Multiple detailing/cosmetic questions. (Picture heavy)
 

Alright so it is now after Christmas and I have amassed quite a bit of cash that I can use to make my Monte look better.

I have multiple things that I would like to clean up/know how to clean up so here we go. Hope I can get some advice and knowledge from you guys.
By the way the extent of my knowledge is just general washing, clay baring, and applying liquid wax.(BTW the car has not been cleaned in a while and in these pictures because it keeps raining here!)


So probably the easiest things to fix, I have this sticker from the original dealership that I don't want on there. How can I best remove this without screwing up the paint? There is also a pretty nasty scratch there just above it, I don't expect to be able to fix this but is there a way?

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/8363/0wgv.jpg

My next issue is my hood and front end is littered with little marks from where rock fly up and smash into the hood leaving little white spots all over the place. I have heard good things about Dr.colorchip but when I mentioned to my dad I was thinking of getting that he is doubting its ability to look any good. Anyone know of a product for making these paint chips not so noticeable.

My dad thinks I should have the whole hood re-painted but I don't think he realizes how much that cost.

http://imageshack.us/a/img819/4923/rgk8.jpg

Looks like there was a particular nasty one the previous owner tried to correct. If this is the results I can expect I would rather not do it haha.
http://imageshack.us/a/img191/817/pcsn.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img594/1527/dxvq.jpg

There is also this nasty spot on the roof that probably should be taken care of as well.
http://imageshack.us/a/img22/2919/11nw.jpg

My rims also have some weird marking on them that wont go away with just a bit of scrubbing when I wash the car and it looks as if there is a little bit of corrosion on some bits. These are the original rims that come with the car.

The wheels are also dirty but just look at where the weird veiny lines are.
http://imageshack.us/a/img51/6595/lmz9.jpg

Corrosion?
http://imageshack.us/a/img194/7403/dg5v.jpg

My dash has been affected by the sun and a bit of it pops up out from where the defrost is, minor annoyance but is there a way I can fix this?
http://imageshack.us/a/img62/9758/hctw.jpg

Lastly anyway to make my roof rails not look so nasty without having to replace them?
http://imageshack.us/a/img43/9412/5ovq.jpg

So I know that's a lot but any insight into how some of these problems could be fixed. Is any of this too extensive for me to fix on my own. As I said above I have only ever done basic washing with soap, clay baring the car, and using liquid wax. I currently use Maguire products. I have never used any sort of powered tool for polishing/waxing/anything but am open to buying one if the risk of damaging my paint isn't high.

I am also forced to park outside any way to keep this thing clean, I have heard car covers are no bueno because if dirt/little rocks/ anything gets up under them they can scratch the car pretty bad.

Thanks for any tips!

On the sticker, I suggest citrus based Goo Gone or denatured alchohal. Just be very light on the alchohal. Try the goo gone first. On the rock chips, you could get run of the road and get them fixed by insurance! That's how I did It haha. Good luck on getting her back to the best condition!

There are some pretty good defects in the paint...You will have difficulty bringing that back to 100%, but a good buffing with a good compound (Meguiar's Ultimate Compound) will certainly make it look a lot better than it does now. Do not use a razor blade to try to remove the sticker...soak it with adhesive remover.

That spot on the roof is rust and should be taken care of so it does not continue to spread.

The wheels have the common GM problem. Coating on the wheels starts to come off, then corrosion sets in underneath. Impossible to fix without a complete refinishing of the wheel.


You can make your car look much better if you are willing to invest a few hours and a bit of cash (less than $200 for everything you'll need).

On the sticker use WD-40 and it will take it all off with out hurting the paint. The paint defects will have to be touched up are a full paint if you have the money. The dash is warped I dont know if one can be purchased anymore new you should be able to get a replacement for one and the wrecking yard.

Unfortunately a lot of this stuff requires a professional to make right.

Liquid wax doesn't really do much for protection. You need to use a sealer and a carnauba paste wax.

A good present to yourself would be to find a local detailer to really give the car a proper detailing. For the exterior of the car, it's a good $250-$400. But that is a good majority of the work, then you just have to make sure you keep the car clean properly, and use a good wax every month or every other.

I agree with this. A professional has the proper tools, products and experience to bring that shine back. You need to weigh the cost & time to do it yourself vs having a pro do it...

Your not going to bring back the paint issue by detail. I can remove most scratches and swirls and fading and I do this for a living also. Your chips and rust and deterioration of the paint will need touch up painting and they can do that. So fix that first and do a good complete detail when that is corrected. Your wheels need a new powder coat and recleared.

Thanks for all these tips so far guys!

At the moment I am not looking for a perfect paint. I just want to pretty it up and take care of major problems(that rust spot), obviously if I could I would have the whole car painted a new color but that's a bit pricy lol.

After some more research last night I am really interested in getting a PC 7424xp. Specifically this one that also come with 4 pads. Not because I think it will fix everything I realize these things are only really good for taking out the really minor swirls and such.

As far as the major problem to fix what should I do about that. Is that something that needs to be Completely fixed by a pro or can I get by as, I think someone said by using a sealer and a good wax(Might have misinterpreted that). What kind of stuff can I expect for a $300 job from a detailer, would that include the chipping repair/restore, a fix for the rust (Obviously not perfect but a preventative measure)?

This has been pretty informative so far so thanks a bunch.

The Porter Cable 7424xp and CCS pads and backing plate and liquids and microfiber towels will cost you right at $200...It removes more defects than you may think. You will see a noticeable improvement and have the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself.

Rust can't be handled without sanding and repainting and blending the old paint into the new paint (to prevent repainting large large areas).

You will probably have to deal with those spots, unless you pay to get them properly fixed.

From the pictures that you show, I see a ton of spots on the car. A proper detailing can help hide those. There could even just be a lot of damage in the clear coat, and a proper polishing can almost neutralize those.

We Are Car Care -- Car Wax, Car Polish, Auto Detailing Supplies, Car Buffers & Car Accessories Store is a great forum for detailing, you will find a ton of information there.

The wheels look like they were treated with harsh chemicals. Maybe the car was run through a car wash 10 too many times :rotfl:. If you can't get them clean, the coating on the rim just might be ruined. That large rash mark is from a wheel weight when the tire was balanced. You can try using a solvent to remove that "glue".