Audi A6 white detailing

[baranjil]

Hi,
I am going to detail an Audi A6 - white colored one. This was 3 years old and lots of swirl, mild scratches and some nail scratches too. By looking at the paint, I am not able to tell it has clear coat on it.

The process which I've in my mind:

* wash 2BM
* Decontamination - tar removal using APC
* Clay
* M105 + wool pad
* M205 + finishing pad
* IPA wipe
* Selant
* wax top up.

Is there anything I am missing? Please suggest.

[Psynx]

I wouldn't recommend apc for decon. Its not strong enough imo. Id use tar x from carpro or iron x.
Also 105 and wool seems is really aggressive, especially if your not sure how much cc is left on the car. Pictures would help.
Also ipa after compound and its not necessary to ipa after polish.

[baranjil]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Thank you!

IronX/TarX is not widely available in India. Is there any other alternative for these?

[NikhilV8889]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

What nonsence is this, which Audi you know which is coming without any clear coat?

Hi,
I am going to detail an Audi A6 - white colored one. This was 3 years old and lots of swirl, mild scratches and some nail scratches too. By looking at the paint, I am not able to tell it has clear coat on it.

The process which I've in my mind:

* wash 2BM
* Decontamination - tar removal using APC
* Clay
* M105 + wool pad
* M205 + finishing pad
* IPA wipe
* Selant
* wax top up.

Is there anything I am missing? Please suggest.

Another nonsence, TarX and IronX are availble with Ultimate Detailerz, I know him if you want I can message his contact.

Thank you!

IronX/TarX is not widely available in India. Is there any other alternative for these?

[NikhilV8889]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Dear Baranjil, let me answer to your questions, just quoting your PM after removing the personal comments.

"By looking at your comments, you were not aware of automotive paint process. The Audi's still come with solid single stage paints. this is not only for Audi's, even Skoda, Ford has the same. Its all depends on the model. The model which I specified can be single stage paint.

I know Mohsin very well and if you know him just ask who is baranjil."

Mate, no cars these days coming without clear coar, especially cars like Audi. I might not be aware of the complete automative paint process, but know this for sure. So, your statement is incorrect as per my knowledge, If you are sure about this,then let me know the models of each brand you mentioned (Audi, Skoda, Ford). Please comment if anybody disagree.

And, if you are a detailer, please understand the thinkness and hardness of car paints, buy a PTG, otherwise it will be a disaster. BTW, which machine you use?

Then if you know Mohsin, you might be knowing also that he sells some stuffs like TarX and IronX, though it's not in a very huge quantities.. If you don't prefer to buy from a particular person, it's ok but don't make incorrect statements, as that may make public think that it's not available at all in India...

[baranjil]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Completed the detailing session of my friends Audi. Its A6 2.7ltr engine - 2011 make. Due to second thought of the paint process, I got hold of a paint expert from "H" brand. He checked and told its a 7 stage solid paint without clear coat.

There were tons of pet's scratch all over the place, tar spots and the paint was dull. Here are the procedures followed.

* Pressure wash
* Hand wash with Muc-off shampoo
* Billberry alloy wheel cleaner for alloys
* WD-40 for tar spots. Just sprayed and within 30 sec, all melted down.
* Clay
* M105 with Meg's wool pad - 2 to 3 passes
* Spot application for heavy scratches with MF cutting pad
* M205 - Meg's finishing pad - 2 passes
* IPA wipe down
* C845 - 2 coats with 14 hrs difference
* C845 - for alloys too
* Interior cleaned with APC
* Meg's gold class leather conditioner - seats and side trims
* Wurth rubber & vinyl for the black bumper

It took 10 hrs to complete the job and the owner was so happy. Here are some pics. Feedback and suggestions welcome!

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

[davey g-force]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Great work

I love Audis

[davey g-force]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

What nonsence is this, which Audi you know which is coming without any clear coat?

Mate, no cars these days coming without clear coar, especially cars like Audi. I might not be aware of the complete automative paint process, but know this for sure. So, your statement is incorrect as per my knowledge, If you are sure about this,then let me know the models of each brand you mentioned (Audi, Skoda, Ford). Please comment if anybody disagree.

Nikhil, I disagree. Although not too common, there are still some cars which have single stage paint; i.e. no clear coat (mainly whites and reds).

[baranjil]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Great work

I love Audis

Thank you!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

A couple of things we'd like to point out here:

First, this thread was starting to look like it was going to get out of hand pretty quickly but thankfully it didn't. We have very strict rules on MOL regarding attitude toward other members and a fine line was being walked here as some posts were borderline insulting. We won't stand for that here. Helpful suggestions and teaching others who don't know as much as some others might is what MOL is all about, and we intend to keep it that way.

Second, there are indeed some cars, not many, but some, that still have single stage paint. But that does not mean that they use single stage lacquers just as was the norm back in the 1970s and prior. Single stage paints that still exist today are modern catalyzed paint systems so they are far more durable than those old lacquers or even enamels. While not very common, Infiniti still makes a single stage black and we believe Toyota still has a single stage white. We are not aware of Audi using any single stage paint, however, but we suppose it is possible.

He checked and told its a 7 stage solid paint without clear coat.

Now this does sound a bit odd - a 7 stage paint without clear? We can't think of a clear coat system that has that many stages in the painting process. But at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. Clear coat, after all, is nothing more than paint without pigment. So regardless whether a modern car has a clear coat or not, you're working on a catalyzed paint system. As such, it's going to be either really hard, really soft, or somewhere in between - just like every other paint on the market. In a nutshell - until you've worked on the paint on a particular car, you really don't know what the paint is really like. Which is why we always recommend doing a test spot the first time you touch any individual car.

When all is said and done, however, this particular Audi looks fantastic and you did a great job on it, baranjil! The while paint looks brilliant and glossy, just as it should. It should also be noted that, while some may think your use of M105 and a wool pad is highly aggressive, there are as many different ways to achieve beautiful paint as there are detailers working on paint. M105 and wool can be very aggressive, or it can be less aggressive than others might think if not used in a very heavy handed way. We don't all work in exactly the same manner with the exact same processes. In all honesty, we probably would not have gone that route, but that doesn't make it wrong. And if the paint ends up being really hard, which some Audis are known for, it may be your only recourse given the materials on hand.

[baranjil]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

A couple of things we'd like to point out here:

First, this thread was starting to look like it was going to get out of hand pretty quickly but thankfully it didn't.

Thanks Micheal! I don't want to carry forward or reply to those comments. That's why :-)

Now this does sound a bit odd - a 7 stage paint without clear? - It seems yes! - The paint was so hard and there were tons of scratches. I did a test spot starting with ScratchX + MF pad, M105 with CG Orange cutting pad, M105 with MF pad, Menzerna + CG orange pad, Menzerna + Mf pad. The result of Menzerna + Mf pad was good when compared with other combinations, but not satisfactory. So, finally I took Meg's wool pad + M105 which gave me good results.

Its too aggressive, but the car need that.

Thanks for your valuable comments and really appreciate it. Please let me know if you have more points.

[ffboy]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Nice Audi A6! I'm a big fan of Audis, even more so than Mercs or BMW's. Nice work on your car, I always found Audis to be very discreet, doesn't call too much attention, a car that can easily go unnoticed but when you notice it, it's a car that takes me the longest to take my eyes of, particularly the A8's.. And I also drive an old E39 523i. I still prefer Audis.

[baranjil]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Adding some more images. These are taken after a month.

[ffboy]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Still looks good, 1 month later looks like a freshly detailed ride. For some reason, the best picture us the last one. The grayscale look somehow looks best for this Audi. Looks classy in a vintage sort of way.

[davey g-force]

Re: Audi A6 white detailing

Amazing reflections for a white car!