The Kia Coupe (Koup) SX detailing thread (progress/updates)

Thanks!

Wow!, you guys are good!! There was a setting under the camera app on IOS - photo capture - " photographic styles" and vibrant was selected!!!! Have no idea how that was even selected, or why. This might of been from the 7+ days, and the setting kept transferring over every time I upgraded.... :unsure:
Ah yeah, it takes a while to get used to a new phone like that with so many diff settings. Let’s see some new pics of the exterior!
 
Is the engine cover faded? Everything else under the hood is clean and black so it stands out to my eye. Maybe a bit of trim paint in the spring to perfect it?
 
Update: I’m still cleaning up the kia!! Here’s the most recent detail
Chemical guys ceramic products on exterior/tires/rims, with Maguires products for Interior. When I think it’s clean, I clean it again it gets cleaner 😂
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picked up a cheap orbital buffer (to get my feet wet) and Maguires ultimate compound to give the paint a refresh. I used the ultimate compound followed by the paste wax.
For an older black car this combination really shined up the paint. All the micro swirls are pretty much gone, even some of the deeper surface scratches disappeared. The paint looks “liquid“ at almost any given angle. Pretty happy with the results.
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Nice car. Daily driver of a 2014 Koup.
They're very solid.
Thanks! She is coming along 🎉
I also like the newer Koups their designs are a little different than this model but yet still similar and you can tell they’re in the family 😂 you can post a couple more photos 😃

Truth be Told.. i completely over looked the 6mt Koups. I always went to the 4 door automatic turbo optimas or sonatas, and the Koup was never on my radar. I am sorry I missed it when it was new, so I’m enjoying it used 😆 and bringing it back to glory for a little while.

Still working on her, took all the tar off the doors, sprayed and soaked with goo gone and wiped away with a micro than waxed the areas. 👍
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The paint is a never ending project.

This time I did a full clay bar followed up by chemical guys hydro slick ceramic coating hyperwax.

used a buffer machine to apply the hyper wax then manually with clean microfibers buffed the paint clean.

The clay bar was definitely needed. The paint is now extremely smooth, I didn’t realize how rough texture it really was.

And we will see how long this chemical guys wax holds up but it says it gets better with time 😆
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Honestly though, I know to some people watching are thinking this is a complete waste of time on a “old Kia”.

I don’t have that mindset, I take great pride in ownership, & quality of work. I believe in taking extremely good care of anything that I own, touch, work on etc. let it be an old car, the house or anything a client owns.

To me this is like “maintenance” - an oil change or new tires. it’s something that should not be skipped on is paint care.

And yes I also do love the results, but with my OCD I might go slightly over the top or spend longer on a project than I should. But is that honestly a bad thing?

For an “old Kia”, I have gotten more compliments on this Kia than any other Hyundai Kia I’ve ever owned.

Most people don’t know how old it actually is, until I tell them.

I’ve even got asked what my monthly payments are 😂

And again I think that comes back to how nice it actually looks in comparison to even these brand new cars that people just run into the ground never wash or care for.

I keep it nice for other reasons then compliments 😝
Mostly to preserve the paint the clearcoat prevent rust and so I can see any issues that pop up and immediately fix.
 
Honestly though, I know to some people watching are thinking this is a complete waste of time on a “old Kia”.

I don’t have that mindset, I take great pride in ownership, & quality of work. I believe in taking extremely good care of anything that I own, touch, work on etc. let it be an old car, the house or anything a client owns.

To me this is like “maintenance” - an oil change or new tires. it’s something that should not be skipped on is paint care.

And yes I also do love the results, but with my OCD I might go slightly over the top or spend longer on a project than I should. But is that honestly a bad thing?

For an “old Kia”, I have gotten more compliments on this Kia than any other Hyundai Kia I’ve ever owned.

Most people don’t know how old it actually is, until I tell them.

I’ve even got asked what my monthly payments are 😂

And again I think that comes back to how nice it actually looks in comparison to even these brand new cars that people just run into the ground never wash or care for.

I keep it nice for other reasons then compliments 😝
Mostly to preserve the paint the clearcoat prevent rust and so I can see any issues that pop up and immediately fix.
ya like when is caring too much a problem?! lol.. never! You were blessed with this good car, why wouldn't you take care of it, just because it is not 'brand new" or some porsche, etc! Your story is exactly the same type of thing I get with the Scion tC! First they can't believe it's 16 years old.. then, they think it's a bmw or an audi! Some think it's a new car..

I think it's ridiculous that some people just drive the car into the ground, but hey that's their choice, not how I'd want to live with a car.. but then again all of us here are car people, we're into cars, we maintain, etc.. we're not the majority out there. I'm glad I'm not the majority!

yup maintaining the paint job is essential to protecting the metal underneath, couldn't agree more! plus when you get done waxing/polishing and you sit back and look at that shine! awesome!
 
Honestly though, I know to some people watching are thinking this is a complete waste of time on a “old Kia”.

I don’t have that mindset, I take great pride in ownership, & quality of work. I believe in taking extremely good care of anything that I own, touch, work on etc. let it be an old car, the house or anything a client owns.

To me this is like “maintenance” - an oil change or new tires. it’s something that should not be skipped on is paint care.

And yes I also do love the results, but with my OCD I might go slightly over the top or spend longer on a project than I should. But is that honestly a bad thing?

For an “old Kia”, I have gotten more compliments on this Kia than any other Hyundai Kia I’ve ever owned.

Most people don’t know how old it actually is, until I tell them.

I’ve even got asked what my monthly payments are 😂

And again I think that comes back to how nice it actually looks in comparison to even these brand new cars that people just run into the ground never wash or care for.

I keep it nice for other reasons then compliments 😝
Mostly to preserve the paint the clearcoat prevent rust and so I can see any issues that pop up and immediately fix.
In high school I drove an 86 Charger and lamented to my dad how awful it was to have a dumb car like that.

He said make it the cleanest, shiniest car around an no one will think twice about it. Pride in ownership goes a long way.

I found a set of aluminum mag wheels and kept that car shiny as could be. I cried the day I sold that car, a few years later….I don’t cry over cars anymore, but still treat all of my cars the same.

Minivan or Porsche, it will get the same level of care and cleanliness.

The same can be said for you and your KIA. It’s a very nice looking car!
 
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