# Polished Bliss®: Traded my feisty French tart for a hippy Swedish beauty!



## Rich @ PB

Finally, after many years of dedicated grafting, I'm lucky enough to now be in a position to afford to buy and run what I would describe as my first 'proper' car - a brand new Volvo C30 T5 R-Design. The car was ordered back in July, and the long wait for it to be delivered has been almost unbearable. However, now it's arrived, and this is the story of what I have done to it so far...

Volvo Aberdeen were very obliging throughout the buying process, and let me take away the car with all of the protective wraps on, inside and out...




























As soon as I got it back to PB HQ, I removed the wraps in order to check for any major paint problems...










With no obvious problems, I then moved the car over to our wash bay ready for the detailing to commence...










The state of the exterior prior to commencing work...





































...and the engine bay, which I was a little disappointed about - some technicians have no pride in their work and seem unable to work tidily...



















Given this, it made sense to start on the engine bay, and give it a thorough clean ready for a coat of protection later in the detail. Therefore, firstly I soaked it with Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner diluted 4:1...



















...this was then agitated thoroughly using Raceglaze Detailing Brushes...



















...before being rinsed off carefully at low pressure using hot water (60°C).










A Black Baron Vehicle Dryer was then used to blow the entire engine bay dry; the warm air generated by this tool makes light work of such tasks...










...all done, and ready for a coat of protection later in the detail.










Next, before starting on the bodywork, I gave the wheels and arches a thorough clean, using a combination of high pressure hot water at 60°C, a test shampoo, Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner diluted 4:1 and Eimann Fabrik Wheel Woolies...





































...which left the arches looking like this.










The bodywork was then rinsed at pressure using hot water at 60°C, in order to remove as much loose grime as possible before any contact was made with the paint.










All of the trims and shuts were then washed with Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner diluted 4:1 (using Raceglaze Detailing Brushes to gain access) before rinsing off again...
































































The bodywork was then washed carefully by hand using the two bucket method, an Easirider Lambswool Mitt and a test shampoo.




























This gave me a good chance to inspect the bodywork more carefully for minor paint defects...










...before rinsing off again.










With all of the loose dirt and grime now removed, the next step was to strip off any residual transport wax and all other oily/greasy contaminants. My product of choice for this type of task is Autosmart Tardis, using a simple spray on, wipe down, rinse off method...














































With all loose grime and oily/greasy organic contamination now removed it was time to focus in on inorganic contaminant removal, which is often overlooked on brand new cars. Bear in mind at this point the car was less than a week old; even so, Aquartz Iron Cut revealed a fair amount of iron filing contamination, even on areas of the car wrapped at the end of the production line (indicating that filings were deposited on the production line itself). Such contaminants are invisible to the naked eye until they start to oxidise, at which point they turn orange - this is when many new Volvo owners notice the problem! The following images show Aquartz Iron Cut working it's magic, reducing bonded iron contaminants into a soluble form (purple solution) that can easily be rinsed off...


















































































With the paint now free of iron contaminants, the car was moved inside and then dried off fully using the Black Baron Vehicle Dryer. Usually I would have started to clay the paint straight away whilst it was still wet, but time was pressing so I decided to delay claying until the following morning.



















At the crack of dawn the next day, I rewet the car with cold water and then used Meguiar's Mild Detailing Clay to remove any remaining bonded contaminants (I did not expect the clay to remove many, as the paint felt very smooth and clean after the use of Aquartz Iron Cut the previous day...










...a nice little composite shot showing me working my way around the car panel by panel over a twenty minute period.










Once the claying was done, the remaining water film was dried up by carefully pat drying with a Poorboy's Waffle Weave Towel.










With the paint now 100% decontaminated ad dry, it was time to make a little cosmetic alteration. I can't stand model badges, so using a heat gun I carefully warmed up the adhesive backing and pulled the badges off (residual glue was removed with Autosmart Tardis).



















I then proceeded to inspect the paint once more, this time using a 3M Sun Gun to look for any fine defects. Aside from a tiny little bit of marring here and there, all I found was this production line de-nibbing mark on the driver's side wing...










Figuring the paint would be on the soft side, I started out the correction process by polishing the area carefully with Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish (#205) on a Lake Country Hydro-Tech Finishing Pad. One hit on my Kestrel DAS-6 Dual Action Polisher at speed 5 was sufficient to fully remove the defect, confirming that the paint was indeed very soft...



















With the paint now clean and defect free (aside from the aforementioned minor marring) I proceeded to tape up all of the trims using low tack 3M masking tape in readiness for the addition of paint protection....










A basecoat of PB Project Awesome was then applied using a Kestrel DAS-6 Dual Action Polisher fitted with a Lake Country Ultimate Last Step Pad. Why Project Awesome? Simply because it looks amazing on white, has great durability and serves as an excellent base for further coats of synthetic protection...














































While the Project Awesome residue was left in situ to cure for one hour, I turned my attention to some other tasks. Firstly, I dressed the engine bay with a soaking of 303 Aerospace Protectant. Don't panic anyone... we'll look again at the end of the detail time to see how nicely it dries all on it's own without any buffing off.



















Secondly, I protected my unsullied floor mats and carpets with Nanolex Textile & Leather Sealant, which adds extremely long lasting water and dirt repellency...




























Thirdly, the interior leather was wiped down with Raceglaze Leather Balm, not because it really needed it at this stage, but rather because I like the matte look it gives and the new leather scent...










Fourthly, the interior glass was cleaned with 3M Glass Cleaner, which offers ace performance for pennies...










All of this work left the interior looking like this...



















With a little spare time on my hands until the Project Awesome finished curing, I decided to complete some more minor cosmetic alterations. The headlights were removed and the amber side marker daytime running lights were replaced with Philips Blue Vision bulbs - this is more of a safety issue, as the orange side lights can confuse other drivers and make them think you're indicating to make a turn. Whilst the lights were out I also swapped out the dipped beam bulbs for a set of Philips Ultra Blue Vision 4K bulbs, mainly to get rid of the yellow tinge at night.




























I then moved round to the rear of the car and swapped out the tacky amber bulbs with Philips Silver Vision bulbs. While I was at it, I fashioned a vacuum extension pipe from an old spray head and a Black Baron accessory part in order to remove a dead fly from inside the rear light cluster assembly; it must have got in there on the production line!




























A sneaky peek in the boot as this stage indicates at modifications to come...










Back to the detail. The Project Awesome residue was buffed off using PB Luxury Buffing Towels and a wee mist of Werkstat Acrylic Glos on each panel to ease the process. I then turned my attention to the exterior glass. Firstly, I did a pure IPA wipe down to remove any residual oils and produce a perfectly clean base. Then I used Nanolex Premium Glass Sealant to seal the windows; this product is highly durable and sheets water like you wouldn't believe at speeds above 40 mph.





































Next, the exhaust tips were lightly polished with Briliant Aluminium & Stainless Steel Polish before being sealed with Blackfire All Metal Sealant - the best metal sealant I have yet discovered.



















The lacquered aluminium wing mirror covers and front gill surround were then treated with Werkstat Prime Acrylic to remove a little minor water staining and lay down a little protection...










To complete the detail, the tyres were dressed with Blackfire Long Lasting Tyre Gel and I called upon many versions of myself to lay down three successive coats of Werkstat Acrylic Jett Trigger before doing a final wipe down with Werkstat Acrylic Glos to ensure a perfectly smear free finish.










Finally, I affixed new number plates, which once again display WX51 TXR as the registration. This was the number that came with my first brand new car over 10 years ago, and by what I go as on many internet forums...










Right, that's enough blethering on my part, here's the after pictures showing the final results...































































































































My apologies to those expecting this to be the end of the report; I couldn't resist a few further modifications. Knowing that stock sports suspension setups on hot hatches are typically harsh on rough roads(over sprung, under damped), I made the decision (before even taking delivery of the car!) to swap out the springs and dampers for an Eibach/Koni setup. So, it was over to Clark Motorsport with it...










After the springs and dampers were swapped out, a four wheel alignment check was performed and geometry adjustments made; the final result of the 30mm or so drop in ride height is that I'm running -1.1 degrees of camber on the front of the car, and a hefty -2.3 degrees on the rear (with toe-in and front castor figures matching Volvo's standard numbers). The eagle-eyed among you will also have spotted the change of wheels; gone are the standard 18" Atreus alloys in lieu of 17" Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2's fitted with Vredestein winter rubber. These will see me through the snow and ice over the coming months, before a swap to bigger rims and wider rubber next spring. Interestingly, this swap has also cut exactly 20kg off the unsprung weight of the car - the handling is now delightful, offering suppleness, control and grip without any harshness.



















The final act so to speak was to paint the bright silver wheel bolts black to match the rims...



















...and here's the final after images...














































Thanks for reading!


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## Mini 360

I made those number plates! :lol: Loving the car! especially now it is wearing new boots and suspension!  Enjoy it!


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## athol

Looks wicked !! love it


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## Dtfrith

always like the PB write-ups (explains lots to a newbie like me) looks great.


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## blackS2000

Nice:thumb:

I also have a C30 !! Finished in red ! 1.6 diesel :doublesho (although it is a SE Lux ) 
Do's 60mpg and cost's £0 road tax.

Help's offset 26 mpg and £425 tax from the toy:thumb:

Good work as alway's :wave:


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## gally

Strange choice but absoloutely fantastic detail.

Sometimes it can be a detailers dream to work on brand new cars without all the crap of the day. Gives you time to pay attention to the little bits instead of 3 hours claying! 

Fantastic write up. Enjoy the new car.


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## cheechy

Looks good - though the sad thing about modern cars is that my wife's C30 R-design 1.6 diesel looks almost indentical to the T5. :lol:

Wheels look good though and I do like the C30 - all be it the boot is annoying at the best of times!


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## Gruffs

Lovely car Rich.

I drove the Derv version and found the suspension to be as you described. 

Great amount of detail and the newer Volvos are really very pretty.


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## Nanolex

Very pretty! Love the subtle changes!


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## zatzy.com

volvo all the way, excellent car, write up, and detail


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## ntynan528

Nice car. Looking great.


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## Wardy

Nice motor and congratulations on the purchase Rich - you definitely deserve it!

Great write-up and attention to detail, as I've come to expect really.

Enjoy 

Steve


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## Exclusive Car Care

very nice Rich:thumb:


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## GlynRS2

Superb detail and write up :thumb:

Congratulations on the new car and now go out and enjoy it knowing it's fully protected :driver:


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## slrestoration

Very nice, excellent write up with some great pics:thumb:


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## alan_mcc

Thats ace. Jealous of the wheels, thats exactly what I want in 15". Gutted you got rid of the orange sidelights - thats what I've got in my car right now and they look great.

car looks great :thumb:


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## cotter

Been looking forward to seeing the write up since you mentioned it the other day when I popped in Rich - looking good


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## ianFRST

niiiiiice 

not worried about warranty stuff then?


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## Edward101

Very nice, I do really like the C30, especially the T5 :thumb:

Nice write up as always from the PB team


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## Matt.

Love it mate. The last pictures with the black wheels, remind me of the VXR Burg edition.

Which mfs was it you used for the Tardis etc at the beginning?


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## Beau Technique

Very nice.


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## Ryan Hughes

awesome write up, thoroughly enjoyed reading through it


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## stuupnorth

*stunning*

Stunning motor Rich!


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## -tom-

Simply fantastic work :argie:


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## EthanCrawford

Great work rich. What size of engine she got? You like the suspention set up its the same as i have in my fiesta with a 40mm drop you notice a big diffrence in handleing :thumb:


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## Edward101

mattastra said:


> Which mfs was it you used for the Tardis etc at the beginning?


+1 on this, need more mfs soon, some especially for using tar remover


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## Summit Detailing

Good stuff Rich, nice read that:thumb:

One of those cars which you don't see that often on the road..or maybe that's just me:lol:


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## andrewst500

great work :thumb:


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## Shug

Have to say part of me expected to see a koeniggsegg! :lol: Looks stunning all the same though!


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## JamesR

very nice indeed, how come you have gone for 17" 1.2's? would 18" not been better in keeping with the std size.


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## SootyNicko

I've liked the C30 ever since it came out and think that they look stunning in white... that write up proves it! Top class job!


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## *MAGIC*

Stunning Rich.

Robbie


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## ant_s

very nice car there mate, and nice to see a new car without a major correction needed, usually see lots of new cars needing correction.

The 303 you used on the engine, you didn't buff it or anything to get it looking like it does in the last few pics?


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## deano_uk

Loving your work and your car!


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## Ninja59

must admit the paint on mine was excellent...loving the T5 were going to have 2 soon in my family a pre facelift mine a 2.0D R Design and a 1.6D SE Lux....cannot say im a fan of white but hey....the azerous are a PITA for white worm but volvo will replace them foc....

EDIT: - just noticed your washer fluid top up is in the wrong place iirc should be where the cut out is on the drivers scuttle panel unless theyve changed it? only the 1.6 petrol (which is going to be discontinued soon to be replaced by a 1.6 turbo soon) should be there?


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## BDJ

I like more those silver rims :/


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## kenny-c

Good write up and like the timed photos


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## Motoract

Love that car!


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## Jesse74

Nice ride, Rich! Hope you liked the "test shampoo" .


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## Racer

Very nice work and a superb car :thumb:


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## Guest

Really like these cars, it always surprises me how much contamination there car be on a new car! Great work aswell btw :thumb:


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## detailersdomain

congrats!


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## gb270

Nice work there nice car to


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## Rich @ PB

Thanks for all the kind comments everyone - I don't detail anywhere near as much as I used too these days, so it was a very enjoyable weekend. Now to the questions...



Mini 360 said:


> I made those number plates! :lol: Loving the car! especially now it is wearing new boots and suspension!  Enjoy it!


Totally didn't know it was you! You should of said - I feel like a proper wally now! 



cheechy said:


> Looks good - though the sad thing about modern cars is that my wife's C30 R-design 1.6 diesel looks almost indentical to the T5. :lol:
> 
> Wheels look good though and I do like the C30 - all be it the boot is annoying at the best of times!


Aye, the boot is small and awkward. However, I don't plan on using it much!



alan_mcc said:


> Thats ace. Jealous of the wheels, thats exactly what I want in 15". Gutted you got rid of the orange sidelights - thats what I've got in my car right now and they look great.
> 
> car looks great :thumb:


Straight safety issue - heard too many awful stories about people pulling out in front of cars running amber sidelights/side markers thinking they were indicating to turn. I'd rather be safe than sorry!



ianFRST said:


> niiiiiice
> 
> not worried about warranty stuff then?


Only the suspension items swapped out are affected, but more generally no, as I'm probably going to remap it next year anyway.



mattastra said:


> Love it mate. The last pictures with the black wheels, remind me of the VXR Burg edition.
> 
> Which mfs was it you used for the Tardis etc at the beginning?


Atomiza Work Towels - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/atomiza-microfibre-work-towel-cat24.html



EthanCrawford said:


> Great work rich. What size of engine she got? You like the suspention set up its the same as i have in my fiesta with a 40mm drop you notice a big diffrence in handleing :thumb:


5 cylinder, 2521 cc, turbocharged. Yes, I've been a big fan of Koni/Eibach gear for many years; dropped my old Leon 50 mm on a similar setup, and love the extra suppleness you get in addition to better body control.



Edward101 said:


> +1 on this, need more mfs soon, some especially for using tar remover


Atomiza Work Towels - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/atomiza-microfibre-work-towel-cat24.html



Chris_VRS said:


> Good stuff Rich, nice read that:thumb:
> 
> One of those cars which you don't see that often on the road..or maybe that's just me:lol:


Nail on head - that's why I bought it. Great car, amazing spec, rare as hen's teeth!



Shug said:


> Have to say part of me expected to see a koeniggsegg! :lol: Looks stunning all the same though!


What? Not likely running a car care/detailing business! 



JamesR said:


> very nice indeed, how come you have gone for 17" 1.2's? would 18" not been better in keeping with the std size.


I did allude to this in the write up. 17" was chosen for winter in order to run narrower, taller winter tyres (205/50/R17) for better grip in the snow (which we get a lot of up here). Come spring, I'll be putting on a set of 18" rims and 225/235 lower profile rubber for maximum attack driving through the summer.



ant_s said:


> very nice car there mate, and nice to see a new car without a major correction needed, usually see lots of new cars needing correction.
> 
> The 303 you used on the engine, you didn't buff it or anything to get it looking like it does in the last few pics?


No, just left it patiently overnight - it's a little trick we've been using for years, and it produces a far superior finish compared to trying to wipe it on and buff it off.



Ninja59 said:


> must admit the paint on mine was excellent...loving the T5 were going to have 2 soon in my family a pre facelift mine a 2.0D R Design and a 1.6D SE Lux....cannot say im a fan of white but hey....the azerous are a PITA for white worm but volvo will replace them foc....
> 
> EDIT: - just noticed your washer fluid top up is in the wrong place iirc should be where the cut out is on the drivers scuttle panel unless theyve changed it? only the 1.6 petrol (which is going to be discontinued soon to be replaced by a 1.6 turbo soon) should be there?


Aye, stock rims are going to be sold in the next week or so; they are stupidly heavy and I can't be bothered with anything that is going to rot quickly. My washer filler is hooked up okay, so the design must have changed - I have no prior point of reference to go on, but it all looks okay to me (and is working just fine!).



Clever Nickname said:


> Nice ride, Rich! Hope you liked the "test shampoo" .


Yes, it's extremely good - e-mail to come on Monday. :thumb:


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## james_death

Superb write up and pics as ever.
Stunning motor i love the white, i also totally agree over badges.
Very subtle mods to a very subtle car not so subtle with the black wheels though.
I adore motors that look very plain and staid in appearance not grabbing attention but have the performance.
Oh so so jealous.


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## MrLOL

Does this replace the C2 VTS you were sharing with the wife after you sold the Leon ?


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## Hunty

Excellent write up Rich, congratulations on the new car! Quick question, what are the Vredesteins like in dry/wet conditions (when it's not snowing basically!). had a couple of harsh winters in east anglia so thinking of investing in either those or the quatrac's


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## saxoboy07

Great write up and detail Rich Team Dynamics look superb on the volvo


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## -Kev-

:argie::argie:


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## PMC

Wonderful Job /Car .
Congratulations, GOOD LUCK!!!


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## -Kev-

EthanCrawford said:


> Great work rich. What size of engine she got? You like the suspention set up its the same as i have in my fiesta with a 40mm drop you notice a big diffrence in handleing :thumb:


same engine as the focus ST


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## RandomlySet

Very nice work Rich, and nice results on the engine bay!

Not often we see you appear in the studio


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## robbo51

Awesome!!
Well done!


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## MK1Campaign

Good work. Nice to see a C30 with a proper engine for a change.


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## EthanCrawford

-Kev- said:


> same engine as the focus ST


Thought that :thumb: and the rs lol


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## EthanCrawford

Rich @ PB said:


> Thanks for all the kind comments everyone - I don't detail anywhere near as much as I used too these days, so it was a very enjoyable weekend. Now to the questions...
> 
> 5 cylinder, 2521 cc, turbocharged. Yes, I've been a big fan of Koni/Eibach gear for many years; dropped my old Leon 50 mm on a similar setup, and love the extra suppleness you get in addition to better body control.


Its looking good though. Seen it in and about meldrum ana am liking it :lol:.


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## Mini 360

Rich @ PB said:


> Totally didn't know it was you! You should of said - I feel like a proper wally now!


I didnt know it was you until I remembered the reg I had just made was your old username! :lol: Be thankful it was me making them....I now what a straight line is.... Never mind you wont see me there again. I've left haha! :lol:


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## paranoid73

Superb Rich :thumb:


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## dubnut71

Stunning stuff Rich, I followed one of these last week and couldn't stop looking at it, its sublime from certain angles, a real looker.

Being from the 'sneck I can fully appreciate the winter alloys and snow tyres, used to run 15" steelies and vredesteins on my Mk2 golf and loved them!


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## ryand

Sweet! Are they koni fsd?


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## glendog74

Very nice indeed Rich - i like that! :thumb:


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## swest0223

WoW!!! That's incredible. Great use of products, and photography technique, I might add! I've driven one of those at the local Volvo dealership. Absolutely brilliant, composed hatch it is! Defintitly more grown up than a Golf GTI. :thumb:


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## Ninja59

just found out the T5 wash bottle is in the correct place :lol: i was just comparing it to mine :lol:


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## Rich @ PB

james_death said:


> Very subtle mods to a very subtle car not so subtle with the black wheels though.


Aye, they are definitely more of a statement. Thinking of getting a set of the same wheels in 18" x 8" and colour coding them to match the body colour for the summer...



MrLOL said:


> Does this replace the C2 VTS you were sharing with the wife after you sold the Leon ?


Yes, the C2 became my daily driver a while back when the misses started a part time degree course and bought a Fiesta...



Hunty said:


> Excellent write up Rich, congratulations on the new car! Quick question, what are the Vredesteins like in dry/wet conditions (when it's not snowing basically!). had a couple of harsh winters in east anglia so thinking of investing in either those or the quatrac's


With regard to the full winter spec tyres made by Vredestein, as long as temperatures are low (below 10oC) then very good - above this they get warm quite quickly, softening control and grip. I'm running the full monty Wintrac Extreme's just for the winter (Oct to Mar), whereas Angela runs Quatrac III's all year round on her Fiesta. She finds the Quatrac III's very reassuring in all weathers at all times of year, and she's a full on driver too!



EthanCrawford said:


> Its looking good though. Seen it in and about meldrum ana am liking it :lol:.


It's funny, it's getting a lot of stares wherever I go!



Mini 360 said:


> I didnt know it was you until I remembered the reg I had just made was your old username! :lol: Be thankful it was me making them....I now what a straight line is.... Never mind you wont see me there again. I've left haha! :lol:


Shame, but yes, you did a great job - they're dead straight, and I did you proud my making sure they are dead straight on the car lol!



dubnut71 said:


> Stunning stuff Rich, I followed one of these last week and couldn't stop looking at it, its sublime from certain angles, a real looker.
> 
> Being from the 'sneck I can fully appreciate the winter alloys and snow tyres, used to run 15" steelies and vredesteins on my Mk2 golf and loved them!


Aye, 15" would have been even better, but alas caliper clearance put paid to that! Also, anything less than 17" would look daft, as the arches are huge!



ryand said:


> Sweet! Are they koni fsd?


No, Koni FSD's aren't recommended for use when lowering springs are fitted, so I went yellow adjustables instead.



swest0223 said:


> WoW!!! That's incredible. Great use of products, and photography technique, I might add! I've driven one of those at the local Volvo dealership. Absolutely brilliant, composed hatch it is! Defintitly more grown up than a Golf GTI. :thumb:


I can't comment on that as I've never driven a GTI, but in my part of the world C30's are extremely rare compared to GTI's, Focus ST's, etc, and this was a big part of my decision to buy Volvo.


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## Rich @ PB

Ninja59 said:


> just found out the T5 wash bottle is in the correct place :lol: i was just comparing it to mine :lol:


Phew!


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## oliver.james

I really like that; very nice


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## alexmichniakSRi

awesome car, i hope to upgrade to a t5 on day as only have a 1.6p R design.
love the wheel change, might do something similar for my winter set up. 
-Alex.


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## Ross

Superb work and a very nice car.


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## blackS2000

Having read and reread this thread over the past 2 day's have now decided to spend the day trying to get mine up to a similar standard :thumb:


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## IanG

Nice car :thumb:


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## yamaha

Very nice!


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## Rgk Detailing

Gorgeous car Rich, enjoy it! :thumb:


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## Ronnie

very nice indeed health to enjoy.. looking very good indeed!


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## EthanCrawford

Rich @ PB said:


> It's funny, it's getting a lot of stares wherever I go!


And so it should :lol:


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## Ninja59

Rich @ PB said:


> Phew!


its just the pic with the scuttle panel i think looks daft with the cutout....
:lol: IMO...just comparing with this....









ive also noticed some of yanks on C30 world have covers over the top mounts with gaps in for the ARB....feel left out  :lol:
oh and btw watch the filler cap if it anything like mine it has a tendency to try and attack the paintwork....


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## KKM

Nice new car Rich, great write up and very elegant mods to date........ keep us posted!!!

:thumb:


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## james_death

Rich @ PB said:


> Aye, they are definitely more of a statement. Thinking of getting a set of the same wheels in 18" x 8" and colour coding them to match the body colour for the summer...


Now that im sure would be stunning in the same colour as the body, truly stunning:thumb:


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## Jorge

Fantastic work, report and pictures Rich! :thumb:

Now you have a "Neak Breaker" ... 

Best regards,

Jorge


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## ALANSHR

Lovely Rich, a nice looking motor with some very nice mods already, well done!


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## Kap01

Amazing work... cracking car!


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## ross-1888

nice car. a big step up from that c2 thing you had. lol


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## WHIZZER

Looks great


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## kenmac

Stunning motor I love the C30, but on a personal and I mean my personal opinion I'm not a big fan of black wheels but like the other changes would like to see the light mods switched on. :thumb::thumb:


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## Carn

Lovely looking car Rich and congratulations on the new addition :thumb:


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## neo871

Nice car Rich and very extensive 1st detailing! Good luck with the mods!


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## X18JAY

looks awesome!


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## iestynd

That looks awsome - I do have a question - Whats with the plastic matt outside the door where you wash the car?


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## kar01

Love that! Really amazing job mate!


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## Beemer 330

Great thread and really nice job. :thumb:


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## John @ PB

iestynd said:


> That looks awsome - I do have a question - Whats with the plastic matt outside the door where you wash the car?


It's an inflatable bund to catch waste water - the water's then pumped into a tank for collection and safe disposal later.

The bund pictured was actually burst but our new one is here and fully operational.


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## iestynd

No way that sounds interesting, any chance you can post more details or a link?

Thanks for the prompt response - Truley great work :buffer::thumb:


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## Monza Man

Great motor Rich, :thumb:


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## MSD1540

Really enjoyed reading the thread and the photo's of you being in the picture 5/6 times is very clever.


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## Littler

Looks good! Even the more subtle mods make it look 10x better.


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## Deeg

Nice motor, will have to keep an eye out for it the next time i poop in to update my collection of goodies!

Also great photography work there.


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## Eurogloss

Great detail, write up, and congratulations on your new car mate :thumb:

Regards 

Mario


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## John @ PB

iestynd said:


> No way that sounds interesting, any chance you can post more details or a link?
> 
> Thanks for the prompt response - Truley great work :buffer::thumb:


Just remembered I'd not replied - replied in Alan's Evo thread regarding this. It's from a company called Moreclean.


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## quimpecavel

WOW.... great new car prep! :lol:


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## Rich @ PB

Thanks for all the very kind comments everyone - I'm absolutely loving the C30 in every way. I've also just finished running it in (1000 mile oil change done this morning!), so from now I will be traveling everywhere quickly...

Okay, just to spoil you all, here are some pictures showing (i) how brutal the roads are up here in Scotland in terms of how quickly grime builds up, and (ii) the benefits of all of the above work in terms of making my car easy to keep clean.

Firstly, check out how much grime accumulated in just over 400 miles of driving on my daily commuting route...














































...and now, after just two hours of careful washing and drying (one hour on the wheels and arches, another for the rest of the car), back to perfect with no major drama or effort...














































Because I'm still an enthusiast at heart, I couldn't resist quick detailing with Werkstat Acrylic Glos once the car was 95% dry; so quick, so easy, so wet looking...



















I haven't managed to capture any night shots with the lights on yet, or any decent arty shots in a nice location. I'll probably try to do some of this over the Christmas holidays, as things are going to be too manic at PB HQ in the meantime!


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## Dwayne

Brilliant attention to detail!!

loving the colour contrast black and white is the way to go.

Great work.


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## mccalia1

Rich @ PB said:


> Thanks for all the very kind comments everyone - I'm absolutely loving the C30 in every way. I've also just finished running it in (1000 mile oil change done this morning!), so from now I will be traveling everywhere quickly...
> 
> Okay, just to spoil you all, here are some pictures showing (i) how brutal the roads are up here in Scotland in terms of how quickly grime builds up, and (ii) the benefits of all of the above work in terms of making my car easy to keep clean.
> 
> Firstly, check out how much grime accumulated in just over 400 miles of driving on my daily commuting route...


I'm amazed that it doesn't look that dirty, given it's a white car. Is that the products used to protect or just a bad perception of white cars?


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## Racer

That´s the spirit Rich :thumb:


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## Mr yella

Stunning looking car , your finishing touches deffinatly make it stand out .
White is a must colour for this shape car :thumb::thumb:
Glad to hear your actually going to drive it in the winter and not store it away .....


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## Needs a clean

She looks ace, but i think the original wheels look better.


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## jimmac

great detail as always also great tyres for this time of year


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## rgDetail

Congrats on the new car, I dare say it is truely worth the wait! A pleasure to read through that!

What engines are in them? Are they similar to whats in the st225?


Rob


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## Bensenn_GER

Nice looking car! :thumb: But in my opinion it looked better with the other wheels.


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## squeakyclean32

Lovely car...I do love a clean white car...can't beat them when they are highly shiny...the black rims really suit it too :buffer::thumb::thumb:


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## 66Rob

Bensenn_GER said:


> Nice looking car! :thumb: But in my opinion it looked better with the other wheels.


great looking car but i have to agree prefer the oe wheels :wave:


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## DavidClark

Very nice volvo! Tbh the only volvo i would buy! 

Nice few mods you have done as well!


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## kenny-c

Hows the car going Rich? Fancying one of these but a diesel version


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## Demetrios72

Great work there matey :thumb:


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## cheffi

that has to be the first time i see winter tyres on a gb-located car on here =) :thumb:


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## masammut

excellent work! Love the detail!


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## JJ_

Wow nice, I have the chance of a pressure washer but it is a standard 80 degs. Is this too hot ? I notice you use 60 degs.


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## nogrille




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## Rich @ PB

kenny-c said:


> Hows the car going Rich? Fancying one of these but a diesel version


I can't rate it highly enough. It's mega quick, handles brilliantly and feels a lot more expensive than it is. Downsides? 27mpg at best, brakes aren't up to manic back road runs and the boot is awkward to use. Overall though, I am delighted and enjoying owning it a lot. 



cheffi said:


> that has to be the first time i see winter tyres on a gb-located car on here =) :thumb:


Essential where we live; snow every year, often 24" or more in the period from Dec - Feb. Very cold temperatures too, so winter tyres help a lot!



JJ_ said:


> Wow nice, I have the chance of a pressure washer but it is a standard 80 degs. Is this too hot ? I notice you use 60 degs.


I wouldn't personally work at more than 60 oC. If I'm doing a routine wash then 40 oC is preferable.



nogrille said:


>


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## Ali

Love it Rich!


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## wish wash

Looks really good, loved these since seeing the 400hp polestar on topgear. We both know these engines are ripe for tuning


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## alfajim

fantastic motor, looks awesome in white.


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## Z Benjamin Z

Hey Rich,
Been reading your thread and you've done a great job looks stunning. I'm thinking of replacing my bulbs in my c30 r design would you recommend the Philps ones you used as a straight replacement for my halogens? Thanks.


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## Ninja59

wish wash said:


> Looks really good, loved these since seeing the 400hp polestar on topgear. We both know these engines are ripe for tuning


still a t5 engine end of the day...however ST and RS owners want it still a volvo engine...


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## Rich @ PB

Z Benjamin Z said:


> Hey Rich,
> Been reading your thread and you've done a great job looks stunning. I'm thinking of replacing my bulbs in my c30 r design would you recommend the Philps ones you used as a straight replacement for my halogens? Thanks.


Yep, I rate them highly - the brightest 'white' look bulbs I've tried... and I think an even better version is now available if I remember correctly.


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## dazzyb

what is it currently wearing?? im sure i saw a tweet the other day about it sheeting the water to an extent tht its not safe to wash :lol:


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## Clark @ PB

dazzyb said:


> what is it currently wearing?? im sure i saw a tweet the other day about it sheeting the water to an extent tht its not safe to wash :lol:


It's got Wolf's Body Wrap topped with a couple of coats of Auto Finesse Tough Coat - the beading is crazy!


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## dazzyb

Clark @ PB said:


> It's got Wolf's Body Wrap topped with a couple of coats of Auto Finesse Tough Coat - the beading is crazy!


deffo pics needed :argie:


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## Clark @ PB

dazzyb said:


> deffo pics needed :argie:


I would but Rich and Angela are currently in Florida for 2 weeks so his car is locked away


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## Carlos_Bilibio

Great car... nice job !!


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## Aucky

Absolutely love this!

Really makes me want a new car to play with though


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## electric_cooper

Great job Rich!

You still considering selling the alloys in place of something bigger? If so, I would definitely be interested!!


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## Xivo

splendor ... pleasure to watch your work


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## CodHead

Lovely car and great work enviroment!


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## Matty12345

wow, absolutely stunning!! I wish I had one of these cars!! They have grown on me so much and those wheels finish it off PERFECTLY! Good work on the detail.


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## Simply Clean

Cracking job:argie::thumb:

Is it me or is one of your wash buckets p!$$ed


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## TopSport+

awesome work:argie: and nice photos:thumb:


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## Trip tdi

Lovely car :thumb:


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## WashMitt

Lovely car and great write up thanks, what are your thoughts on swapping out the suspension so early into the warranty, what will you do if there's a problem. I only ask because I'm doing the same


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## alesoft73

Nice job, nice car


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## ckeir.02mh

Looking much more like it, loving the car now with those tastefull mods.

Chris.


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## Kev_mk3

totally stunning car


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