Detail Plan for my Quartz Gray 06 A4

[Onepoint8tee]

Hello everyone! Been some time since I posted. I`m finally getting around to planning the long awaited detail on my quartz gray 06 A4. I`ve never detailed this car aside from washing / waxing, owned it for about a year and a half now. I need some paint work done first, and then we`ll be good to go. Truthfully, its the scratch on my bumper I got at school that led to me never detailing it. Just seemed to always ruin the idea. I felt like putting my plan up to see if you guys had any advice or comments! It is a metallic paint, so maybe theres a better method to get it to pop? I`m just a hobbyist over here!

1. Super wash. Dish soap, and really clean everything.
2. Clay bar. Usually use Meg`s or Mother`s clay bar OTC kits. Megs QD as a lubricant, although I may use something nicer since I`m low on QD.
3. Compound entire car with M105 and a Lake country orange flat pad. I have a set of the flat pads. Used M105 before and will have to relearn it a bit, but last time it came out great.
4. Polish with M205 and a white lake country flat pad.
5. 3 coats of Klasse HGSG.
6. Coat of Collinite 845 over the Klasse.
7. Maintain with the DUB Spray Wax (haven`t bought it but want to).
8. Wheels with Klasse as well, at least 2 coats.
9. Tires with CarPRO PERL 1:1. 2-3 coats.

The car: Coils still need to be adjusted for summer, I know.

[ShaneB]

Looks like a good plan to start. Except skip the dish soap idea. Keep that in the kitchen. Get yourself a better soap. Tons of good options on ACC.

I also wouldn`t go straight for the 105 on an orange pad. Do a test spot and first see if 205 with a white pad will get the desired results. Only go more aggressive if you have to.

Are you using a machine for the polishing?

[Onepoint8tee]

Looks like a good plan to start. Except skip the dish soap idea. Keep that in the kitchen. Get yourself a better soap. Tons of good options on ACC.

I also wouldn`t go straight for the 105 on an orange pad. Do a test spot and first see if 205 with a white pad will get the desired results. Only go more aggressive if you have to.

Are you using a machine for the polishing?

Just looking at the car from experience I`ll probably need to compound, but using a test spot is never a bad idea. And yeah, Porter Cable 74XP or whatever it is, the common one a lot of people use.

I just thought I`d use a soap that will strip everything from the car, don`t want to spend money on a soap that`ll do the same thing if I`ll use it once! For normal washing I use zymol`s car wash at the moment. I might pick up a better one when I order the PERL. I also need a better wheel brush / tool solution. These new wheels have a lot of surface area.

[ShaneB]

There`s been some tests done that have popped up on here or autogeeks forums (I forget which) that basically show that dish soap does not strip wax/sealants. What happens is there are additives to dish soap to cause water to sheet off your dishes to prevent water spots. This is often what causes people to believe it has stripped their wax. But I recall one test showing that after a quick IPA wipe, the beading effect returned

Also I`d recommend chemical guys citrus wash red or citrus wash n gloss. Very versatile. Use it 1oz/gal for super strong cleaning or use it traditionally at about 1oz/4 gal. For your regular washes

[Onepoint8tee]

There`s been some tests done that have popped up on here or autogeeks forums (I forget which) that basically show that dish soap does not strip wax/sealants. What happens is there are additives to dish soap to cause water to sheet off your dishes to prevent water spots. This is often what causes people to believe it has stripped their wax. But I recall one test showing that after a quick IPA wipe, the beading effect returned

Ah, I see. How important do you think it is to strip previous wax first? I could use Meg`s Gold Class wash then (have some already) and just use the polishing steps to remove the wax anyway? There probably isn`t much wax left to be honest, I put on collinite sometime during winter but thats it since.

[ShaneB]

Polishing will remove whatever may be left

[Onepoint8tee]

Polishing will remove whatever may be left

Cool, so I won`t think too much of it. I have a feeling this color can really shine when corrected properly!

[MiVor]

If/when you`re going to clay and compound/polish, (I believe) there`s no need to even think about a wash intended to strip any remaining LSP. Especially when you consider the lube applied in order to allow the clay bar to properly slide over the surface.

I also agree that unless the surface is really bad, compounding should not be necessary. Remember there`s just a thin layer of clear coat and paint on production vehicles. We don`t want to get too aggressive so "polish twice before compounding once" is a fair rule.

I`m not sure I`d bother topping the Klasse with Colinite, but that may be a personal thing. If I was going to use Klasse again, I think I`d just leave it and use a topper spray `wax` after weekly washes. Or, use a wash `n wax or a no rinse product followed by a spray `wax`. Klasse gives a sortof nice plastic coating look after a few coats, but it always seemed a bit too labor intensive for me, so I stopped using it in favor of other polymer products. I`m a `fan` of always using a spray `wx` topper after washes for that extra pinch of pop and protection.

Good luck with the polish/detail. With proper subsequent wash/wax maintenance, you may never need to compound/polish again!

[Onepoint8tee]

If/when you`re going to clay and compound/polish, (I believe) there`s no need to even think about a wash intended to strip any remaining LSP. Especially when you consider the lube applied in order to allow the clay bar to properly slide over the surface.

I also agree that unless the surface is really bad, compounding should not be necessary. Remember there`s just a thin layer of clear coat and paint on production vehicles. We don`t want to get too aggressive so "polish twice before compounding once" is a fair rule.

I`m not sure I`d bother topping the Klasse with Colinite, but that may be a personal thing. If I was going to use Klasse again, I think I`d just leave it and use a topper spray `wax` after weekly washes. Or, use a wash `n wax or a no rinse product followed by a spray `wax`. Klasse gives a sortof nice plastic coating look after a few coats, but it always seemed a bit too labor intensive for me, so I stopped using it in favor of other polymer products. I`m a `fan` of always using a spray `wx` topper after washes for that extra pinch of pop and protection.

Good luck with the polish/detail. With proper subsequent wash/wax maintenance, you may never need to compound/polish again!

I could always use an orange pad with M205 if I need a stronger cut, then finish it with a white pad. I`m leaning against compounding too now. Thanks.

And the reason for Klasse is I already have some at home. The three coats are a pain but it really does turn out amazing. The reason for collinite is that I`ve seen klasse gives great gloss, but little depth, which is provided by the collinite. Or perhaps just a plain carnauba would be a better topper wax?

[MiVor]

I could always use an orange pad with M205 if I need a stronger cut, then finish it with a white pad. I`m leaning against compounding too now. Thanks.

And the reason for Klasse is I already have some at home. The three coats are a pain but it really does turn out amazing. The reason for collinite is that I`ve seen klasse gives great gloss, but little depth, which is provided by the collinite. Or perhaps just a plain carnauba would be a better topper wax?

To a point product debates are primary objective - what works and looks best to you is all that really matters. I look for the maximum appearance and protection with the least amount of WORK. I`m not really lazy, but don`t want to waste my time for diminishing returns AND I`m very conscious of the fact that extra effort may only negatively influence the subjective evaluation of the result (Since the extra effort MUST result in extra appearance/protection (which is most likely not the case).
Anyway, Klasse is a good product, I just get sleepy thinking about 3 hand rubbed coatings - lol .... For a topper, I just go for a single application of Megs Ultimate spray or Duragloss Aquawax.

[Onepoint8tee]

To a point product debates are primary objective - what works and looks best to you is all that really matters. I look for the maximum appearance and protection with the least amount of WORK. I`m not really lazy, but don`t want to waste my time for diminishing returns AND I`m very conscious of the fact that extra effort may only negatively influence the subjective evaluation of the result (Since the extra effort MUST result in extra appearance/protection (which is most likely not the case).
Anyway, Klasse is a good product, I just get sleepy thinking about 3 hand rubbed coatings - lol .... For a topper, I just go for a single application of Megs Ultimate spray or Duragloss Aquawax.

Good points. I may forego the collinite then and just do a spray wax. Or possibly just megs yellow wax if I get bored and feel like waxing the car more than technically needed with Klasse. I wish I had some blackfire or something to try, but I already have a 90% full container of Klasse!

Edit: I`m starting to think about buying the Blackfire Wet-Ice Over Fire combo now.... Maybe I can split it with my dad if I agree to do his car too haha

Double Edit: Bought the Blackfire Combo. On their site its 20% off with free shipping. $56 shipped.