Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

[G_S_DB]

I actually did this detail job 6 months ago, but something went wrong when I tried to post the pictures and I just gave up. So, I'm finally getting back to it and would love to hear what you all have to say. This 2013 Merc is in really good shape, but it had (at the time I did the job) suffered through a very long Wisconsin winter. So while the owner was in town, I offered to make it shine for him.


Arrival












I have never seen so much salt crusted in to the carpet like this.












Paper towel to wipe up a fuel spill???











All Done and ready to head home to WI.

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

Oh man! I can totally see why even after 6 months gone by you gave another effort to post those pics. That's a nice transformation

Hope for your sake the owner appreciated the work you put into it. I'm curious to know, how much time did you take on it?

[Selectchoice]

Re: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

Nice job on an unusual colour (for that model) Merc!

[G_S_DB]

Re: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

I worked on it for three evenings since it was dropped of during the week, so I would say that I probably had 12+ hours into it when I was done. The paint was in pretty good shape except for a few isolated areas. I use M105 on those small spots, polished with M205, and then finish with Ult Liq Wax. The hardest part was all salt on the inside. That was a very repetitive process of dry brushing while vacuuming the loose dust, spraying with APC+ and brushing until I got a sludge-like brine solution, wiped/scrubbed that up, let dry and then repeat.

The other tough part was all the leather. The designo upgrade is a $5000 option that just wraps the entire inside of the car with leather and suede -- beautiful, but very time consuming to get the coffee stains out of the seats and center console.

[G_S_DB]

Re: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

Nice job on an unusual colour (for that model) Merc!

Thanks. I really loved that color since most that I see are white or silver. Plus the darker colors just look sooo much better when cleaned that I feel like I actually accomplished something and the customer has a much more emotional reaction when you turn it back over to them. Light color cars just don't get the same reaction.

[Selectchoice]

Re: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

Thanks. I really loved that color since most that I see are white or silver. Plus the darker colors just look sooo much better when cleaned that I feel like I actually accomplished something and the customer has a much more emotional reaction when you turn it back over to them. Light color cars just don't get the same reaction.

When you put in a great effort, there's no denying the darker colours do reward you with greater 'evidence of effort' than do the lighter ones, even though sometimes you work harder on lighter colours.

[SY2565]

Re: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

Great job! How'd you get the scratches out of the black plastic on the door pillars?