wow. unless you want every single imperfection to SCREAM at you - i wouldn't do it!! i was filling up the red car at exxon last night and started to check out the hood - yikes, i about had a coronary. yet, in sunlight, i can't see any of the scratches, etc. very strange...
So I get this phone call last night "Man, I'm really freaking out here. I was just at the gas station and you wouldn't believe what I saw . . . " I thought I was paranoid! We'll work on it.
Flourescent light is a great way to help you see imperfections if you are a detailing nut. In a previous life, I used to do such things with a friend, who had halogen and flourescent lights mounted on the tops and sides of one garage bay to help him see things. In the end, though, you'll realize that there are *ALWAYS* scratches of some sort. The key is a) accepting that, b) removing the ones you care about (generally a function of what environment you live in - if you live under a flourescent sun, then...), and c) living with the ones you don't, with the realization that even air particles are making some kind of mark. --Dan
This truly is the way to madness. I have had a number of black cars, and under intense lighting the scratches are frightening. You realize that touching the paint with anything does damage. When the Pateraks detailed my black barchetta for the R&T shoot, they finished by putting the car under those gas station gas lights. I use a couple of hi-intensity halogen work lights on stands (the kind you buy at Home Depot for 30 bucks) to scrutinize my progress when i am working on the wax/polish myself. I know that machines can create sufficient heat to get to some of the scratches, but i only do the work myself by hand. Same was true of the Pateraks- all polishing and waxing by hand.
most of my previous cars have been silverish metallic colors and that seems to hide it a bit. this is my first flat red colored car and as you state, it was frightening. i don't think i'll ever get gas at night again... or maybe just frequent a dimly lit 'stop and go'
Gosh I guess I don't want to go driving around in a primer coated (non-matching doors) 550 in your 'hood.
