Recommends for new Audi paint...appearance is priority.

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cobrar97

New member
I just ordered a 2015 Audi SQ5 with the Daytona Gray Pearl paint (medium gray metallic).  I've never owned an Audi before and have no experience with the paint they use.


As most on here, I have a detailing obsession and find it therapeutic.  So cost and longevity of the products are not as important as how they look.  Looks are #1.  Products like CQuarts and similar coatings probably wouldn't work for me, because I couldn't stand not doing more...as odd as that sounds.  I don't mind the maintenance aspect. 


On my dark gray, metallic Ford, I currently use Prima Hydro-Seal as a sealant and use various popular QD's to maintain every other day.  And I like that look.  I've tried different Carnaubas, but it doesn't give the "pop" I like on metallic.


This new car will be driven 3 seasons (no snow) and doesn't get driven when rain is guaranteed, but often gets "caught" in the rain.


With all that being said, what wax, sealant, and/or coating products would you recommend for Audi paint?  Also...is there any other information that experienced Audi owners could share about the paint in general?  What polishes for the annual super-detail do you use. 


Any information for this Audi nubbie would be greatly appreciated.


 
 
cobrar97- My (many) Audis are/were older than yours, so I dunno if my experience will help, but they all had nice, hard clear (well, I think it's nice).  It *will* etch though, so besides looks I'd think about something that'll prevent that in the event you get bugs/birds/bad water on the paint.


 


Oh, FWIW, IME you have to be *VERY* cafeful, well...."lucky" would be a better word....if you QD between washes lest you get marring from it.  I'd at least use a rinseless wash for that instead of a conventional QD.


 


Just another FWIW, I use UPP on my S8 because IMO it looks great and sheds dirt readily (so less wash-induced marring) and also because I'm just using up the UPP.  BUT that stuff doesn't protect against etching and I've had to correct bug-splattered surfaces because the bugs etched it over a long weekend roadtrip.  One of these days I'm gonna switch it over the FK1000P in part to avoid that issue, and I myself like how the FK1000P looks on colors like mine (silver) and I think I'd like how it looks on your color too.  Very good metallic "pop".
 
Accumulator...thanks for the info.  FK1000P is a product I've wanted to try for years because I've heard how great it is on metallic.  This would probably be the chance to do so.  Just a little more info...the vehicle is garage-parked at night.  I generally dust it with a Cali duster at the end of the day BEFORE I QD.  I use ONR when it's more that just a little dust from a perfect day.  I realize that even this will cause some mar.  With my Ford, anyhow, this process has always worked, and then I polish it to perfection first thing in the spring.  Usually by the end of fall, everything still looks pretty darn good.  That's my experience with Ford paint anyhow...but Audi is totally unfamiliar; hence my concern.  Any further thoughts on the subject would be great.
 
cobrar97- I can't use a CCD without marring, so I simply don't touch my vehicles between regular washes unless some bird-bomb worries me (but that's not much of a problem with the FK1000P).


 


The paint on my Crown Vics has always been considerably softer than that on my Audis.  With that "nice hard" clear, I sure wouldn't want to correct an Audi if I could avoid it (I haven't had to do mine for years and don't plan to!) so I recommend caution.


 


I think you'll like the FK on it, and heh heh heh, if it's just too durable and you want something to do, I'd go nuts detailing the engine compartment and undercarriage, which I find very satisfying (and my mechanic loves me for it).


 


Maybe consider using a coating on the wheels and that oh-so-fragile exterior aluminum trim.
 
Well that makes a question...what product on the trim.  My Ford has mainly black trim and/or rubber trim...so I've never had to worry about it.  I use Prima Wheel Guard currently...and have always thought it pretty good; any break dust just falls right off when it with some water.  When you do have to correct the Audi clear, what polish are you using?


Is it possible to OVER do it on the FK1000?  That's what I like about sealants...no concern for build-up.
 
cobrar97- The only problem I've had from overdoing the FK1000P was when I tried to layer it immediately instead of waiting until after the next wash.


 


I'd lean towards something like OptiCoat on the aluminum trim, though I've just (regular) LSPed mine (sufficient from my garage-queen S8 but not good enough for my wife's daily driver 130K mile A8 I'm sorry to say).  I'm guessing you could do OK with just the FK1000P as you plan to pamper yours, but once the clear anodizing (or whatever it is, never did get a definitive answer from Audi) gets compromised it's bad news.


 


To correct the Audi clear I've always had to use whatever my most aggressive approach has been (currently M105, and that's none too potent so maybe consider M100/M101).  It's not like I could just use something mild for "minor marring"; I don't switch to a Finishing Polish until things are basically perfect.  It gets back to not marring it in the first place....I know, I know, "the real world" and all that, but on these cars it really is the way to approach it.
 
I'd coat the car with CQuartz UK upon its arrival.  If you are afraid of losing your hobby, I'm always going to be a big fan of a little polishing followed by FK 1000p.


 


 


(We've got three Audis in the garage :) )
 
Tom - I've never used the CQuartz product, and maybe I'm just scared of it.  So some reason, I'm afraid it's going to leave a visually-imperfect surface that I'm then stuck with.  Or I'm concerned something will be optically unclear...again causing me to be upset.  I know with simple waxes, sealants, etc...I can remove those easily if I need to or if I make a mistake in application.
 
Nah, it's not a challenge to use the product.  If concerned, watch Corey's recent video addressing application.


 


FWIW, our cars have never looked so good.  It's almost too simple !
 
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