Archive for November, 2009

22 ft. Stingray Boat Detailing – Dix Hills, NY

This 22ft Stingray boat was a tricky detail for us as it was heavily oxidized on many areas of the hull. The blue colored gel coat faded over the years and needed to be restored. We started by washing the entire boat down to remove surface containments presents. The boat was rinsed down and dried before compounding it with our high speed buffing wheel.

The compounding process took some time as we had to let it break down on the gel coat. This can be a time consuming process as an even coat needs to be applied to the hulls surface and the foam pad on the buffer needs to work the product through the gel coat. After removing the compound with a fresh microfiber towel, some areas needed to be hit again as a few areas where oxidation was present needed to be treated again. After removing the compound entirely, the boat was now ready to be waxed.

After applying and removing the wax, this Stingray really started to look like it did many years again. We also cleaned stains from the ceiling of the cabin, treated the leather seats (which lightened up considerably!) and treated the plastic, rubber, and vinyl around the cockpit area. We took a few pictures before we left as we were pleased with the results. We were pleased that we successfully removed the oxidation from the hull and left a brilliant shine and lasting protection behind.

Popularity: 96% [?]

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2003 Toyota Matrix Detailing – East Meadow, NY

We recently detailed a 2003 Toyota Matrix in East Meadow, NY. This car was in rough shape when we found it. It had recently been purchased from an older couple that did not maintain its appearance. Mechanically it was sound; however the exterior of the vehicle had never been waxed before. The previous owners did not take it to the car wash as it was parked on a street in Manhattan. The new owner got a steal on it and wanted to make the car look new. Calling the detailing specialists was the right move.

We washed the car down with a foam gun and used our microfiber wash mitts to scrub the vehicle down. There was a lot of dirt and surface contaminants on the paint as it had never been washed. Next, we used clay to level the paint and bring it to a bare state free off all containments. As we lubricated the painted surfaces the clay glided easily making stripping through years of built up grime.

After washing the vehicle down a 2nd time we dried it with microfiber and prepared to apply wax. We applied a coat of carnauba based wax with a Porter Cable 7424 XP and varied the speeds to remove black streaks on the paint.

A new shine was brought back to a previously tired paint job. Next, we detailed the interior and started by vacuuming the carpets, removing stains from the seats, treating the dashboard and plastic and vinyl trim, and last we polished the windows. To finish up, we cleaned out the door jams and sprayed some “new car” scent to give it that new car feel. The owner was shocked with the results of the detailing job. He was ecstatic that the car he just purchased ended up looking better than he expected. Five Star Detailing will continue to maintain this vehicle as we’ve been invited back in the spring to clean it after the rough winters in New York.

Popularity: 100% [?]

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1995 Larson Boat Detailing – East Rockaway, NY

This 1995 Larson was in rough shape when we found it. The blue colored hull was oxidized and desperately needed to be compounded and waxed. It was clear that the elements had taken a toll on this boat over the years and a quality detailing job was in order to bring it back to life.

We’ve detailed boats in the water before in the Rockaways, but this boat was out of the water making it easier for us to detail the hull and bow area. We started by giving this boat a thorough wash and scrub to start. Acetone was used to remove black streaks that had been visible for years. Using Mary Kate’s “On and Off” we were able to remove all rust stains above the waterline of the boat.

The blue colored hull was compounded twice to bring back the richness of the color. The oxidation came back slightly after the first application making it necessary to compound again at a high buffing speed. After the marine wax was removed, the final results for the exterior of this boat were noticeable.

The cockpit area cleaned up nicely as we removed the cleaner wax that had been applied by machine. We vacuumed and detailed the cabin area including the bathroom. All chrome was polished and the leather seating areas were treated. We were happy with results of the boat and so was the customer. He was not present at the time we finished, but sent us a thank you note by e-mail to express his gratitude. We hope to maintain the appearance of this boat for years to come.

Popularity: 79% [?]

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2003 Larson Bow Rider – West Sayville, NY

This Larson located in West Sayville was in pretty good condition when we found it. The only area that needed serious attention was the white colored railing above the rub rail. We started by washing the entire boat down and scrubbing all areas to remove dirt and surface contaminants. After rinsing the boat down with water to wash off the marine concentrate, we dried all areas of the boat.

We compounded the areas above the rub rail which removed black streaks, stains, and gel coat imperfections. We used a Porter Cable 7424 XP using a dense foam pad to break down the compound. We applied using a lower speed and broke down the product at speed 6. The results left the fiberglass feeling smooth, clean, and free of visible imperfections.

Next, we applied a coat of high quality marine wax to the hull, topside railing, and cock pit areas. This Larson really shined up after the wax was removed. All leather seats were scrubbed and brightened up after they were dried. We polished the glass, chrome trim, and treated plastic and vinyl trim. We snapped a few pictures before we left as this boat is now shining and protected.

Popularity: 83% [?]

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2005 Jaguar S-Type R – Five Star Detail – Queens, NY

We detailed a 2005 Jaguar S-Type R in Middle Village, NY. This car was in good condition when we found it, but needed a quality detailing job to enhance its appearance and give it a brilliant shine. We’ve detailed other vehicles at this client’s residence as they were happy in the past with our results. This was the first time that we were detailing the Jaguar as we were excited to get started.

We started by washing the vehicle down to remove the loose dirt on the paint. Since the car is white, the black dirt was visible on the paints surface. Next, we took our clay bar to the entire vehicle to level the paint and remove old wax and surface contaminants. The Jaguar was washed again as the dirt and clay residue glided off the paint. We dried the vehicle down using new and soft microfiber towels. The microfiber we use is super absorbent and does not leave any film behind. Using new and premium microfiber is always a treat!

We applied a high end premium paint sealant that the owners request. He wanted extra shine and protection to compete with the appearance of his brother vehicle. (Black 350z, garage kept) As Five Star Detailing has serviced the other cars in the family, we could not leave one brother outshining the other! After the sealant was applied by machine, let sit to haze, and removed by hand, an unmatched shine was left. The vehicle looked like it came off the showroom floor as family, friends, and neighbors commented as they strolled by.

The interior of the vehicle came out just as nice as the exterior as we detailed the dashboard area, cleaned and treated the leather seats, vacuumed and removed stains from the carpets. Last, we polished the windows and neutralized the scent on the interior. There was a park across the street where we took a few pictures to show off the ride. The owner of the vehicle was pleased with the results and we look forward to coming back next season to detail.

Popularity: 87% [?]

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