Build Wet Sanded, Flatted, Detailed and Ceramic coated Diary

[boba fett]

Thought I would add this to the detailing thread.

After seeing how my new local detailers have got a few cars up (especially a C63 AMG Black) that was wet sanded, flatted back, detailed and ceramic coated (it looked amazing like glass) I was gobsmacked.

I have always wanted it done, never had the bottle, and now here we are. I want to get my car the best it could possibly be. I had all the work done underneath and now to perfect the outside, It will be better than new when finished.

Work has started and Its pretty bloody scary seeing your car being, basically sand papered back! I will document the process, it will be in for over 2 weeks!!





Ill always share a few other cars coming and going getting some Spa treatment as well!

 

[Burnsey]

It'll look amazing mate.

Sometimes you just have to trust the experts. My front end is peppered and I need to make the decision to tackle it, but first the decision to keep it.

 

[Grunty-Motor]

in the old days, used to wet sand regularly with orange peeled cellulose. Need a bit more skill and bravery on the modern paints i imagine and a lot of man hours.

Your car looks like it is in good company 👍

 

[boba fett]

in the old days, used to wet sand regularly with orange peeled cellulose. Need a bit more skill and bravery on the modern paints i imagine and a lot of man hours.

Your car looks like it is in good company 👍

Some lovely cars being done. Trouble is, I wont want to drive it when its done!

 

[Grunty-Motor]

....Trouble is, I wont want to drive it when its done!

🤣 - I almost said the same!

was going to suggest PPF on the front, but kind defeats the purpose of perfecting the paint and then adding a layer of imperfection

 

[boba fett]

🤣 - I almost said the same!

was going to suggest PPF on the front, but kind defeats the purpose of perfecting the paint and then adding a layer of imperfection

Yes they offer PPF, but they said you will just be added orange peel back on the car again.

I also find as good ay protecting the car it might be, I have always found that if you do just the front, it does add a shade of colour change to that area and it makes it look like you have painted the front and done a BUTT job (the term for not blending in paint and just painting the panel) That would seriously mess with my OCD.

 

[Techno]

There is PPF and PPF. Saw a Pista at my wrapping place that had Xpel Ultimate Plus on it. Seemed good to me. YMMV / ETTO etc.

 

[Techno]

Anyhow, if the paint is that good, surely sealing it in and preventing stone chips from causing costly damage and will aid keeping (increasing?) the value of such a car over time. I had everything below the glass line covered in Xpel when the car was ~3yrs old, as the paint was in great condition, and I'm glad I did as nothing has changed for the worse, other than a tiny area on the edge behind the rear wheels where they didn't take the wrap around the edge (grrr).

 

[Grunty-Motor]

I am a big fan of PPF and had it on to varying degrees on the last 3 new cars. I agree they are optically quite good and self healing is a real bonus. A good machine polish and PPF offers great results. Ceramic over the top to add a little extra. The "stress" of stone chips and baked on bugs disappears.

But wet sanding to mirror the paint then adding PPF is counter productive IMO as you will lose some results. You can of course machine polish PPF to some extent to gain some back.

 

[boba fett]

I am a big fan of PPF and had it on to varying degrees on the last 3 new cars. I agree they are optically quite good and self healing is a real bonus. A good machine polish and PPF offers great results. Ceramic over the top to add a little extra. The "stress" of stone chips and baked on bugs disappears.

But wet sanding to mirror the paint then adding PPF is counter productive IMO as you will lose some results. You can of course machine polish PPF to some extent to gain some back.

Thats right Grunty, PPF will just add orange peel.

On a side note, I am having GTechniq Crystal Serum light, and they are saying that the Ultra is a better finish and hardens like concrete, its a very tough protective coating, but its really expensive, near enough £700 more, has anyone had an experience with this, and can shed some light, is it worth it?

 

[Burnsey]

Thats right Grunty, PPF will just add orange peel.

On a side note, I am having GTechniq Crystal Serum light, and they are saying that the Ultra is a better finish and hardens like concrete, its a very tough protective coating, but its really expensive, near enough £700 more, has anyone had an experience with this, and can shed some light, is it worth it?

It's what my car has had since day one bud.

Does it look amazing - yes - does it protect from stone chips - maybe some, but saying it is tough is a blag.

Mine is three years on, with regular maintenance and top ups etc., oplus it's 25,000 miles in, so not maybe comparable to what yours will see.

 

[boba fett]

It's what my car has had since day one bud.

Does it look amazing - yes - does it protect from stone chips - maybe some, but saying it is tough is a blag.

Mine is three years on, with regular maintenance and top ups etc., oplus it's 25,000 miles in, so not maybe comparable to what yours will see.

You have the Ultra, how much did you pay mate, would you have it again on reflection?

 

[Burnsey]

You have the Ultra, how much did you pay mate, would you have it again on reflection?

Yes mate - it's about two ton a bottle I think and my guy is still on the same bottle even after top ups!

It was about £600 first time, but involved paint correction etc, then I pay £60 every three weeks to maintain.

You know the threads on this stuff talks about prices from a pound to a million, but I have my man and that's his cost. Yes it's in a workshop, with lights etc, but the truth is, it can be done on a dry day on the drive.

We have experimented throughout ownership and removed the Ultra from the boot for Graphene, but ended up going back.

Three years on, the finish is like glass, but for the stone chips.

 

[Grunty-Motor]

I had GTechnip Black installed by an accredited detailer on my Focus (the predecessor to Ultra IIRC) and it held for 5years on 95% of the car

I did Light myself on another car and it was no where near as good - but that could be my application!

No experience with Ultra, but i would say yes!

 

[Grunty-Motor]

BUT - it shouldnt be £700 more than Light!!!

 

[boba fett]

This was in today and put the work into context. A brand new £44K Kia Stinger GT. It had 18 miles on it and its gone from collecting at KIA to the detailers for some work.

The factory paintjob and as you can see the lights and lamps can be brutal in showing up the paint!!






Work is progressing but its taking time!

 

[Senna11]

Orange peel on that Stinger is woeful. There must be a point where a car can’t receive any more sanding or polishing?

 

[boba fett]

Orange peel on that Stinger is woeful. There must be a point where a car can’t receive any more sanding or polishing?

Yes that's right, that's where the paint gauge comes in to know just how much top coat you have to play with, The latest ultrasonic ones show how much clear coat, paint, filler, the lot! usually the process removes about 20-30% of the clear coat so there is plenty left.

 

[boba fett]

The wet sanding has been completed and it alreday looks lovely! Now its got a weeks worth of machine polishing then it will be coated!

 

[boba fett]

So all the wet sanding has been done and its had its first "hard polish" and its already incredible, its got medium and fine polishes to go, then onto all the interior brakes and coatings.



Its really hard to picture just how stunning you can get paint. This is a high power sun gun, its normally just a light source blob that is designed to show swirls and marks around the light, this shows the detail in the light, its LED's because the paint is pristine, perfectly flat and all the peel and imperfections removed!




I wont want to dive it now!