Question from Proud Newest Member

[scottkay]

Greetings!



I just registered on this great forum after coming across the Autopia manual and reading many threads. I had no idea this kind of info was available and now I am hooked.



About ten days ago, I purchased a Red 97 Audi A4. It is in great condition (garaged and probably waxed often but not cleaned/polished). I know it could look better and that is why I started searching and thankfully came acrtoss this site.



In my zeal, I purchased the following but I am not sure in what order to apply them because of the confusion whether cleaner/polish/glaze (my searches have discovered contradictory information):



S100 SEC (See, I already know the abbrevs.)

3M IHG

Megs Nos. 7 and 26



Also, I have Megs Step 1 and 2 left over from when I prepped my previous car for sale a few weeks ago.



My instinct based on this site is to the following in this order:

3M IHG (a cleaner?)

SC100 SEC (a polish?)

Megs No. 27 (a wax)



Throw out Steps 1 and 2 and take back the Megs No.7 (a Glaze?) because it does not fit in the plan above and will remove the oils from 3M and SEC.



Am I right? Thanks. I am excited to start this project tonite.

[imported_BretFraz]

:welcome to Autopia



Looking at your list you have some duplicate products but most of the basics. Let`s review what you have:



3M IHG - a glaze that has no cleaning or polishing ability. Glazes are like makeup for car paint; they don`t fix problems, only cover them up. Glazes should be used just prior to waxing. You cannot use a glaze with a sealant (which it appears you do not have).



Meguiar`s #7 - almost identical to the IHG. Basically the same type product. The two are interchangable. If you can return one for a refund, do it. You do not need both.



S100 SEC - A very light polish, basically a glaze with a little bit of abrasive. Those of us who use it apply it after serious polishing to bring out that last bit of shine. A good product to use before waxing.



Meguiar`s Step 1 - A paint polish with mild abrasives that cleans primarily by chemical action. Good to use on paint that has minor flaws. Probably a 4-5 out of 10 on aggressiveness.



Meguiar`s Step 2 - Yet another glaze product. Looks like you`re cornering the market on glazes.



Meguiar`s #26 - a good quality wax that is used as the final step after all the polishing.





Sooooo..... what I`d do with all that stuff is this:



1. Polish the paint with the Meg`s Step 1.

2. Glaze with whatever glaze you prefer.

3. Protect with the #26.



Eventually you will want a more aggressive polish to fix more serious problems like light scratches and swirls. Lots of us use Meguiar`s Dual Action Cleaner Polish (DACP) or one of 3M`s line of polishes.



I assume you have all the tools needed for washing and all the polishing you`ll be doing (applicators, wash mitts, microfiber towels, etc). And of course you have stuff for cleaning & protecting wheels, tires, interior plastics, glass, exterior trim, carpets, etc, etc. The Guide To Detailing can help you decide what you need based on what you already have.



Hope all this helps. Have fun with your new car.

[togwt]

:welcome to Autopia



As you will see it’s a ‘very user friendly’ place, the people on this forum are very knowledgeable, and are more than willing to share their knowledge. The one thing that seems to stand out here compared to other special interest forums is a spirit of "open mindedness�, no opinion expressed is ‘wrong’ just different.



I’ve put this together to help you ‘find your way around’, hope this helps.



After reading the House Rules (upper left of the home page) that will tell you a bit about our operating procedures (and then Acronyms) Suggest you start at David’s guide (Learn icon – Car Care Topics) and/or (Forum – University) you could also research FAQ (go to Interact-Features-FAQ) or Interact (Search) and then ask your questions on (Forums - University) there are also tips on products under Shop (How-To) plus be sure to check on the discounts available to forum members. And there’s the Reviews section, where we`ve posted evaluations of products. The Autopia “Guide to detailing eBook� (eBook Subscription) covers most facets of detailing; every car-detailing enthusiast should read this book.



If the Autopia forum solves just one of your detailing problems it’s worth the price of admission (heed the advice from Bratfaz and it already has :xyxthumbs )



The ultimate shine: 90% Preparation, 4% Product and the balance, in the ‘guy’ of the beholder.











Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect *so I question everything*

[scottkay]

Thanks Bretfraz for the Welcome and for explaining how best to use the products that I purchased. I cannot wait to get started tonite.



By the way, I passed a Mercedes dealership earlier today and I decided to see whether it carried any of the German detailing products many here are so fond of.



You may be interested to know (but you probably know already) that Meguiars makes a whole line of products for Mercedes (both brands appear on the label). I was tempted to buy the Mercedes Benz Paint Cleaner thinking it might do a good job preparing the paint for the polishing step (better than the consumer version that I have from the 3 Step). Maybe I will get it on the way home?



TOGWT - Thank you for the Intro to everything available here. I have much to learn. I tried to do some basic research here before asking my question but I found it difficult to reconcile the cleaner/polish/glaze distinctions. I know more now.

[BradE]

:welcome my fellow Cincinnatian. I`m sure you will find Autopia to be a great resource.



:cool:

[scottkay]

It snowed last night and it was too cold to detail even in the garage. I cannot wait through winter so I am at least hoping for a warmer day to try these new products.



Showroom Lincoln - I live and work in the Blue Ash area. How about you?

[Accumulator]

Scottkay- Welcome to Autopia! And congrats on getting a cool car. Fellow Audi owner here. You`ll probably find a lot of info on what does/doesn`t work well on Audis if you search on "Audi". A few of us have discussed the HARD nature of Audi clearcoats in the past. I mention this because Benz clear is generally a bit softer than Audi clear, so the Mercedes paint cleaner might not be the best choice for your application. And yes, it`s VERY tough to keep all the "paint cleaner" vs. "polish" distinctions straight, especially as many product manufacturers use different terminology.



Otherwise, what bretfraz said :xyxthumbs Oh, BTW, Mike Phillips from Meguiar`s is a regular here.

[madazskunk]

Originally posted by scottkay

Thanks Bretfraz for the Welcome and for explaining how best to use the products that I purchased. I cannot wait to get started tonite.



By the way, I passed a Mercedes dealership earlier today and I decided to see whether it carried any of the German detailing products many here are so fond of.



You may be interested to know (but you probably know already) that Meguiars makes a whole line of products for Mercedes (both brands appear on the label). I was tempted to buy the Mercedes Benz Paint Cleaner thinking it might do a good job preparing the paint for the polishing step (better than the consumer version that I have from the 3 Step). Maybe I will get it on the way home?







If you want something better than meguiars consumer line look up where you can get the meguiars pro line locally on meguiars web site. My guess is you will find more variety at cheaper prices. BTW their pro line is much better than their consumer line in most cases.



One thing you might wanna do before you get started is clay.

[Scottwax]

Originally posted by madazskunk

If you want something better than meguiars consumer line look up where you can get the meguiars pro line locally on meguiars web site. My guess is you will find more variety at cheaper prices. BTW their pro line is much better than their consumer line in most cases.



One thing you might wanna do before you get started is clay.



Agreed! At least go with the Mirror Glaze line, Body Shop Pro if you can find it.



Honestly, if the car hasn`t really been polished much, I`d start with Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover or #82 Swirl Free Polish. Either will make an amazing improvement on neglected paint.

[scottkay]

The weather in Cincy was good this past weekend and I was able to detail my car. It looks great. Thanks for all of your advice.



About the only thing I have left to do is the Rubber Stops and Jambs. I will do a search now to find out what I should use.



You all may know already ... but on the subject of german paint, I wanted to point you to an article I came across entitled:



"Is the paint on German cars really different?"



You can find it at Classic motoring Acc. www.properautocare.com.



Terry Freiberg was very helpful and she informed me that Audi uses Menzena at the factory. Once winter is over, I will give their products a try.