May 20, 2006
I recently began to research detailing techniques I could use not only to restore the the paint of the E36 but preserve the E46's factory finish as well.
If you ask the pros, detailing occurs in several stages:
- Washing
- Claying
- Polishing
- Glazing
- Sealing
- Waxing
Always the skeptic, I thought these multi-stage processes were created by the detailing products companies so they could get rich off of people with more money than brains, but I'm here to tell you that multi-stage detailing works -- extremely well, in fact. I won't go into detail here (that will be covered in an update to my Car Care Tips article), but let me say that I'm sold on the concept, and here's why:
After an investment of about 4 hours I stepped back to look at my handy work and couldn't believe I was looking at the same car. The picture doesn't do the finish justice, but trust me -- it looks great. The polish alone gave the paint a wet-look shine, and the results only got better when I applied the sealant coat (synthetic wax).