Yes, even beige (aka Desert Khaki, the official name of this Subaru color) can look amazing. We used SPEED and Poxy from 3D Car Care Products to eliminate swirl marks and add a layer of shine and protection on a Subaru XV Crosstrek that will last many more road trip miles.
We have plenty of backroads out here in Central Texas and this 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek explored many of those roads. From the hill country out to Bastrop, this car experienced the elements. Overall, the paint was in good condition thanks to the upkeep by the owner. But it was time to take the paint to the next level by eliminating all swirls and bringing back the depth of color.
Here's how it was done... (click on the links for information on the product used)
Wash
The car was washed and wheels cleaned. For the wash, nextzett Lotus Ultra Power Foam Shampoo and a foam cannon were used. This shampoo goes on leaving a nice thick foam that breaks down and allows dirt and contaminants to float away without scratching the paint.
Wheels were cleaned using 3D BDX wheel cleaner. It easily breaks down brake dust and road grime and you know it's working when the deironizing formula changes color to a deep purple. When it changes color, the iron particulates are removed and ready to rinse away. With the use of an EZ Brush, every nook and cranny of the wheels were cleaned.
Tires were cleaned too using nextzett Plastic Deep Cleaner. PDC is excellent at cleaning plastic but it also gets rid of grime and any prior tire dressing with ease. Gives it a great adhesion base for new tire conditioners.
Remove Iron Contaminants
Brake dust was removed from the paint surface using Gyeon's Q2M Iron and our clay bar. After spraying the surface with a mist of Iron, the surface was clayed removing all iron contaminants. Gyeon Iron is enough on its own but we take the extra step of using a clay bar to remove any iron particultes that are inevitably left behind.
Paint Prep
After rinsing and drying the car, it was time to go to work on the paint.
All trim was masked up using the green Q1 tape to keep polish residue off rubber and plastic trim for faster and easier cleanup. This tape goes on easily and more importantly, pulls off easily with no residue. It's resistant to polish and water and you can leave it on for days without concern that it will be hard to remove.
Polish
With a Rupes Bigfoot long throw 15" polisher and a Rupes fine polishing pad, 3D SPEED was used to polish out the paint and remove all swirl marks. In most cases, one pass was all that was needed. Can't say enough about how much joy it is to polish with SPEED. It works so fast and gives you the results you want immediately. A real time saver.
BEFORE: see the swirl marks?
AFTER: no more swirl marks!
Paint Protection
With the paint polished out, it was time for protectant. The customer wasn't ready to do a coating so the next best thing was applied. 3D Poxy is a long lasting sealant wax that can last many months. Lasts far longer than any traditional carnauba based wax which can be gone in a couple of months (especially in a Texas summer). Poxy goes on easily. Just let it sit for about 20 minutes and then buff off with a microfiber towel.
I waited long for the best adhesion. But don't wait too long because it'll be hard to buff off. If you find yourself in that situation, just apply new Poxy on top of the old and it will make it easy to come off. Don't try and aggressively buff it off - you could scratch the paint.
Exterior and Interior Trim Treatment
Q1 tape was pulled off and now time to treat all plastic trim and tires with nextzett Vinyl Rubber Extra. VRE restores color but penetrating deeply into the surface and then leaving a protective film on the top so that it doesn't just wash away after the first carwash or rain.
Interior was cleaned with nextzett Cockpit Premium. Cockpit is a must for cleaning the interior dashboard, steering wheel, shift knob and armrests. No shiny finish - just a clean natural finish and it smells great!
Rear trunk plastic cover had a lot of grime on it so nextzett Plastic Deep Cleaner was used to clean it.
Last but not least, all weather seals around doors and trunk lids were conditioned with nextzett Gummi Pflege to keep the seals working right to keep wind noise and water out.
Car complete!
For questions about this detail, products used or services offered, please contact us!