Restoring paintwork

[elliotw]

Hi

The paintwork on my 5 yr old Boxster has swirl marks and some unattractive scratches, plus a couple of bits where stones have chipped the paintwork.

Where is best (and what will the damage be) to get this fixed (I'm thinking it needs detailing/paint correction)? How long would it take and how good are these places?

Thanks

Elliot

 

[jasonp]

hiya elliot, depending on where you are try rob at glean machine, did an amazing job on my s2, previous owner had never had the paintwork cleaned with a claybar,so first time in 20yrs for a "proper" detail, that is rob lees at glean machine uk.com and you can go to my profile and see the work he did in detail on this thread and also on the gleanmachine website, he is based in essex, good luck jason p ps my computer skills are worse then my spannering skills, hence no connecting thread to my paint correction post

 

[Black80XSA]

Log onto www.detailingworld.co.uk , look at the work carried out by detailers in the Studio section of the forum and ask for recommendations in your area.

If you fancy having a go yourself then something like Menzerna Powergloss 203S ( http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/menzerna-203s-cat8.html ) on a light cutting hand applicator ( http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/lake-country-light-cut-hand-pad-cat24.html ) can take a lot out, but its time consuming.

From your description a full machine polish from an experienced detailer sounds more likely. Just make sure they have worked on Porsche water based paints before, as they can be tempremental to the machine pad and polish combination and weather conditions - a good detailer will know what works and have a selection of compounds available.

 

[Chrishazle]

What part of UK are you? If Tunbridge Wells is close enough, R25 visited a super place for our car cleaning day a few weeks ago (Motor Care) - see R25 report in this month's Porsche Post. A professional detail / paintwork mop would set you back a good few hundred pounds (maybe 5-7!) so you might want to think about investing in a dual action polisher (Kestrel DAS6, as good as but lots cheaper than a Meguiars 220) plus appropriate pads for about £120-150, plus appropriate correcting compounds. If you do decide to give it a go yourself, wash then clay the car first (I'd suggest a Bilt Hamber normal clay bar, 1/4 of it will be enough, and just a water mist as lubricant), work one panel at a time after claying, and get polish and wax on ASAP after the paint correction. It's hard work but very satisfying.

 

[elliotw]

Thanks for the tips guys.
I'm North West London (NW6) - anywhere that isn't too far away. Any recommendations in NW London (or in the vicinity)?
How much should I expect to pay?
Cheers!

 

[elliotw]

And a stupid question:

Basically, I park my car outside so it's exposed to the elements. It's also under a tree, which makes it a target for pesky birds poop (trees are on council property and I have requested they trim the trees to stop this happening but to no avail). I have a cover for my boxster, although I find this a pain in the neck to use (taking it on and off is a hassle in itself, plus, if it's raining, I can't put it on anyway; also, I may still want to use the car when the weather is bad and then once it's dirty I can't put the cover on).

The issue is, will detailing it etc be money down the drain given all my car faces? I suppose my point is would it be better to take it for frequent hand washes while I have such parking arrangements (because I don't want to spend 500quid to then find the paintwork goes back to how it was soon after!)?

Cheers

Elliot
PS I wish I could have covered parking, but it's not easy in London!

 

[Black80XSA]

To be honest, bar trying to erect a gazebo over your parking space, you are leaving the car in a dreadful place - which begs the question whether its worth spending £300-500 getting the paint corrected. If you do go ahead, then i'd suggest you find a detailer who will apply a polymer sealant rather than a traditional carnauba wax, this might give a bit more protection from the bird lime.

 

[Chrishazle]

2 things really - first get rid of the swirl marks etc that are annoying you and are detrimental to the look of the car - that's the detailing part of it, and is well worthwhile,

Second is to protect the investment you've made in detailing. I can't say whether a polymer sealant, wax or whatever is the best for the conditions you face, but I'm sure the guys on detailingworld or on here can advise. Personally I'd go with a decent polish, 2 or 3 coats of a good wax then maintain the look by getting rid of any bird poop quickly and topping up the wax frequently.

I suppose the other option is to move to a house with a garage!

 

[Peter_Bull]

I had a similar issue with 'council' trees overhanging my property.

I called them and after a long discussion they said were not going to cut the trees. Hmmmm.... so I said the flunky - I guess if I lived on a council owned estate the tress, grassed areas and roads would be perfect? Silence at the other end!

Then I asked if the council would object if I got a tree surgeon in and trim the branches at my own exepense. He was then my best friend and said go ahead. As long as it was done professionally they would be happy!

This may be some way to a solution for you. Hope it helps.