Getting ready for winter

[gwscott]

I just purchased a two year old Audi A4 2.8 that was well taken care of, but that not withstanding, I`m giving it the full detail process. In so doing I`ve found myself bogged down in the cleaning stage, not knowing when or if to stop and move on. Case in point. When conducting a close examination with what ever light source I can see, what appear to be tiny scratches radiating in the reflection of the sun or, for that matter, a trouble light.



Are these truly scratches or figments of my imagination ?. After spending about an hour on each door and quarter panel, coupled with wearing out my rotator cuff and shoulder muscles, my wife is giving me that look of concern for my mental health and I`m not certain what done would look like....and so it goes.



Being a newby, I need help or support for that matter.



Glenn Scott:sosad

[Eliot Ness]

Originally posted by gwscott

I just purchased a two year old Audi A4 2.8 .....

Are these truly scratches or figments of my imagination .......

No, they`re not figments of your imagination, what you are seeing are minor swirls and/or cob webbing.



What product/s are you using to remove them? I believe that Audi paint is fairly hard so you may have a difficult time removing them without the correct polishes and perhaps even a PC (as I`m sure your sore arms are telling you!).



Get back with some more info on the products you`re using and you may want to look at the "how-to" link on polishing paint and removing defects:



http://store.yahoo.com/autopia/how-to.html

[gwscott]

Mr. Ness: Thank you for your quick response...I have been using McQuires (sp) #2, #3, Medium cut and Deep Crystal Cleaner. While not a Porter Cable I do have a Variable speed Milwaukee Buffer I tried last night but ran into trouble by adding a few minor tight swirls on the trunk lid above the license plate area; where the buffer sponge would override the ridge...if that makes sense.

(Maybe I should use Old Milwaukee instead). I have been using the recomended cloths and have been using medical lap sponges (which are rags, really) that my wife has brought home from the hospital.



The above having been said, am I using the right polish in the proper order? And is the sponge (which came with the Buffer by the way) too heavy or to small... or totally improper for that matter....

In closing, I want to thank you for putting a name to what I`ve been starring at on the paint, which is black, by the way.



This detailing is and obsessive/compulsives nightmare.



Glenn Scott



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[Eliot Ness]

Glenn, I don`t use the Meguiar`s products you listed, if I use Meg`s polishes I go with DACP (#83) followed by #80. Here is a list of the Meg`s products and their relative aggressiveness (higher = more agressive):



#85 Diamond Cut = 10

#84 Compound Power Cleaner = 9

#4 Heavy-cut Cleaner = 8

#1 Medium-cut Cleaner = 7

#83 DACP = 6

#2 Fine-cut Cleaner = 5

#80 Speed Glaze = 4

#82 Swirl Free Polish = 3

#9 Swirl Remover 2.0 = 3

#3 Machine Glaze = 1



You work your way from the most agressive to the least agressive polish. If you are using a rotary buffer it`s quite possible you will cause more damage than you`ll correct unless you have experience with one. That`s why the PC is so popular, it is virtually idiot proof.



As far as the pad on your buffer I have no idea which one it might be, but I`d caution you again, without the proper skills and knowledge when using a rotary buffer you can cause serious damage to your paint. Do yourself a very big favor and read the "how-to" link I provided in my previous post.



If you want to polish your paint I think you should consider buying a PC, some correct pads, and polishes. It will be an investment that will pay for itself many times over.

[gwscott]

Mr. Ness: I thank you for your advice and time. As has been said, " when in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging." Sooo, rather than make any serious mistakes, I`ll do the research first...and not when it`s too late.



Glenn Scott