P15UL T Posted January 22, 2024 Share Posted January 22, 2024 Absolutely stunning. Hoping I'll own an example like this. Maybe next year Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted January 22, 2024 Share Posted January 22, 2024 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey_83 Posted January 23, 2024 Share Posted January 23, 2024 Beautiful pictures of a wonderful example, love these pal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Schwier Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Thought I'd give a little update, seems to be yearly nowadays! Can't believe I've owned this car for 4 years now. Very quiet year for the Z in 2024. After 2023's European Road trip, then the photoshoot, I gave the car a basic wash and put it in the garage for the winter. Fast forward to end of July is when it first went back on the road. It's definitely the longest I've gone without driving the car (9 months) I took the car to get an oil service done at my buddy at RJ Developments. Had not realised It had been 2 years since I did an oil service, but then I realised the car had only done 4000 miles, so I wasn't too worried! Torqen, summer meet, always one of my favourite static car meets of the year. It's good to catch up with friends! Busy year personally and professionally, so me and @Killick.z just planned a 3 day road trip across Wales. We had left it quite late into the year (September), and boy, did we pay for it. The weather was absolutely horrendous, heavy rain 2.5 of the 3 days. Just our luck! But there's nothing we could do about it, so we just enjoyed catching up and having some time off work. C&M on the way back for some food. Fast forward to the end of the year, and I finally had the chance to give my car so proper love. Since I detailed it when I first bought the car 4 years ago, I've just done basic maintenance washes and 1 more extensive wash in between. I moved my business closer to home, we have a much bigger premises so alot easier to work on my car without it getting in the way! After the road trip, the car was absolutely filthy as you can imagine and couldn't bring myself to put it back in the garage that dirty so I did a basic wash before hand. So I started off taking the wheels off and giving them a thorough clean. I had planned to re coat the wheels but the coating I put on them after I had them refurbished (2.5yrs ago) was still going strong! Products used: KKD Devils Juice Auto Finesse Wheel Shampoo Car Pro ReTyre Car Pro TarX Wheel Mitt Tyre wall scrubber Various brushes Drying towel With the old coating still performing well I decided to put a hydrophobic top coat for extra slickness and water behaviour. Products used: Gyeon Booster Cotton Pads Suede applicator Pads After that I turned my attentioned to the wheel arches. I didn't want to go too crazy here so I just cleaned up the plastic arch liners and brake calipers. Products used: Bilt Hamber Surfex HD Chemical Guys Bare Bones Valet Pro Brushes I also cleaned the rust off the brake calipers using some fine grade wire wool (that was after this photo was taken) Lug nuts hand polished using DD All in one polish. Next up was time to do the engine bay, it wasn't bad, the bulk of the work was done back when I took all the wax like gunk off of everything. Products used: Bilt Hamber Surfex HD Steam Cleaner Various brushes Auto Glym Viynl and Rubber I also plugged in the trickle charger connection. One of those little jobs that had been on the to do list for a long time! Next up by far the worst of jobs, again, meaning to do it since I got the car. Taking the side window tints off. I could tell itbwas cheap tint as it had started lifting in the corners. Horrible job as the adhesive was left all over the entire window and took some patience to get off but so glad I did, much better without the tint. The side windows are tinted from factory so no idea why someone would want any darker but each to their own! Products used: Car Pro TarX Plastic Blade Trim Tools Cotton Pads Move round to the back of the car next, exhaust tips were polished. Products used: Wire Wool Microfibre Pad Mothers Metal Polish I also had pick up a new rear bumper retainer as when I went to fix my 4th brake light problem to make sure it passed MOT I discovered mine was very rusty. Turns out all the holes are on a diffferent side to the one Nissan sent me. Not sure why this is, maybe the Nismo bumpers have a different one to standard GT's. Could it be a regional thing? Will have to do some investigation. Bodywork was now ready to prep before machine polishing. A light clay bar to take any remaining iron particles off, wipe down and we are reasy to get into the bulk of the work. Products used: Valet Pro Fine clay bar IPA 99.9% Upon inspection the paintwork has held up well, minimal deep scratches and swirls. Pretty good for 4 years since the last detail. I decided to try and keep the labour down by trying to find a happy medium with the polish/pad combination. Went for a hybrid cut/polish pad with a medium/light polish so it would be enough to take out the scratches I needed but also refine enough so I wouldn't have to do more then one stage of machine polishing. I absolutely love this colour its just a shame it doesnt suit our weather here in the UK. Most of the time its overcast so the pearl metallic white just looks like a dull yellowish white. Only when the sun comes out can you see that amazing metalic flek the paint. Products used: Menzerna Medium Cut 2500 P&S Cut/Polish Hybrid Pads Rupes Machine Polishing system With all the machine polish done it was time to wipe down the car with IPA and apply the coating. I decided to treat my car to Modesta BC-X which is their mid tier coating. Durability is 4-5 years. Very easy to apply and provides great gloss and protection. Each coated panel is the cured with the Infared heat lamp at 12 minutes a time at between 50-60 degrees. Wheels back on, lug nuts torqued to spec and just the finishing touches required! Products used: Gyeon Tire Express Gyeon Glass Cleaner Rag Company Glass mitt Tyre foam applicator Paintwork is now looking great! It has got a few stone chips here and there but its something you have to live with unless you have PPF. The car had stone chips when I bought it hence why I haven't put PPF on it but I might have something cool planned in the future All done! Took me about 4 days in total, it was really nice to give my car some proper TLC as it had been a long time since I did. All ready to use this year, 2025! I've got some nice trips planned this year so I'm looking forward to that. Other things on my wish/ to-do list for this year: Exhaust System Passenger Recaro Pole Position Major/P3 Service Front Sway Bar Wheel Arches Ice Blasted and protected Happy New Year to all. Hopefully, see some of you this year 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coz@TORQEN Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 Some god level detailing there, don't think my cars ever been that clean Well done on the new unit! Looks great, might have to pop down at some point and get you to sort the bimmer out but she's a bit worse for wear paint wise so maybe just a regular interior and exterior detail, nothing fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly350z Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 That backend is looking amazing, new phone wallpaper me thinks 🤤 If your mark 1 spoiler and tailgate ever needs a new home, cash waiting is all im saying. Looking incredible mate 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GranTurismoEra Posted Wednesday at 18:44 Share Posted Wednesday at 18:44 At least you didnt have a member of the public repeating "its clean, its clean" 😂. Great work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Schwier Posted Thursday at 16:21 Author Share Posted Thursday at 16:21 On 13/01/2025 at 16:00, Coz@TORQEN said: Some god level detailing there, don't think my cars ever been that clean Well done on the new unit! Looks great, might have to pop down at some point and get you to sort the bimmer out but she's a bit worse for wear paint wise so maybe just a regular interior and exterior detail, nothing fancy. Thanks man, yea pop over! Yea we can get it refreshed for you definitely. It deserves it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWoMP Posted Thursday at 19:08 Share Posted Thursday at 19:08 Neat & Tidy, Tidy & Neat! Well done.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted Thursday at 23:32 Share Posted Thursday at 23:32 you missed a spot!!!! ......... 🤣 ..... looks amazing! Feel free to pop over to Vancouver and do mine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian@TORQEN Posted Friday at 08:37 Share Posted Friday at 08:37 On 12/01/2025 at 21:20, Lewis Schwier said: I also had pick up a new rear bumper retainer as when I went to fix my 4th brake light problem to make sure it passed MOT I discovered mine was very rusty. Turns out all the holes are on a diffferent side to the one Nissan sent me. Not sure why this is, maybe the Nismo bumpers have a different one to standard GT's. Could it be a regional thing? Will have to do some investigation. You expect Nissan dealers to know these cars? They barely know Qashqai... The part number you need is: H5249-1A30A - £145 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgv1 Posted Sunday at 07:04 Share Posted Sunday at 07:04 On 16/01/2025 at 23:21, Lewis Schwier said: Thanks man, yea pop over! Yea we can get it refreshed for you definitely. It deserves it! You’ve kept your car immaculate, same as the 350Z you had if I recall correctly. Where are you based? I’m looking for a detailer or potentially somebody mobile around Bedfordshire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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