S4_marv Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Hi all, Having recently bought my first 'decent' car ('04 Audi S4 in black), I'm wanting to keep it in as good a condition as possible. The problem however is that I have to park the car on a road, and the road's so busy that often I can't park outside my own house - not the best situation when you want to wash your car! Also, it being parked on-street means that any dust & rain muck is made worse by people always driving past. So do you have any advice on the best cleaning & protecting routine (and products) which doesn't take too long, as it's not easy to clean/polish/wax the side of the car that's not against the pavement - and I don't want my neighbours thinking I'm too obsessive! I have access to a hose, as well as the usual buckets, watering cans etc. And I currently only have shampoo, Megs carnauba wax and some tar & bug remover in my cleaning arsenal! Is it worth going to the jetwash to do most of the cleaning (without the brush I assume?), then bring it home to do any waxing? Any advice on routine & good products for my situation greatly appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I bought one of those water filters to speed things up a bit. It means you don;t have to dry the car whihc would save time when just giving it a spruce up. I've not used mine yet but plenty vouch for them. I've an Aqua Gleam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 It's not easy to do a really good job in those circumstances. Personally, I'd get the car treated to a proper protection detail by a pro detailer (not your local Pole wash sponge jockey outfit!). It's probably going to cost you the equivelent of 3 tanks of fuel but worth it on a car like that imo. You would then be in a much better position to undertake your weekly / fortnightly regular wash until spring. If you decide you really want to do it yourself, it all depends on the finish you want to achieve. The results come from the prep work rather than the wax coating. If your really particular, you'll need to follow the stages a pro detailer would: Wash Clay Wash again & dry polish (machine preferable depending on paint condition) Wax (or sealant) Dress trim & tyres Admire If you just want a reasonable shine: Wash Dry Hand polish (Autoglym SRP or similar) Wax or sealant Dress plastic etc I would definitely apply a wax like Collinite 476s which is probably the most durable wax around. Two coats should last a good 5-6 months where as most other waxes are only good for about 3 months at best if your car is exposed to the elements all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S4_marv Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Thanks both. I do like the idea of getting the car properly protected by a pro, but the cost puts me off a little. Plus I can't help thinking that if I am getting it protected for the winter, would it be worth getting any swirls removed too (I haven't actually checked the car properly, but I'm assuming the paint wont be in the best condition, as it's 5 years old). Or is a paint correction better to have done in the spring, as the weather's starting to improve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Paint correction can be done anytime. The thing to bear in mind is that the swirls are created from poor washing technique (using brushes & not using a two bucket method with grit guards) so once corrected you may choose to take extra precaution with your washing technique / process, A correction detail will cost you in the region of £250 - £350 where as a protection detail probably around £120 - £150. It's still probably a lot cheaper than a service and a correction detail would add value to your car / make it more sellable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 I would definitely apply a wax like Collinite 476s which is probably the most durable wax around. Two coats should last a good 5-6 months where as most other waxes are only good for about 3 months at best if your car is exposed to the elements all the time. I would definately concur with TT's view on Colli 467s - it's incredibly durable and gives a superb finish, if used as a LSP with his recommended aforementioned processes completed. I'd suggest getting the car done properly to start with and learn the process from there on in. As TT says, maintenance thereafter will be enjoyable and (relatively) easier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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