Metallic Phantom Black - Which Products for mirror-like shine?

[a4rxw30tdi]

Hi,

Can anyone advise on which cleaning products are best to use. I'm due to pick up new A4 in Metallic Phantom Black in May!

Used previously Auto Glyn range of polishes (applied with 100% cotton terry towels and buffed off with Micro fiber cloths), but after a while especially in sunlight, noticed a lot of cobweb/ swirls in the paintwork!! (especially when it had come back from an Audi service, they tended to wash it after!!)

If possible, I want to try and avoid this from happening on the new car.

Would like to keep the car looking glossy/shiny & new and protected! Perhaps I caused the swirls on previous car by washing/polishing the car too frequently before (norm 3-4 wks or when dirty and Sunny weekend arrived!!)

I do enjoy cleaning the car - sorry I know it might sound sad to those who don't bother, but I find the result after is very satisying, especially if you can acheive a lasting mirror-like finish without causing swirls!

Would be interested to know what products are best to shine/gleam and gloss paintwork to a mirror like shine, is Auto G the product I should be using on new car?, Would prefer products which are practical & can be applied by hand without use of professional machinary.

Any help/tips advice lists/links would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
RJW

[2007DBR9]

I just use Halford's car shampoo on mine, (same colour, awsome wchoice of car!) and I take it to the car wash on Sundays, the ones where you wash it yourself, and just use all the stuff there. I gice it a generous wash, about £5 worth.

[squinty]

not sure its the cheapest option, but my brother has recently bought a machine polisher, no tlike one of those 20 quid jobbies from halfords. i am unsure where he got it from but its a meguiars one, with 3 different coarse-ness pads. came with a specific polish for each head also, one smells of bananas, one smells of coconut, cant remember the lst and he got a free micro fibre cloth with it.

it looks like tyhis one

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=432

the pack he has got is meant to be good for beginners as the hasshest rating pad is onyl a 6 out of 10, (with 10 being the harshest).

he took it for a test of our dads car the other day, his car is probable getting on for being 10 years old now and has never really had a good valet, so was covered in swirl marks, after doing a section on the bonnet with the car polisher the marks were greatly reduced. from all over to only a few. not nbad considering the age and condition of the car.

[2007DBR9]

If it is a brand new car then the paint should not be damaged, so all you have to do is keep it clean. Oh and make sure you don't do it on the sunlight, and that you clean one side, rinse it, clean the other, rinse it etc. Works for me! Judging from your name I am guessing you ordered a 3.0 TDI? Same as mine, fantastic car! You will not be disappointed :)

[a4rxw30tdi]

If it is a brand new car then the paint should not be damaged, so all you have to do is keep it clean. Oh and make sure you don't do it on the sunlight, and that you clean one side, rinse it, clean the other, rinse it etc. Works for me! Judging from your name I am guessing you ordered a 3.0 TDI? Same as mine, fantastic car! You will not be disappointed :)


Hi.. Yes its a 3.0tdi S-line Tip in the Cabriolet! Looking forward to receiving it. What do you use to dry yours off with? I found leathers a bit harsh and get dirty quick, perhaps one of those micro fibre cloths? I recently came accross a brand, quite in-exspensive called, 'Devil Shine' I'm told that spraying this on before drying really shines... Any ideas? Would this cause swirls I wonder?

[a4rxw30tdi]

not sure its the cheapest option, but my brother has recently bought a machine polisher, no tlike one of those 20 quid jobbies from halfords. i am unsure where he got it from but its a meguiars one, with 3 different coarse-ness pads. came with a specific polish for each head also, one smells of bananas, one smells of coconut, cant remember the lst and he got a free micro fibre cloth with it.

it looks like tyhis one

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=432

the pack he has got is meant to be good for beginners as the hasshest rating pad is onyl a 6 out of 10, (with 10 being the harshest).

he took it for a test of our dads car the other day, his car is probable getting on for being 10 years old now and has never really had a good valet, so was covered in swirl marks, after doing a section on the bonnet with the car polisher the marks were greatly reduced. from all over to only a few. not nbad considering the age and condition of the car.

Thanks for that... Really want to try and avoid using machines though, at least till my pocket recovers!!! or until the car gets a little older and in need of it! Wanting to avoid the swirl marks appearing is my main goal, my last car was only 2 years old and it look horrid in the sunlight! I'm not sure whether it was the combination of polishes used, they frequency of using them, direction of applying it, the cloth which was used or the audi service peeps washing it!?!

Are there any products out there I wonder which shine and protect and dont leave swirl makes in thier wake?

Cheers for the link I'll keep it for in the future.

[2007DBR9]

I just give it a good rinse with the hose, and leave it! Make sure you resist the temptation to wash it in a warm / sunny day, that is where streaks start to appear. You ordered the convertible versoin? Wow that will be a nice car!

[REMO]

Hi,

Can anyone advise on which cleaning products are best to use. I'm due to pick up new A4 in Metallic Phantom Black in May!

Used previously Auto Glyn range of polishes (applied with 100% cotton terry towels and buffed off with Micro fiber cloths), but after a while especially in sunlight, noticed a lot of cobweb/ swirls in the paintwork!! (especially when it had come back from an Audi service, they tended to wash it after!!)

If possible, I want to try and avoid this from happening on the new car.

Would like to keep the car looking glossy/shiny & new and protected! Perhaps I caused the swirls on previous car by washing/polishing the car too frequently before (norm 3-4 wks or when dirty and Sunny weekend arrived!!)

I do enjoy cleaning the car - sorry I know it might sound sad to those who don't bother, but I find the result after is very satisying, especially if you can acheive a lasting mirror-like finish without causing swirls!

Would be interested to know what products are best to shine/gleam and gloss paintwork to a mirror like shine, is Auto G the product I should be using on new car?, Would prefer products which are practical & can be applied by hand without use of professional machinary.

Any help/tips advice lists/links would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
RJW
To keep swirls and cob webs away as much as possible first rince the car good then use two buckets one with your suds in and the other with clear water do a panel at a time, then rince your lambswool mitt dont use sponges they trap dirt , rince the mitt in the clean water then back in the suds bucket then carry on doing a panel at a time, start at the top and work down,dont use leathers to dry with, these cause webbing and swirls, use a drying micro fiber drying towel sonnus or a guzzler by cobra, dont wash if the pannels are hot; ie dark colours wait till panels are cool .dont let anyone else wash your car if you want it to stay looking the way it should, only wash by hand, keep your pride and joy swirl free, enjoy. Protection, zaino sealant z5 will keep your pride protected from pollutants for 6 months. hope this helps

[Malcolm44]

I would suggest that if you want to keep your car in pristene condition, you join the detailing world forum. Lots of guides and how to's. for example read this on washing

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4637

regards

[squinty]

squinty's brother taking over.

as remo has already said, two bucket wash method with a wash mitt, and dry with a towel is the best start you can have. always wash your wheels after the car, and use a completely separate cloth/brush/sponge/mitt to the one you wash your car with.

this will greatly reduce the chances of swirls being inflited on the paintwork in the first place.

the autoglym polish you used on previous car(s) was probably the super resin polish. this has 'fillers' in it, which will fill in the light scratches and swirls, but doesnt last forever, and they do become visable again.

you dont need to polish your car all that often really. maybe twice a year. wax/sealant is a lot more important, as this provides the protection. a basic rule of thumb for when to wax the car is when you rinse it after washing and the water doesnt bead up=time to wax ;)

a good wax will give you long lasting protection, and a deep gloss shine. depending how far you want to get into things, you can also get a product called a 'glaze'. i have a 'wet look' glaze, that i apply before waxing the car to give the gloss a bit of extra depth.

detailing world is also a great place to get info and help, just be careful though! before you know it you will of spent £500 on cleaning and care products! lol.

in 6 months to a years time, it may be worth picking up a clay bar. basially, you use this after washing the car and it lifts all the contaminants off that have built up on the clearcoat.

one final thing that i will suggest though, is that you DO NOT get the supagard applied to the car. it really is a waste of money. however, as always there is a but. get on ebay and pick up a can or two of the supagard interiorgard fabric spray. that is definately worth getting.

edit: oh, and you can NEVER wash you car too much lol. i wash mine at least once a week!

[a4rxw30tdi]

To keep swirls and cob webs away as much as possible first rince the car good then use two buckets one with your suds in and the other with clear water do a panel at a time, then rince your lambswool mitt dont use sponges they trap dirt , rince the mitt in the clean water then back in the suds bucket then carry on doing a panel at a time, start at the top and work down,dont use leathers to dry with, these cause webbing and swirls, use a drying micro fiber drying towel sonnus or a guzzler by cobra, dont wash if the pannels are hot; ie dark colours wait till panels are cool .dont let anyone else wash your car if you want it to stay looking the way it should, only wash by hand, keep your pride and joy swirl free, enjoy. Protection, zaino sealant z5 will keep your pride protected from pollutants for 6 months. hope this helps

Thanks Remo... Very useful advice.

[curiousgeorge]

Can swirls be removed or is it permanent damage?

[Plife]

Can swirls be removed or is it permanent damage?
Yes they can be removed. Extremely hard by hand, much easier with a machine, DA or rotary polisher. Rotary will give the easiest results but with the most risk!!

Plenty of pro detailers offer the service of removing swirls.

[elitedetailer]

Hi,

Can anyone advise on which cleaning products are best to use. I'm due to pick up new A4 in Metallic Phantom Black in May!

Used previously Auto Glyn range of polishes (applied with 100% cotton terry towels and buffed off with Micro fiber cloths), but after a while especially in sunlight, noticed a lot of cobweb/ swirls in the paintwork!! (especially when it had come back from an Audi service, they tended to wash it after!!)

If possible, I want to try and avoid this from happening on the new car.

Would like to keep the car looking glossy/shiny & new and protected! Perhaps I caused the swirls on previous car by washing/polishing the car too frequently before (norm 3-4 wks or when dirty and Sunny weekend arrived!!)

I do enjoy cleaning the car - sorry I know it might sound sad to those who don't bother, but I find the result after is very satisying, especially if you can acheive a lasting mirror-like finish without causing swirls!

Would be interested to know what products are best to shine/gleam and gloss paintwork to a mirror like shine, is Auto G the product I should be using on new car?, Would prefer products which are practical & can be applied by hand without use of professional machinary.

Any help/tips advice lists/links would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
RJW

Hi RJW

Here is a guide as to "how to wash" your car. http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=50891

Here is a guide as to "Claying" oyour car.
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=56071

With regards to swirl marks and light hairline scratches, even though your car is brand new, you can bet your bottom dollar your car has these, hopefully they aren't too bad though.

For a decent quality finish which will give your great shine and excellent protection then this kit will be ideal for you car:
http://elitedetailer.com/cgi-bin/hcat_catalogue.cgi?fa=display&id=113&crid=&cmrid=1&cmpid=2

Any more question, please ask.

Regards
EliteDetailer

[curiousgeorge]

I've just washed my new black A3 with turtle wax wash & wax and then a T Cut all round.

These products haven't been mentioned here, why is that?

The results are fantastic. Would only do it about every six months or so, as I know T Cut is relatively abrasive.

[paul b]

I've just washed my new black A3 with turtle wax wash & wax and then a T Cut all round.

These products haven't been mentioned here, why is that?

The results are fantastic. Would only do it about every six months or so, as I know T Cut is relatively abrasive.
I don't like either of the above products.

I use Mer wax, although some dislike that. I used to use T-Cut a lot, but it was suggested to me to use Farecla G10 (or G3 if the paintwork is in bad condition i.e. faded) which I will soon use with my rotary.

If you like Turtle wax carry on using it, there's so many detailing products out there, so many people suggest this or that and go bananas because someone isn't. But I wouldn't continue using the T-Cut. ;)

[curiousgeorge]

I don't like either of the above products.

I use Mer wax, although some dislike that. I used to use T-Cut a lot, but it was suggested to me to use Farecla G10 (or G3 if the paintwork is in bad condition i.e. faded) which I will soon use with my rotary.

If you like Turtle wax carry on using it, there's so many detailing products out there, so many people suggest this or that and go bananas because someone isn't. But I wouldn't continue using the T-Cut. ;)
You haven't actually said why you don't use T-cut, what's wrong with it? As an established and well known product I would trust that product with my car more than anything else. Same goes for Turtle wax.

I wonder if it's because they're available in shops like Halfords.

[Redzer]

i would have used a lot of turtle wax products over the years and always found them good,
Turtle wax do that wax it wet stuff which i find excellent too,
wash the car properly, a couple of sprays of the wax it wet per panel as you dry it does a good job if you dont have the time to wax the car properly.

[Eshrules]

You haven't actually said why you don't use T-cut, what's wrong with it? As an established and well known product I would trust that product with my car more than anything else. Same goes for Turtle wax.

I wonder if it's because they're available in shops like Halfords.

it's nothing to do with where it's available, T-Cut oxidises the paint you apply it to, oxidisation in the worst form is evident on once-red cars, now-pink.

[elitedetailer]

Hi

Turtle Wax is a convenient product to buy from places like halfords but the results it achieves are ordinary in our opinion. Especially when it comes to durability and depth of shine. You can get far far better results from other manufacturers. Ok the "other" product may cost £5 more or so but you will get this back in "quality" many times over time.

Decent paintwork preparation is key but again T-Cut is not a good product at all. If you want a quick fix to get some colour/shine back into the car and want to sell it on then this product suffices for some people. But if you like your car and want to maintain it properly then you will be better suited to other products. You can get products that are less abrasive that will achieve a better finish, this is possible for more aggressive compounds too which will remove more defects than T-Cut and still finish to a finer appearance.

Regards
EliteDetailer :beerchug:

[paul b]

You haven't actually said why you don't use T-cut, what's wrong with it? As an established and well known product I would trust that product with my car more than anything else. Same goes for Turtle wax.

I wonder if it's because they're available in shops like Halfords.
T-Cut can work on cars with a bad paint finish, like on pink cars that need restoring to red.

But what if you have a metallic blue car like myself, or a black car like you seem to have? Ever asked yourself just what is it doing to the black/blue paint??? Likely to be stripping the top layer of paint.

[curiousgeorge]

T-Cut can work on cars with a bad paint finish, like on pink cars that need restoring to red.

But what if you have a metallic blue car like myself, or a black car like you seem to have? Ever asked yourself just what is it doing to the black/blue paint??? Likely to be stripping the top layer of paint.
Yes, I agree, but not the top layer of paint, but the top layer of the top paint layer. Anyway, waxes do that too, don't they?

The car is 3 years old and it may never have been done before. I wanted to give it a one off treatment all over, but mainly to remove some of the bumper scratches and scuff marks on the doors, and it did a good job with this. I'll only use it on scratches from now on.

[curiousgeorge]

it's nothing to do with where it's available, T-Cut oxidises the paint you apply it to, oxidisation in the worst form is evident on once-red cars, now-pink.
Yes, but those are most often cars that are 15 years old, and on cars like Escorts and Novas. I'd expect paint technology to have moved on from then and for modern finishes to be more durable.

[paul b]

The car is 3 years old and it may never have been done before.
Well, that's why it looks like a good job.

[curiousgeorge]

Well, that's why it looks like a good job.
It looks like a good job because the scratches were all but gone and the car was shinier than it was at the showroom.

[Paul.693]

My personal routine is:
Pressure wash { not too close and no touching } to ''rinse'' anything loose enough.
Hand wash with AG bodywork conditioner.
Rinse soap
Remove excessive water with a silicone blade.
Dry with an AG synthetic leather
Polish with AG ultra deep shine { white powder residue }only when necessary
Wax with Harleys carnauba wax { no residue and great 'wet look' shine}
Early morning or evening to avoid sun, direct sunlight and high temps are essential. Also avoid windy days.

Autoglym is great but the white residual powder is a real bu**er

This is for my Brilliant Black S-Line :D

[curiousgeorge]

Dry with an AG synthetic leather

I thought that leathers cause swirls?

[REMO]

my personal routine is:
Pressure wash { not too close and no touching } to ''rinse'' anything loose enough.
Hand wash with ag bodywork conditioner.
Rinse soap
remove excessive water with a silicone blade.
Dry with an ag synthetic leather
polish with ag ultra deep shine { white powder residue }only when necessary
wax with harleys carnauba wax { no residue and great 'wet look' shine}
early morning or evening to avoid sun, direct sunlight and high temps are essential. Also avoid windy days.

Autoglym is great but the white residual powder is a real bu**er

this is for my brilliant black s-line :d
harleys wax is cracking for the shine but doesnt offer much in form of protection from the elements, ALSO ATTRACTS DUST, I found to be very static, lasts about 2 weeks ish depending on weather, a sealent gives so much more protection , zaino Z2 sealant best FOR DARK COLOURS lasts about 6 months, and is very very nice WET shine, best all rounder ive used

if you isopol the paint first, ie, for bonding. BLACK, best colour most rewarding.

[elitedetailer]

Yes, I agree, but not the top layer of paint, but the top layer of the top paint layer. Anyway, waxes do that too, don't they?

The car is 3 years old and it may never have been done before. I wanted to give it a one off treatment all over, but mainly to remove some of the bumper scratches and scuff marks on the doors, and it did a good job with this. I'll only use it on scratches from now on.

Most waxes do not remove the clear coat/top layer of paint.

Regards
EliteDetailer :beerchug:

[elitedetailer]

I thought that leathers cause swirls?

Hi

It is far safer to use something like a microfibre drying towel like this: Ultra Safe Drying Towel (http://www.elitedetailer.com/cgi-bin/hcat_catalogue.cgi?fa=display&id=44&crid=&cmrid=1&cmpid=2)

You will also find it far easiar to use.

Regards
EliteDetailer :beerchug: