This is winter protection on my Audi A3

[butler2.8i]

Products and equipment used

Uber microfiber towels
Uber drying towel
Valet pro bilberry wheel cleaner
Valet pro tyre gel
Valet pro orange pre wash
Valet pro PH neutral snowfoam
Valet pro citrus bling
Valet pro Talos Protectant
Meguiars hyper wash
Autosmart Tardis
Bilt hamber soft clay bar
Various wheel brushes
Karcher pressure washer
Noodle wash mitt
Lambs wool wash mitt
Poorboys microfibre cloths
Snow foam gun
Werkstat Prime Acrylic
Chemical Guys Jetseal 109
Chemical Guys Blacklight
Chemical Guys Ez Crème
Chemical Guys Pete`s 53
Chemical Guys V7
Autosmart Tardis
Ironx
Rainx
Autosol metal polish
00 grade wirewool


The car before I start

I cleaned the wheels using the bilberry wheel cleaner and various wheel brushes and a noodle wash mitt, the bilberry got the worst of the muck off just leaving some iron build up to be removed by the Ironx. It looks like all 4 wheels have had the front faces repainted at some point but the rear faces are in poor condition, once I have more time the wheels will be removed and the inner faces properly cleaned and sealed. Arches where cleaned using Megs APC, various brushes and a noodle wash mitt

Tardis at work

 

[butler2.8i]

Ironx at work

I started by giving the lower parts of the car a coat of the warm valet pro orange pre wash, which was left to dwell before being pressure washed off. The car was then given its first coat of snow foam made up of the valet pro PH neutral snowfoam and a shot of Meg’s hyper wash The snowfoam was then blasted off with the pressure washer, and then the car was given another coat of the same mix snowfoam and whilst this was still on the car I washed it using Meg’s hyper wash and the 2 bucket method and a lambswool wash mitt. The car was then rinsed with a open ended hose and then given a coat of autosmart tardis which was left to dwell before being wiped down with a microfbre cloth. The car was then given a coat of ironx to remove any fallout contaminates.

 

[butler2.8i]

The car was clayed using citrus bling and water mix( 10 to 1) and a Bilt hamber soft clay bar which pulled more contaminates from the paint work.

 

[butler2.8i]

It was then rewashed using the same method and dried using a Uber microfiber drying towel.

I decided to use Werkstat Prime Acrylic as a prewax cleanser, the car was given a single coat and buffed using Poorboys microfibre clothes. The car was given then given 2 coats of Ez creme glaze leaving about 30 min between each coat these where applied using a german applicator pad and left to cure before buffing using poorboys microfibre clothes. The car was then given 2 coats of the Blacklight which were also given 30mins between coats and buffed using Uber buffing towels.
The wax of choice was 2 coat of Pete`s 53 which was followed final wipe down with 2 coats of V7

Whilst waiting between coats all the exterior plastics and under arches were given a coat of Talos protectant and chrome badges polished using Werkstat Prime Acrylic. All the glass was cleaned using Rainx and alloys sealed using 2 coats of Jetseal 109, tyres dressed with valet pro tyre dressing.

Exhausts where cleaned up using Autosol metal polish and 00 grade wire wool, and sealed with 2 coats of Jetseal 109.

Leaving me with this

 

[butler2.8i]

 

[butler2.8i]

 

[bubbles1]

Looks fab! Just wish i had the patience to clean my car to that standard!

 

[rf860]

Looks very nice. Is it just me or does the suspension look very high on your car (compared to normal a3s)?

 

[butler2.8i]

it does have a bit of a 4x4 look at the moment, but do have plans for lowering and a remap then looking at a set of nice 18" alloys for the summer

 

[dazvessey]

whats wrong with a bucket of water and a sponge then a quick blast round the block to dry it off

 

[rf860]

whats wrong with a bucket of water and a sponge then a quick blast round the block to dry it off

Lol, those were the days, before you knew any better! I used to wash my old car with fairy liquid and an old kitchen cloth ha ha.

 

[dazvessey]

Lol, those were the days, before you knew any better! I used to wash my old car with fairy liquid and an old kitchen cloth ha ha.

nice never used fairy on a car only on push bike when i was a kid dont see the point in spending all that time for it to be dirty after reversing down my drive

 

[rf860]

nice never used fairy on a car only on push bike when i was a kid dont see the point in spending all that time for it to be dirty after reversing down my drive

yeah i used to think the same, but the satifaction when you do it 'right' is worth it. Also, it actually makes it much easier to clean inbetween waxing as the dirt doesn't bond to the paint the same.

 

[jonjay]

Nice Shaun.

Interesting use of the LSPs. Where did the wax fit in?

 

[butler2.8i]

Cheers Maz, with it being my own car i decided to have a play with LSP and waxed over the Blacklight with the Pete`s 53. You can see the muck running off when it rains and snowfoaming just runs straight off leaving the car clean enough on its own.

 

[jake]

i use lard, a qood coating all over, bar the windscreen. seems to keep the car from frost too

 

[dazvessey]

yeah i used to think the same, but the satifaction when you do it 'right' is worth it. Also, it actually makes it much easier to clean inbetween waxing as the dirt doesn't bond to the paint the same.

dont get me wrong i do like a clean car but some of the gear you lads use i never knew existed lol and i wouldnt know where to start but im learning a bit reading threads like these

 

[jonjay]

Cheers Maz, with it being my own car i decided to have a play with LSP and waxed over the Blacklight with the Pete`s 53. You can see the muck running off when it rains and snowfoaming just runs straight off leaving the car clean enough on its own.

Cool. How you finding Pete 53? I am thinking its similar to the hardcore XXX wax?

 

[rf860]

dont get me wrong i do like a clean car but some of the gear you lads use i never knew existed lol and i wouldnt know where to start but im learning a bit reading threads like these

tbh, i think some of the people who are into 'detailing' are way over the top. There's having a clean and well looked after car and then 'get a life' lol!

 

[butler2.8i]

i use lard, a qood coating all over, bar the windscreen. seems to keep the car from frost too

Do you not find dogs and random homeless people licking the car