Mike M

got £10000 for a 53 plate WRX SL wagon with 65k on it, from S&S in Ayr 8 weeks ago when trading in for an 08STI!!!!

Stick some piccies up once you've used them!!

message back to you

Mike

Amazing results Mike - again. Everyone who see's my car now asks who did it. I just tell them, all my own work

Craig, now you'll feel guilty about getting it dirty. I know I do.

What???? You're driving her???

Only kidding!!! Just remember Col, any help keeping her tip top, just let me know

regards

Mike

Again, thanks for all the positive comments, sorry I can't do any more details (apart from ones already promised) but who knows what next year may bring, I may actually be allowed out!!!!

Thanks, yeah, I always find if you try your best (especially with the owner helping out when they can) it really makes a difference. I think if I went out thinking I can't be bothered, I wouldn't do it as it'll show in the finish!!

Nice work as usual Mike. Your end finish is cracking every time !! Main thing is the owners are pleased with your work every time.

Thanks for the comments guys and Craig, as always, you're welcome and again, say thanks to Evelyn for the soup!!

I only do the details for fun ( I think that's what it is??), but as my wife is pregnant, I don't think I'll be doing any more for a while as everyone has been warning me that my life as I know it will be over soon!!!

once all prepped, Craig then asked, is that a rain cloud??

So after a couple of false starts, we managed to give the car a full machine polish and finish using blackfire produst that make the car look good as new and Craig seems happy with the finish.

Sorry for using 2 posts, but there were too many photo's

Hope you enjoy

Mike

Craig contacted me to detail his STI wagon, so I decided to take a wee trip down to Cumbernauld and spend a day off detailing!!

As always I'll keep words to a minimum and piccies to a maximum, there'll be a detailed thread on scoobynet in a couple of weeks.

Before

The car was firstly snowfoamed with a mixture of Megs Hyperwash and Shampoo plus

This was then rinsed off and the car was washed, clayed dried and tardis'd before being atped up and any defects inspected.

It was at this stage that Craig went through all the areas he had wet sanded before my arrival that had to be fully machoine polished,

I'd brought my G220, but happily I'd also packed my big rotary, cause I was gonna need it!!!

then we checked the swirls -

and the wet sanded areas, especially the bonnet and bumper which would need the most work -

Hi mate. as said I'm in Stirling and if you're close by could come and have a look if you like. I'm no pro, just a happy amateur, but the best way to sort swirls is by machine and I could give you some pointers if you like

Regards

Mike

Love the mirrors!!

Frank, spent 2 full 10 hour days on the car, but in fairness I would say one of the days was fitting all the parts, getting the rear lights out the tailgate was a flamin' nightmare.

Iain, I think most people are 50/50 with alloys, but I got them for a great price and couldn't be a***d getting the 14 spoke prodrives with all the cleaning involved!! As said previously, one day I may get advans, but I think it'll be when I'm next in the states, which could be a while away

WRX04, I've only driven the new car a couple of hunderd miles, so can't make a proper comparison. But the main points so far are -

quieter (not necessarily a good thing)

more refined, so much easier for the Mrs to drive, very much like driving a "normal" car

handling very good, as mine has had the whole whiteline back catalogue to get it handling right

Very, very comfy seats, (they're not recaros)

Fuel economy very good, running at approx 31mpg when motorway cruising

Cheers

Mike

Just a few wee points to add -

Personally the 18's are my favourite's from the current range, as it's the wife's motor, I'm sticking to Subaru parts, so no messing about with the warranty ( wouldn't say no to a set of Advans if someone is feeling generous!!)

I'd rather not need the mudflaps, but have to be realistic in this country. Subaru in America started fitting the paint protection panels on the cars as they suffered terrible from road rash up the sides and so I reckon mudflaps are the only way to go and tbh the rally armor are really good quality and look the best that I've seen.

May go for a front splitter Colin, but I'm undecided on the exhaust surrounds as they seem overly chunky.

Original plates are in the boot (just in case) but I specifically picked these ones as the last time I got pulled they reckoned the letters couldn't be recognised by ANPR, think you'd have to be blind not to notice these letters (unoficially the copper said he didn't mind the subaru badges at the side and bottom, although he obviously never told me this!!)

Andy, the wife's favourite from the range was red, then the black one came up!! Couldn't resist having one of the only black type UK's in the country at the mo, although that will change as they bring more in!!

Craig, as you know mate, I don't mind detailing people's cars, but the weathers starting to head wintery and although I have a garage you can get a car in, it's not big enough to get around, so probably will have to wait until early next year before I can do any more. Colin (playsatan 2) got really lucky as it was heavy rain in the morning, the rain went off just before he arrived, then started again when he left. lucky or what?? May have to consider one of those collapsible Gazebo's, like Halfords has!! Oh, and also, my wife's pregnant, so come April next year I may be very busy and it'll have nothing to do with cars!!

Again, thanks for all the comments guys

Mike

Great job Mike, shocking service from the dealer though.

PS watch that front plate as it's illegal so you may get pulled for it.

Yeah, I know mate, but as it's completely legible, hopefully they'll leave it alone!!

Cheers for the comments guys.

Picked up the wife's new car a few weeks ago and initially thought I'd give it a wee hand polish and fit all the accessories I'd bought, but after looking at the finish (someone at the dealers had machine polished it, even when I told them not to bother as I'd prep it myself), there were too many swirls and buffer trails to ignore, so out came the machine polisher to do the whole car!!!

Before with 65 miles on the clock!!!

So decided to give it a wash, but no need to clay bar as it's virtually not been driven, just from S&S in Ayr back home to Stirling

Then all taped up for machine polishing

Once it was fully polished it was time to add the accessories, strangely when the 08 STI came out I didn't like it much but when I saw it in the flesh and had a drive, I hanged my opinion, but I was still disappointed they didn't do it in black for the Type UK. However, S&S managed to get hold of a special order black, but there were still a few things I didn't like -

moustache front grill

lack of fogs

17 inch wheels

max power style rear lights

lack of mudflaps (white stonechips up the sides didn't seem appealing and I didn't like the mudflaps Subaru UK were selling for £150,

so whilst on holiday got a set of rally armor mudflaps for £65 - result!!

mudflaps

on the car

17's

18's

At the rear, not only do I not like the rear lights, but not keen on all the badging, I know it's an STI, you know it's an STI

so what do I need all the badges for???

Before

After, debadged and rear lights tinted (will go a bit darker another day, but didn't want to go too dark initially as it is the wife's car (honest)

Finally, on the front I fitted fog lights, mesh grill and sorted my final pet hate - dealers details on the number plates!!!! It may seem a bit petty, but if I'm paying all that money to them for a car, I don't see why I should do free advertising as well

From this

To this (used german pressed metal plates, nice but different)

The final finish, what a brand new STI should look like (in my opinion)

Hope you like

Mike

Looking nice, just got wife's STI from John at S&S and he is doing some very good deals just now!!

(Love it in white!!)

Congratulations Chris!!!

Nice work Col, be nice to feel how she pulls after the map!!!

Mike

My old man shut the garage door down on the tailgate of his car causing a scratch and a dent!! Believe it or not, he went to Halfords and they sent out a mobile guy and he made a superb job, and both me and the old man have very high standards!! He paid approx £140 due to dent and scratch, think prices start at £65

HTH

Mike

Yes mate, it was my wife's car and while we owned it, it wanted for nothing, if you have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll update you on whatever you need to know

Cheers

Mike

Very nice, Gus, looks mint after the detail, I really like gunmetal with the white, but seeing you've already decided on white I'm sure it'll look great, just remember to keep 'em clean

Cheers

Mike

Thanks for all the comments guys, as said when the black is polished up, there's nothing else like it!!

Colin put in a lot of elbow grease helping buff the car up, so he should take some of the praise as well.

Hopefully when he gets his Dr Colorchip kit, we can go over the front end and get rid of all the stone chips, Col, when it comes in give me a shout and I'll give you hand if you need it

Regards

Mike

Yeah, first time I came across it all I was like a big kid in a sweet shop!! (ended up bringing home a TMIC and catch can in my suitcase!!)

Sorry to hurt your necks, but I don't know how to rotate some of the photos