Thanks for that Dan,
What are peoples thoughts on the below?
Unfortunately Polish and waxes offer minimal long term protection although do provide a good shine if applied correctly.
Some of latest technology is moving towards sealants such as Glare, these offer similar levels of shine to wax but with longer term protection as they bond to the paint at a molecular level.
They also inhibit tar build up and do not require claying or additional polishing.
Is this preferable to claying/polishing/waxing??
Cheers
Tom
Nope, I'm afraid that to get a proper job done, you need to do the groundwork first. Think of it as painting a door in your house, you know that you need to sand it first or you'll get drips and runs. Same deal with a car, you'd spend a lot of money and time on the waxing/sealing stages, with little benefit.
A properly clean car feels like smooth glass to your hand (use the backs of your fingers). As others have said, you need to prepare it properly first. Here's what I'd do...
Again, as others have said, get two buckets and some wash mitts (stops it flying off your hand). You can also get a grit guard (stops the mitt touching the acumulated grit at the bottom of the bucket) though I just never ever leave the mitt in the bucket. Fill one bucket with GOOD quality car shampoo and HOT water(don't bother with one that 'waxes' too - waste of time). Fill the other bucket with clean hot water. Rinse the car off with a hose (pressure washer=bad idea) Dip your mitt into the soapy bucket, then wash a half-panel sized area (depends on dirt level) Start from the top of your car and work down, always cleaning the dirtiest bits last (rear end and bottom of doors). After each spell with the soapy mitt, plunge it into the clean bucket, then wring it out (washes off the dirt) then start again with the soapy bucket.
Once your car body is clean, use an old sponge/mitt to do your wheels. Then dry with a chamois or microfibre waffle towel. Now, feel how the paint feels to your hand, get some clay and lubricant (can use special detailing sprays, but also heard water and babyoil is good) start at the top again and work your way around the car - follow instructions on clay, but for this stage you need to allow at least 1 hour IMHO. If your car has never been clayed and is over a year or so old, you'll notice the difference immediately, it will be smooth as anything!
Now, wash again, though you should only need one bucket for this stage if you're cutting corners.
You now have CLEAN paint and will probably be about 3 hours down! This is where you'll be able to tell how bad (or good) the swirl marks are, that you'll inevitably have on your paint (from one-bucket washing, or god forbid, machine/hand carwashes). If you're outside, look just around the sun in the reflection, move back/forth and you'll see them.
The only proper way to deal with this is to get your car polished, this in itself is a mission, depending on how bad the swirls are. You'll need a proper polishing machine (Porter Cable) and a couple of grades of polish (abrasives). It's a HUGE task especially if you've never done it before, I'd seriously consider getting a pro to do it for you. As has been said before, Audi clear-coat is TOUGH and takes a lot of working.
Once your car is free of swirls the paint needs sealing to protect it. As in your post, the molecular bonding of these synthetic sealants is a great idea, reducing the need for cleaning with clay and preventing tar/poo/sap and other bad things from building up on your new shiny paint finish. All sealants/waxes can be applied in layers, though bear in mind that waxes, while they look amazing, do have a limited lifespan on your car. They break down in UV light so bear this in mind.
I'm sure I'll have probably missed something vital, also bear in mind that everyone does things differently, plus, if you want a REALLY good finish, there are no short cuts!
Hope this is of some help, but be warned, it becomes addictive.
