blake918 Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Wash with NXT soap Sonus SFX1 with PC Sonus SFX2 with PC Collinite 845 IW by hand Dressed tires and wheel wells with Black Magic (it's the first time I've used it, and I'm most pleased with it.) Here are the pics: I love this shot:
dcfish Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Superb. What’s the bumper sticker? Fantastic That looks like new. WOW ! ! ! Congrats on the fine job Well worth the effort. Did you get a cd changer back that works ?
blake918 Posted February 20, 2006 Author Posted February 20, 2006 Superb. What's the bumper sticker? Thanks Steve! It's a damn parking permit....I can't stand them at all. Fantastic That looks like new. WOW ! ! ! Congrats on the fine job Well worth the effort. Did you get a cd changer back that works ? Thanks David! She sure does clean up well for such an old car! Nope, no changer. I'd be happy with a broken one, a working one, just something! ;) Thanks yall!
sha4000 Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 looks good BLAKE i just did mine using 3m compound and polish then i topped it off with the NXT i did all this by hand so its shining like crazy but i still have lots of swirls that you can see under the sun light
SW03ES Posted February 26, 2006 Posted February 26, 2006 Blake, I am SO impressed with how you've turned that car around. Even the hood that you thought was totally unsalvagable! Very nice! sha- Gonna need a machine for those swirls. Get a PC like Blake did ;)
blake918 Posted March 2, 2006 Author Posted March 2, 2006 looks good BLAKE i just did mine using 3m compound and polish then i topped it off with the NXT i did all this by hand so its shining like crazy but i still have lots of swirls that you can see under the sun light Thanks Sha! Blake, I am SO impressed with how you've turned that car around. Even the hood that you thought was totally unsalvagable! Very nice!sha- Gonna need a machine for those swirls. Get a PC like Blake did ;) Thanks Steve! I'm still speechless with the results! There are still some hard to notice imperfections....I just need to find someone with a rotary, and I bet they could make it look even better...or even someone who isn't a beginner PC user! LOL
Gumart1 Posted March 3, 2006 Posted March 3, 2006 Blake - Truly amazing - Just "dreamy" - love the clouds photo. Hard to believe you have 272k miles and that the car was previously neglected before you owned it. A real testament to Lexus but even more so to your efforts And you did the wheel wells which many people forget about. How many hours did the entire process take you? I'm sure I can find my answers in the detail forum but I definitely want to find the best cleaner, polish, and wax for pearl white that can be applied by hand.
blake918 Posted March 4, 2006 Author Posted March 4, 2006 Thanks Marty! I guess I spent 4 or 5 hours, but I went really slow and took my time. As for the best products for your car, Steve can direct you on that one! ;)
nc211 Posted March 5, 2006 Posted March 5, 2006 Blake, you inspired me my friend to do the same, get off the couch and go clean the car. It was a battle though, but your pictures gave me the strength. I have finally detailed the thing, for the second time, ever. Last time my car has seen wax was back in June 2004. I stuck with Mequires stuff, as I'm used to it and didn't want to risk it...plus I'm too cheap to go by the exspensive stuff...hahaha... I did the 3 step process (1) paint cleaner (2) polish (3) wax. I also used a clay bar to get all the bug guts out of the paint, man that thing was filthy! I think I pulled off an entire species' of DNA from the headlights alone. I used a generic orbital buffer, one of those GNC deals my wife got me for christmas "but won't let me use on her car??? go figure that one". One round of cleaner, two rounds of polish and two rounds of wax.....and my butt is killing me tonight because of it! But, it's done, and I'm now on my third beer to numb the pain. I ain't in the shape I used to be back in the day, and I can't believe I used to do this crap by hand. So, meet your twin amigo!
blake918 Posted March 5, 2006 Author Posted March 5, 2006 Hahaha...twin...she looks naked without the tint though! hehe j/k You did a great job with the car! How I miss the days when I had 10% on my front windows.... I did a lot of detailing today too (1 car and 2 suvs)...check out this bad a$$ Avalon LTD that I did this AM. I sure wouldn't mind having one of them....the tacky looking wood trim aside, it's really a lot of car for the money...radar cruise, keyless entry, vented seats, voice controls, reclining rear seats, xm, and no 3 spoke steering wheels that seem to plauge Lexus. And, I've never been in a car that lets you know when the hids are leveling, that's an interesting idiot light! The products aren't that expensive. I watch for specials at Autopia and Ranny @ Pak Shack will get you a nice deal and is a pleasure to speak with on the phone. Is it just me, or do these cars sit low in the rear? I know you have new springs and struts, and I have 275k spings and struts, yet my rear sits only slightly lower than yours....that makes me feel better! LOL :D It's great to see our two cars "side by side" so to speak. It's so interesting see the tolls that 270k v. 110k mileage will do to a car. Just look at your front turn signals, they're so nice and bright orange, and well, mine have seen their better days!
SW03ES Posted March 5, 2006 Posted March 5, 2006 I'm sure I can find my answers in the detail forum but I definitely want to find the best cleaner, polish, and wax for pearl white that can be applied by hand. Probably the best thing for you to use by hand is a clay bar, and then Meguiars NXT Tech Wax. Pre-cleaners by hand are a waste of time in my opinion, and the NXT has a good many solvents in it that will take care of any oxidation plus it has a lot of fillers that will hide any swirls or marring. Just make sure to work it into the paint with a good quality terry, foam, or MF applicator instead of just applying and removing like you typically would a wax. You'll be happy with the results. The NXT should last 2-3 months on that white provided you hand wash with a good soap and don't use any carwashes. nc- Lookin good! blake- That thing has the original struts? Gotta replace those! You'll be shocked by how much better it will ride. The Avalons, despite being a terribly ugly car IMHO, are a lot of car for the money I agree. I'm also with you about 3 vs 4 spoke steering wheels.
nc211 Posted March 5, 2006 Posted March 5, 2006 Thank you thank you Not too bad for being 11 years old. I've got a few dings and chips here and there, but to be expected at that age. I would get them fixed, but you know Murphy's Law. Once you fix them, Bubba Hill-Jack will knock the snot out of your door in the parking lot w/n 24 hours. So, screw it. Blake, actually the rear of the car is sitting a little lower than normal. When I backed it up in the drive way, I set the e-brake while in neutral, then put it in park to keep the weight off of the transmission and components. I usually do this to protect the internal workings of the tranny. This makes the rear end squat down a little. I'm still on the original springs, but the struts are new, and they made a pretty noticable difference in the stance. If you're on your originals, then I'd say you're in for a night and day difference when you replace them. :D If I were in the market for a new car, I'd have a hard time turning down a white avalon, that's for sure! I think they're sharp! I agree with Swo on the design, at first, but they've started to grow on me now. Saw a white one the other day, and it was slick looking. Anywho, time to go soak my fingers again, they're freakin' mutulated from yesterday's chore.
SW03ES Posted March 5, 2006 Posted March 5, 2006 Hans't grown on me, still looks like a bar of soap wearing a hat LOL
blake918 Posted March 6, 2006 Author Posted March 6, 2006 blake- That thing has the original struts? Gotta replace those! You'll be shocked by how much better it will ride. The Avalons, despite being a terribly ugly car IMHO, are a lot of car for the money I agree. I'm also with you about 3 vs 4 spoke steering wheels. I'm only speculating on the age. I don't really know. Can they even last that long? I've had the interior and trunk to full capacity, and I've never ever bottomed out. If they can last that long, it wouldn't suprise me if they are original to the car since we found original plugs and wires @ 230k miles. The LS actually rides pretty well after comparing it to my Aunt's pristine '95 with 110k (they were only slightly different, likely because of the huge mileage differences.). When we were discussing this a while back, I was way off to even consider that my LS would ride anything like a Town Car. My biggest quibble with the Avalon is the yellow hue to the fake looking wood trim. If it were cherry or more brown like we see in Lexus, it would be an A+ in my book! The styling took a while to grow on me, but I like it now, a lot actually. I love the trunk too, it's massive!!! Thank you thank you Not too bad for being 11 years old. I've got a few dings and chips here and there, but to be expected at that age. I would get them fixed, but you know Murphy's Law. Once you fix them, Bubba Hill-Jack will knock the snot out of your door in the parking lot w/n 24 hours. So, screw it. Blake, actually the rear of the car is sitting a little lower than normal. When I backed it up in the drive way, I set the e-brake while in neutral, then put it in park to keep the weight off of the transmission and components. I usually do this to protect the internal workings of the tranny. This makes the rear end squat down a little. I'm still on the original springs, but the struts are new, and they made a pretty noticable difference in the stance. If you're on your originals, then I'd say you're in for a night and day difference when you replace them. :D If I were in the market for a new car, I'd have a hard time turning down a white avalon, that's for sure! I think they're sharp! I agree with Swo on the design, at first, but they've started to grow on me now. Saw a white one the other day, and it was slick looking. Anywho, time to go soak my fingers again, they're freakin' mutulated from yesterday's chore. I'm scared about new struts after what you told me! I wonder if aftermarket ones are more plush? I saw on the Monroe website that they list the same struts for the Town Car and LS, that's got to count for something! I always try to remember to set my brake when I'm on a hill too! I'm with you on the Avalon! It'd have to be white or beige for me, I'm done with black onyx....I want something that requires less maintinance! :D
SW03ES Posted March 7, 2006 Posted March 7, 2006 Go drive a new LS at a Lexus dealer, thats what it will ride like with new struts ;)
blake918 Posted March 18, 2006 Author Posted March 18, 2006 Go drive a new LS at a Lexus dealer, thats what it will ride like with new struts ;) Wouldn't it be nice if it worked out that way! LOL Car looks Mint fella ;) Well looked after Thanks Chip!
akewlguy Posted May 24, 2006 Posted May 24, 2006 NICE!! Hey Blake. Is that a Dell Axim? Also where did you buy ther adapter to put on dash. I have USB hookup for the AXIM and maps on there, but I need to get an adapter. Great pictures.
blake918 Posted May 24, 2006 Author Posted May 24, 2006 NICE!! Hey Blake. Is that a Dell Axim? Also where did you buy ther adapter to put on dash. I have USB hookup for the AXIM and maps on there, but I need to get an adapter. Great pictures. Thanks for the nice words, Chris! B) That's my Garmin iQue GPS nav--it's fantastic! I think the mount that I have is called a "bean bag" type mount that came from Garmin when I got the GPS a few years ago.
RFeldes Posted August 7, 2006 Posted August 7, 2006 Looking Good boys.....there is a lot of self satisfaction in cleaning a car up. Time to do mine...but I think i'll wait a couple of months for cooler weather...don't want to see the wax dripping off on the pavement. LOL
blake918 Posted August 18, 2006 Author Posted August 18, 2006 Looking Good boys.....there is a lot of self satisfaction in cleaning a car up. Time to do mine...but I think i'll wait a couple of months for cooler weather...don't want to see the wax dripping off on the pavement. LOL Thanks Ralph! I couldn't agree more about the self satisfaction; when my LS is clean, it ALWAYS drives more smoothly and quietly than when it was dirty! LOL :D I'm leaving to go on a road trip this weekend (and meeting up with a fellow LOC'er), so I guess that means I've got to go out there in the heat and start cleaning the car up again! haha
blake918 Posted September 17, 2006 Author Posted September 17, 2006 Just an update, I got some new stuff for the interior (XM, Kuda, etc.), and the rest are just weekend wash pictures. The weekend before I did a full detail, clayed/polished/sealed/waxed, so this weekend was just simple maintenance with Meg's car soap, Collinite 845, lightly sprayed Black Magic on the tires/wells, vacuumed the interior, all of the upholstery cleaning with a Magic Eraser, and conditioned with Lexol. She came out great! Here's the EX and the 845 at 1 week, obviously still like new: I forgot to take befores (other than the beads.), but it wasn't very dirty--just a little dusty from the gravel roads and parking lots. The Crown Jewel: I'm really pleased with the way the interior came out--very clean without a glossy look. The steering wheel was filthy, but it came out better than I had hoped! Getting closer to 300k! Thanks for looking!
lexuus Posted September 17, 2006 Posted September 17, 2006 that's my favorite picture out of them all. it really gives you the "wow that old car looks brand new" feel. :D
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