# Detailing the new whip !



## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

So my better half decided that after three Land Rovers the time had come for a change. After a half day's test drive, the decision was made and the new whip duly arrived. Needless to say that he had no thought for his dear wife, in making her detailing life a little easier. No Smart car for me to detail and maintain. No ! Yet another big beast to challenge me on a weekly basis. What a cushy life he has ! 

2 full days were spent detailing the car to get it to my standards.

Forgive me as I don't have photos for all the stages as once again my photographer (the OH), kept disappearing 

First of all some before photos. A weeks worth of dirt accumulated so I set to to get the car well protected for the winter.













Products of choice today



First job, as always, was to clean the wheels.

*wheels*
Washed with CG V07 shampoo and decontaminated with Bilt Hamber Korrosol and AS Tardis, including a mixture of brushes and Dooka wheel mitt. Perfect for getting behind the spokes and super soft.







*Bodywork*
The car was snow foamed using Gyeon foam. My favourite for cleaning very dirty cars in the winter months. More expensive than most, but worth it.





Whilst the snow foam was dwelling I worked around the car with 2 small detailing brushes cleaning around badges, petrol cap, nooks and crannies, etc.

The foam was left to dwell for 10 minutes then power washed down working from the bottom up.

Then onto actually washing the car. The shampoo of choice was Gyeon Bathe. One of my favourite shampoos. Suds up nicely, good lubricity and cleans well. Leaves a great shine too.



Dooka wash pad pose 


The car was rinsed down using my DI vessel to leave no water marks. I live in a hard water area and my unfiltered water is near 500ppm!

Next it was onto decontaminating the paintwork, again using AS Tardis and Bilt Hamber Korrosol. This was then finished with a quick clay with the Carbon Collective clay mitt (my photographer went on walkabout here) !

The car was then dried off along with the alloys. The latter were panel wiped and then Gtechniq C5 was applied. I use this all the time on the alloys with excellent durability.



The engine bay was cleaned using Megs APC and then AF Dressle was sprayed on and left for the rest of the day before buffing up to leave a nice dressed finish.

I assessed the paintwork at this point, taking paint depth gauge readings, which showed reading varying from 200 at the rear to 110 on some areas of the bonnet. My plan was to machine polish the car however the weather was foggy all day causing dampness in the air and with no indoor cover and moreover the paintwork being in pretty good condition, I decided that polishing in the damp conditions was far from ideal so that was put off until Spring next year.



















Due to the metallic paint, I decided on using Clearkote Machine Moose Glaze (formerly known as RMG) by hand. This really enhances the metallic flake and is a joy to use, even by hand.





This was applied to all the car including the roof (apart from the panoramic sunroof).

At this point it became too damp to continue as the darkness drew in, so that was about it for one day except to polish up the exhausts using AF Mercury.







Day 2:
An even foggier day dawned. First job was to rinse and dry the car off.

It was also my intention to apply Gyeon Can Coat but again due to the dampness I changed my mind as it's not conducive to the weather conditions. With some durability in mind, I thought I would give my Bouncer's Satsuma Rock a run out. I've never used it despite owning it for about a year.

On opening the point the first thing you notice is the scent. It has to be one of the nicest smelling waxes EVER ! It smells delicious. Anyway, onto application, it goes on very well due to its oily nature. Because of this it is easy to over apply but I again you learn as you go along and use less as you go. It buffs off with ease, which is what I look for in a wax. It leaves a gorgeous wet look to the paint and does enhance the flake too.







A second coat was added a couple of hours later. This should ensure that its well protected throughout winter.

*Glass*
The next job was to coat all the glass with Gtechniq G1. The glass had been clayed the day before but a further polish was required first so I used a great product, AF Vision. I find this to be a great a glass polish which does its job with ease. The residue was removed with Gtechniq Panel Wipe.





The glass was now ready for coating. One coat on all side and rear windows and 3 coats applied to the windscreen. The residue was removed with ease with Gtechniq G6.

The trim was dressed, which is minimal compared to the LR, using AS Topaz. I like using this on trim. It leaves a nice finish and protects for at least 3 months or so.

The tyres were dressed with Juicy Details Iced Apple. I like the finish this gives on Pirelli's.

*Interior*

Finally, onto the interior. The leather seats, steering wheel and door cards were cleaned using Furniture Clinic cleaner. The drivers seat had some dirt, which came off with ease. Then all the the leather was protected with Furniture Clinic Protector, which I apply every 3 months. The dash was wiped down with AF Spritz (love the smell) and the mats were cleaned with AF Total and brushed down. To be protected with Gtechniq I1. The carpets in the boot were brushed down too.













*Finished Exterior*








































Thanks for reading the detail of "our" new XC90. A car we are both really enjoying and which has some fantastic features.

Now where did my photographer go !


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

Really like these albeit not seen one in person yet 

A great job on the new wheels, thanks for posting


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## SPARTAN (Nov 20, 2014)

Great work Kerry.

Look on the bright side, having such a large vehicle to detail will keep you out of mischief :lol:

Oh and congratulations on the new purchase :thumb:


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## Rowan83 (Aug 21, 2007)

VERY nice! looks fantastic.

I would love an XC90 but very pricey, lol.


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

Had a few of the mighty Volvo in my time, one of the cars my wife really preferred this will keep you busy for a while. A distinctive combination that interior very sumptuous all the proportions look bigger a great routine beautiful result.

Have fun, John Tht.


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## IamDave (Feb 6, 2015)

Very nice, I do like the new XC90.


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## stonejedi (Feb 2, 2008)

Looks Good.SJ.


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## Dazzel81 (Apr 20, 2013)

Looking good, great write up :thumb:


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## A&J (Mar 4, 2015)

flawless finish :argie:

I love the interior :doublesho but its gonna be hard to maintain i think

Question

Are those wheel arches made of fabric? And if so how do you clean the leaves and dirt and sand and stuff of it. I have a Scenic and they are a nightmare! Those things trap dirt and other stuff like crazy! I tried aggitating them with a brush and APC but never got them 100%! 

:wave:


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

Excellent work on a very nice car.


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

Following you on Instagram & it caught my attention when I saw you wee working on one of these, really good choice!

Someone is lucky who buys that disco - it was immaculate!


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

A&J said:


> flawless finish :argie:
> 
> I love the interior :doublesho but its gonna be hard to maintain i think
> 
> ...


Thanks A&J 

The interior will be cleaned regularly so should be ok. I used to have a cream interior and it still looked like new when I sold it after 3 years.

In answer to your question I spray Gtechniq I1 on the fabric wheel arches. Then it's thoroughly brushed in. It does help to keep them cleaner. I have them on my RCZ too and always find the I1 helps when you power wash them down.


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## VXR_midlands (Sep 24, 2015)

Fantastic write up and great work on the car! Love the flake pop


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## JBirchy (Oct 9, 2010)

Absolutely tremendous Kerry, and what a lovely car in a lovely colour combination. I love the interior spec with the 2 tone steering wheel too.

I'm a Volvo fan and I think this new XC90 will be a big hit for them. Looks fab and the reviews are good, may even be a family wagon for us in a few years.

Great job, and a nice write up too.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

davies20 said:


> Following you on Instagram & it caught my attention when I saw you wee working on one of these, really good choice!
> 
> Someone is lucky who buys that disco - it was immaculate!


Thanks 

What is your IG name ?

My OH was very sad to see the Disco go. It was a very nice car


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

JBirchy said:


> Absolutely tremendous Kerry, and what a lovely car in a lovely colour combination. I love the interior spec with the 2 tone steering wheel too.
> 
> I'm a Volvo fan and I think this new XC90 will be a big hit for them. Looks fab and the reviews are good, may even be a family wagon for us in a few years.
> 
> Great job, and a nice write up too.


Cheers Jon 

Yes I ️ the interior and it's so comfortable. I would recommend them as a family wagon. Certainly plenty of space and so much cheaper to run than the Disco too


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## MAXI-MILAN (Oct 26, 2008)

Great work :thumb:


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Great write up, Kerry and images too.
Interesting that you also used BH Korrosol on the wheels.


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Great detail, car looks mint.. Is the the wax good on all met colours because your flake pic's are lovely.


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## Crafoo (Oct 27, 2013)

Looks ace, excellent job on such a big car :thumb:

That centre console looks like an iPAD, it's MASSIVE!! lol

Also a quick question. I noticed you said you jet washed from the bottom up. I was just curious why you do it this way? 

My routine has always been top down.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

camerashy said:


> Great write up, Kerry and images too.
> Interesting that you also used BH Korrosol on the wheels.


Cheers canerashy 

I use Korrosol about every 2 months on the alloys as its actually a very good wheel cleaner. All other times it's just shampoo and water.



chongo said:


> Great detail, car looks mint.. Is the the wax good on all met colours because your flake pic's are lovely.


Thanks 
The wax will be fine on any colour. I've seen it used on red too but due to the oily nature of the wax, it helps enhance the flake as does Clearkote RMG (which is brilliant on metallics).



Crafoo said:


> Looks ace, excellent job on such a big car :thumb:
> 
> That centre console looks like an iPAD, it's MASSIVE!! lol
> 
> ...


The centre console is very similar to an iPad. It's a touch screen tablet which controls everything from the heating to stereo, climate control and you can install apps.

I all ways rinse snow foam from the bottom up as the bottom of the car is usually the dirtiest. You are using the remains of the snow foam that m's still clinging to the car and the power washer to clean the worst parts of the dirt off the car. If you start at the top all the foam will has been removed so you have nothing to aid you cleaning at the bottom of the car. I was taught this by a professional Detailer.


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## leehob (Jul 9, 2014)

Nice job, nice motor, love that interior, enjoy :thumb:


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## Stu Mac (Aug 18, 2014)

Stunning job mate and great flake pop. Love the new XC90 & it will certainly kill a few hours for you giving it a wash


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

This is lovely Kez, fantastic work. That flake is gorgeous 😍
He really needs to buy a classic Mini or something next though to help you out 😊


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## alfajim (May 4, 2011)

Nice car and a great write up. Love the interior.


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## footfistart (Dec 2, 2013)

Looks awesome. Quite an ugly car but an amazing job as per usual.

But one question though. When you were polishing the glass with Vision, what was the applicator you were using in the picture. Looked like a glass specific pad???

Ryan


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## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

Brilliant work, lovely car :thumb: and very nice design compared to the last one which was bit too plain after so many years.



footfistart said:


> Looks awesome. Quite an ugly car but an amazing job as per usual.
> 
> But one question though. When you were polishing the glass with Vision, what was the applicator you were using in the picture. Looked like a glass specific pad???
> 
> Ryan


Might be wrong but looks very similar to the Gyeon one that i got with View


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Natalie said:


> This is lovely Kez, fantastic work. That flake is gorgeous
> He really needs to buy a classic Mini or something next though to help you out


Lol Natalie, a classic mini would be perfect 



footfistart said:


> Looks awesome. Quite an ugly car but an amazing job as per usual.
> 
> But one question though. When you were polishing the glass with Vision, what was the applicator you were using in the picture. Looked like a glass specific pad???
> 
> Ryan


Ugly? I think it looks rather mean at the front, which I like 

The applicator that I was using came with a Carpro glass kit. It's excellent for polishing glass.


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## subarufreak (Oct 20, 2013)

wow :thumb:


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Great work, having had the pleasure of being in one of these i can also say great buy, its a mega machine

Mut say amazed on your thoughts on RMG. I found it to bury flake more than most others i put it against, so much so i no longer use it!


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

stangalang said:


> Great work, having had the pleasure of being in one of these i can also say great buy, its a mega machine
> 
> Mut say amazed on your thoughts on RMG. I found it to bury flake more than most others i put it against, so much so i no longer use it!


Really ? I am surprised ! I find it gives a lovely wet finish and enhances the flake. Well it did on my ex metallic red and did the same on the XC90,


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## lemansblue92 (Aug 6, 2015)

Great write up, lovely motor aswell I'm sure you'll enjoy it :thumb:


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## ibiza55 (Feb 22, 2008)

*Futuristic*

Lovely jubbly, a car for tomorrow today, very impressive.


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## Venkman (Apr 22, 2013)

Great car and a brilliant detail. Love it!
Thanks for the pressure washing tip.


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## Hufty (Apr 27, 2015)

Looking good, some blokes have all the luck, can't even get my OH to vac her own car never mind mine !

Interesting to see you use clearkote by hand, have been wanting to try that for while but it's never in stock anywhere when I order.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Hufty said:


> Looking good, some blokes have all the luck, can't even get my OH to vac her own car never mind mine !
> 
> Interesting to see you use clearkote by hand, have been wanting to try that for while but it's never in stock anywhere when I order.


lol  My OH hasn't cleaned any of his cars for the last 8 years. I always do it. I don't trust him to do it right !


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## ssben83 (Oct 31, 2015)

Love the look of these!


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## chongo (Jun 7, 2014)

Lovely job.


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## Adam_B (Feb 23, 2015)

I'm really impressed by the interior design on this, much more intersting than volvos used to be


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Adam_B said:


> I'm really impressed by the interior design on this, much more intersting than volvos used to be


I love the interior Adam. It's so lush. The blond leather as its called, just makes it feel even more spacious inside.

Thanks for your kind comments.


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## [email protected] (May 12, 2015)

Came out very well, and that paint flake <3 
Looks like an iPad in the dash


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

Hrrrrrnnnnnnggggggggggg I love the new XC90 - makes me very intrigued to see what they do with the XC60 as well, high hopes for that!


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## MEH4N (Mar 15, 2012)

Looks lovely Kez and great work


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## Streeto (Apr 3, 2008)

Not your usual site not to sound too biased, the world needs more women like yourself 

Impressive work!


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