I thought Audi paint was supposed to be hard. I detailed member's (Autopia) A4 today and I can say with confidence that the paint was not hard. In fact, it was soft. The clay procedure induced more marring than normal (and there wasn't much rust), immediately contradicting the "hard Audi paint" notion. Confirming this was the fact that when I even PO85RD and an ultra soft propel via PC had a hard time finishing down without leaving noticable gashing, resulting in a slight haze; as a result, to have a proper finish I had finish down with the rotary which proved to be a tall task. Twas soft.
Navigation
Install the app
How to install the app on iOS
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
More options
Style variation
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
I thought Audi paint was hard
- Thread starter RAG
- Start date
imported_joyriide1113
New member
PC is finicky. I could be wrong but I thought the Menzerna PO polishes were meant for rotory use... I think since you're suing it with the PC, you just have to work it longer more than anything..
Paints are very different.. So they react diff.
Paints are very different.. So they react diff.
imported_Picus
New member
What year was the A4? Any repaint?
Just wondering. My experience with Audi paint is that it's been very hard.
Just wondering. My experience with Audi paint is that it's been very hard.
Picus said:What year was the A4? Any repaint?
Just wondering. My experience with Audi paint is that it's been very hard.
It's exactly one year old. Nope...ETG gave consistent readings throughout.
But you're right...I only have one other client with an Audi (blue) and it always seemed hard.
joyriide1113 said:PC is finicky. I could be wrong but I thought the Menzerna PO polishes were meant for rotory use... I think since you're suing it with the PC, you just have to work it longer more than anything..
Paints are very different.. So they react diff.
I don't think so. Either way, I have PO85RD, RE5, and 106FF and they all finish down (with a PC) better than any polish I've tried (and I've tried many). The primary reason I use these expensive polishes is for use on black paint, especially soft black paint. So that's why I was astonished by my findings today.
Possibly your right about working it longer...but I was aready making three slow passes, and I've never had to work it longe than this before. Any more, and I would have been there all day - oh wait, I was there all day :chuckle:
Accumulator
Well-known member
There seems to be some real variation in the hardness of A4/S4 clearcoats. Mike Phillips did a S4 (factory paint) a while back that micromarred with anything harsher than #66, yet Bill D.'s clear is very hard :nixweiss
The paint on *my* Audis was/is very hard, but I only had one A4, an early one.
The paint on *my* Audis was/is very hard, but I only had one A4, an early one.
joyriiide1113
New member
Was it a hot day? I'm hoping that temperature, humidy, climate, has a lot to do with the slight difference we all get in products, other than the factory clearcoats.
imported_Picus
New member
I wonder if the factory the car was made in has any effect on it. I've done, hrm, like maybe 6 Audi's this summer and all have been hard, the black ones included (although the black ones were an S4 and an allroad). None were older than '02. That said a girl in my building always complained that her TT (gunmetal grey) scratched very easily.
Another thing I can chime in here after working in the Aftermarket Performance business for awhile is that in the world of mass production there can be lots of variances... When everything is being pushed out so fast there are bound to be some that are just the outcasts of the bunch.
I just had this with the BMW 330 I did last Friday....ANY combo of polishes and pads via PC wouldnt remove and left hazing/micro marring. Almost gave up but found FPII via rotary cleared it up. I guess with some weird coats, PC seems to "jiggle" too much for that particular clear? Dont know...
RAG said:I thought Audi paint was supposed to be hard. I detailed member's (Autopia) A4 today and I can say with confidence that the paint was not hard. In fact, it was soft.
I belive you are correct.
Are German Paints Different?
http://www.properautocare.com/aregepadi.html
RET
Scottwax said:Was it black? I did a black Audi TT last fall and it seemed as finicky to polish out as black G35s and Porsche Cayennes-tough to remove swirls but very prone to marring and hazing all at the same time. :think:
Yes. It was black. I've done a couple black G35s lately, and judging by how my final finishes reacted, this Audi was even softer. Swirls removed to expectation (not perfect or anything, but time/$$ didn't allow for this), but very proned to marring from the abrasives.
01bluecls said:I just had this with the BMW 330 I did last Friday....ANY combo of polishes and pads via PC wouldnt remove and left hazing/micro marring. Almost gave up but found FPII via rotary cleared it up. I guess with some weird coats, PC seems to "jiggle" too much for that particular clear? Dont know...
Since I do a lot of cars, I encounter this alot - I'm glad there are others that know what I'm talking about. And you have to apply so little pressure and use such a soft polish/pad, that you're hardly doing anything. I believe the jagged-shapped abrasives "dig in" and gouge the paint on the first motion of the DA...and as you said, continuining to work the polish is not sufficient to remove this marring. I think the rotary aviods this problem becuase the particles aren't forced to change direction (something like that). If it is at all possibly to finish down halogram-free, rotary does indeed produce a much better finish in this case. On paint like this, I have found that the Menzerna PO series polishes finish down best, followed by FPII, and then maybe #9 or AIO; I think the key is you need really small abrasives.
Accumulator
Well-known member
I see that ProperAutoCare article no longer shows a ~2000 vintage A6, that's an improvement as those cars always had hard clear.
imported_Picus
New member
Just got done working on an '05 Sprint Blue S4 - really, really hard clear. I'm doing an '02 A4 later this week, we'll see if it's the same!
AudiOn19s said:My Black '99 A4 is ROCK HARD.
That's awesome. I love hard paint...maybe just slightly harder to remove swirls, but the trade-off is worth it. You can always go with more aggressive polish...but when the paint is so soft that even the finest-finishing polish made (PO series) leaves a haze on black, then there's no where to go.
imported_Picus
New member
RAG said:That's awesome. I love hard paint...maybe just slightly harder to remove swirls, but the trade-off is worth it. You can always go with more aggressive polish...but when the paint is so soft that even the finest-finishing polish made (PO series) leaves a haze on black, then there's no where to go.
Totally agree. Despite the number of G35s I detail I really can't stand trying to remove deep swirls on them - you're almost guaranteed to get a haze that is difficult to remove. I'd much rather work on a car like the S4 today. OHC/yellow, 106FF/white = perfect.