New Q7 solid black cleaning care

**Skippy73** · 18-04-2016,10:53 AM

So I have just officially entered my build week and I am getting excited knowing that it's not long now until the car arrives. I am hoping I have it by the last May Bank holiday weekend as we are away and we need the luggage space. Fingers crossed.

I've been thinking a lot about how I am going to care for the paintwork on the car when it arrives. My car is a lease for 3 years for work and so the car is actually delivered to my home. I figure it will only of been washed once since manufacture by the dealer so damage to the paintwork should hopefully be minimal.

But I accept that the solid black paintwork on the Q7 is a soft paint and I have a huge issue personally with swirl marks. So the question is how will I protect the paintwork. I would of gone to a detailer and had a Gtechniq crystal serum put on the car, but I can't really justify the cost on a lease car.

So for me I am going to use CQUARTZ UK which is a ceramic hard coating similar to the crystal serum except you can apply it yourself and is very simple. It's great stuff which I have used before.

My plan is:
Car delivered and parked on drive and before driving I will.
Wash car with gold class shampoo 2 bucket method and sheepskin mits.
Dry the car with waffle weave towels.
Claybar the car and rinse and dry again.
Inspect the paintwork for swirls and apply wax if required.
Then apply the CQuartz UK a panel at a time. 1 hour to dry then apply a second coat.
This should protect the car and it has good anti swirl properties. Can last upto 2 years.

How is everyone else looking after their cars?
In particular those with sold black paint? Is the paintwork holding up against swirl marks ok?

Also does anyone use a local car wash?

For me I am busy and I will struggle to always have time to wash the car and perhaps more so in winter. I have a very quite little car wash down the road from me and I used to give them a few lambswool wash mits and insisted they use those and only dry the car with the towels I give them on previous cars lol. Sure it means the 2 bucket method gets missed that way but at least it was something to lessen the damage of going to a local car wash.

What's everyone's thoughts?

**andyhud007** · 18-04-2016,11:10 AM

Hey Skippy

sadly as mine is wrapped, the normal methods do not apply for me, but on my old cars I used a similar approach

1. Foam Bath with foam gun and Megiuars Foam Shampoo
2. Spray down and possibly second foam bath depending on how the first loosened dirt
3. 2 Bucket method always, with lambs wool mitts using decent quality shampoo
4. Spray down again
5. Clar bar whole car (the longest part but the best rewards). I used Meguiars Clay bar spray but really even water will do as long as the clay bar is good
6. Wash wheels separately with separate mitts etc
7. All sorts of potions for glass etc.. Cant remember name off hand
8. Wax using 2 different wax sponges on a Meguiars electric wax machine thingy...

Something like that..

As I say, for my Matte wrap its different and I've had to get stuff that doesnt cause the matte to go "shiny" which most car shampoos do by default, but the elements are the same (minus the clar bar which I dont do now)

Never use a car wash, would rather wait

Andy

**Gyro** · 18-04-2016,11:47 AM

Have you got the GardX as part of your package? If so, I would tell them to forget it and take it to a car detailer; for about the same money you will get a far, far superior finish. I'm not sure you would need to clay bar a brand new car as it won't have many bonded contaminants (tar etc.) on it? Anyway, I've done this with my last couple of cars and it really looks the business and makes washing and cleaning the car so much easier.

As for CQuartz, definitely the way to go. Definitely two-bucket wash with wool mitt as you say. For at home washing I'm on the following schedule:

1. Cover the car in pH-neutral snow foam shampoo if required to get the worst of the muck off, let it dwell for around 20 mins.
2. Two bucket/wool mitt wash using Car Pro reset shampoo.
3. Wheel clean with different mitt.
4. Dry with good quality microfiber.
5. Remove any contaminants with Car Pro TarX (helps keep the clay bar requirement at bay for longer!).
6. Clean wheels with Car Pro IronX (amazing stuff but DO NOT use it in the garage as it properly stinks).
7. Apply Car Pro Reload sealant to exterior.
8. Clean interior leather and plastics with Car Pro Perl (4:1 with water).
9. Dress tyres with Car Pro Perl (neat).
10. Wife takes car to shop for milk in the rain and I immediately wish I hadn't bothered cleaning it!!!

I don't work for Car Pro by the way, I just really like their products. Appreciate everyone is different with opinions/products when it comes to car care, this is all IMO...

I take it back to the detailer for a top up every year.

Also, as Andy said, don't go to a car wash. I know what you mean re. time though, especially in the winter. I usually start mine on a Friday late afternoon, and get finished just after the kids are in bed

. Another must have is to have the tunes pumping and a fridge full of beer in the garage (not too much though!).

**srbsq7** · 18-04-2016,12:18 PM

I've booked mine in with a detailer to have SiRamik Glasscoatapplied. I might also get the SiRamik Diamas Professionali applied too but haven't quite decided!

After that, I will be 'attempting' to follow a wash procedure as per above and try not to make a mess of it!

**Nemo78** · 18-04-2016,07:31 PM

Amazing isn't it how much time we spend on cleaning our cars...

2 bucket technique as described by Andy for me - but that's about it. Haven't waxed or polished a car in ages as don't have that time now.

But washed with care then the shine is always there

**Skippy73** · 18-04-2016,08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Nemo78

Amazing isn't it how much time we spend on cleaning our cars...

2 bucket technique as described by Andy for me - but that's about it. Haven't waxed or polished a car in ages as don't have that time now.

But washed with care then the shine is always there

Yours is solid black Nemo?

**Nemo78** · 18-04-2016,10:02 PM

No...my old A4 was diamond black (I think that was the Audi colour) and wife's current car is metallic black and if you look at them the paintwork is awesome still.

All about washing in direction of panel and gentle strokes .... When I sold my A4 the dealership were so impressed that a 7-8yr old cars paintwork looked so good

**NickTyler** · 19-04-2016,10:19 AM

Watch out on delivery. Mine is solid black and it came with swirl marks and more all over it from new. Dealers response was that solid black are all like that "it's normal"

. I looked round their holding bay and all the new cars were like that! ***!!! I had the Autoglym life-shine treatment and I think that its what caused the damage. When they cleaned it for that. That was a mistake and a big waste of money. They must have used sandpaper to dry or apply it or something. I feel like I paid the dealer £400 to ruin the car and then they just said it was 'normal

Anyway on mine you have to no more than breathe near the car and the movement of the air will swirl, mark and scratch it. Of course that is an exaggeration but only just!

I got a quote from a local well respected detailer and it was around £1000 to fix depending on the choice of final protection. I will wait a year or until I can no longer stand to look at the state of the car (so the day after delivery

) and then take it to him.

Hopefully yours won't be like that to start but be very careful with the paint as mine is like warm black butter.

**Skippy73** · 19-04-2016,11:20 AM

Originally Posted by NickTyler

Watch out on delivery. Mine is solid black and it came with swirl marks and more all over it from new. Dealers response was that solid black are all like that "it's normal"

. I looked round their holding bay and all the new cars were like that! ***!!! I had the Autoglym life-shine treatment and I think that its what caused the damage. When they cleaned it for that. That was a mistake and a big waste of money. They must have used sandpaper to dry or apply it or something. I feel like I paid the dealer £400 to ruin the car and then they just said it was 'normal

Anyway on mine you have to no more than breathe near the car and the movement of the air will swirl, mark and scratch it. Of course that is an exaggeration but only just!

I got a quote from a local well respected detailer and it was around £1000 to fix depending on the choice of final protection. I will wait a year or until I can no longer stand to look at the state of the car (so the day after delivery

) and then take it to him.

Hopefully yours won't be like that to start but be very careful with the paint as mine is like warm black butter.

Ouch ok that scares me. I think the hard ceramic coating of CQuartz will be the go. It's perfect for soft paint finishes like this that mark easy and the hard ceramic coating will protect it. £35 a bottle I will be ensuring this goes straight on the car. Fingers crossed on the paintwork finish condition when it arrives.

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**srbsq7** · 19-04-2016,11:27 AM

The detailer I'm using has asked me to tell the dealership not to clean it. Just do the PDI checks and remove the protective film and leave any residue. Has anyone done this? Just wondering how bad the car looks and whether I would need to do a very gentle / minimal wash myself so it looked respectable until it goes to the detailer which is likely to be 2-3 weeks after I get it.