The Volvo 850R Estate
The Volvo 850R Estate is an incredible vehicle with many fans around the world. It is at the pinnacle of combining practicality and fun in one package, with a 240hp engine and all-wheel drive, all in a spacious wagon body. It even has racing pedigree, having competed in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in 1994, before the BTCC quickly banned wagons from the competition. Suffice it to say, it's a vehicle worth holding on to.
Image found at deanblundell.com
25 Year Old Red Paint
One problem with most of the red cars of this day is that they had their paint applied with what is called a 'single-stage' application. Single-stage describes a paint application which does not have a layer of clear coat on top to protect it. Without this layer of clear coat, the paint is prone to oxidation, which eats away at the paint and causes it to appear faded over time.
This oxidation can be clearly seen in this photo, leaving what used to be a red spoiler to look more like a faded pink.
The roof has already had the X-Kote process started, which is why it looks a little better by comparison.
This 1996 example was brought to us in late May, the Fairburn family was hoping to bring the paint back to how it looked over two decades ago.
Why Bother With An Old Wagon?
To some, a vehicle is just that. A vehicle. Something to go to and from work, get groceries, take the kids to soccer practice, and go about daily life.
But to some with a passion for the engineering, sport, and art that creates great vehicles like the 850R Estate, the vehicle is much more. It's evident that the Fairburns are of the latter category. No one keeps a 25 year old vehicle in such great condition if that isn't the case.
A Great X-Kote Candidate
Thus, when we were brought this red wagon, we wanted to do everything we could to restore its former shine. The vehicle was a great candidate for our X-Kote Paint Restoration process. While it is a great product, X-Kote isn't magic. If the vehicle has rust, rock chips, deep scratches through the paint or other such damage, X-Kote can actually make them more apparent, because the rest of the paint looks so great.
This Volvo however, was in almost perfect condition, so we set about the X-Kote process highlighted in the video below.
So What Is X-Kote?
X-Kote is an idea that has gone through many iterations to get right. A single product that can work with a vehicle's existing paint and clear coat to restore its original shine. Many iterations of the product have existed in different forms, and it wasn't trusted by detailing technicians until X-Kote themselves perfected the chemistry and application method.
This is not a DIY product, it requires a specialized 24-Hour process and skilled application by trained detailing technicians for the best results. For more information, visit our X-Kote page here.
Due to the specialized nature of the product, X-Kote hand-selects detail shops which they sell their product to and trust with the application. Splashes is the trusted X-Kote installer for the South Surrey / White Rock area.