My Detailing Adventures

[Xtractorfan]

Well as I posted... lol..Water based paints, which have to be covered with a clear coat lacquer.
As I said previously Manufacturers denote solid paint as a colour without any metallic flake in it..ie black, white etc.
In the bodytrade solid colours are generally seen as 2 pack paints that can be painted and are a finished product without using lacquer.

 

[whitenemesis]

" The U on your paint code is an internal code and is not relevant in regards to the colour shade"

So as I posted. The U is internal code that denotes that SA code means a paint colour not some other option. For example, option SA code 172 is "fuel preheater" whereas 172U is "Anthracite grey metalic" or 172A is "MB-TEX Blue"

U denotes paint colour, A denotes trim type/ colour

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~mtor/mbcodedsc.html

 

[television]

Well as I posted... lol..Water based paints, which have to be covered with a clear coat lacquer.
As I said previously Manufacturers denote solid paint as a colour without any metallic flake in it..ie black, white etc.
In the bodytrade solid colours are generally seen as 2 pack paints that can be painted and are a finished product without using lacquer.

Read it again a solid colour is where pigment has been added to what we call the clear coat, therefore the coloured base coat omitted. They only use the metallic in base coat systems to achieve the slightly higher gloss.

You also said above that a solid clolour has a clear coat, and that is not right.

Also as I said the U is not part of the code as it is not on the cars info plate.

I would like a member with a 203/211 about 2004 to check the see if the is a C before the number on the ID plate.

 

[Arzaam]

Read it again a solid colour is where pigment has been added to what we call the clear coat, therefore the coloured base coat omitted. They only use the metallic in base coat systems to achieve the slightly higher gloss.

You also said above that a solid clolour has a clear coat, and that is not right.

Also as I said the U is not part of the code as it is not on the cars info plate.

I would like a member with a 203/211 about 2004 to check the see if the is a C before the number on the ID plate.

where is the ID plate located? the vin number you mean or the numbers on the sticker pasted on the drivers b pillar?

 

[television]

It will be the one on the slam panel under the bonnet. There are 2 or 3, just not sure.

 

[Arzaam]

some current and new pics

DSC02527 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

DSC02520 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

DSC02513 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

DSC02506 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

DSC02500 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

 

[Arzaam]

interior still needs a good detail

IMG_1565 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

IMG_1572 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

 

[V6Matty]

I would like a member with a 203/211 about 2004 to check the see if the is a C before the number on the ID plate.

Just checked on mine and yep it certainly does have a C in front of 189.

Just for reference it is on the sticker on the B piller, drivers side, right at the bottom.

(sorry Bad picture from my phone)

 

[television]

Just checked on mine and yep it certainly does have a C in front of 189.

Just for reference it is on the sticker on the B piller, drivers side, right at the bottom.

(sorry Bad picture from my phone)
View attachment 27081

Thank you very much for that and confirms what I said earlier and what the Benzworld guys said, I can understand that it does have to be on the plate as different techniques required when re painting, where as with all other paints it does not matter.

 

[Xtractorfan]

Read it again a solid colour is where pigment has been added to what we call the clear coat, therefore the coloured base coat omitted. They only use the metallic in base coat systems to achieve the slightly higher gloss.

You also said above that a solid clolour has a clear coat, and that is not right.

Also as I said the U is not part of the code as it is not on the cars info plate.

I would like a member with a 203/211 about 2004 to check the see if the is a C before the number on the ID plate.

Malcolm I dont where you get your information from..But all cars are painted with waterbased basecoat...then they are overcoated with clear lacquer..
You cannot add waterbased paints into a solvent based lacquer..
Even bodyshops do not use solid paints on cars...it has been outlawed by the EU...
And using 2pack solid paint is more of a mechanics idea of painting a car, You will not find a proper bodyshop using 2 pack solid colours...
Possibly if someone was repainting a van then it would be economically viable to use 2 pack solid colour to refinish it.
The car manufacturers idea of solid paint is as already explained..a base paint with no additives ie metallic flake etc.
The bit about the codes,( the C or the U) is not relevant as bodyshops only use the numbers to establish the colour of a car.

 

[television]

Malcolm I dont where you get your information from..But all cars are painted with waterbased basecoat...then they are overcoated with clear lacquer..

Not in the case of solid colours
You cannot add waterbased paints into a solvent based lacquer..
Even bodyshops do not use solid paints on cars...it has been outlawed by the EU...
Has anyone here said that you could ???
And using 2pack solid paint is more of a mechanics idea of painting a car, You will not find a proper bodyshop using 2 pack solid colours...
Possibly if someone was repainting a van then it would be economically viable to use 2 pack solid colour to refinish it.

This is not part of the discussion
The car manufacturers idea of solid paint is as already explained..a base paint with no additives ie metallic flake etc.

Obviously, but it does not have to be a base coat system, a top coat of clear with pigment / colour added goes fine over any primer

The bit about the codes,( the C or the U) is not relevant as bodyshops only use the numbers to establish the colour of a car.


I have said that the C must be on the ID plate and the C is on the plate with ceramic finished cars, so that the refinishing trade know.

The U is not on the plate as it has no meaning to the refinishing trade.

Please stop moving things around so that I said this and that when I did not.:evil:

To start off with all I said was Mercedes do offer the black and white in solid colours, and you disagreed, but the Email from MB says that they do.

The C is on the plate for ceramic finished cars. I did not think that mine was ceramic, as it is not that hard and does not splinter, so the formula / process has changed since the start, but it is on the plate and not on the chassis card, in fact the U is on the chassis card so any thoughts of UV go out of the window.

What they do in the factory is worlds apart from the refinishing trade. I am still reasonably up to date for refinishing as I still do quite a bit.

 

[V6Matty]

its okay to do in stages it yields the same result i think, i also tok 4 days to do it not just one session, i spent two days on claying and polishing and further two days on sealing and waxing,

my secret if you can say that is i spent the greater deal of time in glazing( i used a professional glaze rather than a simple polish, a glaze has way more polishing oils) and i also spent a lot of time with Autofinnese Tough prep, its a surface prep liquid that prepares and further polishes the surface befroe sealant, because if you polish or especially glaze it has a lot of polishing oils and the sealant unless water based would simply not bond with the paint for long,

tough prep removes those extra polishing oils and leaves a super flush and clear surface for sealant, btw what products did you use? mind sharing some pictures?

I would love to share some pics but my car gets dirty as soon as i come off my drive at the moment, harvest time around the village so the roads are just caked with mud and so within a day so is mine lol.

I'm only just getting into detailing and do admit i rather enjoy it, just seems i never have enough time to do everything i want, but one day i'll get there. next time i do (next year no i expect) i will certainly post a few pics just to see how close i can get to your mirror finish.

Like your tip regarding tough prep, didn't know that at all so thank you very much

 

[Arzaam]

I would love to share some pics but my car gets dirty as soon as i come off my drive at the moment, harvest time around the village so the roads are just caked with mud and so within a day so is mine lol.

I'm only just getting into detailing and do admit i rather enjoy it, just seems i never have enough time to do everything i want, but one day i'll get there. next time i do (next year no i expect) i will certainly post a few pics just to see how close i can get to your mirror finish.

Like your tip regarding tough prep, didn't know that at all so thank you very much

if your car gets dirty everyday, what method do you employ for cleaning it daily? so as to not cause further scratches and maintain it?

like for e.g., if its light dust, i use a rinse less wash in a spray bottle, simply spray and wipe in straight lines for MF, if really dirty then there are multiple options i use such as snow foam or the regular shampoo or maybe a rinseless wash with just one bucket and a pressure spray bottle

 

[V6Matty]

if your car gets dirty everyday, what method do you employ for cleaning it daily? so as to not cause further scratches and maintain it?

like for e.g., if its light dust, i use a rinse less wash in a spray bottle, simply spray and wipe in straight lines for MF, if really dirty then there are multiple options i use such as snow foam or the regular shampoo or maybe a rinseless wash with just one bucket and a pressure spray bottle

not really an option to wash my car every day i go out in it, although i wish i could. the roads around me a quite thick with mud and the mud is rather sandy/gritty (sand and gravel area), the only thing i can do is snow foam, rinse and then do a two bucket wash.

my car is a workhorse and so doesn't get the full attention she should but looking at others (no one from here i have to add) she looks in better condition than most.

 

[Xtractorfan]

All car manufacturers offer black and white and reds and some blues in Solid Colours, but they are painted in waterbased basecoat then overcoated with clear lacquer just the same as all other paints metallics etc. because their idea of solid colours is a colour without metallic or pearl or mica.
Your idea that pigments are added into the lacquer for solid colours just does not happen..
Why dont you email MB and any other motor manufacturer and ask them..
Still I really cannot argue any more as it is pointless.
Many mb colour codes do have the U as well on the colour code after the code number

 

[Arzaam]

some latest current shots, its been a month since it was detailed, i think its time to wax again, planning to use DODO Juice Purple Haze Carnauba Wax, it has no cleaners so wont harm the sealant layer

these have been taken from a smartphone so not so clear,

IMG_1535 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

IMG_1541 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

IMG_1542 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

IMG_1552 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr


Flake pop on wheels!!

IMG_1547 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

tyre dressing still holding out after a month! and break dust stayed away largely due to sealant and slick surface on rims

IMG_1544 by Arzaam Bhatti, on Flickr

 

[C350Carl]

You cannot get that shine on a silver car

I beg to differ.

 

[C350Carl]

At the OP,

Very good results. I've been amateur detailing for about 5yrs now and been charging people for the past couple.

I'm assuming yours doesn't have the modern ceramic clear coat on it? Mine is an absolute bar steward to correct if it gets scratched/swirls. The previous owner must have used car washes as it was really bad. The pics above flatter the current state of the car. It still has a few marks here and there and I intend to get a the finish the same as yours when using proper light on it.

It's just going to take about 30hrs of machine polishing and a 3 stage pass on the whole car to do so.

I did chuckle when I drove past a newly refurbished IMO car wash near me. Big sign outside saying it was new "scratchless" technology. I bet the likes of KDS, Miglior, Paul Dalton etc must be sh!tting themselves.

 

[television]

I beg to differ.

Your car is a dark silver, mine looks good as it gets dusk

 

[C350Carl]

It was a tongue in cheek comment

Yours still looks good though. Do you wax or seal it?