Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

[jonnyboy]

Wow....... This was crazy......The owner showed up at my shop and wanted the paint restored and the interior restored and cleaned.

The car has never been washed or garaged since he has owned it (around 5 years). It actually has mold growing on the inside and outside.

This was a huge undertaking. It took 27 hours.

BEFORE:



































MOLD/ALGAE






WATER SPOTS




PAINT




AFTER DAWN BATH





IN PROCESS



















THE BIG REVEAL.....HERE IS THE FINAL PRODUCT

This is what I used:[/U]


Wheels & Wheel Wells

Amazing Roll Off -- tires, hubcaps, and wheel wells
Meguiar's Hyper Dressing -- tires (light coat)

Wash

Dawn Dishwashing Soap..... Twice

Engine

Amazing Roll Off
Dressed with 303 Aerospace Protectant

Carpets

Folex -- spot treatment
Pro-Form (Sams Club) Carpet Cleaner -- Cleaning
Bissell

Leather

Clean -- Woolite 10:1
Condition -- Leather CPR

Interior and Door Jams

Meguiars APC+ 4:1
Plastic & Dash treated with 303
Alcohol & Water 50/50 for windows
Also treated all of the rubber seals with 303 Protectant

Paint

Meguiars 105 w/ Orange CCS pad -- 2 coats
Meguiars 205 w/Orange CCS pad -- 2 coats
Klasse AIO w/White CCS pad -- 2 coats
Collinite 845 w/Grey CCS pad -- 2 coats

Black Plastic on bumpers

303 Aerospace Protectant -- 2 coats
Meguiar's Hyper Dressing -- 2 coats

Please let me know what you guys think. It took me 2 full days to do this. I am looking for any advice on products that might have made this project quicker..... maybe different waxes etc...
Here are the pics:

[DetailArtist]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Beautiful job! Thats where detailing borders on restoration w/ cars like that. Customer must have been delighted.
So, what did you charge him for 27 hours of detailing?

[jonnyboy]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Beautiful job! Thats where detailing borders on restoration w/ cars like that. Customer must have been delighted.
So, what did you charge him for 27 hours of detailing?

It pretty much was a restoration. The more I got into the more I wanted to do. I think I actually heard the car say "aaaahhhhh" when I washed it for the first time. I usually don't like to talk about prices..... lets just says somewhere between $300-$1000.....

What do you guys think I should charge for something like this?

[G_S_DB]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Wow, that looks like brand new car!

I have to say that the paint is probably the worst color ever put on a car, but you really did bring it back to life. Kudos to you!

[LelandGray]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Did you do anything special on all of the chrome trim/bumpers/wheel covers?

[jonnyboy]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Did you do anything special on all of the chrome trim/bumpers/wheel covers?

*I used Collinite's Metal wax on the chrome.

*The bumpers I originally applied Meguiar's Hyper-dressing before I polished to make sure there would be no wax residue on the black. So they had a nice black color to them. Before I finished the car I applied 303 Aerospace protectant which help nourish the rubber and it also gives it UV protection.

I polished the wheel covers by hand with KAIO (Klasse All In One) then sealed them with Collinite 845 by hand also. The Klasse really cleaned them up and the 845 made the color of the paint and chrome pop. It worked really good.

They are also now sealed. Mercedes brakes make the wheels very black. It should keep the brake dust off the wheel and keep them sealed for 6 months. Collinite is extremely durable.

Hope this helps!

Jonathan

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

What a total transformation. You restored it to its original glory. Great work. What a improvement. Looks fantastic.

[jonnyboy]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

What a total transformation. You restored it to its original glory. Great work. What a improvement. Looks fantastic.

Thank you!

[Perfectshine]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

wow! good job!

[ColonelCash]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Great job, but man that is one UGLY color. Pretty sure I have vomited that color before.

How'd you like that Collinite Metal Wax? Been eyeing it for a while.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

I usually don't like to talk about prices..... lets just says somewhere between $300-$1000.....

What do you guys think I should charge for something like this?

For what you needed to do on both the interior and exterior, at least the high end of that. At least. But that also depends on where you're located.

[fredcandetail]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

Nice work!
I would charge him about $750 ... a little more than $25 per hour .. more than fair as far as I'm concerned.

[EPHIOS]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

It's just so much better to have a garage, especially during a detailing process.

[jonnyboy]

Re: Mercedes 300D Never Garaged Paint Restoration

It's just so much better to have a garage, especially during a detailing process.

I know! I have both a carport and garage. The lighting in the garage is "in progress" so I don't use it as much. I have installed 6 worklights under the carport and with the sunshine I get great lighting under there....