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  1. #1
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Paint correcting for Spring

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    As many say..I’ve done the research and still haven’t found my answer. My goal is to DIY paint correction (seems most ask about costs or local shops to do it for them) and ceramic coating. I have not done either...ever...but I seem to have luck trying new things (knock on wood). My car to the novice looks great, to the OCD (most of us here) it needs some work. I’d say at max there are fine scratches and swirl marks, nothing major and nothing id call deep or gouging.

    Items I’ve bought so far but could return if I went down the wrong road:

    Dual action 6” polisher
    CG Green Clay Pad for polisher
    Clay luber

    I see CG V doesn’t have great reviews, I was originally thinking 34-38 and then ceramic.

    Where I could use help...

    - 2018 best cutting/polishing kits
    - 2018 Pad material and colors based on recommended compounds/polishers
    - 2018 preferred ceramic coating brand

    I’m willing to spend days in the garage doing it right, so not looking for the fastest but a little balance of “easier” due to my experience level would be great but not necessary. I want the best product and I’ll try to live up to it via application.

    All of you have been great at answering my questions. I appreciate any tips/warnings offered.

    Thanks


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  2. #2
    Established Member Two Rings ValidatedS4's Avatar
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    Oct 08 2017
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    My Garage
    2013 S4 6MT
    Location
    Boston, MA

    Subbed. I wanted to do the same and ask the same question. My car is brilliant black and definitely needs some TLC. Bought it used back in the fall. Original owner did not do a great job taking care of the paint.

    Used Dr. Colorchip to take care of some of the chips and that worked great. Need to get it sparkling for the spring.


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  3. #3
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    Beaverton, OR

    Good starting point is do some reading here - https://www.autogeek.net/detailingtips.html or https://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/

    Also Pan posts a lot of good videos over here - https://www.audizine.com/forum/forum...ailer-s-Domain

  4. #4
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    10 S4, 01 S4, 14 328d
    Location
    Chicago IL

    If you've never done paint correction before I'd suggest you compromise. You don't want to do sub-par paint correction and then seal in the flaws with a ceramic coating. Stick with a paste wax. If you're really set on doing a ceramic try gyeon mohs. It's one of the more user friendly products.

    I'd advise you to just seek out a professional, but even most professional shops just don't truly have an eye for detailing. Some places are great, others will charge you $1500 to correct and coat and the correction will be really sub par work. Detailing is a very "wild west" style industry in Chicagoland.

  5. #5
    Veteran Member Four Rings Audibot's Avatar
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    I think you'll find "best cutting/polishing" anything tends to be subjective. But you definitely will need a variety of cutting/polishing and waxing types of pads as well as microfibers to get the job done. The Autogeek links are a great start.

    One word of advice is to always use the least aggressive product and technique you can. As you get more experienced, there are some things you can start to tell where you may need to start more aggressive than you may otherwise.

    Anyway, here is a link to a quick post I wrote up a year and a half ago: https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...1#post12026734
    2016 A6 TDI Prestige - Tornado Gray. Malone Stage 2, DPF Delete, EGR blockoff, S6 F&R brakes, 034 RSB, RSNav S4, P3 v3 TDI gauge
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  6. #6
    Veteran Member Four Rings Audibot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GandalfTheIbis View Post
    If you've never done paint correction before I'd suggest you compromise. You don't want to do sub-par paint correction and then seal in the flaws with a ceramic coating. Stick with a paste wax.
    I agree with this as well. And practicing in small areas is a good way to start and a good way to get the process down. Maybe even starting on a beater car, whether its yours, your buddy's, or someone in the family.

    Some liquid waxes are good to use as well, such as Griot's Best of Show.
    2016 A6 TDI Prestige - Tornado Gray. Malone Stage 2, DPF Delete, EGR blockoff, S6 F&R brakes, 034 RSB, RSNav S4, P3 v3 TDI gauge
    2003 RS 6 - Misano Red. AMD ECU/TCU tune, KW V3s, Hotchkis sway bars, Phaeton brake ducts, red carbon fiber trim
    2005 allroad 6MT swap - Alpaca Beige
    2003 allroad 6MT - Highland Green Metallic / Fern Green & Desert Green interior (1 of 15 max) - WIP
    2003 allroad 6MT - SOLD like a dumbass
    2007 A4 2.0T quattro - Gone but not forgotten

  7. #7
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    I like a number of liquid waxes. Collinite products being at the top of my list for both liquid and paste. I only say paste because I find paste waxes have a bit more longevity.

    Since I wasn't all that helpful in terms of "best polishing" I'd like to refocus a bit. Patience is really key. I split up my working areas into roughly 2ft by 2ft areas and try to keep hand speed at about 1 inch per second. Make sure you have a comfortable setup. I use a kneeling creeper because polishing down low on our cars isn't exactly fun.

    On harder euro paints I tend to jump straight to m100 with a wool pad. That's a pretty heavy cutting combo. I like to finish with M205 and a foam polishing pad. Most of my foam pads are hex logic or lake county. Both get the job done.

    The CG V line is okay for softer paints. 38 is often unnecessary. 36 can get a good finish but won't take out a lot of the defects by itself.

    I also prefer to use a clay wipe or an old fashioned bar. I've never gotten the hang of the clay pads. It's effective but I feel like I'm leaving behind more marring. Use an iron decontaminant spray BEFORE you clay. It will pull a lot of stuff off of and out of your paint and decrease the amount of material your clay has to pick up.


    Specifically what orbital do you have? If it's the porter cable 74xx or whatever it is that's a pretty good machine to use.

  8. #8
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Wow! This is great and exactly what I was hoping for. Touché on subjective questions like “Best”...I try to be “better” than that lol. I’m on the fence in regards to going for it or farming out the project. I did get quotes from $1600-$1800 PC + CC. Which is what made me investigate DIY. Last thing I want to do is mess up the paint because honestly it isn’t that bad. I’m like most of us, if it’s not perfect it needs work. I will certainly follow these links and continue the learning/research. Thanks again to you all and I’ll update when I make the final decision. Perhaps I’ll ask my wife if I can practice on her car first...haha.


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  9. #9
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GandalfTheIbis View Post
    I like a number of liquid waxes. Collinite products being at the top of my list for both liquid and paste. I only say paste because I find paste waxes have a bit more longevity.

    Since I wasn't all that helpful in terms of "best polishing" I'd like to refocus a bit. Patience is really key. I split up my working areas into roughly 2ft by 2ft areas and try to keep hand speed at about 1 inch per second. Make sure you have a comfortable setup. I use a kneeling creeper because polishing down low on our cars isn't exactly fun.

    On harder euro paints I tend to jump straight to m100 with a wool pad. That's a pretty heavy cutting combo. I like to finish with M205 and a foam polishing pad. Most of my foam pads are hex logic or lake county. Both get the job done.

    The CG V line is okay for softer paints. 38 is often unnecessary. 36 can get a good finish but won't take out a lot of the defects by itself.

    I also prefer to use a clay wipe or an old fashioned bar. I've never gotten the hang of the clay pads. It's effective but I feel like I'm leaving behind more marring. Use an iron decontaminant spray BEFORE you clay. It will pull a lot of stuff off of and out of your paint and decrease the amount of material your clay has to pick up.


    Specifically what orbital do you have? If it's the porter cable 74xx or whatever it is that's a pretty good machine to use.
    I am in the process of buying the Shurhold 3100 DA. It’s part of an product exchange and won’t ship until they receive the returned product. So I have a few days to cancel if recommendation dictates.


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  10. #10
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    2012 S4, 90 VW Corrado
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    Louisville, KY

    I’m about to tackle the same issue on my car. I had a PC but recently updated to the Griots G15 and the rest of the BOSS system. Lots of good advice and links already provided above. pdqgp seems to be the resident expert on our forum, and just went through a number of his posts before order supplies over the weekend. He’ll probably chime in at some point. Based on some of his posts and some other info on detailing forums, this is my plan.

    2 bucket wash method
    Clay towel using soapy water as the lubricant
    For the comment above on clay, medium grade will remove more but create some marring and require polishing after, while fine grade should not.
    Use a decontaminate on the paint (I bought iron x)
    For the BOSS system, I’m expecting to have to use the black microfiber pad with the correcting cream to remove the paint defects, but will try the less aggressive yellow perfecting pad on a test panel first. From what I’ve read, I may not have to do a second polishing step, but will see how it looks.
    Next I’m using McKee 914 rinseless wash diluted to paint prep strength to get rid of the sealants/oils.
    Finally I’m applying McKee paint coating.
    2005 A4 USP (Gone)
    2012 S4

  11. #11
    Veteran Member Three Rings PSUGOLD's Avatar
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    I paid a local shop to do my 1 step paint correction which got rid of 75-80% of my swirls and scratches, as well as a ceramic coat using Gtechniq Crystal Serum. I paid $750 for both, car came out great. I have an orbital buffer, pads, etc...but SUCK at it, and ended up doing more harm than good on the paint when I attempted to correct some marks. I either put too much pressure, too light, too much time on one spot, too little, wrong pad, etc... I would have screwed up the damn thing so badly and ended up paying more to get it fixed right, so I just left it to someone who knew what they were doing. Took 2 days, but looks like new.
    2016 Daytona Grey Pearl Effect crystal effect , Sports Diff, Adaptive Suspension, Carbon Atlas inlays, Borla Cat Back, DS1 Stage 1 w/ Boosted Euro TCU.

  12. #12
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    2009 A4 Cab: S-Line / 1996 Camaro Z28
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    East Granby CT

    I will be trying out some Carpro Products this year:
    CarPro Clear Cut
    CarPro Essence

    My cars are currently wearing McKees37 Coating and I top that with Hydro Blue
    2012 Moonlight Blue Metallic S4 | Premium + | DSG | 19" Peelers |Sports Diff | MMI w/Nav | B&O Audio | Advanced Key |
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  13. #13
    Active Member Two Rings HOUs4's Avatar
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    If you're considering paint correction at home I'd watch junkman2000's video series on youtube (the 4 or so covering paint correction). Some of the content is obvious and repetitive if you know anything about clay barring, etc. BUT I followed his technique after buying my DA polisher and it came out great.

    I can post a more detailed response when I have some time. 3 weeks ago I two stage polished the car then applied gtechniq Crystal Serum Light in my garage.

  14. #14
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Here is a recent pic of my car, as you can see the paint isn’t too bad. Perhaps I don’t need to do much outside of clay, polish, coating. I know a picture is tough to tell scratches/swirls but wanted to provide reference. Thanks again, I’m sure this thread will be used by many...awesome info. IMG_0341.JPG


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  15. #15
    Veteran Member Four Rings pdqgp's Avatar
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    a 12 Second boat, & Wife's Lincoln
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    Columbus, Ohio

    Lots of links in my reply

    Quote Originally Posted by grovlet View Post
    I will be trying out some Carpro Products this year:
    CarPro Clear Cut
    CarPro Essence
    ^^ Both are staples in my detailing cabinet. Clear Cut is a new product but I've used it on several vehicles and it's a game changer in terms of compounds. I no longer will be going to M101 or M105 for cutting. It finishes out nearly perfect too. Here's a 2009 G8 that was hammered. Corrected with Clear Cut then hit with Essence as a polish and base coat for the Ceramic Coating.

    Quote Originally Posted by BozMan-S4 View Post
    I’d say at max there are fine scratches and swirl marks, nothing major and nothing id call deep or gouging.
    Then all you'll need is a polish. If you're a newbie (in a good way) I would suggest keeping things really simple. Grab 5 Medium Cut pads. If you're using a regular consumer grade aka sub $150 polisher, use the Lake Country thin pads. Thicker ones won't rotate as well on lower power units. Meg's Ultimate Polish is available anywhere and is great stuff. The only catch is you'll need to an IPA wipe down after if you're going to ceramic coat the car. Otherwise, you can move to any sealant right over it. Wipe-down wise, I recommend CarPro Eraser. It's worth the money as it is far less prone to micro marring vs typical home grown IPA solutions. Here's a couple vehicles that were in a simliar condition as yours and polished out with Meg's Ultimate Polish. Vehicle 1, Even my wife's Lincoln was done with Megs. AZ Member right here brought me his S4 too.

    I personally would clay it by hand. I'm not a fan of orbitals for claying as you have less control over movement and pressure and thus they are more prone to introducing marring. Use a standard synthetic clay mitt and a small pale of VERY soapy water. Far safer than clay lube and a buffer. I like Nano Sponges and mitts and use them all the time without issue. Soap wise, I use CarPro Reset day-forward but I love Meg's Gold Class for my clay lube. Super slick and concentrated. Available locally too.

    I’m willing to spend days in the garage doing it right, so not looking for the fastest but a little balance of “easier” due to my experience level would be great but not necessary. I want the best product and I’ll try to live up to it via application.
    Depending on your buffer, it won't take days. You're new so it could take 8-10hrs but no more than that.

    Here's what I recommend:

    • Wash / rinse but don't dry. Move right to Iron X
    • Iron X Chemically decontaminate the car and then rinse.
    • Grab a small 1 gal bucket, gold class and a nano sponge and do the entire car. You'll finish in 20 minutes. Use a light touch and keep the area soapy and lubed. Rinse often to clear the debris removed and check the results. Don't let soap dry on paint.
    • Dry the vehicle. Key to drying is to NEVER use a completely dry towel. Always use a damp towel. Day-forward you'll likely use a drying aid/lube, especially if your car is black. I use a leaf blower as it will ensure you get all the water out of the seams and joints vs ending up splattering that all over when you're using a buffer.



    PM me if you have any questions. Happy to help.

    Here's Brilliant Black once corrected:

    Image 1
    Image 2
    Image 3
    Image 4
    Image 5


    Here's my wife's vehicle with Gyeon Syncro on it. Awesome product and my go-to for 3 layer applications including their Skin Top-Coat. Here's a handful of images of my Infiniti which is Wearing 3 layers, two of them being CarPro Cquartz and then their Gliss Top-Coat.
    Last edited by pdqgp; 04-18-2018 at 11:29 AM.
    2018 Midnight Black Metallic AWD Infiniti Q50S Red Sport | Burger MS JB4 | 395awhp/430awtq
    2018 Ruby Red Metallic Lincoln MK-C Reserve | AWD 2.3l EcoBoost - Wife's
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  16. #16
    Veteran Member Three Rings dlo93's Avatar
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    1998 Audi a4 1.8t, 2012 Volkswagen GTI
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    Simplest way for awesome results
    First, Chemical guys v36 polish with and orange hex logic cutting pad
    Second, Chemical guys v38 polish with a black hex logic finishing pa
    Third, Chemical guys butter wet wax with a black hex logic pad
    Finish off with Chemical guys jest seal

    This should remove 75-80 percent of normal swirl marks
    2014 phantom black s4//20% tints//Carbon imports low kick spoiler//APR Stage 2+ dual pulley ECU and TCU//APR CPS//Roc-Euro Intake//AWE touring with non-res downpipes//

  17. #17
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Michigan

    Again...can’t say thank you enough. I appreciate all the input here. I’m sure I will have some specific questions as I progress and hopefully you all won’t mind a PM here and there. Lots of great options here. Sound like the 3100 Shurhold ($144.00) is starter level at best. Less power might be good but I assume $200-$400 Range is variable anyway.


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  18. #18
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    Quote Originally Posted by HOUs4 View Post
    If you're considering paint correction at home I'd watch junkman2000's video series on youtube (the 4 or so covering paint correction). Some of the content is obvious and repetitive if you know anything about clay barring, etc. BUT I followed his technique after buying my DA polisher and it came out great.

    I can post a more detailed response when I have some time. 3 weeks ago I two stage polished the car then applied gtechniq Crystal Serum Light in my garage.
    ^This. I like that guy, taught me all about 2 buckets, polishing, ect. It's a great way to start to learn. Back story, I am the 2nd owner of my S5 and the first guy did not take good care of the paint, tons of swirl marks in the black paint. I think he let his 12 year old wash the car with an old rag he found in his sandbox! I got the 3 pads on Amazon and then the polish and wash materials from Chemical Guys. I did not seal it, just polish (3 different stages) and wax. If I retire the car for future Winters, I will have it paint corrected again and sealed, but $1K-2K is pretty expensive for a car with 90K miles on it. (IMO)

  19. #19
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    Quote Originally Posted by BozMan-S4 View Post
    Again...can’t say thank you enough. I appreciate all the input here. I’m sure I will have some specific questions as I progress and hopefully you all won’t mind a PM here and there. Lots of great options here. Sound like the 3100 Shurhold ($144.00) is starter level at best. Less power might be good but I assume $200-$400 Range is variable anyway.


    Sent from my iPhone using Audizine
    I would think unless you were doing this for a living, this unit would work? I have had great success with it myself.

    https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-5...her-62862.html

  20. #20
    Senior Member Two Rings BrandonS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grovlet View Post
    I will be trying out some Carpro Products this year:
    CarPro Clear Cut
    CarPro Essence

    My cars are currently wearing McKees37 Coating and I top that with Hydro Blue
    I swear by CarPro product. If you like Essence then you will love Essence Plus. Its a jeweling/repair agent for ceramic coatings. Using a finishing pad you apply at medium speed with a DA and wipe off. after 1 year of daily driving in Canada it made my coating look like the day I finished it

  21. #21
    Veteran Member Four Rings Audibot's Avatar
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    I'm a fan of Larry on AMMO_NYC

    Here's a few pics how my B7 had turned out. Sorry for terrible quality:

    Pic 1
    Pic 2
    Pic 3
    Pic 4
    Pic 5
    Pic 6
    Pic 7
    Pic 8
    2016 A6 TDI Prestige - Tornado Gray. Malone Stage 2, DPF Delete, EGR blockoff, S6 F&R brakes, 034 RSB, RSNav S4, P3 v3 TDI gauge
    2003 RS 6 - Misano Red. AMD ECU/TCU tune, KW V3s, Hotchkis sway bars, Phaeton brake ducts, red carbon fiber trim
    2005 allroad 6MT swap - Alpaca Beige
    2003 allroad 6MT - Highland Green Metallic / Fern Green & Desert Green interior (1 of 15 max) - WIP
    2003 allroad 6MT - SOLD like a dumbass
    2007 A4 2.0T quattro - Gone but not forgotten

  22. #22
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Cadillac STS- V Series
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    As I was washing my car yesterday..finally some sunshine. I noticed I have TONS of little scratches probably caused by auto washes and dry towel drying. I am even more convinced to correct and coat now. Lot of good looking cars posted and seems there are a few ways to go. Thanks again for everyone’s contribution...you are all now part of my B8 lol!


    Sent from my iPhone using Audizine
    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  23. #23
    Veteran Member Four Rings
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    Paint correction is not rocket science but there is skill and experience that plays into results.
    Some tools and compounds are very powerful and you can do permanent damage to paint if not careful.
    Do you have any friends that know what they are doing that can coach you through the first session?

  24. #24
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    My Garage
    Cadillac STS- V Series
    Location
    Michigan

    Unfortunately I’m the car fanatic and don’t live by friends/family. Anyone that I know that could help me..prefers to send me a quote lol.


    Sent from my iPhone using Audizine
    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  25. #25
    Veteran Member Four Rings pdqgp's Avatar
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    a 12 Second boat, & Wife's Lincoln
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    Columbus, Ohio

    Quote Originally Posted by BozMan-S4 View Post
    Unfortunately I’m the car fanatic and don’t live by friends/family. Anyone that I know that could help me..prefers to send me a quote lol.
    PM Me details of where in Michigan you're located. I head up that way a lot for work as I have a sales team member up there that I travel with. Not that I do a lot of "mobile" detailing but it's not out of the question if I'm up there. One extra night at a hotel isn't difficult and if you have a garage I can easily work there. Send me a PM and I can provide my price and option guide in pdf format. A full correction and ceramic coating from start to finish will take me between 7-9 hours; 5-7 isn't out of realm time wise either.
    2018 Midnight Black Metallic AWD Infiniti Q50S Red Sport | Burger MS JB4 | 395awhp/430awtq
    2018 Ruby Red Metallic Lincoln MK-C Reserve | AWD 2.3l EcoBoost - Wife's
    2014 Brilliant Black S4 | S-Tronic | 187mm APR Stage 2 Dual Pulley & APR TCU Tunes | APR CPS - SOLD

  26. #26
    Veteran Member Three Rings BDP's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pdqgp View Post
    PM Me details of where in Michigan you're located. I head up that way a lot for work as I have a sales team member up there that I travel with. Not that I do a lot of "mobile" detailing but it's not out of the question if I'm up there. One extra night at a hotel isn't difficult and if you have a garage I can easily work there. Send me a PM and I can provide my price and option guide in pdf format. A full correction and ceramic coating from start to finish will take me between 7-9 hours; 5-7 isn't out of realm time wise either.
    I'm in Ohio can you swing by my place before you head up to Michigan? My baby is looking pretty ragged after the winter.
    2018 Glacier White RS3 - Unitronic Stage 2 (E85) ECU, Stage 2 TCU
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  27. #27
    Established Member Two Rings nevets77's Avatar
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    I tried to do it myself for the first time last summer with decent results using M105 -205. I was careful not to go too aggressive at first but could not get rid of some of the scratches until I used a Microfiber pad with M105. otherwise it was fairly easy to get noticeable improvements even if they were not perfect.
    2014 S4 Moonlight Blue - 6MT sport diff - Black Optic - B&O l Alcantara - APR Stage 2 & Pulley - Eurocode F&R sway bars and Endlinks
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  28. #28
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pdqgp View Post
    PM Me details of where in Michigan you're located. I head up that way a lot for work as I have a sales team member up there that I travel with. Not that I do a lot of "mobile" detailing but it's not out of the question if I'm up there. One extra night at a hotel isn't difficult and if you have a garage I can easily work there. Send me a PM and I can provide my price and option guide in pdf format. A full correction and ceramic coating from start to finish will take me between 7-9 hours; 5-7 isn't out of realm time wise either.
    I appreciate that offer...I really want to tackle this myself. I bought this car as a new hobby, I’ve always been a car guy but probably more topical. I understand how things work mechanically but certainly not a mechanic...same for detailing. I could open the wallet and just send it somewhere but I enjoy that DIY feeling...more so when things go right but still lol. I have a few projects lined up like wrap and clear bra but I don’t want to wait on the PC, so this time around I might use the MG paste wax to seal and then ceramic after the vinyl/clear bra. It’s going to be an awesome weekend weather wise so I want to take advantage of it. I did buy the 2 bucket system, pressure washer, foam cannon, CG car wash & mitts and the Airforce Dryer. I have upped my car wash game 1000% after buying this car, so trying to do it right. I should mention this is the first dark colored car I’ve owned and I now understand that the beauty comes with a little more maintenance and care. If things change or I get over my head I will reach out for sure...thanks again for the offer.


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  29. #29
    Veteran Member Four Rings choppstixxx's Avatar
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    So a little background on myself, I have detailed cars for the past 15+ years and have done so as a side business for over 10 yrs.
    My first RO buffer was the industry standard Porter Cable 7424, used that for maybe 8 yrs. I highly recommend it if you are first starting out, there are even a few that are very similar now en days like Griots Garage or even Harbor Freight has one.
    I currently use a Flex forced orbital XC3401 and a PE8 Kompakt rotary. The PE8 is used for tighter areas and for deeper spot paint correction, I would not recommend buying this until you have have a better grasp on regular RO buffers.
    I primarily use 5.5" pads: Lake Country Orange Light Cutting, Yellow Cutting, and White Polishing pads. To do most paint corrections I use the Orange pad with varying polishes.
    For abrasive polishes I primarily use Meguiars M105/M205, also M100 is supposedly an improvement over M105.
    Now for sealants and waxes, IMO there is no better combo than Jescar Power Lock+ and Collinite 845. The protection/quality/price is un-matched by any product I have used over the past 15 yrs.
    Spray sealants/waxes/detailers I like to use Gtechniq Liquid Crystal, Meguiars Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax and Kenotek Showroom Shine.
    I tend to buy my products from a local vendor, detailedimage.com FYI
    I also highly recommend purchasing an electric leaf blower to use to aid in drying your car. I have used one for going on 10+ yrs and has significantly cut down on drying time and water you have to remove.
    Feel free to ask me any questions your have about detailing and I am more than happy to help.
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  30. #30
    Veteran Member Three Rings
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    Some great info here -


    pdqgp - Can you expand on Clear Cut

    What pad/wax you use at each step?

    Thanks

  31. #31
    Veteran Member Four Rings pdqgp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chip_ View Post
    Some great info here -

    pdqgp - Can you expand on Clear Cut

    What pad/wax you use at each step?

    Thanks
    Clear cut can be used with any cutting or polishing pad depending on your needs.

    I use it primarily with Lake country hybrid force pads on my Flex 3401.

    For heavy cutting and ultra-fast working I can breeze through the worst of the worst with Lake Country purple or blue wool pads. Medium needs I use orange cutting pads.

    My sealanr/last step product is most always a coating. There I will typically use their corresponding polish as they serve as a good primer base for the coating. That said I do still often use Megs 205 / ultimate polish. The latter has more working time and oils thus you will just want to make sure to wipe off the surface with some type of IPA or like cleaner before coating.

    There are tons of great sealants that are not coatings though. Old school I use Collinite 476. It's a paste product and the longest lasting one out there. Again, I use primarily coatings though. Geyon Pure or thier Syncro kit are great. CarPro Cquartz is a super stand by, 22ple is excellent and easy. And of course I use tons of McKees 37 v2 SiO2 product as it's great too and among the best values out there.

    I have several details over the next couple weeks this if you follow autogeek you'll see the before and after of them there. One is a swirled up dark cherry Toyota Camry that I'm doing tomorrow. Should turn out excellent. Perhaps if I can remember I'll link to it here so you can see the results.

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  32. #32
    Veteran Member Three Rings AFR1485's Avatar
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    NYC

    Paint correcting for Spring

    I will suggest you lookup Junkman2000 on YouTube. He has some great DIY videos for paint correction and explains how to get true shine. The education you can get from his videos is excellent.

    I’ve purchased my own DA polisher and paint corrected my S4. I even wet sanded some scratches out. M105 is a great product for OEM paint. M105 is a compound, the Audi paint is so hard that a finishing polish isn’t typically needed. More advanced detailers use one-step M101 (a more aggressive compound) to work on our cars. I wouldn’t suggest this for your first use. I will be using M101 this year since I feel more confident in my experience. I’ll share pics when they are available.

    Best of luck!


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  33. #33
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Michigan

    I was able to put in some garage time and used the MG suite of products (I already had) and bought their clay bar. As soon as I was done I handed it over to a shop to prepare for summer. Once I get the car back I will post some pics. I did use the Groit polisher and pads. I was really happy with the results and all these tips everyone provided certainly came in handy, so thanks again! My process: Wash, Clay, Wash, ultimate compound, ultimate polish, paste wax, wash. I should have took a pic before sending it off, but wanted to wait for the finished summer transform. I will post Thursday when I get it back.


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  34. #34
    Established Member Two Rings nowakm99's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dlo93 View Post
    Simplest way for awesome results
    First, Chemical guys v36 polish with and orange hex logic cutting pad
    Second, Chemical guys v38 polish with a black hex logic finishing pa
    Third, Chemical guys butter wet wax with a black hex logic pad
    Finish off with Chemical guys jest seal

    This should remove 75-80 percent of normal swirl marks
    The traditional approach is to use the wax AFTER sealant. What's the rationale for reversing these steps?
    2016 S4: IE Stage I, IE CAI, AWE Touring Exhaust, CR-15, H&R Rear Sway bar w/ Moogs end-links, 034 Motorsport transmission mounts, Vorsteiner V-FF 103s in Machined Titanium

  35. #35
    Veteran Member Four Rings
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    Quote Originally Posted by nowakm99 View Post
    The traditional approach is to use the wax AFTER sealant. What's the rationale for reversing these steps?
    +1. Don't do wax first. its oily, sealant wont stick as well if a layer of wax is under it.
    S4 B8.5 no track, just enjoying spirited driving.

  36. #36
    Senior Member Two Rings jorte014's Avatar
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    Apr 16 2013
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    My Garage
    Mercedes-Benz ML 350
    Location
    Coral Springs, Florida

    I'm not a pro detailer by any means, however been doing the following with all my cars over the years and it has given me amazing results each time. Nearly everyone that looks at my car says it's "showroom" condition

    Porter cable 7424xp is my buffer
    I use Lake country 6.5 inch pads

    1. Wash car
    2. Clay until smooth with Meguiar's Clay bar using the water as the lubricant. Dry completely when done.
    3. Tape off any rubber or trim prices with blue painter's tape or any section of the car that should not get polish material on it.
    4. Use an orange lake country pad with Menzerna Super Intensive Polish and the buffer at speed 5. Work in 2' x 2' square areas with 3 vertical and 3 horizontal passes. Wipe off with a microfiber cloth. Repeat for entire car.
    5. Wash and dry car to remove any residue
    6. Use a white lake country pad with Menzerna Super Finish and the buffer at speed 4. Work in 2' x 2' square areas with 3 vertical and 3 horizontal passes. Wipe off with a microfiber cloth. Repeat for entire car.
    7. Wash to remove any residue
    8. At this point if I'm up to it I'll finish off with Meguiar's paste wax and a black lake country pad with the buffer at speed 3 or if I'm lazy I'll just wax it dry with Meguiar's Synthetic spray wax.

    Again, not a pro detailer, not claiming to have the perfect method but the above works for me, good luck OP.
    Last edited by jorte014; 05-01-2018 at 10:27 AM.
    2014 S4 6MT - Milano Red | Premium Plus | Black Optic | Bang&Olufsen

  37. #37
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Cadillac STS- V Series
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    Michigan

    Paint correcting for Spring

    I’ve been meaning to follow up on this post. I have used a lot of the insights shared here and really appreciate the detailed steps. I am really happy with the progress I’ve made on my car, she is smooth and mirror like now. I will probably do another round when I have a few days set aside. The weekend flies by when doing this stuff...I seem to scramble a little at the end to finish up for Monday’s. I want to ceramic coat the car but need to get the car perfect and fill the highway scars (chips). I bought the fine line paint pen AMMO uses in his videos, I can’t wait to try it.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz-zW-cLdUs


    IMG_0714.JPG


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

  38. #38
    Established Member Two Rings
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    1986 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera widebody, 2016 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Wagon, 2004 Ford Ranger Edge 4x4
    Location
    717

    Kudos for taking on the paint correction yourself, but asking for advice first. Definitely not something you want to do by yourself for the first time with a "How hard could this be?" attitude. In for high-res after pics.
    2015 Audi S4 Nogaro Blue Edition

  39. #39
    Veteran Member Three Rings BozMan-S4's Avatar
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    Cadillac STS- V Series
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    Quote Originally Posted by Philip J. Fry View Post
    Kudos for taking on the paint correction yourself, but asking for advice first. Definitely not something you want to do by yourself for the first time with a "How hard could this be?" attitude. In for high-res after pics.
    For sure...once I’m a 100% happy I will post. If it wasn’t for this forum I wouldn’t know much about Audi and would never even dream of doing half the stuff I’ve done so far. Kudos to the community!


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    2011 Audi S4 Meteor Gray Pearl, Alu Kreuz, Eurocode Sways/Endlinks/Inserts, ECS Carbon Fiber Intake, 57mm Pulley, EPL Stg 2 ECU/TCU, AMS Alpha Cooler, ECS Street/Trans Shield, ECS Control Arm Brace, Milltek Non-Res Black Oval

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