hand and massaged into the material; this prevents unwanted over spray landing on the leather and other interior surfaces becoming difficult to remove. The alcantara glove compartment door, steering wheel, gear selector and door upholstery were also protected in this way to prevent build up and staining in the near future. The leather bolsters, dashboard and door upholstery were then protected with Q2LeatherCoat which was sprayed into a clean microfiber towel and worked onto the leather until an even coverage had been achieved. Any smudges, residues and smears were cleared from the interior glass and Auto Finesse Spritz was used to remove any fingerprints, dust and smudges from the plastics for an unaltered 'as-new' appearance. The floor mats were then placed back into the car. The final step in this Porsche's service was to give the bodywork a buff using Q2MCure, a product designed to protect the ceramic coating during its hardening period; whilst the IR curing allows the car to be driven almost immediately, the coating it takes a further 7-14days to fully harden and is the reason we request the car is not washed in the first seven days after our treatment. Using a bright handheld light source to check for smears, the door shuts were then buffed free of any water spotting and dust whilst simultaneously adding protection to these overlooked areas. A buff of the exterior glass to ensure a crystal clear finish and the Porsche's professional New Car Protection was complete. This vehicle has received the best possible start to life, and is provided with a five year warranty through our Gyeon Quartz Q2MOHS+ coating...
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