New Car Protection PLUS For Jaguar’s Biggest Cat, The XJ L
The Jaguar XJ L is that wonderfully elusive beast that successfully combines executive luxury with a truly engaging driving performance. As such you’re as likely to find the owner behind the wheel as you are nestled in the back seat!
At 125mm longer than its previous incarnation, the XJ L appears even more limousine-like, highlighted with chrome outlining on the rear quarter-lights, stretching the elegant lines out even further. As you would expect, on the motorway the XJ L sails along as if on glide rails. The steering is inspiringly precise and the suspension feels firmly planted to the road, making the XJ L surprisingly agile on twisty roads.
The customer arranged to have his brand new XJ L delivered directly from the dealership. Having previously had a disappointing experience with a nano-ceramic sealant purporting to offer high levels of swirl resistance, the customer had spent a considerable amount of time researching the subject and after consulting UF, decided upon a full New Car Protection Treatment using his chosen Gtechniq products, along with some carefully thought out optional extras!
Prior to the detailing work, the calipers were acid etched and then re-painted in ‘Italian Racing Red’ to match the bodywork. Once the paint was dry the calipers were cleaned with Gtechniq Panel Wipe prior to being protected with a layer of super durable and chemical resistant C5 Alloy Wheel Armour and after curing, two further coats of EXO v2. To complete the look, heat resistant Jaguar-inscribed decals were applied to the front calipers and then sealed.
Fresh from the body shop and now back at the studio, the inspection process could start. At the customer’s request the car had not been washed or polished at the supplying dealership and even the transportation tape and protective foam remained in place.
The XJ L paintwork was already heavily contaminated with deposits from environmental fallout which would need to be dealt with before the New Car Protection could begin.
To begin the detail the protective transportation tape and door guards were removed. The Jaguar was then treated with Gtechniq W8 Bug Remover to dissolve the sticky residue from the protective tape and to remove bug splatter the XJ L had picked up during transit. Next the XJ L was sprayed with Gtechniq W5 All Purpose Citrus Cleaner to degrease the exterior, remove any remnants of transportation wax and road grime.
The wheels were then treated with Gtechniq W6 Iron & General Fallout Remover. W6 changes colour on contact with ferrous contamination (usually caused by pads during braking) and works by shrinking the actual particle, causing it to break the bond it has formed with the substrate and allowing the contamination to be freely rinsed away without compromising the underlying layer.
The whole car was pre-cleaned using Ultimate Snow Foam to remove larger particles of dirt and grit. The high foaming properties of Snow Foam allows the product to get under the particles and lift them safely away from the surface of the paintwork. These can then be rinsed away without risk of incurring scratches or swirl marks.
The Jaguar was then washed carefully using the Two Bucket Method, an Ulti-Mitt Double-Sided Merino Wash Mitt and Gtechniq G-Wash, a high foaming shampoo which breaks the bond between grime and the paintwork. G-Wash lubricates the particles to ensure dirt is removed from the surface in the safest possible way.
After the suds were rinsed off using a Kranzle K7 Pressure Washer, an Aqua Gleam De-ionising water filter was connected to the eater supply and the car was given a final, pure water rinse. It was carefully dried and brought inside the studio where the trim, badges and all the other nooks and crannies were given a thorough drying off using an air blower.
Under normal circumstances it is not always necessary to machine polish a brand new car. However, upon inspection the gloss trim on the door pillars was slightly marked; piano-black is a devil for showing up scratches and I couldn’t let the car go without correcting it, so I used the RUPES Mini BigFoot LHR 75E with a microfibre pad and Koch Chemie M2.01 Anti-Hologram Compound to remove the blemishes. This combination worked spectacularly well. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UDS
The smaller (3″) head of the RUPES BigFoot LHR 75E Random Orbital Polisher is perfect for dealing with specific problem areas.
The rest of the paintwork was cleansed extensively by hand using Gtechniq P1 Nano-Composite Polish to ensure a smooth swirl-free surface in readiness for the protective layers. Then the entire car including all trim and metalwork, the spare wheels, door shuts and boot and engine bay were treated with Gtechniq Panel Wipe. This removes all traces of polish residue and silicones which if left may interfere with the sealant bonding to each of the different substrates.
At the customer’s specific request, the bodywork was to be protected with a combination of Gtechniq Crystal Serum and over-coated with two layers of EXO v2.
Crystal Serum is the latest in cutting edge nanotechnology, providing a superior level of protection from industrial and environmental fallout. Working as a two-layer structure the hard 9H top and softer 7h base layer offer vastly improved swirl resistance over previous nano-ceramic coatings. The comparatively thick film it lays down is highly resistant to extremes in pH, making it impervious to harsh wash chemicals. Once fully cured it sets incredibly hard, offering significant resistance to wash swirls as well as providing protection from harmful UV rays.
Crystal Serum works extremely well – once cured it’s very hard to remove. It also has to be applied in tightly controlled conditions and cannot come into contact with water. For these reasons Crystal Serum has to be applied by a Gtechniq Approved Detailer so it’s available as a service only, not as a consumer product. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UDS
Having checked that the panel temperatures were within the required tolerances (between 5°C – 30°C), Crystal Serum was carefully applied by hand a quarter of panel at a time, buffed off and allowed to cure for around 12 hours (overnight). The bodywork was then over coated with two layers of Gtechniq EXO v2 to increase the hydrophobic effect of the nano-ceramic coating. EXO v2 is incredibly slick and the metallic Italian Racing Red paintwork did look stunning!
The XJ L was spec’d with Jaguar ‘Toba’ 19″ Polished Alloy Wheels and to facilitate seasonal tyres changes, a full set of spares were acquired. To achieve the chrome look, the ‘Toba’ polished alloy wheels are final finished at the factory using ‘vibration polishing’, a procedure previously featured in the UF article Vibration Polishing Two-Piece Wheels on a Bentley Mulsanne, after which they are coated with clear lacquer. All the wheels were then protected with one coat of Gtechniq C5 Alloy Wheel Armour and two layers of EXO v2.
C5 is an incredibly tough, heat resistant ceramic coating which repels water, dirt and chemicals to give a long lasting protective finish. It’s a great product to use on any area where heat is going to be an issue. Although C5 isn’t suitable for bare polished alloys often found on split rim racing wheels, the ‘Toba’ alloys are lacquered and as such C5 is the ideal coating for superior long-lasting protection. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UDS
The metal plates on the door sills and inside the boot were also protected with C5 Alloy Wheel Armour and, as exhaust tips get extremely hot and sooty, these were also protected with C5.
The plastic trim on the inside of the boot was protected with Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer to prevent fading over time caused by UV rays and to also help repel water and dirt. The Piano-Black Polycarbonate roof and side panels were treated as per the body work, with Crystal Serum and two coats of EXO v2.
The interior was cleaned and the mats and carpets (including the boot) were protected using Gtechniq I1 Smart Fabric Coat. This forms a hydrophobic barrier which repels spills; liquids form into beads which then can be easily mopped up before they sink into the fabric and stain.
The leather seats and trim were protected using Gtechniq L1 Leather Guard, a durable nano-scale sealant.
Modern leather is always treated and then sealed with a clear lacquer. Traditional leather protectants typically come in cream-type formulations which, once applied cannot be fully absorbed leaving a residue on the surface. The residue attracts dirt and dust which combine with the residue to form an abrasive paste which gradually grinds away the layer of protective sealant on the leather. L1 works differently to traditional leather care products by forming an abrasion resistant barrier which actively repels dust, dirt and oils. It also helps to prevent UV fade and dye transfer, especially from clothes like blue jeans.
The window glass, sunroof glass and mirrors were cleaned using Gtechniq G6 Perfect Glass, a pure glass cleaner without colourings or fragrances which are by their nature, oil-based. These oils are the cause of streaking and smearing. G6 wipes away leaving perfectly clear, clean glass.
The Jaguar’s glass was then treated with Gtechniq G1 ClearVision Smart Glass, three coats for the windscreen and one coat for the side, rear screen and panoramic roof. Smart Glass forms a long lasting (up to 30,000 miles) hydrophobic barrier, repelling rain water, reducing the need for windscreen wipers and making driving less tiring during bad weather conditions.
For the final touch the tyres were treated to Gtechniq’s newest and most advanced tyre treatment, T2 Tyre Dressing, to leave a natural, subtle sheen.
We literally coated every piece of the car with the relevant Gtechniq protection, from the windscreen wiper arms to the chrome grille, the fuel shut to the mud flaps. There isn’t a square inch on the Jaguar that hasn’t received the best protection Gtechniq has to offer. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UDS
The overall result was truly stunning, leaving this big cat fully protected for many miles to come!
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