Mk1 Leon FR - 2004 Compared to Today-ish.

[S3 AKR]

Thought I'd post a few pics of my car after a so called "lazy" Sunday afternoon cleaning it. I fell in love with Black all over again and shall stay totally under its spell (.....until it rains).

Its a shame the front is so peppered with stone chips, but thats what 76k miles does to a car I s'pose. It really could do with a fresh coat of paint on the front, especially the bumper. Still.... I've seen worse!

 

[diss_50]

Lovely job fella, you've managed to get a great shine off the car. Wish we had weather like that up here! The roads are still manky though and the car stays clean for a day - what products you using? .

 

[dean_CFR]

nice and clean dude

 

[S3 AKR]

Cheers. the pics were taken this morning at about 10-ish. Its a nice day down here by the Essex coast!

I used Meguiars 3 stage stuff :-

Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3

The stage 2 stuff is a bitch to get off if you leave it too long. I do 1 panel at a time or it is really hard to get off. (Where I got stuff welded to the paint I put some more on which disolved the original layer so it would come off). ........ but if you know it can be a pain then you can work around it very easily.

This clean was a stage 2 and stage 3 clean only. The stage 3 stuff is easy on/easy off and you can cover the whole car before buffing it all off. No probs getting this layer off.

 

[jonjay]

Looks pretty good nice clean reflections.

 

[RickyD1975]

Looks Ace! I nearly bought a similar looking car 4 years ago, although I bought a boring E46 330d SE.

I know what you mean about the Meguiars 3 stage process. It takes an age but it's well worth it.

Did you use a clay bar?? I used a clay bar on my Cupra at Christmas and what a difference it makes to the bodywork.

 

[S3 AKR]

I used the Meguiars clay bar back in the summer but not since. It really takes the paint to a glass like finish when it gets all the crud off the surface. I also put Supagard on it (got it off Ebay) last time I really cleaned it up and even 35k miles on, it still seems to be maintaining the shine. Its still very smooth and glass-like now to touch.

Up close there's a few swirls etc but then its 4.5 years old and covered 76k now so its bound to be showing some signs of wear and tear.

 

[J0N]

Good work, fella. Like it.

 

[LeonFRTDi]

Whhhoooo Thats a Gorgeous looking Polished Finish m8...

The Same Car as mine.... & i just spend the best part of a day last wkd doing the same to mine.

Just using AutoGlym Super Resin & The extra Gloss finish afterwards.

White dust with the standard polish, but the Extra Gloss takes care of that, its like poring Petrol on your paintwork !!!

Tell you something that ProShine Spray and Shine is bloody good stuff to use.

Anyways i like them Alloys...

Suit the Car really well

Just spent over £200 on 2 Michy Exalto Pilots up front....

with 43k on the Car now i know what you mean with Stone Chips on the bonnet.

Front bumper is fine as its been replaced due to an arguement with a BADGER....

Time to look for a Spare Set of AUDI RS Wheels !! i think...

Got a 400+ Mile Journey later this week so looking forward to that....

600miles on Trip with 90left tonite.... Grrrraaaannnd !!!

 

[S3 AKR]

Cheers dude.

I have the Autoglym stuff too but that Extra Gloss stuff is a pig to get off, and impossible to clear from plastics! The Super Resin Polish is dead easy to use, but as you say, it creates some dust to say the least! Thing is though, for a dead quick polish, its excellent as its comes off so easy. Used it this past weekend on the Skoda and within an hour its done and looking good......problem is, then I really wanted to give it the Meguiars Stage 3 to really finish it, but no time!

Leon looks a mess at the mo as it hasn't been washed since the pics! Its punishment for daring to have the aircon compressor die on me (being done with the rear brakes this weekend). It will have to be cleaned before May 23rd though (East Anglia RR Meet), and a proper cleaning is due again I reckon...... looking forward to it being finished, but don't enjoy the doing bit!

 

[turbo009]

Looks good fella

 

[a1exw1nter]

Looking really smart mate

 

[S3 AKR]

cheers guys. I've spent the whole of today clearing my garage out so I can really get round the car to wax it "in doors" with the paint that bit cooler. I have to say though - I am really tempted to get a front end respray done - its a mess with stone chips on the bonnet, wings and bumper. A big polish sort of hides it, but then how much better would it look without the chips ? (I know the answer!)

 

[drue1]

cheers guys. I've spent the whole of today clearing my garage out so I can really get round the car to wax it "in doors" with the paint that bit cooler. I have to say though - I am really tempted to get a front end respray done - its a mess with stone chips on the bonnet, wings and bumper. A big polish sort of hides it, but then how much better would it look without the chips ? (I know the answer!)

Mine is the same, I want to get my front end resprayed as there is loads of stone chips

 

[turbo009]

Any updates on this lovely car mate?

 

[greganderson]

very clean haha and lovin your exhausts

 

[S3 AKR]

Will be getting the respray to the front end in the spring I reckon, though I am seriously thinking about a 53 plate RS6 at the mo too.

 

[S3 AKR]

Decisions have been taken........ RS6 will have to wait. In the next couple of months I plan to :-

• regas the aircon
• respray the front end to finally get rid of the stone chips
• respray the rear bumper to get rid of the chips-away paint that's crazy paved (only the smallest bit that most wouldn't notice but it wont get any better with time)
• removal of a couple of small dents by Dent Doctor or similar
• refinish the wheels (may skip this as the Mrs will still be using the car!!)
• 4 new tyres mid-April (Toyo Proxes T1-R)
• a switch from Revo to AMD custom map (booked in on April 10th to take into account Milltek and filter)
• full poly bushing at AMD on April 10th.

I have a new set of mats already on order and a set of silvervision bulbs. I reckon by the end of May that I'll have spent about £2k on it. Should be looking and feeling great as it nears the end of its 6th year though.

 

[S3 AKR]

Superpro poly bushes all fitted today (dog-bone still to come as they were sent a "petrol" kit rather than diesel). Also found that track rods needed to be replaced so they will get done with the dog-bone in a couple of weeks. Also refitted and aligned the exhaust by trimming a little from the end of the down pipe to get a better fit to my car. Sits perfect now, and without the need of any cable ties to position it! Also found that the clips on the boost hose/intercooler connection were on the wrong ends (they are slightly different sizes). Corrected and the hose is now a lot more secure.

Had it on the rollers ahead of being custom mapped to see how it was performing. Measured 202.6hp/310.7lbft on my Revo map which led AMD to suggest leaving it on Revo as at that level on a standard turbo, gains on a custom map would be minimal. Intercooler hose joint remained seated too!

Had a run in a hybrid PD150 that was otherwise pretty much factory and it was awesome. The hybrid fund now has its first £200 in it from the saving today of not having the custom map done.

Also, pulled up in a petrol station today and a van came in behind me advertising wheel refurbs. Bloke offered me a great deal as a one off on tyres/wheels etc saving another £100 on what I'd budgetted for. Hybrid fund now = £300.

My mrs opened her sisters car door onto mine and dented it. Also scraped the rear bumper. Luckily it was a panel already dented so won't cost anything when Dent Doctor or whoever does the work as they quote per panel. Rear bumper was already in plan for a respray.

 

[jonjay]

Nice to see you again mate.

Nice results on RR too.