Subject - 2012 Lexus GS350
Requirements - Prep for Opti Coat - Remove old clear film as customer was not satisfied with dealer installation and install new Full Front Clear Film Install

Exterior

- Wheels were prepped with Sonax Wheel Cleaner and cleaned up with various brushes
- Tires were spritzed down with Auto Finesse Citrus
- Wheel wells were cleaned up
- Washed with Auto Finesse Lather
- Auto Finesse Iron Out
- Wash down and rinsed
- Door jambs were cleaned up
- Nano Scrub AutoScrub
- Dried
- Tires dressed
- Masking
- Paint Measurement
- Sonax 5/5 Fine Abrasive Polish - Uber Green Pad - Griots Orbital
- Opti Coat
- Inspection with Fenix, 3m Sun Gun, Infratech, and natural sunlight
- Wheel wells were cleaned and dressed
- Rubber and Plastics Treated
- Exterior windows and mirrors cleaned and sealed
- Exhaust tips cleaned
- Windows were autoscrubed, cleaned, and sealed

Products used

Links to products used -

Auto Finesse Lather
Auto Finesse Citrus - Grime Remover
Auto Finesse Oblitarate
Auto Finesse Iron Out
Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner
NanoSkin AutoScrub System
Sonax Fine Abrasive
Opti Coat
Adam's Super VRT
Optimum Metal Polish

Tools used
Uber Wool Wash Mitt
Uber No Name MF Towels
Griot's 6 inch Random Orbital Polisher
Uber Buffing Pads
Defelsko Paint Meter
Fenix TK35
Brinkmann
Kranzle Pressure Washer
Uber Foamer Attachment for Pressure Washer
2 Grit Guard Buckets with Caddies
Uber Firehose Nozzle
Metro Air Force Blaster

Before shot




Prep - Wash - Decon - Wheels Cleaned - Tires Cleaned

Clear Film Removal

The customer was not happy with the clear film installation






Auto Finesse Obiltarate was used to remove the adhesive left over by the clear film



Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner in action


Car was washed with Auto Finesse Lather


Rinse


Wheel wells were cleaned up with Auto Finesse Citrus and a wheel brush


Auto Finesse Iron Out



Some of the panels had swirls/wash marks/marring

50/50 shots





After polishing with Sonax 5/5




Opti Coat


Random clear film shots








After shots (car was finished and picked up in the evening, sorry no outside shots)

 

Very Nice. Very Nice indeed.

Got a couple of questions. I have seen the Sonax cleaner used on others wheels prior, is this ok to use on painted wheels? I have some R112s that were OEM silver and have since been painted black.

Second, I am interested in Clear film coverage since I just had to re-spray the hood and bumper cover because of chips. What advice to you have for film? Brands? pre-cut or custom? Can someone DIY if they have not done this before? I think I would cover the bumper and a partial hood (Because of cost). You are a little too far away for me or I think I'd be calling you.

 

sonax wheel cleaner should be safe on painted wheels.

did the person painting the wheels put a clear coat on them.

clear film should be installed 30-40 days after the paint has cured.

depending on how good the paint job is it should not lift the paint when installing the film. please make sure you tell the installer this they may not take the job if they know its a repsray, we only do film on resprayed cars when the painter guarantees his work. there is a possibility the paint will lift it was not properly painted or cured over time. I hope this helps.

 

Very beautiful work. If I may ask a question, I have the white vinyl bonnet stripes on my 4 year old cooper s, and they are a flat/matte finish in contrast to the high gloss paint of the car itself. Can the opti-coat 2.0 be used on top of a vinyl material like a clear coat, to apply a glossy finish to the surface? Being such a small surface area for the 2 stripes, multiple coats wouldn't really be too costly if that would work. What are your thoughts on this?

 

it should be okay but I'm not exactly sure how much more gloss it will bring to the vinyl stripes.

 

Thanks, honestly, any increase in gloss would be a welcomed sight.

Also I'm no stranger to the porter cable and polishing, buffing, waxing, but have no previous experience using the opti-clear, is it really as simple to apply as the directions make it out to be?

 

its super easy. you can correct your complete car and then use it on the paint as well as the vinyl