2010 Audi S4 Intensive Polish

This particular car is owned by an enthusiast that does take very good care of it.  It serves as an example of several principles within the maintenance of a vehicles appearance.  

For starters, it's Audi's Phantom Black Pearl.  It's often said that Black is not a color, it's a full time job.  This is because black will show every defect.  The pearl/metallic in the paint will aid in masking some of the minor imperfections, but nearly all will be visible when sun or intense direct light is shown on the paint. 

The next point is that cleaning a car often keeps it cleaner for longer.  This sounds very odd, but stick with me.  Contaminants need time to bond to the paint.  Once they bond to the paint, a normal wash will not remove them.  If they are removed regularly, they do not have time to bond, which means your car will be cleaner when it's washed.  Bonded contaminants also become a magnet for more contaminants.  It's not easy for something to bond to your paint, but it's much easier for it to bond to another contaminant.  In this way, a dirty car will continue to get dirty faster, it's a downward spiral. The owner washes the car on a weekly basis and it shows.  There were only a few areas that required clay to remove bonded contaminants, specifically behind the wheel and at the rear of the vehicle, these are common places to find this due to the amount of road film they are exposed to.  It's also common to find them on horizontal surfaces where contaminants settle throughout the day.  In this case, the horizontal panels were nearly bare of bonded contaminants and that can be directly attributed to frequent washing. 

Finally, even a well maintained daily driver will accumulate defects over time.  The owner of this vehicle practices techniques to minimize contact with the paint and thereby reduce defects related to washing.  However, this vehicle lives in the real world and as you'll see from the photos, even when meticulously cared for, it did accumulate defects, in this case, over the course of a year.

Process

• Wheels and tires cleaned with Meguiar's DUB wheel cleaner and Megs D108 
• Prefoamed with CG citrus wash + Gloss and Bilt hamber Surfex HD
• Hand wash with CG citrus wash daily
• Polish residue was removed PPF edges with APC, IPA, soft brushes and towels
• Mechanically decontaminated with traditional clay bar
• Paint was polished with HD Polish+ on a 21mm DA with rupes yellow pads
• Tight areas were corrected with HD Polish+ on a flex 3401 with LC white hybrid pads
• Paint was protected with Carpro Reload
• Tires were dressed with carpro PERL
• Trim and wheels protected with carpro hydro2
• Exhaust cleaned with pinnacle exhaust cleaner and brightener

Chemical Decontamination

When we use the term chemical decontamination we are generally referring to the use of a chemical to remove a contaminant from the car.  As the name suggests, we are using chemistry rather than mechanical abrasion to remove the contaminant, though, the use of a towel may introduce some mechanical forces.  We often choose this method because it minimizing contact with the paint, reducing the chance of scratches and marring.  It can also dissolve certain contaminants, making it safer to wipe away. 

When undertaking chemical decontamination it's important to identify the type of contaminant and choose the appropriate chemistry to remove it.  Most OTC products have done the work for us by labeling there product as a bug remover, tar remover or water spot remover.  But a key piece of this is understanding the chemistry at work, because if you have chosen poorly, you might as well have gone straight to a mechanical abrasion.  Below are the basic guidelines for choosing a chemical cleaner

Alkaline prodcuts (All Purpose Cleaner) - Organics - soiling, bugs, birdbombs

Acidic Products - Inorganics - Metals, fallout, mineral deposits

Solvent Products - Petrochemicals - Tar, grease, tire dressing sling

It is always best to address any contamination immediately as it will be easier to remove and reduce the risk of damaging the surface.  Always try a mild cleaner first, such as a quick detailer, before trying a stronger cleaner

Always follow the manufacturer's directions.  Never let these chemicals dry on the surface.  If you want to extend the dwell time, apply the product to a towel and place the towel over the affected area, this will help loosen any stubborn deposits

2016 Mercedes C63s Polish and Protection

The owner of this car is in real estate and as he put it, 'you can't show up to a million dollar listing with the car in it's current state.'  The owner has a busy schedule and doesn't always have time to take ownership of the wash process.  Moreover, when a client calls, he's got to be at the listing with a shiny car in short order and that means stopping for a less than ideal car wash.  While the car only has a few thousand miles on it, the brush car washes have inflicted quite a bit of damage on to the paint.  Knowing that this trend may continue, and that the owner believe this car is meant to be driven rather than just admired, we opted for a paint correction that would enhance the finish while still leaving plenty of paint for future corrections.  

Process

• Wheels and tires cleaned with Meguiar's DUB wheel cleaner and Megs D108 
• Prefoamed with CG citrus wash + Gloss and Bilt hamber Surfex HD
• Hand wash with CG citrus wash daily
• Polish residue was removed PPF edges with APC, IPA, soft brushes and towels
• Mechanically decontaminated with traditional clay bar
• Paint was polished with Meguairs M205 on a 21mm DA with rupes yellow pads
• Tight areas were corrected with M205 on a flex 3401 with LC white hybrid pads
• Vehicle was debadged including additional polishing to remove any ghosting
• Paint was protected with Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection
• Dress dressed with carpro PERL
• Trim and wheels protected with carpro hydro2
• Exhaust cleaned with pinnacle exhaust cleaner and brightener

2005 Ford GT Polish, Engine and Seats

This 2005 Ford GT has 11,000 miles on it.  It is currently kept by it's second owner.  This vehicle makes it out for a few nice days a year and is subsequently wiped down, dried and covered until the next time it is driven.  This is the first time during the ownership that the car has gotten a traditional wash.  The car also recently came back from a trip to Detroit where is was serviced.  As a result, the engine bay was a bit dirty.  After 10 years, the leather needed a little attention and the exterior had accumulated some swirls and scratches.  The goal of this work was to refine the paint, removing the majority of the fine swirls and marring.

Process

• Wheels and tires cleaned with Meguiar's DUB wheel cleaner and Megs D108 
• Prefoamed with CG citrus wash + Gloss and Bilt hamber Surfex HD
• Hand wash with Carpro Reset
• Mechanically decontaminated with traditional clay bar and ONR as Lube
• Paint was polished and sealed with Carpro Essence on a Flex 3401 with Carpro Gloss pad and Flex PE-8 Kompakt with Flex green pad.
• Paint was further protected with TAC systems Quartz Max Silica spray sealant
• Trim and exhaust was protected with Pearl Nano Topcoat ceramic coating
• Wheels were polished with Carpro Essence and protected with Pearl Nano Topcoat
• Engine Was cleaned with Steam
• Seats recieved a 2 step process with Leather Masters Stong Cleaner and Protection Cream

2010 Audi S4 All-in-One correction

This car received a more intensive polishing in the fall and was well cared for over the winter.  However, the owner wanted to improve the current condition for the summer.  There were primarily light wash induced marring and swirls and the owner chose to address these will an all-in-one protect that would remove the majority of the shallow defects and bring back the gloss that had degraded over the harsh winter.  

Process

• Wheels and tires cleaned with Meguiar's DUB wheel cleaner and Megs D108 
• Prefoamed with CG citrus wash + Gloss and Bilt hamber Surfex HD
• Hand wash with CG citrus wash daily
• Mechanically decontaminated with traditional clay bar
• Paint was polished and sealed with HD speed on a 21mm DA with rupes yellow pads
• Dress dressed with carpro PERL
• Trim and wheels protected with carpro hydro2
• Exhaust cleaned with pinnacle exhaust cleaner and brightener

Badge Removal

Most enthusiast are very proud of their cars, but often want to see a cleaner look on the rear of the vehicle.  This can be accomplished by removing the badging.  The following illustrte the process for badge removal.  It's important to note that overtime paint will fade slightly due to UV exposure and grit caught on the edge of the badge can wear away at the clearcoat.  The result is a faint outline of the badge after it has been removed.  This is called ghosting.  In the case of newer cars, this is generally not a problem, but on older vehicles it can be very obvious and impossible to remove. 

Heat up the badge with a heat gun on lowest setting and pull fishing line behind the badge to separate the adhesive.

Remove remaining adhesive residue. Start by lightly heating the adhesive again and start at an edge rolling the adhesive on to itself with a thumb.

Remove remaining residue with a body prep solvent or tar remover by allowing the product to dwell to soften the adhesive before wiping with a towel

Finally, compound and polish the area to remove any scratches from grit that was behind the badge or instilled during the removal process.

2014 Audi S4 All-in-one correction

This car had received a similar process in the early winter to address some defects that were left by a bodyshop after repairs were done.  After a long winter it had accumulated a number of wash induced defects that needed to be addressed prior to summer.  The owner decided on a similar process to the following year to remove the majority of shallow defects and restore the gloss that had degraded over the winter. 

Process

• Wheels and tires cleaned with Meguiar's DUB wheel cleaner and Megs D108 
• Prefoamed with CG citrus wash + Gloss and Bilt hamber Surfex HD
• Hand wash with CG citrus wash daily
• Mechanically decontaminated with traditional clay bar
• Paint was polished and sealed with Carpro Essence on a 21mm DA with rupes yellow pads
• Paint was further protected with TAC systems Quartz Max Silica spray sealant
• Dress dressed with carpro PERL
• Trim and wheels protected with carpro hydro2
• Exhaust cleaned with pinnacle exhaust cleaner and brightener

2014 Audi S4 etching removal and seasonal prep

This car spends it time in a newly constructed parking garage.  The owner noted some staining on the hood of the car.  Upon inspection, it appeared to be from concrete/lime runoff.  This type of lime can very quickly etch unprotected clearcoat and over time can also etch protected clearcoat.  When I initially inspected the vehicle I did a small test spot to see if mechanical decontamination could remove the staining.  It did successfully do so and we schedule the work for the upcoming weekend.  By the time we performed the work, less than a week later, the deposit had already started to etch the finish such that the clay bar was no longer effective at removing the staining.  As a result, we shifted to chemical decontamination with a mild acidic mineral deposit remover.  This was able to remove the staining.  This was followed by an alkaline wash to neutralize the acid.  Finally, the area got a free rinse to remove any remaining residues.  After that was complete, the hood was polished to remove any trace marring from the process and then blended into the front fenders to give a uniform appearance.  The remainder of the vehicle was thoroughly decontaminated and then sealed to protect the paint until further work could be done. 

Mechanical Decontamination

Mechanical decontamination is the process of removing bonded surfaces contaminants by means of mechanical abrasion.  We scour the surface with a mildly abrasive media.  The goal is to use a media and scouring action that is aggressive enough to break the bond, but gentle enough not to mar the finish.  

Thing start to get complicated quickly since the contaminants that are picked up by the media are then scouring the surface and may leave marring behind.  Detailing clay is malleable enough to absorb these contaminants and minimize the risk of scouring.  It's important to kneed the clay regularly to rejuvenate a clean surface on the clay.   In this manner, we are able to minimize the potential for marring. 

In recent years a number of different clay alternatives have been introduced.  These consist of a polymerized rubber applied to some type of media.  These vary from blocks, towels, wash mitts and even pads that can be used on a polisher.  These rubber products have the advantage of being much faster to use.  This is in part due to them being larger and more aggressive.  The aggressive nature of them increases the likelihood of marring the paint.  It is generally recommended to only use these products if you plan to polish the paint afterward. They also have the advantage of being cleanable.  If you drop a clay bar on the ground it should be thrown away, you will never get all the dust and dirt out.  If you drop a clay alternative on the ground, it can be thoroughly washed, scrubbed and returned to use.  These alternatives last much longer as well, one can easily use it on 20 vehicles and many, many more in some cases, whereas a claybar may only be good or 2 or 3 vehicles. 

When planning to mechanically decontaminate a vehicles, it should be thoroughly washed to remove any normal soiling.  Then evaluate the surfaces for and feel for any roughness.  This roughness is typiclaly bonded surface contaminants that can be removed with clay.  Do not bother drying a car before claying, you will be rewetting and drying again in the claying process so drying after a wash is a wasted step unless there is a concern of water drying and leaving waterspots. 

The first step is to apply some type of lubricant to the paint. This can be a dedicated clay lubricant, detail spray or other spray applied product.  This lubricant acts to minimize the potential for marring, facilitate a smooth movement of the clay media and to suspend particulate that has been removed from the paint. Ideally, enough lubricant should be applied such that it has started to runoff the paint.

The when claying the car, define a work area that is consistent with the media, level of contamination and your skill level.  If the paint is terrible and you have a tiny clay bar, work a 1'x1' area.  If the car is in very good condition, you can increase that area.  Check the clay media after each section and kneed or clean as necessary.  Certain areas will be much more contaminated and should be done last if possible; such areas are the rear of the car, behind the wheels and the front bumper.  

Once contaminants are remove, wipe off the lubricant before contaminants have an opportunity to settle back onto the paint.

When finished, the paint should feel smooth and be ready for paint correction or application of your protectant.

Snow Foams

This may be a relatively new term to many people, but the name conjures up images of thick lather and shaving cream.  This is absolutely possible, but it requires the right tools and may not be as effective as you think.  Read on for a discussion of the pros and cons of snow foams and how to choose one that's right for you.

As a professional, I rely on snow foam as part of my normal wash procedure.  It can cling to the paint well and help to soften and break down soiling on the paint before I even touch the car.  There are a variety of types, from very strong alkalines to remove heavy contamination, to pH neutral that is very safe for the paint.  I feel this is an essential part of my wash procedure for dirty cars.  It also looks like you are at the car wash and is visually appealing to onlookers.

There are a few downsides to these products that you need to consider before committing to the investment.  You need a pressure washer and a pretty strong one.  Mine gas unit is 3000 psi and I can get a nice thick foam.  My electric unit is 1600 psi and the foam is lackluster at best.  You should plan to use quite a bit of product too, on the order of 4oz concentrated product diluted in the container.  Do also consider that even with that thick foam, only a small portion is actually in contact with the paint and doing any work.  It's much more important to find a product that clings well and has a long dwell time, rather that just the thickest foam.  There aren't very many options available in the US currently unless you choose a product designed for an automatic car wash.  Chemical guys makes Honeydew Snow Foam and Bilt Hamber's autofoam has recently become available in the US.  I tend to make my own snow foam mixture though.  In my case I use Chemical Guys Citrus Wash + Gloss for it's high foaming and good clinging properties and I will augments that with an all purpose cleaner or dedicated snow foam.  In my case those are Bilt Hamber Surfex HD and Ultimate Snow Foam (respectively).  This combination smells great, produces tons of foam, cleans and clings very well.