Detailer's Domain: 2008 STI Mega Write Up!

[Detailers Domain]

Here is the long awaited DD Subie Write up.

Where should I start, the mods I guess. Here is what I did before the complete detail was done. I researched and found all the parts I wanted to make this car look and handle a bit better.

Take a look at the work done, I did just about all the install work myself less the AV system and a few bushings (needed a press to get some of the stock ones out)

This car was a treat I never really did any of the wrenching myself so this was a great learning experience. One big lesson, the right tools and a lift are a HUGE Plus

Take a look:

Tuning mods:
Harman DP (removed when the car was traded in) not installed yet -installed and loving it 3/17/09
Harman Motive CAI
Magnaflow CBE --> removed
Invida Q300 CBE installed 3/2009
Access Port (stg 2)
Group N Engine Mount- installed 4/21/09
STI Heat Sheid

Exterior/interior:
Rally Armour Mud Flaps.-->deleted
Rear Bumper cargo strip (incoming) -
Arm rest extension (incoming) -installed 3/17/09
Rear Cargo Tray (incoming) - installed 3/17/09
Piaa Xtreme White Plus High Beams (9005)- installed 3/09
Piaa Plasma Ion Yellow Fogs -installed 3/28/09
Perrin Super Shorty Antenna - installed 3/28/09
Harman Motive Rear Overlay - installed 4/27/09
Valentine One - hardwired 4/27/09

Suspension:
BC BR CO's installed 3/2009
Whiteline Front Sways (22 mm) - installed 3/29/2009
Whiteline Rear Sways (20 mm) - installed 3/29/2009
Whiteline Sway Bar Support Brace - installed 3/29/09
Whiteline Anti-Lift Kit - installed 3/29/2009
Perrin Front End Links - installed 4/21/09
Perrin Rear End Links - installed 4/21/09
SPT STI Front Strut Bar - installed 4/27/09
SPT Lower H Chasis Brace - - installed 5/1/09
Whiteline 08+STi Positive Traction Kit- KDT902 - installed 5/1/09
Whiteline 08+ WRX Rear Differential Mount Inserts - KDT903 - installed 5/1/09
Whiteline rear camber adjusting kit 08+ wrx/sti hatchback subaru-kca326-- installed 5/1/09
Whiteline Steering Rack Bushing kit 08+ - ksr207 -- installed 5/1/09
Whiteline Rear Trailing Arm Bushing * W0568 -- installed 5/1/09
Whiteline Front Control Arm Bushings - W0507 -on the way

Stereo upgrades:
Kenwood DNX 7140 installed by Mobilewerks 4/7/09
JDM AV Panel installed 4/17/09

The car in stock form
At the dealer before delivery:









The STI at its first mobile detail job nice and dirty after a couple snow storms






Let the mods begin...
First up the CO's, Exhaust, and Removal of the Mud flaps
The BC Coilovers:






instructions and adjusters:


Install pictures:
Frt stock:


Set up and install:


Loosening up and removing




After shot:


Adjusters on the front


Rear install:
before:


after:


Rear adjuster:


Invidia Q300 Install pictures:
the exhaust in the box:



Getting ready to remove the Magnaflow exhaust



Old exhaust removed:



Joe doing the final install
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f149/pyiu/08%20impreza%20sti/joeworkingontheexhaust.jpg[/IMG]

Mud flaps on the car:



Mud flaps off the car:


Final shots of the car:





my favorite shot:


Next up the downpipes



Extended arm rest install



Extended


Cargo Tray


Rear bumper guard


Tranny mounts


Sways, Tranny Mounts, Bushings all getting installed








More bushings






Support Brace



Strut Bar





Endlinks



Shorty antenna install

Stock

50/50

After


Kenwood DNX-7140 Install (installed by the pro)

AV Panel from Japan

Stock panel with the new head unit

After with the new Japanese AV Panel


Random stuff





Debadging the car



Dental Floss


Leftover adhesive and ghosting

3M adhesive remover was used


Compounding and polishing


Final before and after



Now onto the detail......
Products Used:
Exterior:
Adam's All Purpose Cleaner in the Cam Spray Foam Canon
Adam's Clay Bar and Optimum Instant Detail Spray and Gloss Enhancer for clay lube
Menzerna Super Intensive with the Uber Orange Pad
Menzerna PO85RD with the Uber Blue Pad
Menzerna Top Inspection
Lusso Prototype for Detailer’s Domain
Einszett Spray Wax

Wheels and Tires
Uber Wheel/Tire/Wheel Well Kit see below for more of the wheel write up.

Interior and Glass
Adam's Glass Cleaner and Uber Glass MF Towels
Leather Master Foam Cleaner (alcantara)
Leather Master Nubuck Protection (alcantara)
Leather Master Strong Cleaner (leather)
Leather Master Vital (leather)

Engine:
P21S Total Autowash
Adam's VRT Diluted with Water in a Spray bottle

Trim:
Black Wow

Tools:
Infratech 5300
Brinkmann MaxFire
Metabo PE12-175
Makita 9227 Hi Speed Rotary
The Uber Foam Pads (5.5inch)
Tons of "Uber" Microfiber Towels
Uber Drying Towels
Cam Spray 1500A with Cam Spray Foam Gun

Let's start with the wheels.

Here is the set up, I have had the STI now for over 3000 miles and unfortunately I have had no time to give it even a proper wash, actually I haven't washed it yet. The day I figured I had some time it got just too hot to finish it. (98 degrees!)

Anyway here is a teaser. I got started on the wheels and after 3000 miles of caked on brake dust I decided to go all out!

By this I mean wheels were off the car, wheel wells were cleaned and dressed, brakes were polished and waxed.

Products used:

Uber Wheel Kit
Menzerna PO85RD
Sears Jack
19mm Socket
Ratchet
Torque Wrench
Cam Spray Pressure Washer

Now to the pictures:

Before shots of the wheels.


Before Brakes and Wheel Wells. (reference left side, forgot to take all the complete shots, both sides were pretty dirty)


Wheel being pulled off using ratchet and jack.


Wheel off the car.


Back


P21S Gel on the wheels, I let it dwell while I cleaned the wheel wells and brakes
Back of the wheel


Front of the wheel


What it looks like after P21S sits for a while, the P21S Wheel Gelis pretty thick.


Cleaned both the front side and the back side with the Uber Boar's Hair Wheel Brush, The Uber Spoke Brush, and the Swissvax Wheel Brush, each one helped with the process of cleaning all that brake dust and dirt off the wheels.





After I applied Swissvax Autobahn on them.


Results from all that hard work on the wheels.



Now that the wheels were done...on to the wheel wells.
P21S Total Auto Wash was used to cut the dirt and grime off the wheel wells as well as the suspension bits, and brake calipers.



Brushes were used to help clean up the wheel wells etc



After everything was rinsed and cleaned up, I moved on to polishing the brake calipers with Menzerna PO85RD after I put a nice coat of Swissvax Autobahn on them to give them a nice shine and protection.


Caliper After Polish and before Autobahn


Applying the SV Autobahn


Removing the SV Autobahn


Adam's Undercarriage Spray was applied to bring back a nice new look to the wheel well covers (note I did wipe down any access to prevent a oily greasy look, I was going for a matte finish)


Rear Before




Rear After



Front Before


Front After



After of the wheel back on the car (less the tire dressing)


Of course the wheels were done again but much easier this time around.

Take a look.

Let's do the interior first
Before










After







Prep

Some before shots (this is how I got the car from the dealer)







Before engine shots






Cleaning up the engine




P21S Total Autowash on all the areas with wax build up around the rubber trim, bug and tar etc.








Now for the foam canon




Claying the car


Swirls everywhere







Measuring paint


After polishing under the Brinkmann



After shots of the engine





After shots of the car
















Last shot

[anthony @ eas]

Wow- that turned out really clean and really cool! Great job!

[M3ltdown]

pretty amazing modification and detail!

[Subw00er]

You can shine it up but all you're going to get a shiny turd. That car was the biggest POS I ever owned, with a company philosophy and backing to match it.

This was my car at 4000 miles:


#4 piston failure, warranty coverage denied. This is a common failure on the new STi. How you ask? They rebadge an engine from the 10yr(ish) old STi, lean it out to claim better fuel economy for '08, #4 piston runs hot if you drive it at any sort of speed (like the ads claim "Thou shalt seek redline"), and you blow the ringland. Subaru issued a GLOBAL stop sale to reprogram the ecu back to the richer (less MPG) map. By then the damage was done to my car. Subaru did not cover me. f'in bastards.

PS -look how nicely the Capitaland subaru department took care of my car while they worked on it for over a month. I visited the dealer and saw this to my horror.

On top of that, I lost $10K in value in that car after 10 months. I'll NEVER buy another Subaru.

[erock841]

phil incredible job on that sti. Looks like a ton of work but it was worth it in the end. Amazing looking car.

[Detailers Domain]

thanks guys, I knew that the subies had a problem and I thought they would back it all up wow that sucks good think I dumped mine as well not for the problems but more so because I'm a german car guy...

[URBAN LEGEND]

Great job.

[Detailers Domain]

thanks!