New Civic Detailing

It's the new Civic which was recently launched in Malaysia. However, it was launched quite some time in Thailand. My buddy, Tanat from Bangkok detailed this new black Civic today. His shop is located in Bangkok, named Washz Station. They provide truly professional detailing services. Check out the reflection and swirl free finish!



Job Scope:
- Wash
- Clay
- Menzerna PO85RD/LC Polishing Pad/RB
- Menzerna 106FF/LC Blue Finishing Pad/RB
- Poorboys EX/LC Black Finishing Pad/DA
- Meguiar's M26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax/LC Black Finishing Pad/DA

Just Get Hornier

I bought a pair of Hella New Generation Twin Tone horn weeks before the car came. Finally now I get the time to replace the original-sissy-horn with this pair of Hella. It's quite a straight forward connection and installation was alot easier with ample of room. This pair of horn produces 110dB of sound pressure level (SPL) from a 400Hz and a 500Hz separate horn unit. It's black in color, so it hides behind the grill nicely.







*Photos were taken by handphone - sorry for poorer quality photos.

Welcome Vios!

The car is ready by 12PM today (15th March 2006). It was left untouched, parked at the same spot in the basement stockyard, with the same amount of dirt on it. My salesman drove it up to the inspection bay for briefing. After everything is settled, I drove it back home.

First of all, before I start describing what I did on the detailing part, I found out 3 FREE "gift" from Toyota. In the photo below, the first one shows the scuff mark on the right hand side of the front lower bumper while the second photo shows the scuff mark on the left hand side. The third photo shows paint chip on the painted protective door strip. Exactly what I got on the Honda Accord (last year) if you read the article I posted before.


My detailing process started at 12:30PM, ended at 10:30PM. In between, I had 15 mins lunch break and 15 mins dinner break. Firstly it started with a wash. Check out the amount of rain water spots...


Factory water beading...


This is the buffer holograms which I mentioned (Try if you can spot the holograms)...


And this is after M83/W8006/RB and M82/W9006/RB. Absolutely swirl-free...Best thing about owning a silver car haha...


Certain panels have dried up polishing residue and splatters, due to poor rotary buffer maching handling. I removed those residues with M6000 and proceeded with clay. Unfortunately, those residues had already caused damage on the clearcoat, leaving splatter mark (lifted clearcoat). The only way to reduce the effect it is to compound it with M85/Wool/RB, then followed by M83/W8006/RB and M82/W9006/RB. The reflection is simply irrisistable!


At around 9PM, I was working on the doors to remove holograms. Thanks to the 300W halogen work lamp which enables me to spot any defects easily, eventhough on a silver car!


The effect of M21 on silver car is a hot topic among silver car owners. It's proven on Sherwin's silver Kelisa.


Factory pinholes were easily removed with M83/W8006/RB...



Job Scope:

- Wash
- M6000
- Clay
- M85/Wool/RB @ 600RPM (Certain panels)
- M83/W8006/RB @ 900RPM
- M82/W9006/RB @ 600~1200RPM
- M21/W9006/DA

Duration: 10 hours

20/20 Perfect Vision

This time is not about polishing the toilet bowl lid. I found out my spectacles lens suffer from some sort of overspray. The contaminants seem to be harden and can be felt when I run my fingernail across the lens surface. Applying M6000 doesn't seem to work and those spots are still there. So, the next best thing to use is clay bar. It seems to work so perfectly and those overspray spots are gone! Do you see how automotive detailing is applied in other daily life matters? ;-)

Stock Selection

I was given a privilege by my Toyota sales advisor to choose a unit when the stock arrives. Three units of silver Vios arrived yesterday at the showroom and I went to have a look today. This is what I observed...

First Unit:

• Already washed, being displayed at the showroom.


• Certain panels have buffer holograms.


• Half foot key-scratch-type of scratch on the front left fender, can be felt by finger nail.


• Serious tree sap damage on bonnet, can be felt by touching.

Second Unit:

• Stored in the basement carpark.


• Rain water spotting.


• Dried up polish residue on trunk lid.


• Buffer holograms on ALL panels.

Third Unit:

• Stored in the basement carpark.


• Rain water spotting.


• Buffer holograms on ALL panels.


• Typical ceiling leakage water spots on car roof.

Every new car in the stockyard has the buffer holograms, which I suspect it was done in the Toyota factory. I would say Toyota is really POOR in prepping up the car before delivering to the dealers. I've also issued a request to the branch manager - asking them not to wash the car at all. Due to my transport difficulties, I ended up choosing the Second Unit. I will perform the following steps once I receive the car:

Wash
M6000 (To remove dried up polish residue)
Clay
M82/W9006/RB
M21/MF/DA

*Surface inspection was illuminated with the aid of Inova T2 torch.

Good Bye Getz

After posessing her for exactly 26 months (7th January 2004 - 7th March 2006), today is the day I leave her. All of a sudden I feel sad and down...because this Getz had given me so much of memories and also provided me a very steep learning curve in detailing. Without her, I wouldn't have picked up machine polishing and I wouldn't have known how hard to achieve a truly swirl-free finish on a solid black paintwork. Eventhough at times I faced difficulties, but it's all worth the trouble for gaining such experience. Many thanks to Hypercoat employees who are always willing to share technical knowledge with me. Now...I'm wondering how's she doing...it's cold and wet out there...and she's always pampered with covered parking...weekly wash...monthly waxing...quarterly polishing...Wishing all the best to her and her new owner. =)