2008 BMW M3 Car Detailing

We did an extensive restorative detail to this 2008 BMW M3. The owner wants to prepare the car for sale. He wants it to look its best so it sells quickly and gets the maximum price. Our goal is to bring the condition back to as close to new as we could, given that it is a 14-year-old daily driven vehicle.

We performed a full decontamination car wash to remove years of debris that was stuck to the vehicle's paint. We began with a pre-wash foam cannon wash to loosen the debris and make it easy to wash off. After this initial wash, we worked on iron removal (a.k.a. "rail dust") then removed the tar and other surface residue with chemical cleaners.

Since car still needed further decontamination, we then went to a mechanical process using a clay bar and clay lubricant to remove the last of the debris that was on the painted surfaces.

We removed all the old paint protection film (PPF) from the vehicle. The car had PPF on the full front end , rockers, luggage area and rear bumper impact areas. This film was on the car for 8 years and did its best to keep the areas covered from rock chips and sand blasting damage.

The paint was fairly good condition. We did a full 2-stage paint correction to polish out the scratches and swirls which weren't too deep. The exterior was then prepared for the new Paint Protection Film and a Ceramic Coating. These two steps do a huge amount to preserve the exterior paint, bring up the shine, and provide much easier maintenance for many years ahead.

We applied Cquartz SIC to the exterior painted surfaces, paint protection film, head lights and tail lights.

The interior went through a deep clean. Leather cleaning and leather conditioning were done to clean and protect the leather and give it a beautiful factory fresh look.

We then did all the final details and touch-ups using the best detailing products and techniques to make the final presentation to client in the Auto Obsessed Clean Room. See the detailed 112 picture presentation of this vehicle below.

Model: M3

Make: BMW

Year: 2008

What was done

Exterior Car Wash

Whether a vehicle is driven everyday or just parked in a garage, dirt and dust contaminants will fall onto the surface. This layer of dirt dulls the appearance of the vehicle. If you contact or rub dirty paint, it can mar or become scratched. Not desirable! We thoroughly washed this vehicle to ensure the contaminants were safely removed. Auto Obsessed detailers use automotive shampoos that are specifically formulated to encapsulate and lift the dirt off the vehicle without marring the paint and glass. Our exterior wash service includes the exterior body, door jambs, engine bay, exhaust, wheels, and wheel wells / fender liners.

Decontamination Car Wash

An initial car wash will not be able to remove contaminants that are bonded or embedded in the paint. With this decontamination stage, iron particles (which appear as small brown rust spots), tar splatter, tree sap, water spots, paint overspray, and other contaminants were removed using a combination of chemicals and or natural/synthetic detailing clay bar. After a decontamination car wash, the paint is ready to be corrected with a polishing stage, or finished with protective film, ceramic coatings, carnauba waxes, or sealants.

Paint Correction

The skilled art of paint correction polishing, sometimes known as “buffing”, is the detailing process that makes the most dramatic change in how a car or truck looks. Blemishes and damage on the paint make a vehicle’s paintwork appear dull, flawed, and aged. Paint correction removes scratches, swirl marks, water spots, etchings, fading, and oxidation. The damaged surface layer is polished away to make the paint smooth and perfectly reflective again. After polishing, this paint was in perfect condition. At this point, the vehicle is ready for paint protection film to be installed, or for a ceramic coating, sealant, or carnauba wax to be applied

Interior Detailing

Our interior detailing services are customizable. Client requests can range from a simple low-level interior detail to a complete restorative interior service. Auto Obsessed detailers thoroughly go through all areas of the interior to clean and detail. The result is that the vehicle’s fabrics, leather, plastic and metal trim, controls, gauges, glass, carpet, and luggage areas all look as close to new as possible. Look at these interior photos. This clean, fresh interior now looks like a very nice place to spend time. When we do an interior detail for new cars, the interior is brought up to the level that a new car should look when it’s delivered.

Leather Cleaning and Protection

Leather seats, arm rests, and steering wheels get dirty with skin oils and grime. Dirty leather looks shiny, hard, and worn. It ages the interior before its time! Leather upholstery is a luxury option. We cleaned and conditioned this leather to restore a soft, luxurious feeling in this cabin. Note how the hard-looking shine on the leather is gone. The leather has been brought back to its original matte look. This leather looks luxurious again! The cleaning and conditioning improved its look. The protection from the conditioning will make the leather last longer, and make it easier to clean in the future.

Ceramic Coating

Ceramic coatings repel dirt and water so the vehicle is easier to clean. We applied a top-tier ceramic coating to give this paint a glossy, protective layer. It looks beautiful and will last for years. Not all ceramic coatings are the same, and not all services are the same when applying ceramic coating. Auto Obsessed is one the very few accredited installers in Canada for top-rated and exclusive coating brands.

Paint Protection Film

Paint protection film, sometimes called “3M film” or simply “PPF”, provides physical protection against rock chips, scratches, sand abrasion, and the elements of everyday driving. We installed a premium paint protection film onto this vehicle. Note its exceptional gloss. This PPF has self-healing properties, it’s non-yellowing, and will provide long protection to the owner.

Finishing Touches

After we have completed the detailing services that were requested, it is time for inspection in the Auto Obsessed Clean Room. The highly lit room with the white walls, floor, and ceiling allows us to inspect under the most unforgiving conditions so we can make any final touches needed. By doing the finishing touches we are confirming your vehicle meets our standards but exceeds yours through completing a full vehicle walkaround, checking all the areas worked on. The finishing touches adds yet another level of detail to your vehicle from dressing the tires to making your vehicle windows crystal clear or ensuring your vehicle’s shine and protection.