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#1
1st March 2014, 10:49 PM
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Whats your wash ritual?
Now ive actually got a nice car (A8 of course) I've become more inclined to clean it and dust off the products ive accumulated over the years.
I like my car clean, but I cant be arsed with the 1000's of products on the shelf these days. I've always used Autoglym products and it works for me, so I tend to stick with them. Ritual: - Wash with a sponge and warm very soapy water. - Hose off - Autoglym wheel cleaner on the wheels, agitate, then wash off thoroughly - Microfiber towel dry - Autoglym glass polish to all windows - Autoglym wheel seal to all wheels (buff off with microfiber) - Tyre shine Once a month run my cheap rotary polisher over it with Autoglym SRP and finish with Harley Wax. Also get the brasso out and do the tail pipes every few washes. I have some Autoglym bumper trim gel but tbh it doesn't look like it needs it on the A8. Some pics of how it turned out:       I have noticed that in the sunlight she is covered in swirls, which my cheap rotary will not get out. Im sceptical to get a proper polisher for fear of melting paint and stuff though. Also looking to replace the handwash bit with snowfoam! So: - How do you use a proper polisher? - Is snowfoam THAT good? Will it require me go sponge the car as well or is it a touch free clean? - I've never clayed a car before either, worth doing?? - How do I get a windscreen where the water just runs off, sick of water marks the day after ive cleaned it!! INTERIOR - Thorough vacuum - Autoglym glass polish on all windows - Autoglym interior shampoo on all trim, literally wipe over EVERYTHING - Vacuum mats and put back in - Crack open a new air fresher Think ive got the interior cracked tbh! 
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#2
1st March 2014, 11:41 PM
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Your car looks great!
I have been thinking about cleaning a lot. I read loads of articles/posts on detailing world, its a really good resource. I too hate 100's of different products. The main thing I took away from detailing world is that you want to remove as much dirt as possible without scraping it accross the paint. I think that's why people use snow foam. I know its a bit OTC, but I try to wash this way: snow foam, leave for 8mins (i have only used the hose snow foam, need to get the proper snow foam lance for pressure washer) rinse off with hose/pressure washer snow foam more briefly, and then with a really good microfibre mitt and 2 buckets use the mitt gently to get the remaining dirt off. One bucket with shampoo, other bucket for rinsing. Some people use 3. 2 for rinsing. rinse off with hose/pressure washer dry with microfibre cloths wax with collinite wax, damn good stuff wash the mitt in washing machine after every wash. I have also tried hand polishing using gtechniq P1, and a german hand polishing pad. Its really hard work, but does make a difference. You would have to clay first before polishing so you dont grind the tar deposits etc into the paint. Claying is easy and fun. Last edited by Goran; 1st March 2014 at 11:46 PM.
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#4
2nd March 2014, 12:44 AM
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Quote:
 Heres mine after a good deep cleanse -
__________________
Confidence is the feeling you have before you know better . . . . Audi A8 D2 3.7 Quattro Sport 1999 FL - Melange 2nd Place Winner - A8-Freunde Annual German Meet 2012 at Edersee 20" x 9" Bentley GTC Wheels with 385mm W12 Front Discs & Bentley Caliper Covers, Front Lowered on Coilovers, Xenons, Combined DRLs and LED Foglights to modified OEM front fog lamp position, Alcantara/Leather, Full Black Alcantara headlining + pillars and blind shelf, Bespoke Flat Bottomed Sports Steering Wheel, Dark Myrtle Wood, Autodim Mirrors, Bose, Blinds, Digital TV, Ski Hatch, Modified rear exhaust section for extra V8 Burble  Audi S8 D2 Final Edition 2002, Avus Silver with Red Leather Interior Tiptronic with Sport mode button, Sony rear entertainment package, Bose sound system, Audi Navigation Plus, 20 inch Final Edition alloys, Full Cat Back Stainless Milltek exhaust, giving a great V8 burble Audi A8L D2 4.2 Petrol with LPG - Ebony Black Audi A8L D4 FL 4.0T Petrol twin turbo - Havana Black Audi A2 1.6 FSi Sport - Dolphin Grey with Votex body kit and Red Leather Interior and some other A8's A8L's and Mercs Last edited by Architex_mA8tey; 2nd March 2014 at 12:47 AM.
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#5
2nd March 2014, 01:02 AM
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Your routine is better than most, but yes to 2 buckets. Although I use them, I doubt the real beenfit of grit guards.
The big thing I spot is using a sponge - sponges hold dirt and grit on the surface, so you are scratching away at your paint with a sponge. Ditch the sponges and replace with a lambs wool wash mitt. (i hand wash mine rather than machine wash). Those swirls you mention, that's mostly the work of sponges and leathers. It will only cover over the problem, but Poorboys Blackhole is a good 'filler' for your colour, but taking it to a pro for a MOP is better. Wheels - I use Bilberry wheel cleaner as it's very gentle. From memory the Autoglym one is pretty acidic, no doubt it makes your eyes sting if you get in the way of a mist spray? I don't clay because (a) it's a job I really dislike and (b) if you get it wrong you can actually introduce marring on the paint so I leave the claying to the pros Iron X is a very good product for removing iron fallout/metal contaminants from your paintwork. Ther than that, R1NE or Autosmart G101 are good all rounder products
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2002 Mark's D2 S8 FE 2020 BMW M340d xDrive (Anely's daily driver) 2000 FL D2 4.2 QS - SOLD 2011 
Last edited by sarg; 2nd March 2014 at 01:05 AM.
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#6
2nd March 2014, 06:41 AM
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Two buckets are a must. Otherwise, half way through, you're washing the car with dirty, gritty water.
My routine for just a wash: Low pressure, non-contact rinse with the pressure washer not pumping Snow foam, the leave for 5 minutes Wash (2 buckets and grit guard) with a lambs wool mit Rinse with pressure washer (with the 'car' nozzle) Open doors, boot, bonnet, petrol flap and clean sills etc with a microfibe cloth Towel dry with large microfibre towel Wash wheels (they have been snowfoamed too) with a third bucket (wheels are too dirty to share a bucket with the paintwork)
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2002 Final Edition S8. Ebony black with Silver Grey leather and myrtle wood trim. Current mods: solar sun roof, 20mm rear spacers, 15 mm on front, red brembo callipers, 6k headlights, rear view camera, engine remap, alloy dash dial rings, alloy navi rings, tt/phaeton pedal upgrade, (and custom matching foot rest) dension ipod interface & parrot hands free kit (both fully hidden), av input, tv in motion switched thro' PF switch in blanking plug right of steering column, Audi 'quattro' sill covers, repositioned centre console switches, radio clock, .Planned mods: auto-dimming rear view mirror, dash cam (as steamship's), fit the ski hatch, refit philips drl's (or maybe not - nope, definitely not - horrible botch!). Last edited by The_Laird; 2nd March 2014 at 08:49 AM.
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