This Just Got Real!

[DFB5.0]

And so, here is my YouTube on camera debut.........................



Yeah, I know, that's cheating. But, at least you can see some of my words in action with this time lapse. I did the driver's side wheels before turning the camera on so that there wasn't a delay before the action started. I'm multi-media-tasking here, hence the pauses in action to take stills.

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[bfets]

And so, here is my YouTube on camera debut.........................



Yeah, I know, that's cheating. But, at least you can see some of my words in action with this time lapse. I did the driver's side wheels before turning the camera on so that there wasn't a delay before the action started. I'm multi-media-tasking here, hence the pauses in action to take stills.

Loved to see the Aussie Matt Morman in action

 

[DFB5.0]

Loved to see the Aussie Matt Morman in action

Just need a Porche to complete the picture...........................................................and the bank balance.

 

[5.0ALM]

Just need a Porche to complete the picture...........................................................and the bank balance.

That's easy!

Just build up a Youtube following to, say, a million or so, then release your own product line, AND then in your own awards video, rank yourself in top place in every category.

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Sofa King]

Exhausting Work!

The first detailing job on the new Mustang, addressing the exhaust tips. The S650 uses carry over mufflers and exhaust tips from S550, so the pipes themselves are not sleeved with a chrome finisher. I actually quite like the crisp look they bring, even if it means they will require more ongoing maintenance. The condition of the tips at first looked fine, but under closer inspection, they needed some attention to bring to a level I'd be happy with.

Frustratingly, Ford still spray the underside of export Mustang's with horrible black paint, something that I immediately noticed when I got home from the dealer. Seeing smoke pour out from under the hood of your brand-new car is not something you want to see! A customer new to Mustang's would be extremely worried by this, but I've treaded this path before and know that the smell and smoke was from that useless paint. I mention this because that stuff was all over the exhaust tips, you can see it in the second pic above, and that was the good side, the underside was caked in it. This meant I needed to add an extra step this morning.

Before I went any further, it was time to glove up. These tips are renounced for being a finger slicer, that crisp edge is certainly sharp. I'd normally have nitrile rubber gloves on when using harsher chemicals, but they would have been useless here. A clean pair of my garden gloves worked well.

Koch Chemie Eulex is a sledgehammer, no doubt about it, and you should never use it in confined spaces as its extremely heady. It's typically used as a heavy-duty tar and adhesive remover, but this paint is like tar anyway. Turns out it worked very well at softening the paint to the point where it was removed with a towel. The problem here is working around that plastic bumper, care was needed to not get the Eulex everywhere. I worked my back to where the pipe joins the muffler, in other words, I had to know when to stop. If you end up doing this, chose your towel carefully, you will ruin it.

After the paint removal, I flushed the tips with ONR to remove the Eulex residue, which I can still smell in the garage. From here, I could start to polishing. For the inside of the pipe, I grabbed a Maxshine Polishing Cone which I had in stock and worked them over with Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish.

At this point I want to highlight the brilliance of "disposable" microfiber towels. I've been running down a box of Repco Eclipse Microfiber Cloths, which are 200 gsm towels in 30cm x 30cm size. These are not the best towel you will ever have, but they excel in being cheap and sacrificial at 0.65c each. Their replacement I bought some time ago being the TRC Rip 'n' Rag.

I have to say, when TRC launched these, they made a huge song and dance about the concept of a microfiber dispenser pack and the disposable nature. Many companies have delivered this format in the past, long before TRC adopted it. Compared to the Repco towels, they actually have a lower 180 gsm and cost 0.87c per towel. However, with a 70/30 blend, they do seem to be softer and more absorbent, Repco don't publish the blend so I would say their cost per towel is achieved with a higher polyester count vs polyamide (polyamide is the absorbent/softness part).

The inboard right side pipe had some sort of scratch that didn't remove with polish, a light hit with some wet and dry paper sorted it easily, I also used that to round off some of the edge.

It was then time for a favorite of mine, a very obscure product that is so perfectly tailored for its role.................P21S Polishing Soap. I used this a final go-over, it actually feels grittier than the Mothers metal polish. A tub of this is going to last you for the rest of your life, its a must for those who love a clean set of pipes.

The final step was the application of Dr. Beasly's Metal Coat. I got this bottle at great expense through Obsessed Garage, but I see its now available on Amazon...................at great expense too. Like P21S, a bottle will last a very long time.

And the final result. Overall, they are a marked improvement prior to all this work, but I think I can still get a little more out of them. If I can find a tip style I like, I may end up going that route instead.

Nice work on the exhaust tips... wish mine were black... I think it looks a bit out of place, as there is not a lick of chrome on the outside of the car (unless you count the stinking badges).

 

[DFB5.0]

Inner Workings!

Most detailers hate doing interiors! And trust me, I can totally get that. Dealing with neglected interiors is time consuming and tedious, compounded by being cramped up within a confined space. My worst nightmare? Dealing with the cheap and nasty carpet the Japanese and Korean car companies use for their interiors. That stuff just hangs onto every grain of sand and debris, even after using every tool and method under the sun, it still doesn't look clean.

Having said all of that, I don't mind maintaining an interior, that I find cathartic. Maintaining a state of cleanliness means you don't need to reach for the sledgehammers such as heavy-duty interior cleaners and all-purpose cleaners. And while I typically use an interior quick detailer, to perfectly honest, all you need to maintain a clean interior is a damp microfiber.

Now, I know what you are going to say..............."why are you cleaning a brand-new interior".........................because that's what I do! Seriously though, the initial clean is about hitting the reset button, albeit very early on. As mentioned during the first wash, these cars sit out in the open for months, all the while the interior is left to bake and outgas. The most obvious here will be the glass, often witnessed by a fine haze when looking out into the light. The interior in general sees many hands as its assembled, driven off the line, prepared for shipping, moved from Ford's holding yard to the dock, onto the vessel, off the vessel, into a holding yard, driven onto and off the truck, then many dealerships personal as its prepared for sale. Think of like buying a used car, you replace all of the fluids to start from fresh. Same concept here.

I decided to get the rear accommodation sorted first, which means moving the seat back and base all the way forward, then folding yourself into the back seat. The first thing I noticed, Ford have changed from a carpeted parcel shelf to a hard plastic. The natural reaction to that would be, wow how cheap. But actually, vacuuming that carpeted parcel shelf was difficult, so a simple wipe going forward will be much easier and convenient.

First, cleaning the rear glass. Every S550 and S650 Mustang owner needs one of these, the Stoner Reach & Clean Tool. This might seem like a gimmick, but it makes the job much easier, especially reaching right down to the very base of the screen that would ordinarily be missed. This applies to the front screen as well. I teamed this with the classic Invisible Glass.

I then used Griot's Interior Cleaner to wipe down the leather seats and plastics. Why Griot's? Because it's not scented..................you only get that new car scent for so long. Because the rear seats will never have been used, I didn't feel the need for a more intensive leather cleaning back there. After the wipe down with Griot's, I applied ColourLock Leather Shield, including the back of the front seats. A quick vacuum on the carpet, it was time to move to the front row seats.

Again, the Griots was used for a quick wipe down of the console, dashboard and door trims. The front screen and door glass given the same treatment as the rear. For the seats and steering wheel, I used the ColourLock brush and Mild Leather Cleaner. Again, this was more of a reset procedure, so only light pressure was used.

Now clean and allowed to dry, I then applied ColourLock Leather Shield. For brand new leather, ColourLock recommend using Leather Shield up to the 3-year mark, from there you switch to Leather Protector. Leather Shield is an abrasion, discoloration and dye transfer blocker that also allows it breath. ColourLock suggest that signs of wear are most pronounced over the first three years, so Leather Shield was designed to prevent that. For best results, the driver's seat should have this applied every six months, once a year for rest of the interior.

In my case, I applied Leather Shield to the aforementioned rear seats, the front seats, steering wheel, door trims, gear shifter and boot, drift brake, the center console and console lid. Yes, most of that is not real leather, but there is no harm applying it to artificial leather. Like the Leather Cleaner, Shield is unscented.

Leather Shield goes on quite shiny, but as it flashes away, the finished result is a soft, natural, matte finish. No greasiness, no shine. I have to say, afterwards, the leather took on a new dimension, it feeling softer and smoother than before.

Finally, a couple of additions to the boot.

First off, I repurposed the scuff guard and cargo net from my S550. Combined, these two are worth about $140 new.

Genuine Ford Pony Logo FLA Boot Scuff Guard
Genuine Ford Cargo Net Mesh Organiser Backer

Next, a very generous gift from a fellow Mustang 6g/7g forum member after a trip to the USA. This item replaces the standard boot lock cover and provides a grab point to close the boot lid without fingerprinting your paint. Many thanks @5.0ALM , greatly appreciated.

Not an addition per say, but new to me as my S550 didn't come with one, a sizeable subwoofer.

 

[5.0ALM]

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Next, a very generous gift from a fellow Mustang 6g/7g forum member after a trip to the USA. This item replaces the standard boot lock cover and provides a grab point to close the boot lid without fingerprinting your paint. Many thanks @5.0ALM , greatly appreciated.

You're most welcome!

Everyone else would be unaware, but I got two of these whilst in the USA back in June.
One for myself, and one for Deyon as a thank you for all his efforts with the detailing information he provides. Personally, I've learnt a lot in the last 12 months.

These trunk boot pull down straps are available on Etsy, but like a lot of US vendors, they do not ship outside of the USA.
I had these delivered to a mates place in Dallas I visited after the work week in Houston.
(No point including a link, because it can't be shipped here)

I knew your delivery day would signal the start of a race to install this!
And I need to pull my finger out, and get mine installed.

 

[bfets]

In my case, I applied Leather Shield to the aforementioned rear seats, the front seats, steering wheel, door trims, gear shifter and boot, drift brake, the center console and console lid. Yes, most of that is not real leather, but there is no harm applying it to artificial leather. Like the Leather Cleaner, Shield is unscented.

I've never actually used Colourlock products but I've heard quite a bit about them. The DH has a lot of Alcantara and so I probably wont use much of it, but thought it might be worth having for some of the other areas. I just noticed this though:

Looks like they dont recommend using it on artificial leather. Know anything about any unwanted side affects on artificial leather DFB?

 

[DFB5.0]

As was obvious, the two year wait for this car tested my patience, especially between year one and year two! As the wait grew longer and longer, I had people telling me that they would never wait so long for a car.

Many times I considered cancelling my order and buying something else. If the right used car popped up, that may well have happened. Thing is, the right used car was basically a unicorn and meant too much compromise for my liking, especially at the asking prices. Every time to tried to sway, I kept returning to the car I had on order, nothing else ticked all the boxes.

One of the things that kept me motivated and excited about a new Mustang was watching and hearing videos of the new S650 starting up. This will probably sound completely weird, but how a car sounds as it winds-over on the starter and ultimately fires up is something that gets me excited! Those sounds often get stuck in my head, giving me a little buzz when I think about them.

The whirr of a V12 Aston Martin reminds me of the 5th Gear review of the then new DB9.



The rapid turn over and blast of sound from a V8 F-Type is pure heaven!



I also loved the distinctive sound a last-gen Windsor as it wound over. I think FPV used the same starter on the 5.4 Boss V8's too. I always thought the Holden equivalent sounded so lazy as it was turned over.



Same for the Miami V8's, which have quite a long run on the starter before firing off.



And so, as I watched videos of others starting up their very own S650 Mustang's, the excitement for doing that for myself helped keep the faith. What I love most about the S650 in particular is the fast-paced whirr and blast of revs as it fires off. There's just something about it that makes me grin! And the best part, you don't have to be in the car to start it, the remote start function allows you to take a front row position behind the car for the full sensory experience.



Actually, you can also remote start and stop the car with the Ford Pass App. This allows you to start or stop the vehicle remotely, handy if you want to warm the car up before taking off or making sure the battery is charged while you are away on holiday. The App also allows you to lock and unlock the vehicle, provides a distance to empty estimate, tyre pressure monitoring, oil life, vehicle tracking and current location, the ability to book scheduled services or contact roadside assistance.

Ford All-New FordPass App | Ford Australia

At the end of the day, this is probably more about Ford collecting vehicle usage data and research than it is of convenience, but it's an interesting feature of the car and worth highlighting.

Also, think about the fun you could have ransoming starting up a car while you watch on in amusement. Or maybe freaking out a family member while you are at work. Not that I would ever do such a thing..........................................

 

[DFB5.0]

I've never actually used Colourlock products but I've heard quite a bit about them. The DH has a lot of Alcantara and so I probably wont use much of it, but thought it might be worth having for some of the other areas. I just noticed this though:

Looks like they dont recommend using it on artificial leather. Know anything about any unwanted side affects on artificial leather DFB?

I did note that Shield is not recommended for artificial leather and vinyl, but I have not had adverse effects from using like that.

Thing is, ColourLock would love you to buy their Artificial Leather Cleaner and Artificial Leather Protector in addition to the equivalent for real leather. And yes, I feel for that tactic.......................

The thing with ColourLockl is their pure focus on leather and leather-like materials. As such, they can specifically tailor their products to suit the variety of leather types. I'm sure there is a very specific Germanic explanations, but I ended up using the Artificial stuff only once before just using the real stuff across the board. The same applies to the leather cleaners, they are universally appropriate.

If you want to go for something a little simpler, then the NV duo of Cleanse and Nourish work in a very similar fashion and can be used on artificial and real leather. I love the softness Nourish brings without that tacky slickness most leather products instill.

And finally, never coat leather with specific ceramic coatings, it's not needed or desirable.

 

[DFB5.0]

I'm probably spamming the internet with my car at the moment, but I've been waiting to show it off for two years, so sue me!

When Ford unveiled the S650, I have to say the rear end did not grab me. Strangely, I now absolutely love the rear styling.

At the front, those brooding blacked out headlights look so sinister!

And today's cluster theme, Fox Body '87 - '93. Both this and the recently added SVT Cobra design are the clearest to view, there's something to be said about simplicity and how it relates to legibility.

Fox Body, take note of my economy reading, it drank more than a 1/4 tank doing just over 100km :unsure: Not that I'm thrashing the car, its just tight. (That's 11.47 MPG and 62 miles)

SVT Cobra -

 

[VB50GT]

I have to admit that from all of the photos of the S650 I endlessly studied while I was waiting for mine to be built, I actually preferred the back end of the S550. The 650 just looked a bit too tapered and sharp. But now seeing it in the flesh, I've changed my mind - I do like the back view, but I still want a wing on it...

 

[DFB5.0]

I have to admit that from all of the photos of the S650 I endlessly studied while I was waiting for mine to be built, I actually preferred the back end of the S550. The 650 just looked a bit too tapered and sharp. But now seeing it in the flesh, I've changed my mind - I do like the back view, but I still want a wing on it...

100% agree. I don't think photos do S650 justice, S550 on the other hand was perfection right out of the gate.

 

[5.0ALM]

I have to admit that from all of the photos of the S650 I endlessly studied while I was waiting for mine to be built, I actually preferred the back end of the S550. The 650 just looked a bit too tapered and sharp. But now seeing it in the flesh, I've changed my mind - I do like the back view, but I still want a wing on it...

It's amazing what a difference there is between endlessly looking at photos and videos of something vs being right there next to it.

I was always unhappy that I couldn't get a rear spoiler via the appearance pack (and immediately removing those kiddy racing stripes!) along with the must-have MagneRide. Anyone in this disposition will start looking at aftermarket spoilers.

The RTR spoiler falls into the same category, where images simply don't do it justice.

I thought the duckbill spoiler was outright fugly, despite being the cleanest to install.
It simply replaces the decklid spoiler delete panel.

But in person, wow, not so fugly!
An RTR Spec-2 in a dealer showroom, June 2024, Dallas, TX.

Now that I have my own S650 with it's naked bum exposed sitting here, you know what.... I'm not sure I want a spoiler anymore. The real thing looks better than any picture or video.



And at the risk of being a blasphemer, I tend to think the S550 with it's curved lines now looks extremely dated.
A classic dated though.

 

[DFB5.0]

It's amazing what a difference there is between endlessly looking at photos and videos of something vs being right there next to it.

I was always unhappy that I couldn't get a rear spoiler via the appearance pack (and immediately removing those kiddy racing stripes!) along with the must-have MagneRide. Anyone in this disposition will start looking at aftermarket spoilers.

The RTR spoiler falls into the same category, where images simply don't do it justice.

I thought the duckbill spoiler was outright fugly, despite being the cleanest to install.
It simply replaces the decklid spoiler delete panel.

But in person, wow, not so fugly!
An RTR Spec-2 in a dealer showroom, June 2024, Dallas, TX.

Now that I have my own S650 with it's naked bum exposed sitting here, you know what.... I'm not sure I want a spoiler anymore. The real thing looks better than any picture or video.

And at the risk of being a blasphemer, I tend to think the S550 with it's curved lines now looks extremely dated.
A classic dated though.

Same, I don't think I need a spoiler on the rear now.

I hadn't seen an S650 until last Wednesday when my own car turned up off the truck. Then having them parked side by side on Tuesday, it was only then that I realized how dated the S550 suddenly became to me. But its mostly the rear, the front I still prefer the S550's perfection.

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