Jimmeh's A4 Avant - Progress report

[Jimmeh]

So you already know that I replaced the S3 with the A4 AVANT.. here's a small report of the things I've been doing to it since ownership.

I must apologise for lack of correction pics. This stage was carried out over three or four independent days.

First up? The wheels.. Although they were quite a new addition to the car prior to my purchase, they hadn’t been looked after.

 

[Jimmeh]

Two coats of JetSEAL109 to protect. Look better than new now!

Whilst the wheels off, I took a snoop around under the arch. The material they’re lined with bugs me.. Give me plastics any day – thanks!

Just worked with G101/Megs SD and various brushes. Backbox had a scrub and Tardis too.

Round one of the rotary worked ended up something like this:

 

[Jimmeh]

Menz 106FF on a yellow megs polishing pad. Wasn’t happy with the finish however, so I’d come back to this again later.


A few days/weeks later, the callipers were next up.

Cleaned/Prepped with a wire-brush. Silver Hammerite applied by paintbrush. (didn’t want to mess around masking up etc for spray-can job)


Another wash with a Zaino Z8 top up left this..

After being inspired by a headlight restoration guide on here, I took a few hours to take a look at my own. Various grades of paper and spot pads took the surface ‘rough’ off – left me with a nice smooth finish.

 

[Jimmeh]

Over to my Fathers to borrow the double garage. LimePrime on finishing pads.

The tailgate had been missed on the first few attempts so it was ready for a good polish.

 

[Jimmeh]

Before and after:

Continued working around the car.

 

[Jimmeh]

Dusting/splatter tidied up and body/shuts with 2x Supernatural.

Engine bay re-visited and dressed with Megs ASD

And finally, beading.

Happy with how it’s going..

To Do: attempt to revive the alu-trim throughout. Wet/Dry the upholstery. Spray hubs.

Thanks for reading.

 

[mrjheeta]

looks really good! especially the way your brought out you callipers! oh obviously the rest of the car looks great as well!

 

[silversurfer]

Looks awesome mate..

 

[J7USS]

Come on Guys, he deserves more than that!!!

Thats a good write up mate, Looks like some serious hrs went into that. You done a ****** good job and I never thought id say it but you are on Par with Bubsters Avant...and that is Mint!!!!

So when you free to come round mine and sort my old Burger out..

 

[Xmay4444]

Wow!

 

[Rocko]

Good god, what a detail!

 

[EssVier]

Lovely looking car from the outset mate, but wow!

Result!

 

[tazzy baby]

That looks great well done by the way what camera do you use coz those pics are great

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks all!

Tempted to make it outside today to work on the hubs... hmm

tazzy baby, it's the first on the Sony alpha range. Sony a100 D-SLR.

J7USS, I'm not a million miles away so it could be possible!? I've had several jobs down near Leicester.. Mountsorrel, Costock, Rothely, Ashby Forville.. Leave your car with me for two days et voila! Bling Bling!! (I'm in Newark-On-Trent..)

Few more photos from the weekend:

 

[steve_malton]

Wow incredible job Jimmeh, looking awesome there - well done!!!

 

[docurley]

So a tenner inside and out and I wont pay anymore.

Great work myman she now looks like you just bought her brand new

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks for the comments all.. Just got in from painting the hubs silver. Looks a lot better.. Just needs a wash now! d'oh!

 

[baynesey]

Nice example of a standard(ish) Avant there chap, nice and subtle .. less is more in my opinion, gives me a little inspiration if the money was going spare for some subtle changes if they came up at the right price, mines the same colour and year.

Are they 18" or 19" Wheels chap?

:thumbsup:

 

[Jimmeh]

18" fella

I saw a similar looking Avant earlier quite close to home! Gutted.. Think it was the 2.5 TDi too.

 

[A3-sport]

18" fella

I saw a similar looking Avant earlier quite close to home! Gutted.. Think it was the 2.5 TDi too.

How much for a detail mate - im just down the road from you...

 

[Jimmeh]

How much for a detail mate - im just down the road from you...

Drop me an email if you're interested - jim@whitedetails.co.uk

I'll send some info/prices across.

 

[white.akita]

im suprised by the small beading, because when i went to a porsche meeting zymol had a stand there and they told me that the bigger the beading the better the polish is and the car is better protected, do you find this to be true ?

 

[Jimmeh]

Not nessacarly - beading varies massively between wax/sealents. I could post pictures of all sorts of varying beads for you.. but I won't. Just, at the time I'd finished (and buffed the last of the SuperNatural wax off...) it was only a very light shower. If, on the other hand, it was a pretty big down-pour, it would of been a different story. Bigger, tigher beads.

Good point though!

 

[white.akita]

i dont know much about detailing myself but i use either diamondbrite or supagard every other week and build up layers so it is very well protected ! but i must admit it gets washed once a week through a car wash !
im looking for a second hand steam cleaner at the moment.
i forget to say excellent job and love the colour of the a4 and in my opinion with the best engine and 4wd :thumbsup:
the zymol rep must be wrong then.

 

[Jimmeh]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm still pleased with it. Shame to have had to let the S3 go but, when needs must.. What do you drive?

You deserve a slap on the wrists for using the car-wash.. I really would try to avoid if I were you. (I wouldn't be suprised if the car-wash solution/TFR is stripping your supaguard to an extent either.. (could be proved wrong however..))

 

[white.akita]

i have a silver a4 b6 02 1.9tdi remapped to 170bhp with 18" rs4 wheels, on the way is a b7 rs4 front bumper conversion, 19" rs6 wheels and might get some s4 door blades.
yeah i know car washes are bad but its the lazy option as im working ALOT lately.
ive had around 40 cars in 5 years and have used diamondbrite on alot of them and it does last a long time even when the car has been through a car wash for months, it might not be the very best polish/sealant but it does last a very long time, by the end of the year it will be about a inch thick on my car ! ha

 

[Nilz]

Jimmeh, what a write up as always, car is looking on par with the S3!!!

Well done as always, keep up the good work

 

[Jimmeh]

Carried out some work to the hubs yesterday.. looks much better (although next time, I'll spray them, not paint!)

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

 

[quattrojames]

Fantastic Job!!

This is the first time I have sat down long enough since you posted to take in all the pictures! Painting the hubs makes such a difference, I hadn't though of doing that - I will be doing my calipers black fairly soon, so will be sure to get some silver for the hubs too

 

[s-line stu]

Excellent job all round Jimmeh, I painted the hubs on a Golf I used to own and it does sharpen it up. Did the edge of the disks as well and any overspray that got on the face of the discs (I used silver smoothright) soon came off when the car was driven.

Might get round to it on the Audi one day but it has smaller brakes and bigger wheels than the golf (it was a 180bhp with the larger brakes) so they don't look quite as impressive!

Hope the attached image works:

or

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5301/hubsa.jpg

 

[rasA4]

Top Job Jimmeh