So i'm off to my local Halfords to arm myself with some decent equipment to clean the new S3 for the 1st time
What should I get?
What should I get?
Cleaning my S3 for the 1st time...
- Thread starter KARL
- Start date
2 buckets, megs water magnet, megs washmitt, meg quick detailer, gold class shampoo. Thats what i'd buy from commercial places like halfords for a safe wash.
I do the wife's black car in three stages.
1/ Meguires Crystal paint cleaner
2/ Meguires polish
3/ Collinite wax
You only need to do stages 1+2 once every blue moon though,not every time.
The waxing gets done 2-3 times a year.
A usual weekly wash is done using Meguires shampoo,whichdoesn't strip the wax coating.
Drying it off with a silicon blade and microfibre cloth usually has it looking mint,such is the quality of the waxes used.
The beading quality of Collinite wax has to be seen to be believed.
Even hosing the car barely gets it wet !
1/ Meguires Crystal paint cleaner
2/ Meguires polish
3/ Collinite wax
You only need to do stages 1+2 once every blue moon though,not every time.
The waxing gets done 2-3 times a year.
A usual weekly wash is done using Meguires shampoo,whichdoesn't strip the wax coating.
Drying it off with a silicon blade and microfibre cloth usually has it looking mint,such is the quality of the waxes used.
The beading quality of Collinite wax has to be seen to be believed.
Even hosing the car barely gets it wet !
Spin140
Registered User
My advice. Read the detailing forum, lots of tips there.
For drying, waffle weave drying towels (get 2 at least) are recommended by most. I use them. I don't think they are has good at drying as most people make out, not as good as a natural Chamios leather, BUT...they are safer, in that you are supposed to lay the towel on the car and let it soak. Not rub it along the body work. So if grit is on the towel, you are not moving it around. Where as with a Chamois you move it along the body work, which could cause scratches if grit is on there.
Two buckets are for: 1 for shampoo, 1 for rinse water. Rinse the wash mit before each time you shampoo the car.
Like I say read the guides on the detailing forum and polished bliss, its a wealth of knowledge.
Some sites where stuff can be bought:
www.polishedbliss.co.uk
www.cleanyourcar.co.uk
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk
www.performancemotorcare.co.uk
www.autobestbuy.co.uk
AL
For drying, waffle weave drying towels (get 2 at least) are recommended by most. I use them. I don't think they are has good at drying as most people make out, not as good as a natural Chamios leather, BUT...they are safer, in that you are supposed to lay the towel on the car and let it soak. Not rub it along the body work. So if grit is on the towel, you are not moving it around. Where as with a Chamois you move it along the body work, which could cause scratches if grit is on there.
Two buckets are for: 1 for shampoo, 1 for rinse water. Rinse the wash mit before each time you shampoo the car.
Like I say read the guides on the detailing forum and polished bliss, its a wealth of knowledge.
Some sites where stuff can be bought:
www.polishedbliss.co.uk
www.cleanyourcar.co.uk
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk
www.performancemotorcare.co.uk
www.autobestbuy.co.uk
AL
vrbob
Thats no Moon, Thats a space station!
Halfords were doing the 3 stage meguires stuff in their 3 for 2 offer so i got that last week (£7.99 a bottle so all 3 for £16) and its pretty good in my opinion (my S3 is black too) i put some pics in my gallery after i had finished so you could check out the results i got.
TDI-line
Uber Post Whore
vrbob said:
Meguires first two stages are fine (the paint cleaner and the polish) but Collinite wax knocks the hell out of Meguires one.
I was using the 476S,but I use the Marc D'elegance now.
Harder to buff off,but lasts even longer than the already pretty longlasting 476.
http://www.colliniteautomotive.com/products.htm#marque915
I'm just a regular Joe when it comes to keeping a car clean though.
I neither have the time nor the desire to be a super-detailer.
I like the best results for the least effort.
An hour or two every few weeks is all I can spare cleaning cars.
If you're into super-detailing,I'm totally lost.
Matt said:
Am I bovvered ? ;-)
Like I said,I'm not a super-detailer
I'm not after competition winning finish.
If the blade does cause any scratches they're either too fine to see (in which case,why worry) or the Meguires paint cleaner I use gets rid of them.
d3fy
Registered User
KARL said:
You can look forward to the first scratch, then you can look forward to the little white stone chips appearing all over the front of the car.
No matter how careful you are, **** happens.
I agree, get the Meg 1 & 2
I then use pinnacle souveran for the wax
I also use the AG Ultra Deep shine polish.
A must is get two Meguairs wash mits, one for the top of the car, one for the bottom and wheels. I also would _not_ use a blade on the car unless you want to cry... a lot
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=21390&page=7http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?p=383891#post383891
Check out Normskis silver S3. It's the only silver car I have ever seen and liked. His tips are there too.
Check out Normskis silver S3. It's the only silver car I have ever seen and liked. His tips are there too.
I use a lambswool mitt and microfibre towel to do mine (mainly to avoid swirling), usually followed by Autoglym Super Resin which goes on nicely.
Have a separate sponge for the wheels, and use an old spray-on Turtlewax (a poor product, but fine for wheels and does keep the brake dust off for longer), then Turtlewax tyre shine.
Picture of my efforts:
Have a separate sponge for the wheels, and use an old spray-on Turtlewax (a poor product, but fine for wheels and does keep the brake dust off for longer), then Turtlewax tyre shine.
Picture of my efforts:
For what it's worth - this is my Meguiar's car loving process ... with pics
http://www.audiclubsa.org.za/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1184496169
Sprint Blue S3 with Meguiars NXT Tech Wax - it beats the Sonax I was using in the past.
Alas, on dark colours like Sprint Blue and Black, spider-web like hair line swirls are common place. A clear coat safe paste like Meguiar's scratch X combined with NXT Tech Wax hides them for a few weeks though ...
*sigh*
Us car washing and waxing sluts are a rather sad bunch - aren't we ??
http://www.audiclubsa.org.za/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1184496169
Sprint Blue S3 with Meguiars NXT Tech Wax - it beats the Sonax I was using in the past.
Alas, on dark colours like Sprint Blue and Black, spider-web like hair line swirls are common place. A clear coat safe paste like Meguiar's scratch X combined with NXT Tech Wax hides them for a few weeks though ...
*sigh*
Us car washing and waxing sluts are a rather sad bunch - aren't we ??
TheWusMan said:
I've got an unused bottle of NXT at home.
I used to think it was great,but it needs twice the applications of Collinite (476 or elegance) to keep the water running off.
As I recall,it also marks dark trim easier than Collinite.
You can be pretty slapdash with the Collinite,it doesn't leave much in the way of white residue over dark trim.
By the way,does anyone else use tyre spray on their dark trim ?
A mate recommended it and it works really well.
Just spray some onto cloth and any black trim (mirrors surrounds,door surrounds,door strips) look great for ages.
Black cars are a right pain to keep clean and not get swirl marks on.
My kit currently includes:
Karcher pressure washer
Autobrite foam lance
Two 18 litre buckets with grit guards
Two megs washmitts
Loads of microfibre towels
Megs wheel brush
Poorboys Super Slick'n'Suds
Autobrite super snow foam
Collinite 476s
Plus a myriad of other little bottles of this, that and the other
My kit currently includes:
Karcher pressure washer
Autobrite foam lance
Two 18 litre buckets with grit guards
Two megs washmitts
Loads of microfibre towels
Megs wheel brush
Poorboys Super Slick'n'Suds
Autobrite super snow foam
Collinite 476s
Plus a myriad of other little bottles of this, that and the other
I really want black for my next car,but I am concerned.
I can afford to spend time and effort on my wife's black car because of the complete lack of effort I put into my own car.
Akoya only needs very basic cleaning to look pretty good.
The thought of two black cars scares me...
I can afford to spend time and effort on my wife's black car because of the complete lack of effort I put into my own car.
Akoya only needs very basic cleaning to look pretty good.
The thought of two black cars scares me...
The real problem with swirl marks on darker hues of paint is actually the clear coat - and the reflection of the underlying colour through this.
Fine dust and grit will always somehow find a way to "mark" the clear coat, which in turn makes the paint look like its got swirls all over.
On lighter colours this simply isn't a problem *sigh*
On darker colours - well ... there's no need for a gym membership IMHO as you get a massive workout everytime you decide to full body wax your car.
Why can't they come up with a "one light application solves all your problems and lasts a full year" product ??
Fine dust and grit will always somehow find a way to "mark" the clear coat, which in turn makes the paint look like its got swirls all over.
On lighter colours this simply isn't a problem *sigh*
On darker colours - well ... there's no need for a gym membership IMHO as you get a massive workout everytime you decide to full body wax your car.
Why can't they come up with a "one light application solves all your problems and lasts a full year" product ??
d3fy
Registered User
Absolutely - it's clear coat safe and the new improved formula takes all the light scratches / swirls out easier than the old one. (look for "new and improved" on the tube label).
You should really notice a big reduction in the fine scratches visibile in sunlight. :icon_thumright:
You should really notice a big reduction in the fine scratches visibile in sunlight. :icon_thumright:
d3fy
Registered User
Can I use to all over, like apply as a polish or do I have to just pick areas that need attention?
eww i hate 'wet look tyres' it looks so cheap and tacky! exactly the same thing a crappy dealer uses to make a car 'look' valeted - so cheap!
I prefer to use autoglym trim cleaner (its got a green label) on mine and i brush it on with an old paint brush (so it doesnt go on wheels) - its great because although it looks wet at first come back to it in the morning and it goes dry - but stays black - looks so much more classy!
I prefer to use autoglym trim cleaner (its got a green label) on mine and i brush it on with an old paint brush (so it doesnt go on wheels) - its great because although it looks wet at first come back to it in the morning and it goes dry - but stays black - looks so much more classy!
JamS3
Registered User
I heard Megs ScratchX was good for the light scratches on the Audi piano black trim on the interior of the car?
Is this right or have i just made it up?
Is this right or have i just made it up?
d3fy
Registered User
d3fy
Registered User
yeh i've used t-cut before today to take a scratch out of a mobile phone screen and since ScratchX is similar (but far better!) this does work - but it does take a while of rubbing! Would imagine PlasticX is a very similar formula with a slight change to chemicals to suit plastic better, but scratchX works too
JamS3
Registered User
Why exactly should he get a life?
Some may find that useful if they have just got a new mobile and dropped it instead of claiming on insurance.
Some may find that useful if they have just got a new mobile and dropped it instead of claiming on insurance.
d3fy
Registered User
shane j said:
Yet another helpful and constructive post. Thanks.
If that is all you have to say they I would suggest you say nothing.
Spin140
Registered User
bowfer said:
Got a delivery of some of the Collinite 476 on Friday and the weather was good saturday so I gave it a go.
Crikey that a real mans wax !! Very easy to apply but as Bowfer stated it takes some elbow grease to buff off, I was absolutely cream crackered when I'd finished but the finish is fantastic. Surprise, surprise it rained on sunday but the beading is amazing so well worth the initial effort, just got to summon up the energy to tackle the wifes car now....mmmm maybe a few more weeks yet no need exerting myself too much
Thanks for the recommendation./
Glad you like it Spin,at least you know further effort is months away !
They actually state it's a 'once a year treatment'.
Loads of them say that sort of thing,but Collinite is the only one that may well match the claim.
Just wash with Meguires shampoo so it won't strip it and it'll look amazing for ages.
BTW,you'll notice the Meguires shampoo lather will disappear when it hits the Collinite on the car,but it doesn't seem to affect it's cleaning.
They actually state it's a 'once a year treatment'.
Loads of them say that sort of thing,but Collinite is the only one that may well match the claim.
Just wash with Meguires shampoo so it won't strip it and it'll look amazing for ages.
BTW,you'll notice the Meguires shampoo lather will disappear when it hits the Collinite on the car,but it doesn't seem to affect it's cleaning.
steve184 said:
I never thought someone could be snobby about tyre dressing but God was I wrong !!!
If you're going to use a product that dries in then it defeats the whole purpose of using tyre dressing.
Must be why people who detail Ferraris and Veyrons use tyre dressing so !
Rabbit222
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Irish said:
Ha ha, I think tyre dressing is a 'marmite' thing. Some people love 'wet' looking tyres, some prefer 'natural' look.
BLackfires tyre gel is great for both - one application for natural - apply again shortly afterwards for wet.
I find for the best wet look autoglym tyre dressing is the great.
Both applied with a foam applicator.
Personally I can live with either look, but I don't like the stuff some dealers put on that is really thick and shiny - looks cheap and flicks up the sills of the car.... drives me mad!
Could one of you guys point me in the right direction for these Microfibre drying cloths (maybe show me a link online if there is one). I was in halfords the other day trying to buy some and all I could find was a "valeting cloth" which came in a big roll and is completely useless so I'm assuming I got the wrong thing?
Also what do you guys use for the wheels? Another wash mitt or an alloy brush or something else? Many thanks
Also what do you guys use for the wheels? Another wash mitt or an alloy brush or something else? Many thanks
