Bonding with my new car: Keeping it simple

[tom p.]

I got my new car this past week. It took just four weeks and 6 days to arrive in the USA from the time we ordered - - basically 4 weeks early! The car is a 2011 Audi A4 quattro (8spd, Premium Plus, Sport Pkg, Micrometal, Exhaust Tips) in Quartz grey metallic with grey interior.



The car was really in excellent shape, as I would expect. Audi ships their cars with some sort of cloth cover (see foto below) and it seems to do a good job of keeping the car clean. I went back to inspect the car and saw their "detailers" wiping some sort of stuff on the painted surfaces...probably one of those silicone-laden "showroom shine" sprays. The car appears to be free of defects so there really wasn`t much to do. I elected to keep it simple so I could spend some time driving the car this weekend instead of working in the garage for hours. I ended up doing a quick coat of Autoglym`s SRP which did add a bit of gloss to the surface and certainly made the metallic flake a bit more noticeable.



In the next few months I`ll figure out a more permanent game plan, I just didn`t have any interest spending the entire day on the car. I`ll probably fly with the FK 215/1000p combo or possibly try the new Opti-Coat product.



I applied Aquapel to front and rear glass. RAINX on mirrors, side glass and moon roof. I`m going to apply Leather Masters Protection Creme to the seats when I have a few mins to see how that does on a fresh surface.



Before:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_5945.jpg





Jet contrail visible in hood reflection:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5983.jpg



During:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_5980.jpg





http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5984.jpg





http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5982.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5988.jpg





I used Optimum`s Power Clean to try to strip off whatever the dealer applied. I don`t think I had the solution strong enough cuz I still had a lot of beading after my final rinse.



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5986.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5992.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5990.jpg



The next day I applied Collinite`s #885 to door jambs, under-hood and trunk areas while the car is still fresh.



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_6001.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_6022.jpg



After:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_6010.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/1484.jpg



Micrometal inlays, interior:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5960.jpg



A few bonus shots from the dealer:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/s_DSC_5943.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_5975.jpg



The new A7 just arrived:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_5936.jpg



We were told this is a very rare car, 500 built:



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_5976.jpg



http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x414/billsouth/Autopia/DSC_5979.jpg