16 Hours of machine polishing: A 3 Day Restoration of a 10 Year Old Mercedes E300 in Bromborough On The Wirral

What does a decade of daily driving do to a premium vehicle? If it’s this Mercedes E-Class 300 currently sitting in our Bromborough studio, the answer is "a lot."

This car arrived in a bad way. The magenta paintwork a stunning, deep metallic when maintained was buried under ten years of neglect. It had never been polished, never correctly decontaminated, and the finish was flat, swirled, and tired. Our mission over the next three days was simple but ambitious: take ten years off the clock and make this Mercedes look as good as the day it left the showroom.

Here is how we transformed this modern classic using professional paint correction and multi surface ceramic protection.

Day 1: The Deep Dive Decontamination

You can’t build a house on a shaky foundation, and you can’t polish a car that isn't surgically clean. We spent the entirety of Day 1 focused on wash and decontamination.

Wheels Off Detailing

We began by removing the wheels entirely. This allows us to access the inner barrels and the suspension components that rarely see the light of day. After a deep clean and chemical decontamination to remove baked on brake dust, we applied a dedicated 2 year ceramic coating to the wheels. This ensures that moving forward, brake dust won't bond to the surface, making future maintenance a breeze for the owner.

The Engine Bay & Exterior Prep

The engine bay was detailed and dressed to restore that "factory fresh" plastic finish. Moving to the exterior, we followed a strict three-stage process:

1. Snow Foam: To safely soften surface grit and dirt.

2. Chemical Decontamination: Using fallout and tar removers to dissolve metallic particles and road glue.

3. Mechanical Clay Bar: To pluck out any remaining bonded contaminants, leaving the paint smooth to the touch.

Finally, the fabric roof was deep cleaned and dried, ready for its own specialized protection.

Day 2: 16 Hours of Paint Correction

Day 2 was the "marathon session." To get the results this Mercedes deserved, we put in 16 hours of machine polishing.

The Two Stage Polish

Because the paint was in such poor condition, a single stage machine polish wasn't enough.

• The Heavy Cut: We used a heavy duty cutting compound to "level" the clear coat, removing deep scratches, heavy swirl marks, and oxidation.

• The Refinement Stage: Once the defects were gone, we followed up with a refinement polish. This is where the magic happens, bringing back the clarity and making that metallic magenta paint truly pop under the lights.

We didn't stop at the paint, the exterior glass was also machine polished to remove water spots and then treated with a long term ceramic coating.

Day 3: Interior Luxury & Final Protection

The final day was all about preservation. After 16 hours of polishing, the last thing we want is for that paint to degrade again... We call it "The Championship Rounds"

Gtechniq Interior Protection

We moved inside to deep clean the cabin. To ensure the interior stays as pristine as the exterior, we applied:

• Gtechniq Leather Guard: To prevent stains and dye transfer on the seats.

• Gtechniq Smart Fabric: To the carpets and the exterior fabric roof, providing a hydrophobic barrier against the Wirral weather.

The Finishing Touch: CarPro C.Quartz Professional Ceramic Coating

Before the final coating, we used CarPro Eraser to wipe down every panel, ensuring no polishing oils remained. We then applied CarPro C.Quartz Professional. This ceramic coating provides a hard-wearing, high-gloss sacrificial layer that will protect this Mercedes for the next three years.

The Result: Better Than New

After three long, challenging days in our Bromborough car detailing studio, this 10 year old Mercedes E300 is unrecognizable. The paint is mirror smooth, the fabric roof is water repellent, the interior is shielded and finally the paintwork is protected against the elements.

Is your vehicle showing its age? Whether you have a ten year old daily driver or a brand new car you want to keep perfect and enhance it. We have a detailing package to suit your needs and wants.

Ready to transform your car? Car Detailing in Bromborough On The Wirral

Don't let your paintwork suffer another season of neglect. We specialize in high end car detailing, paint corrections and ceramic coatings right here on the Wirral.