dogg97A4

<center><img src="http://audiworld.pictureposter.com/josha4.jpg"></center><p>Wanna get this baby looking nice tomorrow.
I see the faqs on detailing the whole thing but..
any recommendations on stuff to use on a car before the regular wax/polish? like something that cuts more?
and what to put on those wheels after the brake dust is off?

thanks

Ted K

Here's some advice (a bit lengthy, but I want to be thorough). I'd also like to just point out that not everyone agrees with my detailing routine, but I find it works very well, as have others I've recommended it to. You can check with LI-S4 as a referrence if you like.

Okay, as for washing/detailing, it's all in the products and the technique you use. If you do what I do, it should take you four hours to do a twice per year detailing (an acceptable investment in my mind) and then you will only need to wash weekly (depending on if it rains and the car gets dirty) and wax every 6-8 weeks (which should take no longer than 45 minutes once you do the detailing).

Now, no matter what you are doing (with the exception of applying glaze) you do it in a back and forth motion. The reason being that your eye can only see scratches when the viewing angle is perpendicular to the scratch. If you wash, dry, apply and remove wax and other products in circles, and you create a swirl or a scratch (inevitably you will as the car can't be perfectly clean all the time) it will be visible from all angles (this is bad). If you do everything in back and forth motions (I use the way the air flows over the car from front to back) then the scratches will be minimized and will only be visible from certain angles (this is what you want). Further, the detailing routine I'm going to recommend will help hide and minimize them further.

If you want a list of products, email me and I'll send you a list of everything I use. It will cost you something to do an initial purchase, but all the products should last you at least a year (I'm going on a year and a half with my initial purchase, and I use it on two cars, with an occasional friends in between, so it really lasts). All the applicators (foam only) and towels can be washed repeatedly and used for a long time (don't put the foam applicators in the dryer). Just don't use any fabric softener in the washer or dryer as it will streak your paint. Also, wash items from the wheels separately than items used on the rest of the car (both exterior and interior can be washed together, just separate from the wheels). Use a little less laundry detergent than you would for a large load.

Okay, for washing, I prefer P21S Body Conditioning Shampoo. I use 1 1/4 cap fuls to a 3-4 gallon bucket. I also prefer a sponge or a Griot's Mitt to anything else. I think it doesn't trap any foreign particles and can be rinsed from the inside out repeatedly to keep it clean. Wash from the top down and do one pannel at a time, washing and rinsing. I use an extra thick ordinary kitchen sponge to do the wheels. I want something separate as the brake dust stains the sponge and I don't want to use that on the car, and I also need something small to get in all the crevices of my wheels. Continue to wet the entire car down repeatedly to ensure that it doesn't dry while you're washing another area. This will prevent water spots.

I use Griot's towels to dry the car. You can try to find other 100% cotton towels, but I personally think the griot's are the best. Some of the cheaper store towels that you'd get a Target for instance just don't absorb anything. I can dry two cars with just three towels. If you want to use another brand as Griot's are pricey, make sure you pull a thread from both the towel and the seam and test it with a match or lighter. If the thread shrivels and melts, it's polyester and should not be used as it will scratch your car like a hypodermic needle (could be where your problem is right now). If it burns and leaves an ash, you're okay. When you dry the car, go back and forth only and don't go in circles.

Now, twice per year, once just after winter (in early april) and once in late fall (right around Thanksgiving), I do an entire detailing, which takes about 3 hours to do the exterior and 1 hour to do the interior. I do the interior first.

I vacuum out the car, and use Vinylex by Lexol on all the vinyl surfaces, excluding the leather seats, the wood and the instrument cluster. I spray it on a foam applicator, and spread it all over everything. If you don't mind a minimum satin shine, let it dry by itself. If you like more of a matt finish, go back 15 minutes later and buff it off with some cheap terry cloth rags that you should buy from any auto parts store (the square white ones; these have a host of uses, which you will see as we go on).

Then, I polish the wood. For this, I use Plexus plastic polish. One arosol can will last years. I spray it on the wood, and the instrument cluster and buff it with a flannel polishing cloth. These are cheap cloths and are very useful. I have like 12 of them.

Then I condition the seats. I use Lexol conditioner, and spray it all over the seats, one at a time and spread it around with a fresh foam applicator. Once I've done all four seats, I go back with two clean square terry cloth rags, and buff it off.

Finally, I clean the windows. To do this, I use Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision and a Viper Micro Fiber towel. The micro fiber is great here as it doesn't leave any film or streaks. Just be careful as some micro fiber towels will scratch aftermarket window tint films. This glass cleaner is also okay to use with aftermarket tint, which many cleaners are not (including Windex, glass plus, etc.).

The interior is now done, and this should have taken about 1 hour. Now to the exterior.

First, I take a fresh foam applicator and use 3M Imperial Hand Glaze. Now let me pause here for a second. While this sounds like alot of steps, the results speak for themselves. You will absolutely not believe how shiny and smooth your car's finish will be. Your car will look considerably better than the day you brought it home. Also, time spent here will save you considerable time and effort later. You see, most of the glazes and polishes are very thin and easy to apply and buff out. Once you do this, the surface will be so smooth and contaminent free that the waxing of your car will be almost effortless and will take less than 45 minutes. I kid you not.

Okay, so 3M IHG is the only thing that goes on in circles. The reason is that the glaze has fillers that "fill in" the scratches. If you did this back and forth like all the other products you wouldn't be getting the full benefit. So, doing one pannel at a time, apply the hand glaze and then buff it out with a towel. Again, I use the griot's towels. They make different towels for drying and waxing. They are of different sizes (the drying are bigger than the waxing) which is very useful. Also, you don't want to dry your car with a towel that was used to buff off polish, glaze or wax since some residue will be left on the towel and will prevent it from absorbing water. You can do each pannel up to 3 times with the glaze. I normally do the hood and trunk twice since they get the most visible swirls, and the rest of the car once. This should take about 45min to 1 hour. I use one buffing towel to do the entire car. If you drop an applicator car side down, set it aside and use a different one. Since the applicator will be moist, if it touches the ground, it will have grit adhered to it and you don't want to use it on the car again until it is washed.

Now that the car has been glazed, it's time to polish. Now alot of debate has gone on as to the need to polish and glaze, which should go first, etc. Here's my findings. The glaze is much more of a solvant (don't worry, it's very mild and safe for your car, just more abrasive than the polish). It's great at hiding scratches. However, the polish I use really makes the paint smooth and adds TREMENDOUS depth to the shine. I use P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser. You apply this to one pannel at a time going back and forth using a fresh foam applicator. This stuff is like an extremely thin mild hand cream. You won't believe it when you see it. It will add vitual nutrients to your paint and will add an amazing shine, even to a light color like your car. Buff it out using another fresh towel. This should take 30-45 minutes. Then set the applicator and towel aside.

Now it's time for the wax. I like One Grand Blitz Wax. This wax doesn't chalk (make white marks) on the rubber (although I still try and keep it off, but inevitably I get it on somewhere), is extremely easy to apply and remove, is not too expensive (for top quality waxes that is), lasts a long time, creates an amazing shine, and is incredibly smooth. Apply it using a fresh foam applicator in back and forth motions to one pannel at a time. Allow it to dry to a haze and then buff it off. Also, it can be difficult to remove if you apply in the sun, so try doing it in the shade, or early or late in the day. Since it only takes 45 minutes to wax the car after you do this twice per year detailing, I get up on a saturday, and wax it from say 10am, till 11. It's no problem as it's not too hot yet. I use three buffing towels to do the entire car.

Okay, the wheels. Since most wheels are painted, I would polish them with the P21S polish twice per year with the rest of the car. You do these last since the wheels will undoubtedly have some brake dust on them even though they were washed. You'll see this black on the applicators when you apply the polish and wax. You wouldn't want to have done this first and then used that applicator on the car with the abrasive brake dust on it. So, apply the polish either with the applicator you used for that product on the car, or a fresh one (the applicators are like $0.99 each, so by a dozen or so). Buff it off using one of the white flannel rags (the paint on your wheels is harder than that on the car, so you should be okay. Also, you can use these rags to clean the wheels each week. Since brake dust stains, an is corrosive, I toss these once a year, and wouldn't want to invest in expensive towels for this area. Then, using the wax applicator, or a new one, apply One Grand Blitz to the wheels and buff off using fresh towels. Never use the same towel to buff off wax that was used to buff off polish or glaze. The reason is each successive product is more mild than the one before, so if you use the glaze towel to buff of polish, you could be removing it. Same thing if you use the polish or glaze towel to remove wax, you could be stripping it away. Oh, I didn't say this. When you use glaze or polish, it will strip your wax so you have to rewax the car when you do this.

Okay, other areas. If you get tar or other stuff that won't come off particularly on the rocker pannels, use P21S Total Auto Wash. It's a citrus based degreeser. Spray it on, let it sit 5 minutes, and then wipe off using one of the white square rags. This will strip your wax, so do this step first if necessary before you do the glazing.

Tires and the black lowers on your car. I use One Grand ERV (External Rubber and Vinyl). I use it on my tires and apply it with an Eagle One Tire Swipe. I apply it once or twice a week. It's really nice, and the more often you use it, the better it penetrates the tires and makes them look nice with a satin finish. My S4 doesn't have black lowers, so I wax mine, but my wife's Jetta has black plastic lowers like your car, and I use the ERV. It will also remove any wax that you may get on their. Just spary it on an applicator, and then buff it off with a square white towel. I also apply it once or twice per year to the rubber gaskets around the windows and doors, using a rag or foam applicator.

I then do the exterior of the windows last and again I use Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision and a Viper Micro Fiber Cloth.

Also get yourself some One Grand Show Off. It's a quick detailing spray that is great for shining up the car and cleaning it up when it's not dirty enough to require a washing. Spray one pannel at a time from about 18 inches away to leave a mist on the pannel. Then buff to a shine using either a flannel buffing cloth, or I prefer a micro fiber cloth. The micro fiber works better as it has some texture which is helpful to ensure that the Show Off, which contains some liquid wax, is evenly distributed over the car and doesn't streak. It won't be as much of a problem with your light colored car, but it is for my dark santorin. It's also AWESOME for cleaning the brake dust off the wheels. Other people use wheel cleaner, but that will strip the wax and then leave the wheels exposed, which makes brake dust that much easier to stick to. If the wheels are waxed every 8 weeks, it will take 5 minutes to clean the wheels. Spray them with the One Grand Show off while the car is not hot, and then wipe the wheels clean with the square white rags. I do this if it hasn't rained and the car is clean, but the wheels are dirty and I want to clean them.

The final thing I'd recommend getting is an Original California Car Duster and Dash Duster. The dash duster is nice and can be used right out of the box. However, for the car duster (and don't buy imitations they will scratch) you need to prepare it before use. The strands are dipped and treated with Parafin wax, and it will streak all over your car if you don't do this first. Once you receive it, take it out of it's black plastic case, and remove the plastic bag. Then rap it in 5 sheets of ordinary non-color newspaper and replace it into the black case for 5 days, without peaking. After five days, when you remove it, the newspaper will be saturated with liquified wax (really nasty, but just think that this would have all ended up on your car). Discard the paper and it's now ready to use. When not using it, store it in the case so airborne particles don't stick to it. This will make it last longer. Also, never use it on the car if the car is dirty. If you see the car duster streaking, it's because the car is dirty, so stop and wash it.

All the stuff can be purchased from three places. First check out car care specialties at www.carcareonline.com. Larry Reynolds is the owner and he has some really solid advice. His product reviews are very well written and fairly accurate, and his how to articles are great. If you order by Monday, you'll have it by Friday. Also, if the order is $75 or more, he'll pay the shipping. Finally, he normally throws something in you haven't ordered to try. Very nice touch. If you have questions, he's more than happy to discuss them, even all the dumb questions I come up with.

Then there's Griot's Garage at www.griotsgarage.com. I really only get the towels and wash mitt from them.

Then there's Classic Motoring Accessories at www.properautocare.com. Here's where you can get the glass cleaner and tire swipes.

Don't forget. Everything you purchase for the car must be washed before you use it. Otherwise, contaminents from shipping and manufacturing can get on the car and scratch it.

Sorry so darn long and winded, but I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions and email me if you want my list of products.

MuRaN0Daddy

Thanks Ted...........you're the man.

RickM

The AW moderators deleted your other other posts, Bruce. Didn't that tell you something?

Seattle Scott

Why does wheel wax take 24 hours to change the polarity?

Why aren't there pictures of non-treated and treated wheels on your website?

Ted K

No problem. And with that babe in your sig, you REALLY ARE DA MAN!!

Ted K

charged, the entire car is grounded. Doesn't make the least bit of sense, and from my guess, this claim is totally unfounded. That's not to say that waxing your wheels isn't a good idea, but I don't think you need anything special; Blitz wax works for me.

RickM

Bruce is a shameless spammer. We went over all of this nearly a year ago (see link below), yet he continues to post here. The AW moderators just deleted a bunch of his posts from last week. 'Nuff said.

Btw, the linked post is just one in a series from that time period. I can't imagine anyone being interested enough to do so, but I think if you search for "polarity" you'll find the rest of em.<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/detail/msgs/1900.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/detail/msgs/1900.phtml</a</li></ul>

A4Bunny

Does that mean that I should have a picture of a buff naked man in my sig?

MuRaN0Daddy

i think that guy in your sig is naked.....in a manner of speaking