Routine looked good flipkid. As far as the dents, scratches, etc. you can either decide to tackle that yourself or take it to a professional. I do not deal much with paint touch ups or body repair so I won't have too much to offer there. You are right, a fresh detail can bring out those imperfections.

For regular glass maintenance, I use Stoner's Invisible Glass with a combination of 3 MF towels... 2 general purpose ones and 1 glass specific one. The first general purpose one I use to apply the product and work it into the glass. The second one I follow up with and remove almost all of the product and get it nearly streak free, then I follow up with the low nap glass microfiber towel to ensure there is no streaking left behind. The nice thing about the Stoner's is you can use it both on your interior and exterior and it is safe to use on tinted windows as well.

I apologize for the delayed reply.

chipdog805 - Unfortunately I don't have a definite answer for your and your truck. From the looks of the picture, I think the best you are going to get is hiding it temporarily until you get the area repainted. You can try a light abrasive polish and see if that starts to help, but I doubt it. It would help with all of the light scratches and swirls I see around it though, so it may be worth doing. Continue using the wax that helps fill it in or use a glaze, then seal it in.

 

i have an 06 a3 white what is the best car wash and what should i use to clean the dashboard?


thank you very much for your help.

brian

 

I personally like Poorboy's Super Slick and Suds and P21s Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo is a great shampoo but IMO not worth the extra cost over the Poorboy's one.

For an interior cleaner, 303 Cleaner & Spot Remover is a great all purpose cleaner that is used for vinyl, plastic, rubber, leather, carpets and more. Keep in mind tha this is just a cleaner and not a UV protectant. 303 Aerospace Protectant is a great product for a bold matte apperance as well as providing UV protection for your vinyl and rubber. If you are looking for a 1 step product that cleans and protects, Poorboy's World Natural Look is your best bet. It cleans, provides UV protection and smells great for your interior. It is not as versatile as the 303 products seperately, but works great for interior dash cleaning.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

George

 

It really depends on the available detailers in your area. Usually when you find a quality detailer they know their services are worth a lot more than their competition and are not afraid to charge a premium. One of the top detailers in the world is Kevin Hamill (goes by Picus on forums) from GTA in Detail and charges $450 for multi step compounding. This may sound steep but Kevin delivers a flawless finish virtually every time.

When I was doing service for customers our multi step compounding started at $240. I think a quality detailer who truly can remove your imperfections I'd expect to pay at least $175 for swirl removal. There are some quality detailers out there though that do not know how to value their work or they are just trying to under cut their competition and do work at a low cost but they are few and far between.

What part of NY are you in? I could see if I could help track someone down for you.

George

 

wow! this man is a genius! i have a b6 a4, in the classic "audi blue". i basically want the same thing as lopster, my car to shine like a show car. i would say my paint is about an 8 as well. are there any other things you would reccomend for my color? or could i essentially follow what you said to lopster? any help is much appreciated, thanks.

 

jojoampt - The only thing I'd change on an car of your color is using a wax that looks slightly better on blues, such as Poorboy's World Natty's Blue Paste wax, which we actually have on sale for $9.99 ... over 35% off its regular price until the end of June. Other than that, I think you'd get amazing results with what I laid out for Lopster.

Let me know if you have any questions on anything. If you are ready to order, don't forget to use the Audi Forums discount code, 10offAF

George

 

what would you use to clean alcantara??

 

George;

I have a few questions about wax & sealant longevity:

1. Everyone says waxes last a few weeks, maximum. Where does it actually go? Does it evaporate? Come off in the wash? Stripped off by fairies at 2am?

2. Sealants (polymer, etc.) are said to last longer, 3-6 months. Where does it go? Does it weaken and strip off over time? Does it weaken in a linear fashion?

3. People speak of using dish soap and other compounds to "remove" wax while washing. Is it really necessary to remove wax/sealant before re-waxing/sealing? How can you tell if it's gone?

4. Some polishes, compounds and "paint cleaners" advertise their ability to remove old wax. Do all polishes work this way? Do they remove sealants too?

Thanks

 

For alcantera cleaning, this is what is recommended straight from Alcantara's site:

General Washing:
To preserve the beauty of Alcantara®, we recommend that you clean the fabric regularly, avoiding energetic scrubbing and the use of steaming equipment.

For car upholstery you can use specific products, or - if they are not on hand - dust it with a soft cloth or sponge dampened with clean water. Wring it out well and clean all Alcantara® fabric, taking care not to wet the upholstery too deeply; dampen the cloth in clean water, wipe again, and allow to dry well overnight. The rejuvenate the fabric by brushing it delicately with a soft-bristled brush.

Stain Removal:
For smaller stains, if specific products are not on hand, follow these instructions.

- Act immediately, within 30 minutes of the stain's formation.
- First, remove the substance which has been spilled with a spoon or plastic spatula, if it is dense (yoghurt, jam, etc.), or with a white paper towel or sponge if it is liquid.
- Never pour the cleaning product directly on the fabric; rather, use a white cloth or a well-wrung sponge (rinse in clean water each time after wiping and wring out well).
- Try to reduce the stain by working from the edge towards the centre; do not scrub hard, otherwise it could spread or penetrate more deeply.

Depending on the type of stain, you can use water, lemon juice, or pure ethyl alcohol (grain alcohol) as a stain removal agent. Please read the treatment instructions below.

Water-soluble stains:
- Fruit juice, jam, gelatine, syrup, ketchup: lukewarm water; rinse by blotting with clean water.
- Blood, egg, feces, urine: cold water (avoid warm water, which could coagulate these substances); rinse by blotting with clean water.
- Liquor, wine, beer, Coca-Cola, tea: lukewarm water; treat any traces of colour with lemon juice, then rinse well.
- Copying pencil, cocoa, chocolate, custard and chocolate sweets, ice cream, mustard: lukewarm water; rinse by blotting with clean water.
- Vinegar, hair gel, tomato sauce, coffee sweetened with sugar: lemon juice, then lukewarm water; rinse by blotting with clean water.

NON-water-soluble stains:
- Lipstick, foundation, mascara, eye shadow, perfume, shoe polish, oil and grease, grass stains, markers (including permanent markers): blot with ethyl alcohol, then water, and rinse. Grass and marker stains, especially on light-coloured fabric, must be treated as soon as possible to keep them from drying.
- Chewing gum and wax: put ice in a plastic bag and set it on the stain; when the substance hardens, chip it away, then treat with ethyl alcohol.

Stubborn stains:
Try repeating the treatments described several times; even stains which are not water-soluble often require subsequent treatment with water.

Old stains of unknown origin:
First treat with lukewarm water, then rinse by blotting with clean water.
If you see the stain begin to dissolve, repeat the treatment; let dry, and if necessary, treat with ethyl alcohol.

 

ScottBurton11, good questions.

1. Everyone says waxes last a few weeks, maximum. Where does it actually go? Does it evaporate? Come off in the wash? Stripped off by fairies at 2am?

One of the reasons why wax doesn't last quite as long as a sealant is because it doesn't bond as well to the clear coat as a synthetic sealant does. A lot of factors determine the life of a wax: [ul][*]Exposure to elements: rain, sleet, snow, excessive sunlight, strong winds even[*]How many washes you subject the wax to. Every time you wash your vehicle you will remove some wax due to the friction, soap and contamination embedded in the wax being removed. Improper washing has a much bigger toll on waxes, like using a water blade, taking it to a bristled car wash, etc.[*]Miles driven. The more you drive it the more you expose your vehicle to the elements.[*]Heat is a big one, especially when you have a dark colored vehicle and you are in a climate with warm weather. I usually do not recommend a wax in these climates, unless it is for a special event, like a car show.[*]Using too strong of a cleaner, like a dish detergent like Dawn, using a polish, alcohol, vinegar, etc. This is important when you are trying to remove sap, tar, or other stubborn contamination, keep in mind you'll be stripping off the protection that is on the paint. [/ul]These are just some of the main factors, there are plenty of others. As far as where does the wax go, it really just fades away over time into the atmosphere unless it was removed due to friction. Keep in mind, a layer of wax is so microscopic, it doesn't take too much for it to go away. Assuming the variables were constant, meaning keeping it in a garage and never driving it, washing it, exposing it to the elements, it should fade in a linear fashion, but as we all know this is not likely. My best guess is that as the wax nears the end of it's life, some of the factors can have a bigger impact than when the wax was just applied.

2. Sealants (polymer, etc.) are said to last longer, 3-6 months. Where does it go? Does it weaken and strip off over time? Does it weaken in a linear fashion?

Same factors apply to the sealants as well. They "bond" better by cross linking the molecules giving it longer durability than a wax. These are good questions and I plan on posting them up on Detail University for others to view and comment on.

3. People speak of using dish soap and other compounds to "remove" wax while washing. Is it really necessary to remove wax/sealant before re-waxing/sealing? How can you tell if it's gone?

Depending on what you are doing, it can be important to remove what is left. For example, say you are a detailer who uses a sealant and a wax on top. If you are trying to reapply a coat of sealant, then it is important to remove what is left on the paint because if there are any remains of the wax, and you apply the sealant over the wax, you bond to the wax and only have the durability of the wax left on the paint. If you only had a wax on the paint, and you're adding another coat of wax, then it is not important to remove the old wax. Same goes for sealant on sealant.

4. Some polishes, compounds and "paint cleaners" advertise their ability to remove old wax. Do all polishes work this way? Do they remove sealants too?

Virtually any true polish should remove previous coats of protection. What I mean by a true polish is some companies throw in the word polish, when in fact it is not a polish, like Zaino Z-2 is a polymer sealant, not a polish in the true sense of the word. Here are some things that can be used to remove old sealants and waxes:
* Water / Isopropyl Alcohol Mixture
* Water / Vinegar Mixture
* Wash w/ Dawn (or another dish detergent)
* Clay Bar
* Polish with an abrasive polish
* Polish with a chemical cleaner
* Using a 1 step product like a "cleaner wax" or an "All In One" will strip off previous protection and leave you with a fresh coat of wax or sealant

Let me know if you'd like me to go in more depth with anything covered. Like I said, I'll try to dig up some more scientific info on what really happens to the sealants or waxes.

http://www.detailuniversity.com/foru...over-time.html

George