An evening exterior detail (long)

[BrianE]

I purchased a bunch of products for the 2000 540i/6 I just bought and spent an evening with my car. After reading this, I welcome any of your comments or suggestions of anything you think I did wrong. My car has a dark blue finish so I know that keeping it looking nice will take a lot of constant babying. I will describe my process though I was not able to complete all the steps I wanted to because all supplies have not arrived. I thought I would try ordering from carcareonline.com and autopia-carcare.com to see which company would provide better service for future needs. I figured I needed about $200 worth of products so I checked prices and went primarily with the lower priced product on each site. The website at carcareonline does not allow online ordering unless you e-mail your product list which is a bit of a pain compared with autopia-carecare.com who has a nice e-commerce site with shopping cart etc. Therefore I ordered from autopia on Sunday online and called in my order to carcareonline on Monday. My products arrived from carcareonline two days later and from autopia about a 8 days later. I called to check on the order and they said it was delayed due to a backorder. Interesting results since I paid for shipping on autopia but not carcareonline (order over $75). Anyway on to the fun. First let me say that I think this is the best online forum available. I have been following it for some time and was planning on purchasing a new Black or, more likely, Dark Blue A6 2.7t but I could not find anything at my three local dealers that would work for the options I wanted, and I needed to get a car as I sold mine. Therefore, since I did not purchase an Audi, you will see the results on the pic with the brand not to be mentioned on this forum :-)...no flames please. But I humbly ask that you allow me to participate on the forum since, as I mentioned, it is the best for detailing that I could find. Since I had some of my materials, I figured I could give it a nice basic exterior detailing. The products I ordered (and received) from carcareonline for my exterior were as follows: P21S Dry Towel Detailers Choice Super Soft Wash Mit Sonax Gloss Shampoo One Grand Tar Gum and Wax Remover 3M Imperial Hand Glaze P21S Wheel Cleaner Kit P21S Clear Windshield Wipes (came free with my order( Other Supplies Old 100% cotton t-shirts Zymol (unfortunately the Zyrtle kind which I did not know until after I purchased and used once) Armor All Glass Cleaner I started at about 8:30 in the evening with a nice wash with the above mentioned wash mitt and Ivory. As I have read on the forum and carcareonline, this is the best for stripping off whatever is left on the car, though I don't think there was much on there in the first place. I also tried the P21S wheel cleaner and was hopeful that this would be the miracle product I was looking for that would allow wipe free wheel cleaning. Unfortunately it was not to be so. I sprayed on (cool and dry wheels) and hosed off as the bottle mentioned but there was a lot of residue left. I tried another wheel and left the chemicals on for about 5 minutes but same results. Therefore I had to wipe with a cloth to get them clean. After that I used the One Grand to remove any bugs, tar etc. I could find and it worked well. After that I did a second wash with the Sonax gloss shampoo and liked the results. I am not sure if it was necessary or if I did this in the wrong order but I wanted to use it anyway so I did. To dry the car I used my new P21S drying towel which is IMHO probably my favorite new product. I have always used good quality chamois' but they were always such a pain to wring out. Not the case with the drying towel. I got the car mostly dry with the drying towel then used cotton t-shirts to wipe off the rest. So I stood back and looked at my beauty but knew I had a long night still ahead of me. I pulled the car into the garage and turned on all garage lights available including a 500 watt portable light I just purchased for such evening fun. Looking over the paint there were numerous hairline scratches and marks from previous owner. I applied the 3M imperial glaze with a terry applicator around the whole car (one section at a time) and buffed with the above mentioned cotton shirts. I was impressed with how the product removed the scratches but I couldn't seem to get the entire residue off the car. I experimented with wiping off right after I applied and letting it sit for a few minutes but both produced the same results. Yes I frequently turned the cloth and used about 5 or 6 in the process. Believe me I have done numerous hand waxes in the past but never to this detail or with this good of stuff. I did my best, wiping some sections numerous times and moved on. Next came the Zymol which also required a lot of wiping for complete removal. I applied to small sections then removed. With a lot of elbow grease, I was able to get the residue off. I stood back and the car looked great and I was getting very tired. Next I applied Vinylex to the outside plastic pieces, which cleaned up real nice. On the inside windows I used the P21S wipes but was not real satisfied with the results. The liquid dried very fast and left streaks. I appreciate the free gift from carcareonline but would probably not purchase. I used my Armor-All Glass Cleaner on the outside which left the glass nice and clean. So I stepped back and gazed at my beauty. It was about 2 a.m. and I was ready for bed. The next day I took some pics after wiping down whatever the sun could show me that artificial lights could not. Next will be the interior. But that will have to wait. So what did I do wrong or what do you do differently than me? I was not able to take care of the tires as ordered supplies did not arrive so I will do that shortly. I will be going with a different wax in the future, purchasing some Eagle 1 Scratch Remover and probably some One Grand Blitz Wax or Pinnacle Souveran once I get low on my Zyrtle. Happy motoring in your fine German cars!

[Seattle Scott]

[BrianE]

[Seattle Scott]

I like using AutoSupermart. The online ordering, selection and prices looked real good. Carcareonline is a good site but "real" online ordering is very nice for me.

For stripping some say Ivory, some say Dawn, what the hay, it's all dish soap.

I like 3M Imperial Hand Glaze a lot, many here do.

Sonax shampoo seems popular among the real afficienados(SP?), us trogglodites seem to like Meguire's Red "Sissy" Gel.

Don't know nothing about PS21 stuff.

For glass I use Glass Wax on the outside (get it at a hardware store like Ace, True Value or Sprayway Glass Cleaner (buy at the same place). The Sprayway will make the finish on wood "cloud up" instantly. I'm scared when I use it inside the car and spray it on the cleaning cloth first.

For cleaning the wheels I'm afraid of those nasty wheel cleaner chemicals and how they may affect the clear shellac/coating on the wheels. I just wash the wheels last with a special big wheel only sponge.

Chamois are bad stuff, they can take a lot of wax off the car. I have 12 or so small soft cotton towels for drying the car. I just throw the dirty ones (including the ones that get dropped on the ground) into a five gallon bucket and when the bucket is full I wash the mitts, towels, etc in the washing machine.

You may want to let the Imperial and Glaze dry longer efore buffing off. For applicaton I like the 3M PERFECT-IT Wax and Glaze Wipes (Box of 125 Wipes (06009) $22.99) at AutoSupermart.

I'd probably toss the Zyurtle wax, I accidently bought some too. I gave it to a 330I owner (sorry ;-)). I like the 1 Grand Blitz, sorta hard to put on but a really nice shine. April and Muhhamad like it too.

I think all Armor All products are evil, I only use the stuff on guest cars or my pickup truck.

I'd probably dump the old t-shirts, you already spent a bunch of money, good rags/towels don't cost a lot more. I bought these at AutoSupermart :
SoftTouch Buffing Cloths:

SoftTouch cloths are the finest cloths for using on your vehicles paint. SoftTouch cloths are woven using 100% combed cotton yarn, even to bind the edges. This bound edge prevents fraying and keeps this cloth practically lint-free. From yarn to final product, this cloth is made in a strictly controlled environment. Each lot is tested by an independent laboratory for levels of chorides and sulfur to guarantee safety. SoftTouch will prevent scratches to your clear coat finish and will not smear or smudge like a towel. This a must have for your paint finish. 6 per pack. Very nice for finish work.

Your interior will primarily be a Lexol job for the leather. That's pretty easy. I try to do my leather every two months. On the wood and plastic I use warm water and and one on my towels or clothes. For wood scratches I've used one of those throw away 3M and Meguier's #7? Plastic Windshield polish (worked when the Sprayway glass cleaner "fogged up" a little piece of wood too).

I'm pondering what to try on the dash. So far I've been using just a little Lexol for leather.

[HDClown]

Nice list of products. Here is what I have picked up based on many posts I've read here:

Soap: Meguire's Gold Glass Shampoo
Glaze/Polish: 3M IHG
Wax: Meguire's Gold Glass Liquid Wax
Tire/Rim Cleaner: Simple Green
Tire Shiner: Meguire's Gold Glass Endurance
Drying supplies: The Absorber, 100% cotton terry towels
Interior (non leather): Damp cloth, 3:1 Simple Green Solution
Interior (leather): Lexol products
Wax Applicator: 100% cotton terry pads

Now, I got the Meguire's soap because I can get it local. The Sonax is very popular here, but I didn't want to have to order just 1 or two products online all the time. The 3M IHG is probably THE most popular product here, and it appears to be great stuff. Meguires has a similar product, the Gold Glass Polish which is supposed to mate perfectly with the Gold Glass Liquid Wax. I will buy this and try it as well. I got the Meguires Liquid Wax because it was ver popular, but the most popular seems to be Blitz Wax, but again, I had to order online.

Simple green is AMAZING stuff. It makes cleaning the tires/rims so easy, and it's versatile (in proper dilutions) for all interior work as well. It smells purty too. There's a ton of tire shine products, but the endurance, from what friends have told me, lasts a VERY long time. Eagle 1 stuff has also been recommended a lot. None of the spray on from the can lasts very long, so use a hand applied gel.

Genuine Chamois are bad, but synthetics are good. The absorber is a big piece of symethetic rubber (thats what it smells/feels like) but it works great. Always PAT with the chamois, very drag it across the car. The absorber you can't even drag across the car because it's rubberish. You'll always need some kind of towel to follow up, and 100% terry towels are the best. Make sure you wash and dry them A LOT (and I mean A LOT!) to get all the link out. Costco sells 40 towels for $15 and they're good quality. I got Viking towels from AutoZone and am very happy with them (altho it took 4 hours of drying to fully delint :/)

The wax applicator pads come with some waxes, but for the IHG I picked up some 100% terry applicator pads. Wash and dry those too, although they weren't as linty.

For leather cleaning, Lexol pH Cleaner and I believe Lexol has a cleaner/conditioner (all in 1 product) seem to be the highest recommended. If you use the pH Cleaner, always follow with a conditioer (of course). Vinylex is also popular for vinyl interior, but many people say its way to shiny and never even. Meguire's has this vinyl stuff that they say gets shiner the more you use it. I havn't tried it yet, but I have a bottle. Meguires quick detailer is supposed to be awesome for inbetween washings to keep that new car shine (like used every 3 or 4 days, etc). Havn't tried it myself, but see people use it a lot on here.

Some other products that I see a lot are P21S Rim cleaner, but the simple green has always been more then adequate for me, not to mention cheaper. Applying a layer of cheap wax on the rims makes them easier to clean. I still have to try this.

[BrianE]

I have Simple Green for shoe scuff marks on the interior, I will try on the wheels thanks for the tip. I did wax the wheels that same night but forgot to mention. I ordered Klasse All In One and some say that is best for waxing the wheels, however, I will probably use some old Turtle Wax as it is a sunk cost of something I will not otherwise use on my car.

I do have the Lexol PH, Conditioner and Vinylex plan to do the interior shortly.

Tonight I did a detailing with the Miracle towel as specified on the carcare-autopia.com site. It worked like a charm what a great product. I was amazed how clean it rinsed. Did both my 540i and my wifes Expedition. Man did it save time from washing the Expedition. What a pain that is. Followed up with Meguiars Final Inspection. Not a bad product but will probably try the EF next time.

I also recently purchased a bunch of Terry towels but from Pep Boys. There were the same packaging and label as the ones at Costco, which I saw after my purchase, but not as many. I also purchased a number of Flannel towels and like them but I think they need to spend more time in the dryer. Just a tip, wash the yellow flannel towels commonly found from the online car care shops or Pep Boys with the cotton ones and you will turn all towels yellow. After a lot of drying, you can make a small fort out of the lint caught in your dryer trap which I had to clean out about every 10 minutes.

What is your dilution ratio on the Simple Green for the rims? I am using 3:1 on the stubborn interior scuff marks and it works well.

[BrianE]

I have followed a lot of your posts on the A6 forum so I know you are knowledgable. You are probably right about the tshirts, I think I will save them though and use them on the first pass on my rims. After waxing them they seem to wipe clean fairly easily and the 100% cotton shirts work well. Someone else recommended using wax on the wood scratches and I tried one section and it worked well. It helps to prevent smudges as well. I read that for plastic that Plexus is good to use so I will probably give some of that a try.

You are probably right about the Zyrtle. Maybe I will save for my rims and mountain bike

I have Lexol for the dash but have been afraid to use. Some say too shiny and evaporates onto the inside of the windshield. I will have to try soon though. I used it on the exterior trim and liked the results.

Give the Armor-All glass cleaner a try. I HATE everything else by Armor-All and never would have bought it but someone who has show cars recommended it so I gave it a try. Pick it up at Target or Pep Boys on your next visit. What have you got to lose? I guarantee you will like it or I will drop off $2.75 to you next time I am in Seattle. I got my Dad to use it on his A6 and he likes it too.

I tried the Miracle towel tonight for quick detailing and really liked it. You may want to give that a try. Here is where I got it:
http://www.properautocare.com/miracletowel.html

My next wax purchase is probably One Grand or Pinnacle Souveran (sp). Probably sooner rather than later.

I do have AutoSupermart bookmarked. Perhaps I will try them next time I need to order something and may give those softtouch cloths.

Thanks again.

[RickM]

For drying, try using a Calfornia Water Blade first, then finish up with the drying towel. It will cut your drying time by 75%.

I noticed what you said about the IHG and Zymol being hard to remove thoroughly. I don't know where you live, but I strongly suspect this was due to the time of day. During warm months, the humidity level goes way up at the end of every day. This in turn impedes the drying process for glazes and waxes. The glaze or wax may look dry on the surface, but it takes forever for it to dry all the way through when humidity is high. Add to that the fact that you were working inside your garage with no breeze to help the process, and you have (I suspect) incompletely dried glaze and wax which you're working hard to remove. This is why I never do any waxing in the evening; it just takes too long for it to dry properly. Other than that, it sounds like you're babying your new ride very nicely.

[RickM]

I was expecting something really grand from the autosupermart description, but they're really just cotton t-shirt material. Yeah, they're nice and soft and gentle on your car's finish, but not worth the price that autosupermart charges. Don't relegate your old 100% cotton t-shirts to just "dirty wheel" use. They are just as good as anything you can buy new, probably better because they're soft from being worn and washed a lot. Need more convincing? Ask almost any antiques dealer what to use for dusting fine, expensive, old furniture (like highly polished mahogany or cherry) and they'll tell you: old cotton t-shirts.

[HDClown]

I use the simple green in full concentrate on my OEM rims. It doesn't hurt them (that I can notice), but perhaps its taking off a 'clear coat' that some people say is on rims? In any event, I think it's pretty safe in full concentrate for the rims, only problem is, it gets used fast (although it is cheap). I may try a 2:1 concentrate just to save on use. When the wheels are waxed, it should be plenty, or perhaps even the 3:1 would work