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Vehicle details

Year: 2005
Make: Lexus
Model: ES330

Description

I drive a very beautiful blue Lexus, low mileage, and the nicest car I've ever owned. I like in Houston Texas where the sun is so hot you can cook and egg on the sidewalk 11 months out of the year. It has ruined about 40% of my cars paint. There is also construction going on year round everywhere in the city of Houston. And after 150,000 miles of rocks and debris bouncing off the hood, its put some significant chips in my hood. I'm an ACE certified mechanic but have never dipped my toes in body work or painting a vehicle. But I'd like to learn and what better to learn on than my own car. I'm going to start by removing the hood and doing that section of the car first. Sanding down with 180 grit to remove the clear coat and the tiniest bit of base coat. While also removing any imperfections, bumps, ridges, lines from where the clear coat is thicker or non-existent now. And then hitting it with 32p grit to get rid of any scratches left behind from the 180 grit. And then hitting it one more time before laying down any primer/paint with a 400 grit. Starting with light, over lapping layers of a grey primer, letting dry, and then more light layers of my base coat color. I'm thinking 3 coats of each that way everything is uniform. Letting dry completely, then lightly hitting the paint with 5000 grit sand paper and soap and water to remove any "orange peel" looking paint. And then laying down some compound, and some polish. Waiting 30 days before applying any wax, or ceramic coats so I can let the paint COMPLETELY AND 100% CURE!!! And then completing this exact process on my roof around my sunroof and radio antenna (looks like a shark dorsal fin) and top of trunk lid that meets up with the rear window. Over all, I would just like the car to look nice, while being able to put the hard work and dedication into doing it myself, and saving an little money. And to also have the knowledge to do it comfortably afterwords, so if I need to do it on my wife, daughter, friends vehicles i can help them save some money also and bring back the cars paint back to life. That satisfaction will be unmatched.