Menzerna FG 400

[WaxManRonnie]

Just bought my 1st ever Audi A8(2003). I`ve been a long time Pontiac owner. I had 9 since 1991. I thought it was time for a change. My friend owned this and I knew it would be a great car.


When I first got it, I knew it was going to need some major poishing. I decided to use Menzerna Fast Gloss 400 and a few hybrid orange pads.

I started with the drivers side. By the time I reached the back door, the pad was almost black.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v364/superman4evr/imagejpg6_zps2164f820.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/superman4evr/media/imagejpg6_zps2164f820.jpg.html)


I was already on my 3rd orange pad and still needed the hood and front bumper to do. I was absolutely impressed with how well the FG worked. it left everything as clean as it could get.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v364/superman4evr/imagejpg5_zps497fc60d.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/superman4evr/media/imagejpg5_zps497fc60d.jpg.html)


I`m now in the middle of doing 2 thin coats of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Sealant.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v364/superman4evr/imagejpg1_zpsa1f6c662.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/superman4evr/media/imagejpg1_zpsa1f6c662.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v364/superman4evr/imagejpg2_zps7d20295f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/superman4evr/media/imagejpg2_zps7d20295f.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v364/superman4evr/imagejpg4_zps8f9747c2.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/superman4evr/media/imagejpg4_zps8f9747c2.jpg.html)


I wish I would`ve bought this polish long time ago...

[pmnewton]

Ronnie,`


`


Congrats on the purchase! `I am very glad to hear about your results with the FG400. `I have a bottle on the way. `The car looks great!


`


- Patrick

[Accumulator]

WaxManRonnie- Congrats on the A8!` You sure have it looking nice.


`


As a long-time D2-series owner, I`ll caution you that the aluminum trim bits have a *VERY* fragile finish, so try to avoid abrading them and keep them well LSPed.


`


FWIW, I find the undercarriages of those cars enjoyable to keep nice...not all that hard and you can spot problems (latest one- pinion seal seepage) before they become serious.` The rubber blocks make it easy to jack up.


`


What`s *not* so fun`are the trunk hinges, polishing/LSPing those is a bit of a PIA.


`


What`re you gonna use on the black plastic part of the grilles and the lower areas?` On my wife`s A8 I usually just use ValuGard`s FastFinish, but I seal the ones on the S8 first and just use the FF for maintenance.` I also use the Fast Finish on the undercarriage and the wells and under the hood, seems to leave just the right sheen on the black plastic/trim.

[ictoaln]

Ronnie,


`


Glad you like the FG400 and the Hybrid Orange Pad combo. I use the FG400`, LC Flat Orange pad, and my Flex`to good effect.


`


The Audi looks Very nice !


`


My Wives car, a 2008 Burgundy MDX, is the one that gets the FG400/Orange Pad treatment. Finish up with HD Polish/Green pad.`All topped with Accumulators FK1000.

[Accumulator]

Heh heh, I`ve raved about FK1000P so much that it`s now "Accumulator`s FK1000"!

[WaxManRonnie]

Thanks for the compliments guys. My friend kept this car mechanically top notch. However, not so top notch on the detailing.

Accumulator, the trim has taken a beating over the years. I`m not sure what else can be done about it. It`s not too bad everywhere, but I haven`t too touched it with the Flex when I polished it out. I`m ordering some Dr. Color chip this week and filling in the minor stone chips on the bumper and the few on the mirror. After that I was thinking about some Opti-Seal on the grills(top and bottom). Not sure on that. I`m open to suggestions.

But I`ll check on the FF.


My wife and took it to Detroit on Sunday to the Henry Ford Museum. She said this car is the most comfortable and smoothest riding car she`s ever been in.

[Accumulator]

WaxManRonnie- Glad to hear the mechanicals are good!` (Heh heh, do both front headrests go up/down?` I have one that needs fixed *again*..)


`


Some of our aluminum trim is just so-so and I don`t want it to get worse.` I *oughta* Opticoat it, but I just don`t get around to it.` So I just clean it with something mild (like an AIO) and then seal it, at least it`s not getting worse.` Glad to hear you kept the Flex off of it, I guess I`d polish it once and then coat it (several applications).` But, heh heh, I sure don`t put in the time/effort to do it to mine!


`


The black grilles seem to do OK with some sealants, but I`ve never tried OptiSeal.` The lowermost black portions of the bumpercovers (incl. the grilles around the foglights, etc. on the front one) can be a real PIA to do properly.` A quickie job with the FastFinish is often as much as I want to put into them, at least on my wife`s daily driver.` I use it as` a drying-aid for those surfaces and it doesn`t take much time at all (cloth wrapped around a stick for the grille slats, to get in there all the way).


`


Glad to hear your wife likes it!` Accumulatorette is so happy with hers that I`ll never have to buy her another car (it`s just getting broken in at ~130K) and I feel the same way about my S8 (just rolled over 19K in that one on Sunday).`


`


Oh, almost forgot- I`d use the Dr ColorChip like a regular touchup paint (tiny brushes) instead of the way they say to do it (smear it on, wipe with their stuff).` And I wouldn`t use that cloth they send with it either, I went ahead and trashed an old MF and I did the leveling very carefully after applying the paint with a small artist`s brush.

[WaxManRonnie]

WaxManRonnie- Glad to hear the mechanicals are good!` (Heh heh, do both front headrests go up/down?` I have one that needs fixed *again*..)


`


Some of our aluminum trim is just so-so and I don`t want it to get worse.` I *oughta* Opticoat it, but I just don`t get around to it.` So I just clean it with something mild (like an AIO) and then seal it, at least it`s not getting worse.` Glad to hear you kept the Flex off of it, I guess I`d polish it once and then coat it (several applications).` But, heh heh, I sure don`t put in the time/effort to do it to mine!


`


The black grilles seem to do OK with some sealants, but I`ve never tried OptiSeal.` The lowermost black portions of the bumpercovers (incl. the grilles around the foglights, etc. on the front one) can be a real PIA to do properly.` A quickie job with the FastFinish is often as much as I want to put into them, at least on my wife`s daily driver.` I use it as` a drying-aid for those surfaces and it doesn`t take much time at all (cloth wrapped around a stick for the grille slats, to get in there all the way).


`


Glad to hear your wife likes it!` Accumulatorette is so happy with hers that I`ll never have to buy her another car (it`s just getting broken in at ~130K) and I feel the same way about my S8 (just rolled over 19K in that one on Sunday).`


`


Oh, almost forgot- I`d use the Dr ColorChip like a regular touchup paint (tiny brushes) instead of the way they say to do it (smear it on, wipe with their stuff).` And I wouldn`t use that cloth they send with it either, I went ahead and trashed an old MF and I did the leveling very carefully after applying the paint with a small artist`s brush.



`


Nope. Headrests don`t move. I can hear it trying to, but its a no go. Thanks for the Dr. Color Chip suggestion. I will do that!

[Accumulator]

WaxManRonnie- Sorry, but not too surprised, to hear about the headrests...all too common problem on those cars.` With any luck they`re stuck high enough up to be useful` in an emergency (note that if they`re stuck too *low* they could actually be a serious safety hazard).


`


Let the Dr. ColorChip cure for a good long time before you polish the areas in question, it`s not too hard to just polish off your new touchup (gee, guess how I know..).` Not sure about how long to wait before LSPing lest you mess up its curing, but I always figure that "longer is better".` At least you don`t have to worry about to-the-metal chips rusting!


`


Oh, next time you`re underneath it (detailing that undercarriage ;)`) check the floorpan above the driveshaft (towards the back where it goes into the rear differential) and see if there are signs of lube seepage (it`ll be black stuff, probably`slung`onto the heatshields).` The seals go bad and it`s best to catch this before it`s gone on for too long (not a horrible expense, but again, best to fix it early).` And make sure the fluid lines aren`t getting crusty from not being cleaned during/after winter use; on my older V8 they were so rusted I had to have them all replaced even though the car was generally in very well-kept shape.` Rusted-to-the-point of leaking fuel/brake lines can be kinda serious :D


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Noises from the front wheel areas are wheel bearings starting to get bad.


`


Use the parking brake now and then or it`ll seize up and stick the one time you do need to use it (at least ours did it at the dealership).


`


The only other thing to watch out for is excessive oil consumption. Complicated stuff related to the intake manifold...they found a *lot* of oil in there!


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Other than those things the cars are pretty trouble-free.` Though did you see the article in a car mag about buying used high-end cars?` Their example of what to avoid like the plague was an Audi A8 of that vintage!` But what do they know B)