# MG ZR Show Car Detail And Maintenance



## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

This is my MG ZR show car. It's kept as a show car but still does around 5,000 miles a year attending shows and events up and down the country.

I have been wanting to clean and waxoyl the arches for a while now, the car is 10 years old, so it needed to be done soon. The perfect opportunity came up when 2 of my alloys started to bubble. After I did some research into this, I found out it was a fault in the coating when they were made. I contacted Kei Racing who offer a 12 month warranty on their wheels, I have had mine for about 18 months. Even though I am outside the warranty they still gave me an excellent deal on 2 new replacements. So, while I had to swap the wheels over it was the perfect opportunity to do the arches at the same time.

I also had a show on Sunday 5th so the car needed a good detail.

This is my current detail and maintenance on the car.

I have a website, if you would like to visit

http://www.mymgzr.co.uk/

The arches were done over the space of about 2 weeks

First, the front wheels came of to clean the arches and arch lining










Myself at work!










The lining was cleaned










A coat of clear waxoyl was applied, arch lining back in with new clips and screws (horrible rusty ones don't look great!)










New clips from Rimmer Bros










Tyres swapped over onto new wheels, balanced with new valves










Fronts done










The same was done to the rears, clear coat of waxoyl










Cleaned arch lining










Wheels were cleaned inside










All wheel nuts were cleaned with Meguiar's metal polish










Backs done










The bonnet was also taken to the bodyshop for the underside to be re-sprayed










The car was then given a full detail ready for the show. The majority of products used are Meguiar's. I am a huge fan of Meguiar's.

First, snow foam with Meguiar's hyper wash



















Next, the car was washed using the 2 bucket methord with Meguiar's gold class shampoo and wash mitt



















The car didn't need to be clayed or paint cleaned, as I have a routine of doing this twice a year.

I usually used Meguiar's gold class wax but wanted to show #7 and #26 this time.

The car was taped up ready for the next 2 stages










So the next step was Meguiar's #7 show car glaze










At this stage, the front of the car was in the sun so I brought the front in the garage to apply the last stage in the shade

#26 on top










#26 applied and waiting to be buffed off










The results














































The wheels were cleaned with this lot



















Cotton buds were used to get into those hard to reach areas










Iron-X at work










Wheels done. Toyo high lighted with white tyre pen.










The engine bay was done using Meguiar's engine clean and dressing, metal polish and a detailing brush










The results




























The interior was done with Meguiar's leather cleaner and quick interior










The results



















The windows and exhaust were cleaned with Meguiar's glass cleaner and Meguiar's metal polish










As always when I get to the show, I give the car a wipe down with Meguiar's last touch










The car at the lastest show



















You can see the perfect re-sprayed underside of bonnet in this one










My hard work for all this was rewarded when I won the pride of ownership at this show! It was a surprise to win because there were some stunning cars in my category. As you can image I am very happy to pick up my second pride of ownership trophy 

Me with the trophy (sorry for the horrible pics of myself, it was a long day!!)



















The car and the trophy










It started to rain when I got home which made some nice beading!










Thanks for looking, all comments welcome


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

great writeup, beading is spot on too :thumb:


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## mbrad_26 (Apr 19, 2011)

Wow...:doublesho What a lovely car and owner :thumb:

Top work


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## samuir1974 (May 3, 2011)

Very nice work and glad it was rewarded at the show!!! :thumb:


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Lovely write up and stunning motor, wish my 75 was so stunning, then again the 75 has an old man image so can be forgiven for its weary age...:lol:


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## Bayside32 (Apr 10, 2011)

IIRC saw this at the MPH show last November, looks really nice in the flesh:thumb:, a real credit to you.


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

Thank you for the comments 

You did indeed see it at MPH last year, was a honour to be asked for that!! Thank you


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## Pandy (Jan 19, 2008)

Looking good, ive seen this a few times at various shows and it always looks stunning! :thumb:


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## AliBailey88 (Oct 13, 2009)

not bad for an old rover.


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Fantastic work there.


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

Looking very good :thumb:

I loved my 220 SDi back in 1998 when i picked her up from Charles Clarke Rover in West Brom  

Nice car


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## El_Cid (Jun 14, 2010)

Congrats !!! Nice work !!


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## bero1306 (Jan 24, 2011)

:thumb:

Ps, wheels are very nice.


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## SarahAnn (Apr 6, 2011)

Well done to you!
Lovely paintwork. (I voted for this in the other thread).
Looks fab and nice to see a little of how you get the paintwork looking so well.
:thumb:

.........and that's coming from someone who isnt a Rover fan due to very costly and pain in the backside cracked head problems when i owned one


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## Matt_Nic (Apr 15, 2011)

Did you apply the #7 with a machine polisher? 
As for the Yellow wax, I've seen this suff is available as hard paste wax and liquid in a bottle? What's the difference. 

Looks like a lot of festidious hard work, I appluad it and wish I had the time to do the same.


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## toomanycitroens (Jan 14, 2011)

That is brilliant.
Words fail me.
Well done.


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## GSD (Feb 6, 2011)

Eeeerm wow is all i can say what a job yer my kinda gal.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

grate car and good write up congrats on winning too.


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## Matt_Nic (Apr 15, 2011)

I wish my girlfriend liked cars and detailing rather than shoes and fake tans and holidays.


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## jamesgti (Aug 9, 2007)

looks superb.


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## tonyy (Jul 26, 2008)

Looks very,very nice..


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

Thanks for the comments guy's!  It's nice to hear people appreciate all the hard work that has gone into it.

lol at the girlfriend comments, thats exactly what one of the judges for the pride of ownership said, " your the type of girl my son is looking for, someone who and loves and knows about cars" 

I quite often get those funny looks when I tell people at shows most of the work on the car has been done by myself!

Both #7 and #26 were applied by hand. #7 takes quite alot of time by hand, but so worth it with the results. I have both the paste and liquid in #26, both are pretty much the same. IMO it just depends what you are used to using, a paste or a liquid. I get on better with the liquid on this wax.

I usually use gold wax wax but wanted a change so went for these two, the shine from #7 and #26 is probably a little better than gold class but the darken effect the gold class gives which makes the paint looks really really wet isn't as good.


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

Just to give you an idea of how much the car has changed, this is the day I brought it, back in Feb 2007. As you can see, standard apart from the horrible chrome alloys and the paint looks really dull.


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## veb (Mar 13, 2006)

Stunning, attention to detail is second to none, these look lovely in trophy blue, and the wheels really suit it:thumb:


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## @andrew (May 10, 2011)

I have to admire your industrious attitude to car cleaning :thumb:


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## Jw_germany (Aug 2, 2010)

"Great work... Well done!"


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## colarado red (Jun 5, 2008)

Top work


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## peugeot106 (Apr 15, 2011)

nice ride you have there. keep it up. love the pg teddy on the back seat


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## Emz_197 (Mar 28, 2007)

A very nice looking ZR you have there, top work too!


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

The car means so much to me it really is nice when I get positive comments for all the time that has gone into it. Its been featured in 4 mags, calendar featured, MPH show car and won 2 pride of ownership awards. Just very overwhelming but as I said nice to have the appreciation for the time and effort as all mods, detailing etc.. have been done by myself


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## Dan Clark (Jun 25, 2007)

Looks great. 

I have a soft spot for MG's....


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

I'm much the same, there's something about some of the MGs that I really like. I think it's that underdog thing as well that being based on a Rover it gets a bit of stick. 

Must say that is a great MG too. Some great shots and mega clean, I admire the fact that you do a few miles in it every year as well as it being a show car. It's kind of lairy but not in a bad way as some modified cars are. 

Top job.


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## Auto Detox (Dec 22, 2007)

Thats a transformation good work & great attention to detail, colour is awesome !

Baz


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## DSMGZT (Sep 3, 2009)

That look stunning, well done!
Really miss my trophy blue ZR, unfortunately had to get something bigger as the family came along so the ZT was a natural progression!

Keep up the good work and I'm sure you'll be getting more awards!


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

Thank you 

I'm proud to drive an MG, I didn't want to take its identity away, just wanted to add to it and enhance it, as IMO the ZR is a good looking car anyway. I couldn't not drive it tbh, the enjoyment from driving an MG, is part of owning it.

It's stylishy modified, nothing OTT, just subtle.


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## David Proctor (Mar 6, 2011)

Lovely car and great post.


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

i never thought I'd lust after an MG ZR .Great write up. If i PM you our phone number do you think you could talk the wife in to showing a bit more interest and a little less nagging lol
Daz


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## lil-pinki (Jun 9, 2011)

Looks amazingggg


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## kh904 (Dec 18, 2006)

Great work!

Love the new wheels!

My only criticism (constructive), imo is i think there's too much blue 'bits' in the interior (dash, air vents, doors handles etc). 
Imo it would look better graphite for eg.


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## DagenhamGeoff (Mar 20, 2011)

Wow very very impressive, as for the interior being a little ott, I gotta disagree, I think it brings the outside of the car into the inside, a subtle reminder of the cars colour, as you can`t see the colour that much whilst in the car..anyway just my opinion but the whole thing looks totally amazing:thumb:


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## o0damo0o (Feb 15, 2011)

top work, excellent write up


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

Didn't add this one in the write up, but it was taken at the same time. Probably my favourite reflection shot so far.

Going to get some #16 and try that on top of #26 next time.


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## DagenhamGeoff (Mar 20, 2011)

That`s a dwarves door ain`t it:lol:


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## OCDDetailer (May 17, 2011)

What are you saying!!! :lol:


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