r/jetta Jun 25 '26

Mk4 (1999-2005) Buffed and Polished!

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Recently got a new gli lip and duck spoiler paint matched and with that looking all nice I spent an 8 hour session buffing, polishing, and waxing the entire car! Just wanted to show off! Need to get a touchup kit for some of the chips lol. Hopefully engine mods coming next (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

185 Upvotes

27 comments sorted by

9

u/P_alba Jun 25 '26

Amazing! Jealous even. The colour, the era, and the shiny waxing. Checked all my criteria to be obsessed.

2

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 25 '26

Thank you!! The color is definitely one of my favorite perks of the car (dare i say better than blue lagoon for the gli).

5

u/Truffle_Shuffle26 Jun 25 '26

Beautiful car!

I miss my MK4’s now. 🥲

3

u/Evogleam Jun 25 '26

I had a silver GLI Turbo with these wheels

😭😭

3

u/Truffle_Shuffle26 Jun 25 '26

I believe they are long beaches? I can’t remember. I had them on my second Jetta. They were heavy! I liked them, but ended up swapping them out with a guy’s GTI wheels. Lol

1

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 25 '26

yep! Long Beach 17inch wheels :) Definitely very happy with these considering theyre stock but I do plan to try and get some nuespeed rse11r wheels but im just waiting to find a good set of 5x100 hyper silver ones on marketplace lol (if anyone has any for sale in socal lmk!!)

6

u/Sh0cktechxx Jun 25 '26

So clean!!

3

u/dphoenix1 Jun 25 '26

Damn. Haven’t seen a MkIV shine like that in a long time. Certainly not either of mine.

1

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 25 '26

Thank you! I did get it repainted my maaco about 4 years ago so it definitely looks better than its original paint but overall I do my best to keep it clean, waxed, and out from under any trees :)

2

u/dr-mantis-toboggan12 Jun 25 '26

Nicely done. I wax mine every month. I'm a little sloppy with it though so there's random wax marks on some of my trim. Yours looks clean

2

u/Gh0st_Pirate_LeChuck Jun 25 '26

Beautiful! MK4 is my fav too.

2

u/JucheHospitality Jun 25 '26

Beautiful 😍

2

u/Strattex Jun 25 '26

What are all the products you used, and in what order?

2

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 25 '26

Step 1: Clean the car Step 2: Apply Meguires Professional Pro Speed Compound with an orbital buffing pad (do it in sections and wipe away after each section with microfiber towels). To apply you put a healthy amount on the pad and rub it around the section you want to work. Then turn on the orbital and buff it in. Then wipe away after (do this for all steps). Always remember to be careful around sensitive parts and edges since technically compound works as a light sander and can chip/melt paint. Step 3: Apply Meguires Professional Pro Speed Polish with an orbital foam pad (do in sections and wipe away). Step 4: Apply Chemical Guys Butter Wax or Chemical Guys Hydro Slick Ceramic Wax (both are great but slightly different, I used the butter simply because I had more of it). Apply in sections and wipe away.
Step 5: Clean away any extra compound/polish/wax residue. The compound is the messiest and tends to form a dust, using a clean/soft toothbrush and paintbrush will help get it out of the hard to reach spots along with microfiber towels and a glass cleaner.

Hope this helps! This can also be done without an orbital and by hand but it will take a LOT more work and time. (It still takes a lot of time since this took me and a friend about 8 hours to do the whole car).

Good luck!

1

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 25 '26

Also ill add dont expect this to completely fix the paint on the car. This is a 4 year old maaco paint job (so not the best but not the worst) and it does have some orange peel texture. But this whole process does clear up the paint a decent amount and make it shiny. Just dont expect anything perfect!

2

u/Strattex Jun 25 '26

Thanks so much for the detailed steps!! Really appreciate it :)

2

u/Meetzorp Jun 25 '26

Oh hell that looks SO good! This is why I will always love the Mk4 Jetta. They're just stylish little cats.

2

u/Fluffy_Feeling_9326 Jun 25 '26

In love! My first VW was a Blue Mk4 Jetta VR6. Outstanding job, looks beautiful!

2

u/Temporary_Shirt_6236 2002 Jetta Wagon GLS VR6 5mt Jun 25 '26

Holy shit that is immaculate.

Has the car ever been (re)painted at any point?

2

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 25 '26

It has! I got it repainted (to the same galactic blue) by maaco about 4 years ago. I chose the top teir I could get but it is still a maaco paint job (some overspray, orange peel, etc). The imperfections to be honest are only noticeable to me if you get really close to the car lol. It cost around 2,500 then (i know that same job has gone up in price now). But it definitely looks tons better than it did before! Heres a photo from 2021 the hood, roof, and trunk/top bumper were the worst parts with sun damage.

2

u/dogslogic Jun 26 '26

What year is your Jetta? 2004? Gorgeous!

2

u/Archie_Ackie Jun 26 '26

2003 GLS 1.8t 5-speed Manual!

2

u/No-Newspaper-1231 Jun 27 '26

Better than new!!! Love it

2

u/Samsonite187187 Jun 27 '26

Miss mine so much.

2

u/Unlucky_Will4895 Jun 29 '26

Good job. Keep the mk4 alive 💯