i did a search on the detailing for forum for a whole day... there are just way to many answers (products) and im not really sure on how to exactly find a solution to my problem(s)... basicly... from here .. i have learnt how to wash, wax, detail and make it look shiny... what i dont know is how to repair existing damage..


well here are a few pics of my problems.... this is a used car that i bought a few days ago...

this is my rear bumper, it has long cracks from left to right...its plastic...is there a fix?



this is my front hood... its got quite a few rust spots could be debris or dried up bugs that ate away the paint and left little rust spots



this is my front bumper.... up close... its a mess...



and the part thats really really worrying me... are my leather seats... they are pretty much PERFECT... EXCEPT for the driver seat.. it has these cracs across the ribbing on the door side... other than these... the seat is perfect... im really worried that these will get big or something... and its an eye sore.... what do you guys recommend?

 

another angle



then a few spots here and there... that im not too worried about... im sure its very fixable according to the posts on this site... but once again... im really confused between the differnt types of touch up "stuff"..





i really appreciate the help... im not looking for information handouts... ill continue searching around while this thread is up... but everything is appreciated.


and here she is from a few feet away..

 

Wow it is a beautiful car.

From what I've read, those front ends tend to look like they've been sandblasted. I'm not sure of what it would take to remedy these. You might have to repaint.

Regarding the rear bumper, I am not sure how to rectify those cracks.

I wish I could offer some solid advice regarding your seats. I could only suggest a cover up, like a car seat cover.

 

Not sure you can do anything about the cracks in the rear...

The front... I would wash it really well, bug/tar remover and clay bar it to see what comes off, then wax it up.

The seats, you can stop it by cleaning and conditioning it on a regular basis from now on.

 

i was hoping there was sometype of leather compound that i read about in one of the threads on this forum...

basicly the post said.... take it to a professional detailer.... they have sometype of leather bondo.... that repairs leathers. didnt find any other information.

 

well about the front.... i have washed it and everything.... those spots on the hood are tiny rust spots...


and on the bumber are tiny nicks in the paint....

 

Anybody have any experiance with these?

http://www.leatherrepairkits.com/


supposed to be a repairing solution for cracked leather...


please chime in if you think its a solution or if you have used it before.

 

The only way to fix the rear bumper is to sand down to the plastic and repaint.The paint is cracked and broken.

The chips on the hood and the bumper are the spots where paint is missing.Only repair is to repaint also.

 

meaning...repaint the whole hood?.... or is there sometype of quick touch up paint solution?...


and any input for the seats?...

 

If you want the panels to look good, then repainting the them in whole will be the best idea.

As for the leather, just let an interior specialist do it. There's a guy at my dealership that patched up a 2 inch slit in a leather seat and you wouldn't be able to tell a difference. You can slightly feel the different texture, but by looking at it, there was no way of telling. I'm going to assume that it also matters how good the person does it.

 

+1........... what he said

 

What others said about the paint. You could try some touch-up paint and a lot of time and patience, but repaint (especially the rear bumper) is probably the best bet. Possibly a professionally detailer might be able to help on the front. I know that the leather can be fixed because my driver's seat bolster had a tear in it and it was repaired beautifully. I would recommend a professional to do it right. They fixed, dyed and cleaned and conditioned my seats for $225. Looks new. Just my .02 ...

 

he's right. My advice is to get several quotes from local body shops and have the whole car painted. MAKE SURE that you get references from them, pictures of work, AND ask them the following:

1- is it single stage or base/clear coat? answer: base/clear
2- is it laquer or urethane? answer: urethane
3- does the price include sanddown, doorjambs, and total tape-off of trim and painting trim? answer: yes

I work with painters who paint aircraft for a living and cars on the side. One guy I work with owns a bodyshop. This is what he told me. I pass my learnin' on to you.

 

clean those seats with a conditioner very regularly and the back i have yet to find a fix either, i had a simialr problem