So i enjoy spending the weekends detailing my 997s, find it somewhat relaxing and from time to time I'll hand wash my Range Rover S/C, but a full detail I lose interest after the first quarter panel, so while reading all the threads on 6Speed i run across a local NJ member who gave a local detailer a shot on his Mercedes SL63...hell if he was willing to have them work on that car i'll give him a shot on my Range Rover S/C...and wow what an amazing job the guys over at Buff Auto Appearance did... not only did the show up at my house on the Friday of July 4th weekend, but they bring their own truck with water and electric...wife was home and said Lou and his guys were amazing...spending at least 4hrs working on the truck...here is a few of the things they did:

Interior- Blown out with compressed air and vac'd, steam cleaned leather and all vinyl trim and carpets. Cleaned all windows

Exterior- Cleaned wheels and wheel wells, Hand washed with Optimum Car Wash, Claybar on all paint and window surfaces, highspeed buffer with blue pad and Optimum polish, orbital with green pad and Optimum polish, finished with orbital and blue pad with Optimum Poli-Seal, then took off product with Optimum flash Detailer. We also polished exhaust tips and dressed tires

Engine Bay: brushed entire engine bay, jambs and under hood with Optimum PowerClean, Powerwashed and then protected with Optimum protectant.

and get this...for...$250 plus tax...no brainer...here are a few pics:












Call Lou @ Buff Auto Appearance 973-809-2329 www.buffautoappearance.com

PM me if you want my number as a reference!

 

Looks great. They did a terrific job.

I'm the same way with my cars. By the time I'm done with the 560SL, I look at the bulky ML320 and think....next time. I just don't have the energy and enthusiasm for the daily driver as I do the SL and our Mini Cooper S. I may have to look up a competent detailer in my area.

 

Looks great, but I'd be hesitant to steam clean leather without reapplying some type of conditioner. The leather needs oils within it to stay supple. You've already achieved the cleaning step, just hit it with some conditioner.

 

I concur. I have seen many leather seats cracked and torn from being dried on. What do folks say they use to clean the leather? Alcohol!

 

When they did my CLS63 they did steam my leather and I asked about the process and how it worked. They only use water in their steam machine. They said when you steam clean leather it deep cleans under the pores and brings out the natural oils in the leather. Mercedes and BMW use this technology when they clean their leather. Also conditioners contain silicones which is not only bad for leather but bad for you and the environment as well. I have been using these guys for 4 years on my 997 and my leather looks like the day I got it. Clean and crack free and still smells new. I personally don't like conditioners because they leave a film on the leather and gives it a unnatural look. Just my $.02

 

Once leather is removed from the cow, hopefully after it's already dead, the oils can no longer replenish themselves once they dry out. That steam cleaning process can only draw out the oils for so long before there is nothing left to draw out. I completely understand your comments on conditioners, but only to the extent that they apply to cheap conditioners that you pick up in any auto parts store, and some supermarkets. Check out something like Leatherique, which is far from the cheapest alternative out there, but it has no silicone and doesn't leave that greasy sheen on the seats. (On the down side, you don't get to see your idiot friends who won't put on a seatbelt go flying across your backseat in the middle of a turn, as if they were on ice.) I'd post up a link, but I don't want to point to any non-board sponsors. Google should get you what you need in about a second.

 

I just emailled Lou to see if he''s interested in doing a few of my cars. Sadly - I don't have the 6+ hrs it normally takes me to do a proper job. I'll repport back...

 

Couldn't have said it better....

http://www.glisteningperfectionstore...que/Categories

 

I sent an email to these two guys two days ago with no reply - yet....

 

Ahhh. I didn't know you sold the stuff, Moe. I'll be sure to order from you next time.

 

For $250, that's great value. If I didn't enjoy doing my own detailing, I'd see if I could find someone in my area who was this good at $250.