16 year old, 273,000 miles Honda paint

[slo town]

And if age and mileage wasn't enough, it hasn't been garaged or covered for the last 8 years; baking in 90 degree direct sun 4 months of the year.

This was 7 nonstop hours in the garage today. This is the driver's door, the side that gets the most sun. I didn't detail the wheels or tires. At age 73 I finally ran out of gas.

Scott

 

[KGMtech]

impressive for both of you.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Lookin' good!

 

[slo town]

impressive for both of you.

Doing this kind of stuff is more work than it used to be. I have a 4 car fleet that I maintain to a very high level, not just detailing but everything mechanical. I'm wiped out as I write this, but it's what I do. It keeps me moving.

Scott

 

[bdc101]

Doing this kind of stuff is more work than it used to be. I have a 4 car fleet that I maintain to a very high level, not just detailing but everything mechanical. I'm wiped out as I write this, but it's what I do. It keeps me moving.

Scott

I also find that since cars are so much bigger than they used to be, detailing (especially claying, buffing, and waxing) is way more work than it used to be. I used to wax my old MR2 every stinking week -- but it's probably 3 times as much physical labor to do the same for my BMW X5.

 

[gman2304]

The first pic I’m thinking a chrome wrap! Looks great!

 

[Sam_Julier]

Well done Scott. This is a lot of work.

 

[slo town]

Well done Scott. This is a lot of work.

FWIW, I washed and stripped with P21S Total Body Wash, then polished with Meguire's 205 Ultra Finishing Polish, then applied Jescar Power Lock Polymer Sealant. Over the next couple of days I'll add 1 or 2 more coats of Jescar, then top with Collinite 915 (maybe).

I did the Element literally the day after washing and waxing the entire body of our BMW E90 with Collinite 915.

Scott

 

[daves87rs]

Looks great!

I have the same work for me in the gf’s 15 Tacoma…hope i can get it that good!

 

[TomYoung]

Honda paint is soft, which really makes polishing pay off

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Amazing looking! A great detail job there. Believe me, I know a few things about detailing. Like how tough it is to keep a black paint job clean + looking good. I was among other things - an auto body detailing junkie.... until this human body stopped that hobby also.

This was the (still 100% factory paint) @ trade in day on the 18 year old 2002 Honda Accord the wife finally let go around sometime late 2020. I really think Honda has been doing a great prep and paint job finish on their vehicles for many years. A garage to keep them in is always a major plus. Wife and I often say the next house MUST have 2 things. Natural gas and at least a double garage. I been blessed since the 1990s with the double garage on the house. Plus shop in back yard was great for working on & storing cars, boats etc.....

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

This one. The last Chevelle , I owned near 15 yrs. I repaired + maintained it to an OCD condition. Inside & out kept immaculate. Multiple Super Chevy & other show car winner. It was no easy task to keep it this way because it was no trailer queen. Yet it was only caught in rain one time. We drove it all over. The black paint showed everything from dust, to tiny wash n waxing scratches in the paint etc.... The two most effective show car shines I found was a product called Liquid Glass and Colinite #845 wax.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

FWIW, I washed and stripped with P21S Total Body Wash, then polished with Meguire's 205 Ultra Finishing Polish, then applied Jescar Power Lock Polymer Sealant. Over the next couple of days I'll add 1 or 2 more coats of Jescar, then top with Collinite 915 (maybe).

I did the Element literally the day after washing and waxing the entire body of our BMW E90 with Collinite 915.

Scott

Collinite has so many great products that it can be hard for some to choose or find the ONE for them that really "pops" and makes a paint job look brand new. I noticed not long ago Harbor Freight has a really nice selection of all sorts of auto detail products on their shelves.

Lots of times when I would pull in and get parked at shows I would do a quick coat with a "show car glaze" from Meguire's. Spray detailers work great too for the in between waxing touch ups.

Of course those I used are considered "old timers" now as they have so many new/improved/advanced car detail products for sale now. I honestly don't know how some guys know what to select without advice from some auto body & paint guys these days with so much to choose from. We @ BITOG have talked much and joked about how many "flavors" all of the motor oil companies have out there offered to consumers but I think the auto detail companies have finally caught up or passed the oil guys with the amounts of offerings they have now.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I look at all my detailing tools and supplies and like others here, between knees mostly and energy, I just don’t have it anymore. I’m happy to get a coat of something on them at least 1x per year. The fleet also got larger with the kids, father-in-law etc. Even just a good hand washing just drains me.

The old Porter Cable 7424 does what I need with decent pads and the newer sealants. I can correct small stuff but full day or more outside dedicated to detailing cars is just not it anymore. Too many other around the house and life priorities. It does still feel good as appreciation of my efforts when I’m done.

When we got my daughters ’08 CRV from my sister I cleaned a bunch of stuff but then brought it to a local detailer. I think I paid about $350 and they did a real nice job. Now it gets washed, maybe some Adams or other Ceramic/Graphene detail spray. Windows I still do with Aquapel and Rain-X depending on situations.

 

[demarpaint]

Nice!

 

[DCDG]

Looks amazing. I worked with a custodian that got his floors looking like that we called him the Glass man.

 

[slo town]

The two most effective show car shines I found was a product called Liquid Glass and Colinite #845 wax.

From one old timer to another, I agree about Liquid Glass! That was great stuff, but no longer available. IIRC the owner ended up in prison. Collinite #845 is good stuff too. Often times I use it as a quickie coating on the mirror caps and noses of the cars so bugs and debris don't stick.

Scott

 

[slo town]

I look at all my detailing tools and supplies and like others here, between knees mostly and energy, I just don’t have it anymore..........but full day or more outside dedicated to detailing cars is just not it anymore.

I hear you! Life changes when you hit 70 (I'm 73 now). Even in my mid 60s I was capable of doing everything I did in my 30s and 40s.

I've always been one to push myself. I worked hard and took my career seriously, I was a competitive ultra marathon bicyclist, I've always done my own home maintenance, repair, and remodeling, all my own landscaping, and everything automotive. Doing all this stuff drains the life out of me nowadays - but I refuse to accept it and instead view it as some kind of late life character flaw.

My friends and family always tell me that they know of NO ONE at my age who does all the things I do. In one sense I agree, in the other I am dismissive of their comments. Maybe I should have been born a working dog, something like a Border Collie.

My right shoulder was so sore last night I barely slept 5 hours. Sometimes I think I need my head examined.

Scott

 

[SOUNDMAN5000]

Nothing more satisfying than doing a polish and top coat and seeing that reflection! Nice job OP!

I love black paint, however, my last black car was a then new 1994 Volvo 850. I could polish and top coat and after 1-2 hand washes ( not to mention a machine wash, something I could NOT do back then ) the swirl marks were so bad I found I had to polish once a month. Back in 94 I was a much younger man but who wants to polish that often so the last 30 years I only buy white cars ( for the most part) as you can't see a dent or a swirl mark as easy on white so higher resale value ! However, no matter how hard you polish or shine a white car you can't make the paint reflect and pop like a dark color will.

However, black IS my favorite color so I still buy black ( and chrome ) Harley motorcycles as I can still spend time and get that black refection pop thats so satisfying but a Harley gas tank and fenders is a lot less area to polish than my white Ram 3500!

I do assume black paint today, ( perhaps the clear coat ) is much better than my my new 1994 Volvo was 30 years ago as I don't see those swirl marks on black cars and trucks of today that I know the owners have never spent a day polishing or hand washing like I did.

Someone suggested Honda has soft paint. I owned a Japan made Subaru and always felt that paint was super thin or soft as rock chips on the hood was a bad issue when other brands of cars, not so much. I may be wrong but I feel RAM / Dodge has some very thick paint. I own Hondas and don't have a issue with the paint for the most part.

 

[SatinSilver]

Slo town, did you use a polisher or do everything by hand? Pictures look great as they always do from you.