2001 VW Golf TDI Exterior Detail

[justinschmidt1]

Car was looking pretty rough when the customer brought it to me.

Had some pretty deep scratches and swirl marks all over the car, headlights were oxidized, paint had tar on the lower sides of the doors, hub caps were looking a little rough.

Customer was just looking for a quick clean up before he sold it so I was looking for the most effective way to correct the paint using 1 or 2 steps.

I was using a Hitachi Rotary and hit all the deep scratches with SSR3 and a cutting pad.

I used 3m Purple power polish for swirl/minor scratch removal and finished off with M205 and a finishing pad.

Before:


I wish my camera could capture swirl marks better....

After:

The last few the owner sent me...figured id throw them in there.

 

[SRT Handz]

Looks good Justin!! Get paid well?

 

[mygreengt]

that looks alot better

 

[justinschmidt1]

Looks good Justin!! Get paid well?

Mmm somewhat, he was a long time friend and I told him id clean it up for a good price. He paid me 200 which isnt too bad.

that looks alot better

It better after 8-9 hours of paint correction. lol

 

[Sinned83]

awesome work there was alot of scratches on that car on the before pics

 

[Javi]

Very nice job J.
I wish one of you guys were closer, my new dd could use a lil detail.

 

[justinschmidt1]

Yes, there was a a lot of bad scratches that I hit multiple times with SS3 Compound.

Thanks Javi, yea...it really is hard to find a TRUE detailer and not a hack job.

So many people go the cheap way and take theyre cars to hack jobs. Its sad really.

 

[got5.0]

looks a lot better man, it definitely a good feeling when they're done.

 

[JiMi_DRiX]

Yes, there was a a lot of bad scratches that I hit multiple times with SS3 Compound.

Thanks Javi, yea...it really is hard to find a TRUE detailer and not a hack job.

So many people go the cheap way and take theyre cars to hack jobs. Its sad really.

I detail professionally, but it doesnt take me 8-9 hours for that kind of a job, hehe.

Nice work man, looks great!

 

[justinschmidt1]

Yes, there was a a lot of bad scratches that I hit multiple times with SS3 Compound.

Thanks Javi, yea...it really is hard to find a TRUE detailer and not a hack job.

So many people go the cheap way and take theyre cars to hack jobs. Its sad really.

I detail professionally, but it doesnt take me 8-9 hours for that kind of a job, hehe.

Nice work man, looks great!

8-9 hours isnt a lot of time at all...it actually seems pretty short compared to what some of these other guys spend

It seems pretty normal for professional detailers to spend 10-15-20 hours on a full exterior paint correction on some of the more trashed darker colored cars.

May I ask where you work and what techniques you would have used to remove deep scratches and swirls all over a darker colored black/blue car?

 

[FullThrottleStangs]

very nice! i didnt know you detailed justin...

 

[justinschmidt1]

very nice! i didnt know you detailed justin...

yea, ive been doing it for years now...Honestly, I do a lot of cars Im just not the type to document it well.

It kinda sucks cause ive had some amazing turnarounds but im trying to start taking pictures of the cars I do.


I consider myself a "Pro"...like real pro, like Handz, not I work a dealership and apply "cutting glaze" with a wool pad as a finishing step.

 

[FullThrottleStangs]

hahahaha well from the looks of things you deserve a promotion. very nice job man :thumbsup:

 

[justinschmidt1]

hahahaha well from the looks of things you deserve a promotion. very nice job man :thumbsup:

lol...Im "self Employed"

I try to work with customers on price just because Id rather be working for less than not be working at all.

 

[Win]

Good job man.

 

[greenscobie86]

Looks good Justin!! Get paid well?

Mmm somewhat, he was a long time friend and I told him id clean it up for a good price. He paid me 200 which isnt too bad.

That is not bad... i have to charge like $150 to do SUV's and $100 to get regular cars. The competition here in NYC is just too stiff...

great work on the MK4.

oh and LOL @ the cutting glaze on a wool pad as the finishing step comment

 

[SRT Handz]

I am actually raising my prices at the end of this month.... I work way too hard for way too little pay.

 

[greenscobie86]

I am actually raising my prices at the end of this month.... I work way too hard for way too little pay.

It's harder to charge more around me because EVERYONE'S cousin Vinny is a detailer.... And by detailer i mean someone who washes cars and waxes them DIRECTLY after rubbing all the dirt around without clay... Or someone who ONLY details by HAND, because it gives the BEST correction...


ARRGHHH!!! :BangHead:

[/vent]

 

[JiMi_DRiX]

Yes, there was a a lot of bad scratches that I hit multiple times with SS3 Compound.

Thanks Javi, yea...it really is hard to find a TRUE detailer and not a hack job.

So many people go the cheap way and take theyre cars to hack jobs. Its sad really.

I detail professionally, but it doesnt take me 8-9 hours for that kind of a job, hehe.

Nice work man, looks great!

8-9 hours isnt a lot of time at all...it actually seems pretty short compared to what some of these other guys spend

It seems pretty normal for professional detailers to spend 10-15-20 hours on a full exterior paint correction on some of the more trashed darker colored cars.

May I ask where you work and what techniques you would have used to remove deep scratches and swirls all over a darker colored black/blue car?

We get our products from a few different distributors, but I have one compound that is just amazing! It's a three step buff, once with the compound and a wool pad, again with the same compound and a black polishing pad, removing all the compound, then again with a new clean black pad and a specific polish. After that, remove all the polish, then I like to go over the whole car one last time with a good wax using a Porter Cable, I really did the Meguires Tech Wax, but we have a few other things that are dark color specific and work great as well. I work for a Ford dealership, but there is a whole list of other dealers that are all under the same name, so I see lots of different cars.
Having to type out and explain my procedure is harder than I thought, I just do what I do, I rarely have to explain it to anyone! haha, I think I covered the jist of it.

 

[justinschmidt1]

Lol.....theres a lot of Hacks that are always willing to do it cheaper but they do a shitty job.

It is what it is.....I try explaining it but some people will never understand