Tyre Hunt --> Adrenalin Rush..RE001

31st-Dec-08. Wake up early in the morning, flew to town to shop for new wheels.

My stock tire is 195/60/15, Silverstone Kruizer NS500. Still have 80% tread left, very new, rotate every 8k kmm and only clocked 20k km!! Unfortunetely, the tyre left me dissapointed with so-so grip, it is a comfy but not performance tire that you used for spirit driving, forget bout whack corner too. :(

Below are the tyre that is most likely in my shopping cart. I plan to upsize from 15" to 17", and slap with 215/45/17 wheel.

a) GoodYear F1 Asymmetric
b) Michelin Pilot Sports 2
c) Micelin Pilot Preceda 2
d) Falken Z912
e) Brigestone RE050A

After rounds of visiting different shop and asking for quote, i was left disappointed again because of the price *sob sob*. Ultra high perfomance are not cheap. Take for an example, Briggy 205/50/16 RE050A cost rm6xx per piece..That's quite a lot for 16"inch..*sob sob* And so for the Michelin PS2, can't afford at the moment

GdYear F1 Assy, no stock at the moment. Finally found this Falken Z912 which cost rm3xx suit my budget, and Michelin PP2 rm450 per piece..TOO BAD, i don't like both of the tread pattern..HAHA, i am so choosy.

The one which caught my attention is this -->Bridgestone Potenza RE001 ! At the end of the day, finally settled for 4 pieces of RE001, still stick with 15" stock wheel...Forget about upsizing to 17"inchers, my wallet is not ready for it ... :p

http://www.potenza-adrenalin.com/

Showroom Shine. Burn a hole in my wallet [END]

Very clean engine bay, isn't it? Some stain on engine aluminium block, how to remove it ler? *hmm*

In progress, machine in action


Almost complete, waiting for the last process->Waxing

Reflection


A day which burn a hole in my wallet..OOUCH ! >_<

I decided to send my ride for detailing job. I visit the detailing shop which is recommended by one of my friend who's driving an exotic car, a real expensive sports car to be exact..Not to mention his name here...:)

The lady boss of the shop is friendly enough to explain which package shall i take. At first, she recommend cleaning_waxing job..not the one i want. Told her i want the car to has almost swirl free, level out the swirls and fine scratches, finally took the package which include 2 layers of polishing.

The package offer for this detailing service include:

1. Washing

2. Claying

3. Paint cleaning and 2 layers polish.

4. Interior cleaning

5. Waxing

6 Engine washing (optional) i opt for it..

Here the some thoughts on how they done it.

1st step) Engine washing using Meguiars Degreaser, very strong chemicals that degrese stubborn dirt and oil..Drying is using BOSCH blower(dryer), nice gadget..Engine compartment, plastic parts spray with dressing oil.

2nd step) Washing, rinsing and drying

3rd step) Claying

4th step) Polishing

- 1st layer of polishing using Meguiars M85 Diamond Cut. FLEX rotary are in action, this rotary buffer is quiet, real silent compare to ciplak brand ROB. 1 or 2 pass of cutting compound work into it, all the deep scratches are now gone !! Yeepie !!

- 2nd layer of polishing using finer polish/cleaner, FLEX Dual Action(DA machine) to remove hazy effect left from the 1st layer. WAAAH ! I need a new spectacles too see how perfect is the paint condition, it looks better than new car ! really !

- 3rd, the sifu/boss inspect the polishing job in detail. There's a deep hairline scratch at bonnet, he then proceed with MAKITA rotary with wool pad, cut into the paint again..few passes of polishing before it can be successfully remove.

5th step) Dewax the polishing oil on the surface, finally seal it with Meguiars M21 synthetic sealant.

6th step) Interior cleaning, vacuum, glass cleaning

7th step) Exterior trim dressing

Whole process took more than 5hours. I wait there and enjoy watching every single process, too bad, i didn't bring my SLR to capture more photos, only my lousy cameraphone with so-so pictures.

Price? Cost me rm5xx, quite costly. I can't stop staring at the paintwork over and over again, this detailing job definitely burn a hole in my wallet but the satisfication worth the price i paid, no regret. :)

-END-

Showroom Shine.. Part 1

Ever wonder have your old ride shine that belongs to a showroom?¿Everyone is enamored by the mirror look that you can see yourself, take it to a skilled professional with right equipments, tools and products to restore back showcar condition

My car which is 1 year down the road and 20k km clocked, has bad swirl marks and spiderwebing. Under strong sunlight, it is much more visible. I HATE those scratches...sadly, this swirl is something that cannot be removed by HAND, a rotary or dual action machine is needed.

How to check for scratches? Ok, when you visit petrol station at night for refuel, under high power Halogens lamps, any fine scratches will be showing up under this exterme lightning..Or under direct sunlight, those scratches looks like round lines in circular motion.

Some of you might ask, what's swirls marks? spiderwebing effect? hologram? Here is the explanation, quote from Meguiars website
1. What causes swirl marks? Swirl marks are scratches in the finish. Sometimes these scratches are microscopic in size and only visible in bright light, like direct sunlight or very intense artificial lights. Other swirl marks are very deep and are easily visible in just about any lighting condition. Swirl marks can generally be placed in two categories, which describes the origin of the swirls. Cobweb-effect also called spider web scratches, car wash scratches, towel scratches etc

Buffer trials


Swirls


Spiderweb effect


Swirl, fine scratches

UGLY isn't it, swirls, hologram, buffer trials? ?? Bring back showroom shine..! So, i decided to send my ride to a professional detailers..~to be continue~

The Perfect Shine

People often ask me how I make and keep my cars looking so picture-perfect. “What wax do you use?” is the question that comes up most often.

It is not the wax that matters, it is much more complicate process that you cannot rush into, surface preparation is the most important step. Washing regularly, at least once in a week for daily driven cars is a must.

Maintaining showroom condition is difficult for daily driven cars unless you have T-car(spare car for weekend ride) :p

Below is an article that quote from AutoPia

SIX PERFECT SHINE REQUIREMENTS
The perfect shine comes when your car's paint finish is in good condition, free of surface contamination, polished, glazed, protected and waxed. Let's look at each of these requirements individually.
Good Paint Condition
For the first 12 to 18 months of a new car's life, the paint is relatively oxidation-free and in good condition. If you maintain your new car's paint with regular washing and protection, oxidation will remain minimal, and cleaning the paint will be a minor task. At a minimum, you should wash your car weekly. If you don't have time to wash weekly, use my Quick Detailing process.
Contamination-free
As you drive your car, debris from the road (i.e., tar, oil, bugs, etc.) will lodge itself on your car's paint. The longer this debris is allowed to remain, the more difficult it is to remove. This is just one reason that regular washing is so important. While outside, your car will also collect other contamination. (Birds, bugs and neighborhood kids seem to have a natural attraction to beautiful cars.) These contaminants must be removed; you can't wax over them and expect to get a show car finish.
Polished
Polishing is necessary to remove minor blemishes, including surface scratches, swirl marks, pitted areas (minor road stone nicks) and scuffs. When polished, the paint finish will feel perfectly smooth. Your hand and polishing towel will literally glide over the surface. Feeling a perfectly polished car is a stimulating experience for most car nuts. There's nothing quite like the polished fenders of a curvaceous Porsche, Ferrari, Viper or Corvette.
Glazed
Glaze is a term that's grossly misused in detailing products. Glazes are paint treatments used to fill small surface scratches and swirl marks. To a painter, glaze is the term used to describe the process of restoring full paint gloss. In The Perfect Shine, ultra-fine polishes are used to refine the paint finish to achieve or restore full gloss.
Protected
Paint is protected when it's sealed from the elements. As we've discussed in previous chapters, synthetic sealants offer the best protection. Synthetic coatings are five to ten times more durable than the carnauba waxes. They offer extended protection from the elements and create a super-slick surface. In The Perfect Shine process, the synthetic protection is an acrylic sealant. I have not found a polymer sealant that works. I will explain why later.
Waxed
Waxing is the final step of The Perfect Shine. We're not talking just any wax here; we're talking about a pure, natural carnauba wax. Pure carnauba waxes don't have cleaning properties or synthetic compounds added. They are made from a blend of carnauba waxes, beeswax and natural oils. A quality show car wax gives paint depth and warmth. I know, I know, it sounds like we're talking about a fine wine or something. Just don't underestimate the value of a great show car wax when it comes to the final results of your car's finish.
Now that you know the six requirements for The Perfect Shine™, I'll share with you my personal tips that keep my cars turning heads. The first thing to know is that I treat my toys differently than my daily driver. It's very difficult to maintain a perfect shine on a daily driver, unless you only drive it a mile or two a day. Show cars (toys) are easier, because their job is to stay beautiful.

Quoted from AutoPia org

Presenting Mrs.White (ZAINO)

Presenting Mrs.White, following pictures explain in details how massage spa and facial treatment done for 'her'. I love white color very much, some may say white looks plain and dull. In fact, lighter color really pops especially at night, cars with lighter color visuality looks bigger.

Took me more than 8hours to finish this task, faster than what i did earlier. Usually, it tooks me 2days to complete it. I would not re-apply sealant immediately right after the first application, allow it to cure for 2-3hours before apply 2nd coat and following.

Some products used:
Washing:
PolyGlaze Wash
PolyGlaze Deep Paint Cleaner
DishWashing liquid
ZAINO Z7 Show Car Wash

Surface Preparation:
Meguiars Quik Clay Kit
Meguiars Claybar
Meguiars Quik Detailer

Paint Cleaning & Polishing:
Meguiars ScratchX
Meguiars Deep Crystal Step 1 Paint Cleaner
ZAINO Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover

Windscreen/Windows/Glass:
ZAINO Z12 Clear View Glass Polish

Headlamps/Tailights:
MEGUIARS PlastX

Protection(Wax/Sealant):
ZAINO ZFX Flash Cure Accelerator Addictive
ZAINO Z2 Pro Show Car Polish(sealant)
ZAINO Z5 Pro Show Car Polish(sealant)
ZAINO Z6 Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer
ZAINO Z-CS Clear Seal

Interior(dashboard, vinyl, plastic):
ZAINO Z10 Leather In a Bottle

Exterior(plastic,vinyl):
MEGUIARS Gold Class Trim Detailer

Tire/Wheels coating:
ZAINO Z16 Perfect Tire Gloss

Pad applicator:
MEGUIARS High Tech pad applicator
ZAINO #314 cotton pad

Washing accesoris(clothes, mitts):
Large final buffing MF towel
40cm*40cm general purpose MF towel
MEGUIARS MiroFiber Wash Mitt