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02-17-2016, 03:23 PM | #1 |
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What should I pay?
I have been searching far and wide in the DMV area for a good detailer and one thing I cannot nail down is price.
I have a dark blue 135i that has been mistreated for years. It's a 2013 with 50k on it and I don't think it has ever seen a proper detailing job. What I want is just to get rid of the car's terrible swirls and some small scratches in the paint, just to set a base so that I can take care of it from this point forth. How much should I expect to pay for paint correction like this? I don't need a fancy "full-detail" service... I can do most of it myself, but I need to get the paint to a better starting point first!
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"Tobias" 2013 135i ///M-Sport 6MT • Pure Stage 1 • XDI 35 HPFP • 404whp/440wtq |
02-18-2016, 06:50 AM | #2 |
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Depending on the severity of defects in your paint, the color of your car, and what condition you're hoping to have it restored to, this type of work can get quite pricey. It is a very time consuming job, and an expert detailer will charge accordingly for their work. Even on a compact vehicle like the 1 series, you might expect to pay upwards of $1,000 and leave the vehicle with the detailer for multiple days to have a complete paint correction service done properly.
Here is who I would recommend in your area: TLC Auto Detail Owner: David Miller Phone: 703-517-8944 Web: www.tlcautodetail.com You can also learn to do the paint correction work yourself. While a professional may produce better results due to their experience, even a first timer will be able to make an excellent improvement and will get better each time you use your machine! Thanks to dual action polisher, this process is extremely safe for beginners! Gone are the days when polishing your car meant you could easily burn through paint if you lost focus for only a few moments. Here are some products & tools I commonly recommend for someone looking to put together a basic "DIY paint correction kit". Polish: Meg's D300 Cutting Compound (works best paired with microfiber cutting pad) Meg's M205 Finishing Polish Buffers: Griot's Garage 3rd Gen DA Polisher - Affordable, Effective, Reliable, and most of all SAFE FOR EVERYONE TO USE! This product is backed by a lifetime manufacturer warranty. Backing Plates: 5" Backing Plate 3" Backing Plate Buffing Pads: Meguiar's MicroFiber Cutting Discs - Great for removing heavier defects or for working with harder paint Lake Country 5.5” and 3” Foam Pads (I typically recommend Orange Light Cutting Pads, White Polishing Pads, Black Finishing Pads, and Blue Fine Finishing Pads) You will find a ton of information on our comprehensive Detailing Guide and Ask-A-Pro Blog. Let me know if I can answer any more questions! Zach McGovern Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com |
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02-18-2016, 08:12 AM | #3 | |
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The only other thing that makes this tough is my lack of access to a garage... Or power and water for that matter. The apartment life is not for car guys!!
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"Tobias" 2013 135i ///M-Sport 6MT • Pure Stage 1 • XDI 35 HPFP • 404whp/440wtq |
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02-18-2016, 09:31 AM | #4 | |
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My name is Zach McGovern (look for my signature at the bottom of our posts) - I am a professional detailer specializing in advanced exterior detailing (specifically paint correction and paint coatings). I am in Peoria, IL but work for Detailed Image as an author for the Ask-A-Pro Blog and also as a technical expert for the forums they support. You can definitely save a considerable amount of money by doing this yourself, but as with any new skill, it takes a lot of time and practice to master it. Access to power is pretty critical, but running water, not so much... there are plenty of great ways to wash your car with only one bucket of water which you can fill up in your apartment and carry outside. Check out this great write up of how to use Optimum No Rinse Rinseless Car Wash. Winter Washing with Optimum No Rinse (ONR) by Ivan Rajic Let me know what else I can do for you Zach McGovern Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com |
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02-18-2016, 09:49 AM | #5 | |
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What do you recommend for keeping the car clean when it's not so easy to do a proper wash? Is a touchless-wash station a good alternate solution?
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"Tobias" 2013 135i ///M-Sport 6MT • Pure Stage 1 • XDI 35 HPFP • 404whp/440wtq |
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