1Clean06IS

Hello detail nation, I was hoping to get some advice/tricks.

I have an 06 IS250 paint 062 - Crystal White Pearl. I recently got the mod bug and have installed to spoilers (roof/rear deck). While the paint is def factory 062 the 06 paint is off a few shades from what has been done recently. It's not fair enough off to justify a resort/blend but I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas to help disguise or soften the transitions?

Thanks for the help!

VK

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

If your car is faded due to oxidation or surface defects, it can be restored (at least partially) by proper machine polishing.


source from autogeek forum

^This image was borrowed from Autogeek forum - it is the hood of a Lexus SUV that had been compounded and polished. You can see that the right hand side has much more depth and gloss to it after being polished. It also appears to be a noticeably different color.

Hopefully your 2006 would not be as bad as this 1996 SUV, but you never know. Has your car ever been properly polished?... and I don't mean by the dealership.

1Clean06IS

I am ashamed to say this car has not, I really wanted to keep it a daily driver, and for 3 years I have. But the car guy in me finally came out and a full restoration is in the works, will include clay,compound and wax. I just want to hold off till after I finish a few additions. But thank you for your reply, it makes me optimistic that the full detail restoration will help!

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Ha, what you call a full restoration many of us consider routine maintenance

All of these steps should be carried out regardless of being a DD or show car - it is just proper maintenance.

Anyways, here are some general best practices to follow to help with your detail and to help maintain the car in the future:

Basic Full Detail Steps

• Clean Wheels and Tires
• Wash Car (using the 2 bucket method w/ grit guards)
• Dry car (using only high quality Waffle Weave Microfiber towels)
• Decontaminate - Clay is a must, however you may want to consider IronX as well. If your car has never been clayed, you may need a more aggressive grade of clay like a "medium" grade.
• Perform a test spot to determine the least aggressive method to restore your paint. Lexus paint is soft, so it shouldn't take anything too aggressive. Since your vehicle is white, some micro marring may be extremely hard to see, so a 1 step correction may be the best bet. I would suggest starting with a white polishing pad (5.5") and a polish like Meguiar's M205 or Menzerna PF2000.
• Compound/Polish: Carry out the process the least aggressive approach (that you developed when doing your test spot) on the entire vehicle until the swirls/scratches are removed
• Apply Glaze (optional, but the best time to do it is right after a complete correction if you ask me)
• Apply Sealant
• Apply Wax (optional if applying a sealant, which is highly recommended!)

For routine maintenance washes, repeat steps 1-3. You may find that wiping the car down with a nice spray sealant/wax after each wash will do wonders in extending the durability of your main coat of sealant.

Feel free to ask if you've got any questions!

1Clean06IS

Thanks for the info!