Our clear coat is no joke!

[2wookies]

So finally set out on a paint correction on my '13 A7 after owning for a month. I gotta say this was the most stubborn car I've ever dealt with. I've been doing amateur paint correction for about 4 years now and have always gotten great results with out really having to fight a vehicle.
A miata I did last year

B5 S4


There's been plenty of others, but my A7 kicked my ass. I started with a full iron X as there was a lot of rail dust


After that I did a "clay bar", nano skin auto scrub, then I started the correction. I first started with orange pad wolfgang total swirl 3.0....that wasn't enough. Switched to chemical guys V36 with orange pad, still not enough. Switched to a yellow pad that seemed to make it better, moved on the Chem guys V38 with a green pad cleaned it up but there's still some very slight marks. Tips/ideas on how to get rid of them for good?

I like how the badge cleaned up

[scott99c2]

Apart from changing compound/polish, you certainly did what I would have done. I use Menzerna FG400 for compound and Sonax Nano for polish and have had great results with those two.

What buffer are you using? I had an older Porter Cable and it got "tired." I bought a new buffer and instantly life got easier.

[2wookies]

Torq 22D

[Don Draper]

I've never heard of rail dust and had to look it up. Funny enough my new to me '12 has it on the back bumper/rear lid area. Discovered it on the first wash which is when you really get intimate with the exterior of a used car. I've never had this on any car ive owned. Where on you car was it located. Im wondering if the car itself is producing this.

[2wookies]

Most cars have it, just more visible on white. Its from when the cars are transported on the trains, the wheels of the train kick it up.
http://www.carwash.com/rail-dust-and-its-removal/

[Don Draper]

Most cars have it, just more visible on white. Its from when the cars are transported on the trains, the wheels of the train kick it up.
http://www.carwash.com/rail-dust-and-its-removal/

From what I understand the term rail dust originates from the train scenario but is still used to describe tiny metal particles embedded in the paint. Plus with our cars they are well protected during transport when new, and mine has lived in my county all its life.

[TD_05]

I feel your pain. I came from a 2008 brilliant black S4. It is the worst paint that I have ever worked with. Others had suggested a torq22d, which brings up a good question, what DA machine are you using? What diameter pads?

With my Audi I only used the Griot's DA. Originally with large diamter pads, but switched to 5.25 inch and found that they offered more cut.

Other suggestions: Try a microfiber orange pad
Not sure how aggressive the compounds you were using from CG, I am not familiar with their polishes / compounds. I usually don't use meguiars, but read that their m105 is pretty effective against hard clearcoats like Audi. Or try Sonax Cutmax, I've never used that

[Dasquade]

Afaik 'rail dust' is actually a mix of metal scraped parts of the electric power wire and it's guider and maybe hot metal wheel particals when breaking.
Cars that are parked near railroads often suffer A LOT by this and hard to get ride of.

Don't quote me, but working in a harbor where a lot european branded cars enter by train for export to other parts of europe and USA for example.
Not so sure about Audi (as that is other dock) but hardly any cars are covered in plastic at arrival by trail and most trains are of the non closed type (the high-end mercedes for example also don't have covers, maybach included). Most cars get transported by train, only a small amount by truck, let alone in closed trailer trucks (lambo, masserati,...).
If not mistaken, only RS and R models arrive fully wrapped and in cover at port.
End information :p

Speaking of clear coat, imho it is very poor :s. My cardetailer had a hard time getting it decent.
Previous owner had the 'boot dog wrap', when they tried to peel it off, it pulled of the clear coat....
Same for the stone protection wrap on the fender between door and wheel, pulled the clear coat.....

[2wookies]

That's what I'm saying it's so hard to get scratches and stuff out because it's so hard.

[SlickMachine]

Torq 22D

Make the jump to a rotary... I did last year and it is epic the difference it makes. It gets less scary after you use it for a few passes.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[SlickMachine]

I just got a 12 A7 and the swirls were hopeless. My porter DA would have been worthless. Makita rotary and a lake country yellow with FG400 takes down everything nicely that I've come across so far.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[2wookies]

Sooo scary!!!!

[SlickMachine]

Sooo scary!!!!

It's easy!!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk