# Fiesta Zetec S - First Detail



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Evening all,

As promised in my introductory post http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=203025, here are some more pictures of my first attempt at detailing (with some help!) A big thanks must go to fellow DW member Brynes for allowing me to have a go at using some of his toys, teaching me some stuff, and letting me catch the bug! :thumb:

We conducted a mini winter-protection detail, to get the paintwork cleaned and some collinite 476 on to protect against harsh winter conditions.

Car is a Fiesta Zetec-S in Sea Grey. Pictures taken on a Panasonic Lumix Bridge Camera (FZ38) - on intelligent auto mode (far cleverer than me!). I'm generally the one behind the camera, so you can guess who was doing the work... Cheers Byrnes mate!

For anyone that's competitively minded - extra 'eye for detail' points if you can guess which panel gap I was at the Ford Dealer bodyshop about on Wednesday, since it's a little on the 'wide side' shall we say (they pretty much told me "it's just the way they go together sometimes") :wall:

Here's how the car started off, pretty dirty as you can see.



















First off was the wheels... set about with some Bilberry wheel cleaner 1:10 (escalated to 1:5 for stubborn bits), and agitated with an E/Z style brush and small wheel brush. No pictures of the actual process I'm affraid, but clean wheels at the end:



















Then onto paint work... started off with some traffic film remover - liberally applied to help shift some of the crud.

This was followed by an initial rinse to try and clear as much debris as possible.



















Then onto the early money-shot, snow Foam! (Valet Pro pH Neutral).














































Left to dwell for 5 or so minutes, which left this... nearly clean looking Fez!



















Next up was a standard two bucket method wash with Dodo Juice Born to be Mild shampoo and mercifully warm water (it was a very cold January day!!) No pics here again unfortunately.

But, some of Byrnes' kit.










Next up was claying. This was done with Megs Mild Clay - and the car was sprayed with a diluted quick detailer mix. This wasn't too arduous on fairly new paint.




























Dirty Clay - 6 months of so worth of contamination, but not too bad!










Next to it the mug of warm water we used to aid malleability and keep our fingers warm. Many a mug of tea was needed too!










Some more shots during clay stage



















The car was then re-washed (TBM), and rinsed again, before drying with some waffle weave towels.





































A quick stop for lunch, and a break for some spots of rain to dry, and it was then onto wax (collinite #476). [We didn't schedule in polishing - although it's certainly on the agenda for next time].

The wax went on fairly easily with two of us applying it thin with some standard yellow foam applicator pads.























































After 30 mins cure time it was then buffed off with some yellow buffing towels.

While Brynes was doing this, I set on the windows/wipers with Autoglym car glass polish.

Whilst I was finishing this up, Byrnes dressed the tyres for a nice finish.

We then notice my rear badge looked disgusting (considering its 6 months old). It was attacked with some Autoglym SRP.










However, on inspection of the before pictures I notice this etched on the _F_ of the ford badge? Vandalism? A curious oddity found on all Fords? Or have I got a knackered old badge here? *Any answers welcome!!* :thumb:










Here are some finished shots, I hope you enjoy, and any future pointers welcome :thumb:.




























Kelly from KDS has a lot to answer for re:this attempt (nothing to fear mind!). Hope you appreciate the homage mate, not a touch on your work! :thumb:










Reasonably pleased with reflection shots for hand cleaned paint only.


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

looking good Phil :thumb:
btw, got those valeo wipers for mine today, fitted in about three seconds. and for about half the price of wiperblades.co.uk 
you on www.zsoc.com at all?...


----------



## Jordi (Aug 30, 2010)

Looks smart, best colour too :thumb:


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

Jordi said:


> Looks smart, best colour too :thumb:


whats up with frozen white?


----------



## scratcher (Jul 20, 2010)

You two have done a great job on that. First time claying is amazing isn't it 
Let us know if you find out what the numbers are on the ford badge. 
On my 2 old KA's the blue bit mysteriously vanished :lol:


----------



## nicp2007 (Apr 25, 2007)

looking good mate :thumb:


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Good work Kev, let me know how you find them! Mine weren't their best tonight in all this rain! Not on ZSOC myself yet... maybe I should take another step and join there too! Always wave another ZS, just in case they appreciate it, no shame me :lol:


----------



## Will-S (Jun 5, 2007)

Looks fantastic. Coli 476 is a nice wax

Thread hi-jack:lol: Where did you get the wiper blades


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

McClane said:


> Good work Kev, let me know how you find them! Mine weren't their best tonight in all this rain! Not on ZSOC myself yet... maybe I should take another step and join there too! Always wave another ZS, just in case they appreciate it, no shame me :lol:


the rain reppellant i had on my windscreen has worn off (), the new wipers worked well in the heavy downpour on my way home tonight


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

Will-S said:


> Looks fantastic. Coli 476 is a nice wax
> 
> Thread hi-jack:lol: Where did you get the wiper blades


from work


----------



## gally (May 25, 2008)

Looks fantastic mate, love sea grey another rewarding colour for detaling I think.

The Camera is the exact one i'm looking at at the moment, would you recommend it?

A couple of tips? Maybe a nice glaze? Pre-wax cleanser? and maybe a nicer wax to compliment the prep work?

Just a few tips, looks fantastic though mate.


----------



## GSD (Feb 6, 2011)

Car looks lovely i too am puzzeled by the numbers if you find out what it's all about let us know please.


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

gally said:


> Looks fantastic mate, love sea grey another rewarding colour for detaling I think.
> 
> The Camera is the exact one i'm looking at at the moment, would you recommend it?
> 
> ...


Cheers Gally. Thanks for the tips... I've just placed a first order for my own detailing stuff today and opted for some SRP and EGP to hopefully provide those elements... didn't get a glaze though, so any compatible products you can recommend will be noted for next time :thumb:

Would definitely recommend the camera if you're not after a full D-SLR. Given the 300 odd notes I parted with for it in Oct 2009 I've been blown away by it. Good quality, features, lens, zoom and auto mode. You can also adjust settings manually if you want. very versatile and light, though not "pocketable" like like higher end point and shoots - if that makes sense, so you'll need a bag etc. I wouldn't say I place heavy demands on it.

It was certainly one of the best models at that time I got it, I don't know if its been surpassed by anything newer. Guess it'd be a little cheaper now though on the plus side. Otherwise, worth checking if there's a newer one coming out soon that's worth waiting for. Plenty of comprehensive reviews online... worth benchmarking it... but otherwise I'd say go for it


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

GSD said:


> Car looks lovely i too am puzzeled by the numbers if you find out what it's all about let us know please.


Absolutely stumped by the numbers... tried a bit of online research but to no avail... hoping someone on here might have a bit more hands on/real world experience!


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

SRP is an AIO (all in one) product that fills swirls, cleanses the paint (not as well as a dedicated cleanser though imo), adds some shine (as per a glaze) and adds a little protection. with 476 on the car, EGP is redundant tbh, 476 is very durable and detergent proof so will last many washes


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

-Kev- said:


> SRP is an AIO (all in one) product that fills swirls, cleanses the paint (not as well as a dedicated cleanser though imo), adds some shine (as per a glaze) and adds a little protection. with 476 on the car, EGP is redundant tbh, 476 is very durable and detergent proof so will last many washes


I'd probably only put EGP on when the Colli has come off, (or is taken off to get at the paint) - maybe as something different for the summer? Don't fancy making too much work for myself :thumb:

In terms of hand correction/swirl management (read:lazy filling) Kev, is there a combination of a dedicated cleaner, filler and glaze [3 step combo] that I could use to replace say an SRP/EGP [2 step] one?

I was a little worried about dropping to a lower level of filler since without them I'd probably want fully sorted paint. Hence why I've plumped for these initially.

P.s. Sorry if this questions is going full circle from me... just not sure if I'm missing out on something better :wall: :thumb:


----------



## sim L (Jan 3, 2010)

McClane said:


> I'd probably only put EGP on when the Colli has come off, (or is taken off to get at the paint) - maybe as something different for the summer? Don't fancy making too much work for myself :thumb:
> 
> In terms of hand correction/swirl management (read:lazy filling) Kev, is there a combination of a dedicated cleaner, filler and glaze [3 step combo] that I could use to replace say an SRP/EGP [2 step] one?
> 
> I was a little worried about dropping to a lower level of filler since without them I'd probably want fully sorted paint. Hence why I've plumped for these initially.


Fantastic job, really starting to like these new style Fiestas :thumb:

As for an all in one, I've heard good things about Dodo Juice Need for Speed, not tried it myself but there are some good reviews of it on here.


----------



## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

stunning colour that :thumb:


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

not got any Dodo NFS but if theres a product you want to try Phil, give me a shout as i might have it


----------



## byrnes (Jul 15, 2008)

Well done phil the write up went well! Your fez looked great afterwards!


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Cheers Adam! Can't take all the credit...

Thanks for the offer Kev, I'll try and get to grips with tomorrows goodies first!


----------



## gally (May 25, 2008)

McClane said:


> Cheers Gally. Thanks for the tips... I've just placed a first order for my own detailing stuff today and opted for some SRP and EGP to hopefully provide those elements... didn't get a glaze though, so any compatible products you can recommend will be noted for next time :thumb:
> 
> Would definitely recommend the camera if you're not after a full D-SLR. Given the 300 odd notes I parted with for it in Oct 2009 I've been blown away by it. Good quality, features, lens, zoom and auto mode. You can also adjust settings manually if you want. very versatile and light, though not "pocketable" like like higher end point and shoots - if that makes sense, so you'll need a bag etc. I wouldn't say I place heavy demands on it.
> 
> It was certainly one of the best models at that time I got it, I don't know if its been surpassed by anything newer. Guess it'd be a little cheaper now though on the plus side. Otherwise, worth checking if there's a newer one coming out soon that's worth waiting for. Plenty of comprehensive reviews online... worth benchmarking it... but otherwise I'd say go for it


More than happy to help mate, thanks very much for the comments on the camera, the FZ45 came out not long ago, think it's 14mp and 24x Zoom, so a little upgrade but for the price of the 38 and the performance you can't grumble too much.
How long you had the camera now? 2nd hand they are roughly £200 the 45 is £350 new iirc.

Products wise SRP will be a good base and I think you'll see a noticeable difference in the paint. 
Egp I'm not a fan of, you can put some on over SRP and under 476 but for me I'd go SRP then 476, just a persoanl preference but I really don't rate EGP that much. .

Just research and then research some more if there is a product you fancy trying. Plenty of old threads on here that have saved me buying stuff that wasn't what I needed. 

Don't hesitate to fire someone a PM either if you have a few questions. There are a few threads about Sea grey aswell, ST's, zetec-S so good to see what products work with your colour.


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

gally said:


> More than happy to help mate, thanks very much for the comments on the camera, the FZ45 came out not long ago, think it's 14mp and 24x Zoom, so a little upgrade but for the price of the 38 and the performance you can't grumble too much.
> How long you had the camera now? 2nd hand they are roughly £200 the 45 is £350 new iirc.
> 
> Products wise SRP will be a good base and I think you'll see a noticeable difference in the paint.
> ...


Thanks Gally, yes, lots of people have said use to just one or the other of EGP vs Colli 476, which I'll think I'll do as an experiment over time, see what works for me. Always good to try out different stuff. :thumb: Similarly - might give both a shot and see what happens. Although not if I'm tight for time, as it sounds like it might be a bit pointless. No harm in repeating others experiments in this context though!

Re: the camera... that's a difficult one. I've had mine since October 2009 (shortly after launch) and have been very happy with it and would recommend it (I'm no expert!). There are of course these newer models out now, but from what I can tell it doesn't seem quite as black and white the the FZ45 is an improvement on the FZ38, as it was between the FZ38 and the FZ28 eighteen months ago. They've made a few changes; some definitely for the better (24 x zoom, bigger LCD screen etc), but others which have caused a mixed reaction (more megapixels on a small sensor, heavier, lower FPS on speed mode). There's also this Z100 mentioned, which is a deluxe model of the FZ45 and has a moveable screen and proper flash dock (thus reducing some of the limitations of the other two), but costs more.

I don't think any would be a true disappointment. Certainly, there seems to be people that are trying to source FZ38's still as they don't want the new one and are suggesting it's quite pricey to limited availability/high demand. Others that consider the 45 an upgrade, and the "i'll just spend a bit more camp" lauding the Z100's greater capabilities (but it has "soft picture" issues apparently).

Difficult one... I always try and get the 'latest' one possible for maximum future proofing - and the extra optical zoom might be good. If I was buying, I'd probably plump for the FZ45 for those reasons (rightly or wrongly). If you can get a steal on the FZ38 - great camera still!


----------



## colarado red (Jun 5, 2008)

Top job


----------



## toomanycitroens (Jan 14, 2011)

Great finish, that last photo is amazing.........


----------



## faisal93 (Jun 24, 2010)

Great job mate! Was so close to buying one of these but went for the polo 1.2 TSI instead but both the cars are brilliant!


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Cheers Chaps! Appreciate it :thumb:


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

McClane said:


> Cheers Adam! Can't take all the credit...
> 
> Thanks for the offer Kev, I'll try and get to grips with tomorrows goodies first!


more than welcome


----------



## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Quick update, the Colli 476 is still holding up well. Tried out some of my new toys on Saturday with an interim wash.

Bilberry 1:10 on wheels - E/Z Brush and detail brush to agitate
Valet Pro Orange Pre Wash - 5 mins.
PW'd off
2BM wash with Dodo BTBM shampoo and Megs mitt
Rinsed
and Finish Kare 425 used as a drying aid.
Dried with Mircle dryer towel.

Rained about 5 mins later, but some nice beading to be seen 

Pics from I-phone, so not amazing.


----------



## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

some nice beading Phil


----------

