Your work looks amazing. I just want my car to look like those in the pictures!

Alright, I have a 2002 Audi. I have the light silver color. My paint i would rate it on a scale of 1-10, probably about an 8. It is not perfect, it has some minor chips in the front (rocks, cinders, salt) but they are not that bad. When i clay my car and do the polish and wax it looks great, feels really smooth. It just doesnt look anywhere as good as what you have there in those pictures!

I guess what i really want is just a VERY high glossy shine. Better than showroom. I want it to stand out!!!

Thanks on any info, products that you can lean me towards!

 

Lopster99 - Thanks for the positive feedback. That Mercades went under quite the transformation, I believe it was around 6 hours of just polishing and then the rest of the steps. It took around 9 hours to complete the exterior. I'm assuming your paint was not in as bad of condition as the Mercades was.

This is my routine I use when performing a show car prep on a lighter colored vehicle:

First thing I’d like to mention is investing in the proper washing and drying tools. A majority of swirls and scratches (70%+) come from using improper washing and drying products and techniques. I would suggest a sheepskin wash mitt, waffle weave drying towel(s) and a quality lubricating shampoo. The sheepskin wash mitt has the thickest pile which will pull contamination from the surface rather than pushing it around like with a sponge. The waffle weave drying towels are the safest towels to use on your paint. They are very absorbent and are safer to use than terry cloth, cotton or a chamois. Poorboy’s Super Slick & Suds is a high lubricating shampoo that helps effectively remove contamination from the surface. I’m not sure if you have these (or comparable) already, but I would suggest this Wash Kit if you are in need of some new quality wash tools and products. I'd also suggest picking up a Grit Guard Insert to use in your rinse bucket, which I encourage you to read up on the two bucket wash method if you aren't already using that. Once you go through the entire process on your vehicle, properly maintaining the finish is very important so you don’t waste all of your hard work.

After the washing and drying phase you would really benefit from using a clay bar. A clay bar will help remove contamination from the surface that didn’t get removed during the washing and drying phase. This can include both visible surface contamination and microscopic surface contamination (non-visible to naked eye). This will help properly prep the paint for the next steps of polishing and protecting. Until the end of the month we are running a special where you get a free 16oz Clay Lube with the purchase of 1 of these 4 clay bars.

We all know that its difficult to get lighter colored to pop and really jump out at you compared to a darker colored vehicle. In order to do so you have to properly prep the clear coat free of imperfections. First step would be to clay bar the surface if needed, then proceed to polish away the imperfections. The best polish I've found to reduce imperfections and finish down the furthest is Menzerna PO106ff. On most vehicles I would recommend a 2 step polish to really bring out the paint, but on lighter colored vehicles, especially ones in good condition, you can get away with 1 polish instead of two. This is a little pricey up front but comparing a coat of this to two separate coats of say a medium polish and a finishing polish, it ends up being cheaper per coat. A bottle should last you roughly 10 coats of polish if not more. I'd suggest polishing twice a year (Spring and Fall) or as needed.

One step I really like to do on lighter colored vehicles is add a glaze. A glaze will add a coat of oils and clay fillers to help hide imperfections that were not able to be buffed out. Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze works great on lighter colored vehicles. This will add another layer of depth and gloss in the paint while temporarily making the paint look like its in better condition than it really is. This step helps add that wet look to lighter colored vehicles that is often difficult to achieve.

Afterwards, be sure to follow up with your favorite sealant and/or wax. I really like the look of Poorboy's EX-P and P21s Concours Carnauba Wax

With the exception of the P21s Concours Carnauba Wax which is hand applied, you would benefit from doing the rest of the steps with a Porter Cable buffer. We have a package put together called the Advanced Porter Cable Kit which will give you everything you need to tackle any detail. This will give you the proper tools not only to save you time and energy but to give you better results.

We have step by step product directions specifically for each product here on Detailed Image's Directions Page. I also encourage you to look at our Step by Step walk thru for the entire detailing process to pick up some pointers on what each step is doing and how you will benefit from it.

I know this may be a lot to digest, so I'll be expecting some questions. That would be my ideal combination of products and techniques that I would use on prepping a silver colored show vehicle. I think it will come out stunning when done correctly.

vnv727 - Thank you for the positive feedback, we look forward to being an active member of AudiForum.com!

George @ Detailed Image

 

WOW what a great thread ! ! !

thanks for sharing your expertise w/ us...
I'm putting a link up in OT (in case there wasnt one allready )
you have some great work...

your'e a great resource to me since your'e familiar w/ the B5S4's

interior:
curious on how u do a basic routine clean up of the alcantara? I have the silverish / white
& its getting pretty dingy... I was always told - just lightly damp cloth & if needed
Mr Clean eraser bars.. do u recomended anything else??

exterior:
what is the best way to keep all the exterior trim / vinyl etc looking black...
including the hood grill, window trim etc....

& best remedy to get my brown brake dust caked tires looking clean?

THANKS AGAIN !

 

How do you guys go about getting salt out of upholstry? My black carpet is caked with white salt all around my floor mats. Not looking forward to trying to get it to come out... I've used citrus degreaser in the past, but it was always a lot of work.

 

Awesome!
I was wondering who to ask about getting these black streaks off my sliver paint. Stupid ice scrapers!
I've tried to clay bar them off... that didn't work.

Also, do you have a write up on wet sanding light scratches?
I'm so nervous to attempt this for the first time that I keep putting it off!

Any quick remedies for nasty wheel rash?

*sighs* ...If only I lived upstate!

 

im with headshok on this one. i cleaned out my winter mats and ive got this ridge built up. its crusty and hard

 

okay, i have a good one.. what can i do with really really dried, baked, and all around permantly on pine sap.. on a black car (its been there for atleast 5 years)

 

Thank you so much for the positive feedback so far. It's greatly appreciated.

Alcantara can be a very delicate surface to maintain. Here are some links dedicated to Alcantara care directly from www.alcantara.com

Ordinary Maintenance | General Washing Instructions | Stain Removal

I've heard a lot of people resort to the Mr. Clean Eraser. With any product, I'd recommend spot treating it in a small area before doing your entire seat with it just to play it safe. I've had good luck with 303's cleaners as well.

As far as your exterior trim is concerned, is it new trim that you want to keep looking new? So you'd be looking for a protectant. Or is it faded trim that needs to be restored? Let me know and I'll be happy to give my recommendations. 303 Aerospace Protectant is great for maintaining new trim and preventing fading with its UV Protection. For restoring black trim, I like using Leatherique Rubber Dye and for non-black trim Poorboy's World Trim Restorer. Keep in mind that most trim restorers are temporary fixes unless you are using a product that literally dyes the surface, like the Leatherique one mentioned above. Even with that, it takes multiple applications and proper care for it to effectively begin to permanently change colors.

To get your tires clean, you'll want to use a quality rubber cleaner or a degreaser. You also may want to use a bristled brush to agitate the surface, but be careful to not use the brush on your rims as it would add scratches and swirls, especially on a polished lip. Also, the rubber cleaner or degreaser may oxidize highly polished wheels, so do not use the product liberally so that it gets all over your nice wheels. I used Poorboy's Biodegradable APC at our shop and diluted it down to 3:1 but like I said, I wouldn't recommend getting this product on the surface of high polished wheels.

Also, another thing you want to keep in mind is that silicone based tire dressings can cause your tires to discolor and brown easily. They also have a tendency to sling up onto your paint when applied liberally without being buffed off completely. I recommend a water based tire dressing which actually will get absorbed into the rubber and nourish the rubber with proper conditioners keeping the tire soft and flexible, rather than drying it out like some products can. Silicone based dressings primarily sit on the surface of the tire which is why you see the sling more often with silicone based dressings. Water based tire dressings do not last as long or give off as much gloss as a silicone based dressing. Just some extra things to consider.

Let me know about the trim and I can go into more detail on anything if you wish. Thanks again for the positive feedback!

George @ Detailed Image

 

We had a high powered carpet extractor to handle salt stains. Took them out pretty effortlessly, but this is a $2000 professional piece of equipment. This is how I would go about removing salt stains by hand.

Equipment Recommended:
A firm bristle upholstery brush
Carpet or upholstery cleaner of choice
Spray bottle filled with hot water

Process:
1. First I'd take the firm brush to it and vacuum up any loose contamination.
2. I'd suggest spraying on the carpet cleaner and letting it sit for a couple of minutes or as the directions on the bottle recommend.
3. Prior to agitating the stain, mist the hot water onto the affected area.
4. Use the firm bristle brush again on the stain and give it some elbow grease.
5. Repeat until desired results are achieved
6. Vacuum (possibly using a wet / dry vac if a lot of water was used) up any loose debris

This is essentially creates the effect of a carpet extractor but by doing it all manually.

Afterwards, I would recommend protecting the carpets with a product like 303 High Tech Fabric Guard or Scotch Guard to help prevent future stains from building up so much and making them difficult to remove.

Let us know how you make out with removing the stains and what worked for you.

George @ Detailed Image

 

Good questions. I'm assuming the black streaks aren't scratches past the paint and showing primer or metal and is transfer from the scraper. If clay bar didn't work for you, the next logical step would be to use a light abrasive polish on it. Depending on if you plan on tackling this by hand or with a buffer would vary my product recommendation. You could try something like Meguiars ScratchX for a hand applied product that could be found at almost any local automotive store. The Poorboy's SSR line of polishes would be another choice for removing the marks by hand or the Menzerna line of polishes would be what I recommend to use with a buffer. Always start with the least aggressive polish to get the job done, rather than jumping into something that will remove more of your clear coat than needed.

Regarding the light scratches, have you already exhausted the abrasive polish route up to compounding? You certainly would want to do that before even attempting to wetsand. I can put something together on wetsanding if you like. I just picked up a new digital SLR and plan on documenting as much of the detailing process as I possibly can with it.

As far as curb rash on wheels, this is a great writeup on caring for them (ironically its on an Audi too).
Fixing Curb Rash

If you have any questions on anything, please do not hesitate to ask.

George