Whats your best method?

[sonny]

There is a lot of information here about detailing, but what I want to know is, what is your best/ preferred method for washing and waxing/polishing your pride and joy, I want to know from personal experience!

I prefer, just a hose down, then a chamois, then to use Maguire's Liquid glass, and on the rims just a standard wheel cleaning product, however that was on my previous car and have not yet had the chance to polish the RS4, I am definitely in favour of the 2 bucket method.

sonny

[SJS]

www.detailingworld.co.uk is the main source for me. Some of the guys on there are totally insane though and must have time and money to burn.

[sonny]

OK thanks SJS, I have just signed up

But on the note of Audi (or even VAG paint) I have heard that it is not the strongest paint on the market, and that it can swirl/scratch easier, not sure if this is true or not!

EDIT: check this out http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... php?t=6361 its a beading compition, these guys are obsesed (but i would ove a result like that!!)

[david7m]

OK thanks SJS, I have just signed up

But on the note of Audi (or even VAG paint) I have heard that it is not the strongest paint on the market, and that it can swirl/scratch easier, not sure if this is true or not!

EDIT: check this out http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... php?t=6361 its a beading compition, these guys are obsesed (but i would ove a result like that!!)

I think they need to get out more often

Dave

[MarkB]

I've heard that VAG laquer is some of the hardest out there so hard to removed swirls etc. So on that I would think it's one of the hardest to damage

[sonny]

I've heard that VAG laquer is some of the hardest out there so hard to removed swirls etc. So on that I would think it's one of the hardest to damage

Ahh ok, well I hope so then, even better!

[Coxy]

OK thanks SJS, I have just signed up

But on the note of Audi (or even VAG paint) I have heard that it is not the strongest paint on the market, and that it can swirl/scratch easier, not sure if this is true or not!

EDIT: check this out http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... php?t=6361 its a beading compition, these guys are obsesed (but i would ove a result like that!!)

Audi/VAG paint is some of the hardest on the market and the top clear coat lacquer is supposedly scratch resistant, although it will still swirl and scratch if you take it to a Polish car wash!

The only real polish to deal with Audi/Vag paint is Menzerna PO85RD3.02, although some of the new 3M range will work as well with only a small variation in speed to obtain perfect results.

If you go one to Detailing World, you could easily spend a fortune in search of perfection!!!

You could ask 10 different people and you'll get different answers on how best to clean your car.

A lot of it also depends on how bad it is in the first place.
If I'm doing a full detail, I will spend between 10 and 15 hours on a car minimum (up to 40 hours if it's in readiness for a show)

First off for me, I soak the car in an Orange pre wash, then I stick the kettle on and make a brew whilst the pre wash lifts the dirt up. Then I go round the car and add Bilberry wheel cleaner to all four wheels, drink some of my tea, then using a brush to agitate the dirt and brake dust on each wheel. I then hose off using a hot pressure washer. I then soak the car in a shampoo, drink some more tea, then blast off with a hot pressure washer.
This method for me will have removed about 98% of the dirt. If there are tar spots around the lower half then a give them a blast with Tardis (Autosmarts tar and glue remover). After a few minutes the tar spots will have dissolved and can be rinsed off.
After that, I then dry the car using drying towels.
It is impertive if you have a swirl free car that you make sure the car is 100% clean before you do this else you can drag any remaining dirt across the paint and inflict scratches (which causes swirling).
If the car has not been detailed before, then I clay the entire surface.
If you've not used clay bar on a car before then you won't know just how much of a difference this can make to the cars paint. The feel of the piant before can feel rough, but afterwards, it will feel like glass!
After that, if she needs a deswirl/polish, I crack open the Menzerna PO85RD3.02 and go over the car (rotary over metail and UDM over plastic bumpers and thinner areas).
After the polish has broken down, then I buff off with a nice clean microfibre.
After this stage, I get out a pre wax cleaner such as Dodo Juice Lime Prime. This contains micro abrasives and I use this on a soft pad via UDM to give a superb finish to the paint in readiness for wax.
Then it's down to the wax stage.
Chosing the right wax for me depends on the colour of the car.

For darker coloured cars (blue/black), then I'd personally chose Dodo Juice Purple Haze.

Yes, all this may seem obsessive, but I like my cars to look good!!

Here's a few recent cars that I've done.

my RS2






and my Audi 80CD which took best of show at ADI 2007 (pre 88 class)


my Audi 100

[Coxy]

oh, and a gratuitous beading shot, well it's Noggy blue (RS Blue if being politically correct!!!!)

[sonny]

Nice write up Coxy, there's some great results there and some fantastic pictures, Just one question, is it recommended to use a clay bar on a car that's a year old, is there a certain age limit of the car/paint that clay can be used on?

[Coxy]

Nice write up Coxy, there's some great results there and some fantastic pictures, Just one question, is it recommended to use a clay bar on a car that's a year old, is there a certain age limit of the car/paint that clay can be used on?

You can use a clay bar on a car of any age, but only use it if you need to.
If you run your fingers over the paint and it feels rough, then yes, use a clay bar.

[Newdub]

My process is roughly as follows
Snow foam entire car
Acid free wheel cleaner/ numerous brushes to remove dirt inside dish too
Meg all perpous cleaner, arches, lower half of car
Megs tar remover where necesary
Jet wash down
2 bucket wash with lambs wool mitt
Sonus green clay if needed with Swissvax quick detailer
Soak car with purified water(no water marks)
If correcting paint a combination of mernenza/ megs 80 polish via pc or rotary.
paint cleanse poorboys or swissvax
Leaving 12 hrs between coats 2 layers of best of show(black car) followed by a layer of collinite now its winter
Dress arches/ tyres (megs)
polish tailpipes swissvax metal polish, fine wire wool
clean glass
I'm sure i've forgotten something, once this process is complete i can maintain by repeating without the polishing stage and maybe top up the wax once a month.
I'm looking forward to trying the dodo products next year heard lots of good things about them!!!!!

[Newdub]

By the way Coxy you've got a lovely car colection there mate!

[Coxy]

By the way Coxy you've got a lovely car colection there mate!

There's a lot more hiding! It's an obsession!

[Coxy]

My process is roughly as follows
Snow foam entire car
Acid free wheel cleaner/ numerous brushes to remove dirt inside dish too
Meg all perpous cleaner, arches, lower half of car
Megs tar remover where necesary
Jet wash down
2 bucket wash with lambs wool mitt
Sonus green clay if needed with Swissvax quick detailer
Soak car with purified water(no water marks)
If correcting paint a combination of mernenza/ megs 80 polish via pc or rotary.
paint cleanse poorboys or swissvax
Leaving 12 hrs between coats 2 layers of best of show(black car) followed by a layer of collinite now its winter
Dress arches/ tyres (megs)
polish tailpipes swissvax metal polish, fine wire wool
clean glass
I'm sure i've forgotten something, once this process is complete i can maintain by repeating without the polishing stage and maybe top up the wax once a month.
I'm looking forward to trying the dodo products next year heard lots of good things about them!!!!!

Good call with the Collinite. Best wax during winter. Did an S4 (an RS246 Forum members) and used Diamond White (Dodo Juice hard wax for the first layer) then layered up the next day with Collinite 915. A superb hard wearing wax and a must in winter IMHO.

If you want to try some Dodo Juice waxes, give us a shout as I stock them all

[chunky79]

MODS. I really don't want to upset anyone hear by saying it was my car that was done by coxy due to him not sponsering the site. If i'm braking the rules please take this post off.
Got to say he did a great job. Unfortunatley my pic's/ camera don't do the car or the work carried out any justice at all!! Wish you'd remembered yours now alistair.
The car had scratches don't both sides of the car (full length) and a really bad one on the drivers side rear wheel arch. Apart from the one on the wheel arch(you really have to look close) you would never know the car had any marks on her. Not bad for a car with almost 70K on the clock.
If you want to do a write up to say how much work you had to do please feel free.