Recommended products/routine for dark metallic/pearlescent Audi's

If there is an optimal colour group to work with in the world of car care, then dark metallic/pearlescent colours has to be it. Not only do such colours easily yield highly reflective, incredibly wet looking finishes with terrific clarity and depth, but they are also fairly forgiving and far easier to maintain than solid dark colours. Unsurprisingly, it is not difficult to achieve an excellent finish on such colours, and most last step products will produce good results. However, we believe it is always better to work with the characteristics of the paint rather than against them, and for this reason we recommend using a synthetic sealant basecoat topped with natural carnauba wax layers as the protective system on dark metallic/pearlescent colours. This is because the sealant basecoat cross-links to form an exceptionally smooth, highly dense surface layer that enhances reflectivity and flake pop, while the subsequent layers of natural carnauba wax maximise colour intensity and gloss. The overall effect of this two stage approach is to produce a beautifully balanced finish that enhances the look of the metallic/pearlescent flake whilst simultaneously jetting the base colour. In our opinion, there is little point paying extra for a metallic/pearlescent colour unless you are going to properly show it off in this way!

Our favourite sealant and wax combination for producing optimal results on dark metallic/pearlescent colours is a basecoat of Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection topped with multiple coats of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax. Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection delivers an intense wet looking shine with excellent reflectivity, and sharpens up the look of metallic/pearlescent colours brilliantly. Further benefits afforded by Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection include terrific ease of use and excellent durability, which makes it ideal for use as a basecoat for subsequent layers of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax. The addition of multiple layers of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax over a basecoat of Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection adds a rippling liquidity and intense vibrancy to dark metallic/pearlescent colours that is on par with the finish produced by bespoke high-end waxes costing thousands of pounds; it is a deeply impressive product that has few, if any, serious rivals at the same price point. If your budget is too small to stretch to the Blackfire combination outlined above, then an excellent second choice is a basecoat of Poorboys EX-P Sealant topped with multiple layers of Poorboys Natty's Paste Wax Blue. This duo delivers a rich, warm looking finish with a high level of gloss and no muting of the metallic/pearlescent flake, and offers excellent value for money.

Given the above, here is the optimal routine and products we recommend for use on dark metallic/pearlescent colours (assuming all work is to be done by hand)...

Wash (ideally every week)

Advanced Car Wash Kit - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/advanced-car-wash-kit-wash.html (choosing the Blackfire shampoo)

Decontaminate (once or twice a year, spring and autumn are the best times)

Step 1 - Autosmart Tardis & Accessories (to remove tar spots, tree sap, etc) - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/autosmart-tardis-clean.html

Step 2 - Meguiars Quik Clay Kit (to remove industrial fallout, soot, etc) - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/meguiars-quik-clay-kit-clean.html

Polish (after claying, thus done once or twice a year)

To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend a two stage process starting with Menzerna 203S in conjunction with Lake Country German CCS Light Cut Pads. Working small areas at a time using moderate pressure should enable you to correct a reasonable amount of the defects present in just 1-2 attempts per panel. Any remaining defects should then be partially hidden and the overall finish refined with Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish in conjunction with Lake Country German CCS Polishing Pads. Working small areas at a time using light pressure should enable you to partially hide any remaining defects and maximise the gloss in just a single attempt per panel. You should be aware from the outset that although this method will yield very good results, it will require a reasonable amount of elbow grease!

Menzerna 203S - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/menzerna-203s-polish.html
Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-gloss-enhancing-polish-polish.html
Lake Country German CCS Pads - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/lake-country-german-ccs-pads-polish.html
Poorboys Super Thick & Plush Towels - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/poorboys-super-thick-and-plush-towel-polish.html

Protect (apply a fresh coat at least every 3 months)

Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acat...mond-all-finish-paint-protection-protect.html
Blackfire Ultimate LSP Applicator Pad - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-ultimate-lsp-applicator-pad-protect.html
Luxury Deep Pile Buffing Towel - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/deep-pile-luxury-buffing-towel-protect.html

Of course, if you are feeling flush and want to take the quality of the final finish further, you could always add Blackfire Midnight Sun Paste Wax over the top - this will add extra wetness and gloss, and can be bought either on its own or as part of a kit, details here for the wax...

Blackfire Midnight Sun Paste Wax - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-midnight-sun-ivory-carnauba-paste-wax-protect.html
Blackfire Ultimate LSP Applicator Pad - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-ultimate-lsp-applicator-pad-protect.html
Luxury Deep Pile Buffing Towel - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/deep-pile-luxury-buffing-towel-protect.html

...and here for the full Blackfire kit...

Blackfire Wet Ice over Fire Shine Kit - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-wet-ice-over-fire-shine-kit-protect.html

Here are some pictures showing the finish the above products/routine gives on dark metallic/pearlescent colours, in order to give you some idea in advance...





















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Hi Simon, all of the pads are now back in stock, and tomorrow we will have Snappy Pad Cleaner in the polish section of the store, which is ideal for tackling tougher residues, such as that left by the Gloss Enhancing Polish. :icon_thumright:

Layering the sealant adds more wetness and clarity, but does not impart a thick looking gloss over the finish (best shown off in the last image above). To achieve a thick looking gloss a wax topper is always required. :icon_thumright:

Generally speaking, you should aim to wash every 1-2 weeks, and apply fresh protection every 8-12 weeks or so. Both the Blackfire protection products are very durable, so there is no need to be applying them every few weeks, unless you want to - and if you do, this is fine, as you can't overapply them; all that simply happens is that the level of protection and gloss increases. Do you find that the dust marks disappear after the wash/dry? If so, there is no need to reapply protection or do anything else, unless you want to. Another option to consider for quicker routine maintenance after washing and drying is the Deep Gloss Spray Sealant - this boosts the sealant/wax, but is a lot quicker to apply, and also helps to ensure no water spots are left after drying off. :icon_thumright:

The round yellow pads are for applying the Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection and Midnight Sun Ivory Carnuaba Paste Wax respectively. Do make sure you use as little products as possible to get the job done, as otherwise the pads will become soggy and saturated, as stated above. The towels are for buffing off all of the products - if you need anything extra, its usually more towels (you can never have enough, and Poorboys Deluxe Mega Towels are the nearest equivalent in our store). :icon_thumright:

--- 17/03/10 : links updated ---


If there is an optimal colour group to work with in the world of car care, then dark metallic/pearlescent colours has to be it. Not only do such colours easily yield highly reflective, incredibly wet looking finishes with terrific clarity and depth, but they are also fairly forgiving and far easier to maintain than solid dark colours. Unsurprisingly, it is not difficult to achieve an excellent finish on such colours, and most last step products will produce good results. However, we believe it is always better to work with the characteristics of the paint rather than against them, and for this reason we recommend using a synthetic sealant basecoat topped with natural carnauba wax layers as the protective system on dark metallic/pearlescent colours. This is because the sealant basecoat cross-links to form an exceptionally smooth, highly dense surface layer that enhances reflectivity and flake pop, while the subsequent layers of natural carnauba wax maximise colour intensity and gloss. The overall effect of this two stage approach is to produce a beautifully balanced finish that enhances the look of the metallic/pearlescent flake whilst simultaneously jetting the base colour. In our opinion, there is little point paying extra for a metallic/pearlescent colour unless you are going to properly show it off in this way!

Our favourite sealant and wax combination for producing optimal results on dark metallic/pearlescent colours is a basecoat of Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection topped with multiple coats of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax. Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection delivers an intense wet looking shine with excellent reflectivity, and sharpens up the look of metallic/pearlescent colours brilliantly. Further benefits afforded by Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection include terrific ease of use and excellent durability, which makes it ideal for use as a basecoat for subsequent layers of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax. The addition of multiple layers of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax over a basecoat of Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection adds a rippling liquidity and intense vibrancy to dark metallic/pearlescent colours that is on par with the finish produced by bespoke high-end waxes costing thousands of pounds; it is a deeply impressive product that has few, if any, serious rivals at the same price point. If your budget is too small to stretch to the Blackfire combination outlined above, then an excellent second choice is a basecoat of Poorboys EX-P Sealant topped with multiple layers of Poorboys Natty's Paste Wax Blue. This duo delivers a rich, warm looking finish with a high level of gloss and no muting of the metallic/pearlescent flake, and offers excellent value for money.

Given the above, here is the optimal routine and products we recommend for use on dark metallic/pearlescent colours (assuming all work is to be done by hand)...

Wash (ideally every week, including wheels)

Advanced Car Wash Kit - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/pb-advanced-wash-kit-cat1.html (choosing the Blackfire shampoo)

Decontaminate (once or twice a year, spring and autumn are the best times)

Step 1 - Autosmart Tardis & Accessories (to remove tar spots, tree sap, etc) - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/autosmart-tardis-cat6.html

Step 2 - Meguiars Quik Clay Kit (to remove industrial fallout, soot, etc) - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/meguiars-quik-clay-kit-cat1.html

Polish (after claying, thus done once or twice a year)

To correct swirl marks and other light to moderate defects (fine scratches and etching) on your car, we recommend a two stage process starting with Menzerna 203S in conjunction with Lake Country German CCS Light Cut Pads. Working small areas at a time using moderate pressure should enable you to correct a reasonable amount of the defects present in just 1-2 attempts per panel. Any remaining defects should then be partially hidden and the overall finish refined with Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish in conjunction with Lake Country German CCS Polishing Pads. Working small areas at a time using light pressure should enable you to partially hide any remaining defects and maximise the gloss in just a single attempt per panel. You should be aware from the outset that although this method will yield very good results, it will require a reasonable amount of elbow grease!

Menzerna 203S - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/menzerna-203s-cat8.html
Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-gloss-enhancing-polish-cat9.html
Lake Country German CCS Light Cut Pads - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/lake-country-light-cut-hand-pad-cat24.html
Lake Country German CCS Polishing Pads - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/lake-country-polishing-hand-pad-cat24.html
Poorboys Super Thick & Plush Towels - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/poorboys-super-thick-and-plush-towel-cat24.html

Protect (apply a fresh coat at least every 3 months)

Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-all-finish-paint-protection-cat12.html
Blackfire Ultimate LSP Applicator Pad - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-ultimate-applicator-pad-cat24.html
Luxury Deep Pile Buffing Towel - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/pb-luxury-buffing-towel-cat24.html

Of course, if you are feeling flush and want to take the quality of the final finish further, you could always add Blackfire Midnight Sun Paste Wax over the top - this will add extra wetness and gloss, and can be bought either on its own or as part of a kit, details here for the wax...

Blackfire Midnight Sun Paste Wax - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-midnight-sun-paste-wax-cat13.html
Blackfire Ultimate LSP Applicator Pad - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-ultimate-applicator-pad-cat24.html
Luxury Deep Pile Buffing Towel - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/pb-luxury-buffing-towel-cat24.html

...and here for the full Blackfire kit...

Blackfire Wet Ice over Fire Shine Kit - http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/blackfire-wet-ice-over-fire-kit-cat1.html

Here are some pictures showing the finish the above products/routine gives on dark metallic/pearlescent colours, in order to give you some idea in advance...





















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Scruffy said:

Hey,

Just picked up my beautiful S5 and it had lifeshine done by the dealer...question is though, was this a waste of time as I see there are some comments here not to have bothered having it done. Also, whats the best way to really shine it up as my 3.2 A3 in the really shiny black colour looks so good polished, i want that on my phantom black S5 (is there a big difference in the two types of black?)

Thanks
Andy

Click to expand...

Sorry for the delayed reply, I've not been on in over a month due to us being so busy this year! As you suggest, the Lifeshine isn't really worth much, but as a base it will be fine to add more products too to get the look you want. My advice would be to top it with Blackfire's Midnight Sun Paste Wax (linked above) for extra gloss and protection. As the images above show, Phantom Black can be made to look awesome with Blackfire products, so I'm quite sure you'll be delighted if you choose to go down this route. :icon_thumright:

Hayley said:

HI can you advise if you sell a kit which has all the items suitable to get a great shine and appearance on a phantom balck audi? Thanks

Click to expand...

Hi Hayley, yes, we do now offer various Blackfire kits to help people buy everything they need in one go. The kit that includes the polish, sealant and wax described above can be viewed on this link...

Blackfire Wet Ice Over Fire Kit >

...and it will be back in stock in around 7-10 days time when the next container arrives from the USA. Other Blackfire kits can be viewed on this link...

Car Care Kits & Gift Ideas

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Hi Hayley, there is no way to properly answer your question properly without inspecting the car. You would think that brand new cars would be contaminant free, but in our experience many come covered in filings and fallout due to the way they are transported from the factory to the dealership. My advice would be to test the paint asap in the following way: wash and rinse your car thoroughly and then run your fingertips over the wet panels. Clean paint should feel perfectly smooth (if your fingertips aren't particularly sensitive you can magnify your sense of touch by putting your hand inside a thin cellophane wrapper first). If you can feel rough spots or a gritty texture then unfortunately your paint is affected and it would be sensible to use a clay bar before moving on to the polish and protect stages. If you want to read up more on surface contamination and how best to deal with it please see this guide...

How to identify and remove bonded surface contaminants safely and effectively >