# SIM 180 vs BMW X3.........



## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Hello all...........:wave:

Another detail here from Jules and I on a close friend and work colleague's BMW X3................:car:

I have worked with Colin for many years and although now working for different companies we have kept in contact, previously detailing his BMW 1 Series and his Porsche Boxster:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=88469

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=115061

Colin's family wagon is this recent purchase of a BMW X3 to enable him to travel in a little more comfort with his two new boys.............:car:

I had seen the X3 a long time ago but between Colin and I we just kept putting the detail off, poor weather and other commitments just didn't make it feasible but Jules and I did get a slot on Sunday to attend to it, so here is the X3 on arrival:










These looked like they needed some work:




























Sure Jules could work some magic here:










'Death Valley':



















A well 'used' interior:













































































































Finally one dusty Engine Bay:




























At this point I was thinking.......'What is it with Black BMW's being in a bit of a state?'..........thinking back to this detail:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=179438

Nevertheless, time to turn it around...........:detailer:

*The Detail Process:*

So, wheels not looking great so time to get them off and onto the RimMat, rinsing first:



















Megs Wheel Brightner Applied:










Followed by some aggitation with the Wheel Schmitt:










Smaller areas attended too with a Detailer Brush:










Looks like it was time to invest in some more brushes though as this one fell apart:










Then after a rinse some AS Tardis was applied:










Doing it's thing:










Then on with some Iron Cut:










After another rinse over to the front and aggitating some Megs Wheel Brightner with a Detailer Brush:










This worked well but I also needed some Iron Cut on the front's:










While I was working on the wheels, Jules started on the interior with Henry:










After another rinse I then dried with wheel with a Waffle Weave Drying Towel:










Now luckily Colin had a few bits and pieces in his garage as I forgot the CG Jetseal 109...............:doublesho...........so on with some Collinite 476s via an Applicator Pad:










While each wheel was off I attended to the arches, Passenger Front Arch first - Before:










Rinsing:










Megs APC applied:










Aggitated with a Megs Large Brush:










Leaving the following:










This process was repeated on the other wheels and arches, with the arches looking as follows - Driver's Front Arch - Before:










After:










Driver's Rear Arch - Before:










After:










Passenger Rear Arch - Before:










After - Having spent some time on the exhaust:










Jules at this point decided to take a break from the interior and attend to the exhaust with some Wire Wool, Autosol and a Scourer:



















And after:










I then decided to attend to the Engine Bay so rinsing first with the engine running:




























Megs APC applied:



















Aggitated with a Detailer Brush:










And rinsed again:










Some of the dirt from the Engine Bay:










The car was washed using Powercraft Pressure Washer, Snow Foam with HD Elite Lance, 2BM consisting of Megs Gold Class, Megs Buckets and Gritguards and Lambswool Wash Mitts:










Rinsing first:










Then we applied some Megs APC to the front end and wing mirrors:










This was aggitated with a Detailer Brush:




























These areas were rinsed off:



















Then the car was foamed:





































We then went around the car with some Megs APC and Detailer Brushes attending to the Petrol Cap, Boot Shut and Door Shuts:










Then the car was rinsed and foamed again, then into the wash bucket with a Lambswool Wash Mitt and washed a few panels:



















Followed by the rinse bucket and then the process was repeated:










After a rinse down it was time to apply some Megs Last Touch:










We then dried the car with some Waffle Weave Drying Towels.........:thumb:

Time for lunch and Jules seemed to find something funny about having lunch in a garage on garden furniture:










Time to crack on and I taped up the car with some 3M 3434 tape:










Temperature had dropped at this point so Jules wrapped up and carried on with Henry, Megs APC, Megs Slide Lock Detailing Brush and Microfibre Cloth, Microfibre Dusting Mitt, 303 Aerospace Protectant and a Applicator Pad:



















Also time for some Rubber Gloves - 'Poker Face':










So the paintwork, well it's seen better days, plenty of deep RDS marks, swirling and general grey, grey looking paintwork, just what I love............:argie:

The good thing about doing 4x4's is that you don't have to bend down as much when working on the machine and the bonnet is the perfect height for me but basically I attacked each panel using a 3M Compounding Pad using Megs 105 or 3M Fat Cut Plus with some 3M Ultrafine, depending on the panel, all panels were refined with a 3M Finishing Pad and some Megs 205........:buffer:

These are the sorts of results - Driver's Side Rear Arch - Before:










After:










Driver's Door - Before:










After:










Bonnet - Before:










During - Propping the bonnet up with some Micrfibre Cloths acting as a cushion and ensuring the wing isn't touched again:





































On this area Jules wanted to have a go on the machine so I let her loose on the Refining Stage:



















And just to make sure:










While she then stopped for a Crispy Kreme........










After:










After going around the whole car it was time to rinse the car down:



















Megs Last Touch applied:










Dried with a Waffle Weave Drying Towel - Check out the depth now before LSP:










Now maybe this is getting boring but I have to admit it's good stuff so out with the Black Fire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection via the supplied Applicator Pad:



















This was followed by some Black Fire Midnight Sun Wax via the supplied Applicator Pad:










While I was going around the car I wanted to get Jules to pay some closer attention to the wheels, as although I had cleaned them as best I could the front's needed some more attention with some clay, so using Elite's Fine Yellow Clay and Megs Last Touch as lube she cracked on:



















This was the typical ingrained problem:










Jules managed to remove that though, no problem:










I used some Megs Glass Cleaner and Glass Cleaning Cloths on the windows:










Jules applied some Megs Hyper Dressing on the arches and exterior trim:










This was rubbed in with a Microfibre Cloth:










The tyres were dressed with some AS Highstyle via a Paint Brush:










This was followed by the Black Fire Deep Gloss Spray:










The engine bay was dressed with some 303 Aerospace Protectant via and Applicator Pad but I forgot to take a pic...........

*The Results:*


































































































































































































































And that's it, have to say that before this detail I wasn't looking forward to it but I really enjoyed this one, Jules and I had a right laugh and between us I think we got the car to a good level, I know that Colin was happy but we also got some pleasing comment's from neighbours that had been watching us throughout the day..........:thumb:

Jules did a great job on the interior, exhaust and wheels and those small details all make the world of difference so thanks for your hard work.........:thumb:

Comment's good or bad welcome as always.........


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## Kris1986 (May 19, 2008)

Looking good 

I really enjoy your posts! Keep it up!

Greetings from Norway


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## Will-S (Jun 5, 2007)

Good work as usual Simon and Jules.

Looks like there is a danger of the Blackfire combination replacing the Zaino combination :lol:


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## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

Good job by the both of you, nice result and maybe you'll pick up some work off the neighbours?! Did you clay or just miss the pics?


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

cracking work again Simon and Jules :thumb: 
(suprised iron cut did'nt shift the ingrained grime on the wheels - thought it was good at that sort of thing?)....


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## HC1001 (May 27, 2007)

Hi Si,

Nice work, good team effort...........:thumb:

I thought I saw you the other day, when I managed to catch the Superb turns out it wasn't you!!! I got a right weird look off some old bloke :lol:.

:thumb::thumb:


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## Glenn_23 (May 30, 2010)

Splendid work as usual.

Glenn


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Kris1986 said:


> Looking good
> 
> I really enjoy your posts! Keep it up!
> 
> Greetings from Norway


Hello from the UK and thank you...........:wave:



Will-S said:


> Good work as usual Simon and Jules.
> 
> Looks like there is a danger of the Blackfire combination replacing the Zaino combination :lol:


I don't think so but I just seem to be doing a lot of dark cars at the moment that Blackfire seems to work very well on...............



ryand said:


> Good job by the both of you, nice result and maybe you'll pick up some work off the neighbours?! Did you clay or just miss the pics?


Had a good old chat with one of the neighbours but we will see what happens..............

We didn't clay in this instance no, reason being we had a lot to do in the day and when machining if I came across any tar then I stopped moved onto the next panel and then broke out the tardis for speed.........:thumb:



-Kev- said:


> cracking work again Simon and Jules :thumb:
> (suprised iron cut did'nt shift the ingrained grime on the wheels - thought it was good at that sort of thing?)....


Iron Cut wouldn't shift it mate, way too ground in, Iron Cut is good but it does have it's limitations, judging by the other BMW X3 post in the showroom as well, he struggled with the wheels but looks like Jules pulled our results out to a higher level................:thumb:



HC1001 said:


> Hi Si,
> 
> Nice work, good team effort...........:thumb:
> 
> ...


Another modified MK1 Superb in Sahara Beige running 19's, surely not mate...........:doublesho

:car:


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## Depaip (Jan 10, 2010)

Nice job Baker21! 
What is the dilution of the APC?
congratulations for your helper!


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)

What clay is this?










Like I care :lol: :argie:

Good to see the flip flops getting some action mate :lol:

Robbie


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## HC1001 (May 27, 2007)

Baker21 said:


> Another modified MK1 Superb in Sahara Beige running 19's, surely not mate...........:doublesho
> 
> :car:


Same colour as yours fella but not running 19's, it was raining too.........:lol:


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Depaip said:


> Nice job Baker21!
> What is the dilution of the APC?
> congratulations for your helper!


In this instance I was using between the 4:1 and 10:1 mark on the bottle........:thumb:



*MAGIC* said:


> What clay is this?
> 
> Like I care :lol: :argie:
> 
> ...


:lol:


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

Oh erm nice erm assets! 

From a detailing pov of course!


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## Planet Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Top stuff as always mate. A great double act:thumb: Ans some engine bay pics at the end as well:thumb:


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Planet Man said:


> Top stuff as always mate. A great double act:thumb: Ans some engine bay pics at the end as well:thumb:


Cheers Kev and I have to say I don't know where I would be without that RimMat, it's working really well for me and having viewed some other posts on DW of late I think it's a great investment to make..........:thumb:


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

Very nice fella

Seriously good effort on the wheels too Jules!

p.s - missed a bit...rear bumper lower o/s


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## -tom- (Jan 27, 2009)

si jules looking good fantastic work, on the other side how the hell does jules stay so slender eating like she does :lol:


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## willskoda (Jun 7, 2010)

Good job there Simon; my mum's old 1 series wheels looked like that, I was pleased to see that it isn't just me that can't shift that gunk! I was hoping Iron Cut would work wonders there. I'll be trying clay on her M wheels which are already doing the same. Keep up the good work! :thumb:


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## volvojos (Jun 4, 2009)

verty nice result, how did you get the wheels this clean, the ingrained bits??
This is a real problem with these wheels, I used to work at a BMW dealer, and i've seen a lot of this on those wheels...


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Chris_VRS said:


> Very nice fella
> 
> Seriously good effort on the wheels too Jules!
> 
> p.s - missed a bit...rear bumper lower o/s


Jules did well on the wheel front that's for sure, just glad we had the time to mate them look as good as they did, you know how I like clean wheels..........as for the Rear Bumper Lower, shut up you................



-tom- said:


> si jules looking good fantastic work, on the other side how the hell does jules stay so slender eating like she does :lol:


Er, you would have to ask her that mate...........



willskoda said:


> Good job there Simon; my mum's old 1 series wheels looked like that, I was pleased to see that it isn't just me that can't shift that gunk! I was hoping Iron Cut would work wonders there. I'll be trying clay on her M wheels which are already doing the same. Keep up the good work! :thumb:


Clay is the only way to get this sort of grime off if the likes of Tardis and Iron Cut won't work, granted the clay get's wrecked but hey ho, that's what it's for I guess........:thumb:



volvojos said:


> verty nice result, how did you get the wheels this clean, the ingrained bits??
> This is a real problem with these wheels, I used to work at a BMW dealer, and i've seen a lot of this on those wheels...


As stated above the wheels were clayed and this did take some time but well worth the effort made by Jules.........


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## slrestoration (Nov 11, 2009)

Great transformation from the dynamic duo!! One sharp end result:thumb:
Hope to be seeing some safety boots on display in your next post!!:lol:


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

slrestoration said:


> Great transformation from the dynamic duo!! One sharp end result:thumb:
> Hope to be seeing some safety boots on display in your next post!!:lol:


Cheers Nick..........:thumb:

Safety boots, only when wearing jeans mate..........


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## srmtor (Jul 12, 2008)

brill work and write up once again, and nice to Jules is back on this one.....


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## Depaip (Jan 10, 2010)

Correction time? 1 day? 2 days?


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## Baker21 (Aug 7, 2007)

Depaip said:


> Correction time? 1 day? 2 days?


Just one day, it's all I have time for as this is a hobby, don't think spending 2 days on a motor is justified, 1 day enhancement really...........:thumb:


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## Warwickshire Detailer (Oct 11, 2009)

Good work you two :thumb:


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## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

Nice Tttttttttttttttttt Technique


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