Audi b7 RS4 Cabriolet – 2008
Winter Protection Detail with full Interior and LTT Leather care.
I’ve been looking forward to this one.. Why? I’m an Audi man myself. I’m on my fourth!
Generally, this is a very well looked after vehicle. Mainly used at the weekends and hardly even driven these last two/three months..
Before:
After:
Product:
• 303 Fabric Guard
• AutoGlym Fast Glass
• AutoSmart G101
• AutoSmart Tardis
• Belgom ALU
• ChemicalGuys JetSEAL901
• Clearkote Red Moose Glaze
• Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild
• Dodo Juice SuperNatural
• LTT Auto Ultra Foam
• LTT Auto Ultra Protect
• Lusso Revitalizing Cream
• Meguiars Last Touch
• Meguiars Endurance Tyre Gel
• Sonus Green Mild Clay
• Zaino Z8 Grand Finale
• Black Baron Vehicle Dryer
• Karcher something or other.. (soon to be replaced by a Kranzle!)
• Porter Cable 7424 Dual-action polisher
• VAX6131 wet n dry vac
Inspection..
As always, I started with the wheels. AutoSmart G101, various brushes and mitts to reach through the spokes to clean the rim/hub and caliper..
After a thorough soaking, ValetPRO SnowFoam applied and allowed to dwell for a few minutes..
…whilst I dealt with the finicky areas:
Washed – Dodo Juice Born To Be Mild and a Lambswool mitt.
I wasn’t expecting much pick-up from the claying stages.. To touch, the car was generally quite smooth and appeared contaminant free.
Clay bar before:
Clay bar after boot lid and N/S doors if I remember correctly (only as far down as the bump-strips at this stage..)
^more than I expected after all.
Lower-doors, boot and the bumpers were the worst areas..
After I clay one/two panels, I will often rinse the area to rid of the lube residues.. This usually leads to ample amounts of standing water.
Now, rather than lapping it up with a drying towel, allow free-flowing water to ‘sheet’ over the panel.
This, as seen, makes life much easier when drying as there is now very little stood water (and also minimises the chance of marring the paint)
Remaining water on the car was picked with a mf drying towel and then crevices/wheels/gaps/mesh blown with the Black Baron.
This is an amazing bit of kit! Where I’d usually end up cursing water that drips down from the window join or petrol filler, its completely eliminated. No more smears when polishing, waxing or buffing!
One clean, dry RS4. Looks stunning already!
Once inside, Lusso Revitalizing Cream was worked into the paint via DA and a 3M finishing pad with a blob of Red Moose Glaze to add some depth to the red paint.
Now, in previous Winter Protection Details, Lusso’s Revitalizing Cream has come into its own with its ease of use, looks and ability to remove most of the surface hazing.. This was no exception.
Cloudy swirled paint on the O/S door..
And after a pass with Lusso and the Red Moose Glaze:
By no means is it perfect, but, considering Audi paint is particularly ‘bomb-proof’, I was pleased at the cleaning ability given.
Which was all followed up with a fine coat of Dodo Juice SuperNatural wax..
Alloys were sealed with ChemicalGuys’ JetSEAL901.. After I’d applied to all four, I tidied the exhaust tips up with Belgom ALU and the wheels are now about ready to be buffed up..
Tyres dressed with Megs endurance. Windows cleaned with AutoGlym Fast Glass.
Whoa’ MOMMA!
A few final exterior checks and I notice a healthy amount of polish build-up in both of the side badges. I later learnt that the previous valeters liked their AutoGlym kit so no doubt this was Super Resin Polish remains..
After a bit off tooth-pickery, they came up fine.
Convertible hood was protected with 303’s Fabric Guard.
I then started on the interior (which was in fine shape already (albeit the leather which was due a deep-clean..))
This was the dirt that was lifted from the drivers seat:
I’m pretty stocked up now! (Thanks to the owners for a healthy supply of biscuits and coffee all day!)
More final checks; a quick spritz over with Z8 to clean up any Fabric Guard smears that may have made their way down to the paintwork..
And we’re pretty much there! Que lots of photos!!!
The hubs were pretty tricky to clean on this car; angled grooves and multi-spokes made for quite a time consuming job..
One shiny RS and a dirty TDi:
Final..
And two which have been played with slightly in Photoshop:
So, who wants to buy a 1.9TDi Avant Quattro Sport to make way for my new car!!!?
I enjoyed both the ~7 hour detail on the car, and, documenting the report.. Such a strong, vivid image. I’d love to see the car in ‘full-sun’. I hope to be revisiting once a month to maintain things, so, fingers crossed!
As always, thanks for reading.
Jim
