Jason H

I saw your post below about the water spots you got. Problem is that German paint, especially DARK German paint, is VERY soft and needs exposure to sun and air in order to cure properly and harden up. Its possible that if you put a good coat of wax on now your paint may be suceptable to more damage later because it may still be "soft" I would first try washing it with a good hand wash soap like Meguire's Gold Class. It may take a couple washes to remove most of the spots, and you may not be able to get everything.

I would just wait until the paint cures before waxing and trying to completly remover the spots, I think given the summer weather that 2 or 3 months should cure the paint. Of course you may be able to wax them out now with no further problems, but I just wanted you to be aware of a possible detremental effect if you wax brand new paint. HTH. Good luck.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=2361"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0></a>

RickM

If his car was built, say, 3 months ago, isn't that enough time for the paint to cure, bearing in mind that it's already made a trip across the ocean and been exposed to all kinds of elements on its way to his driveway? I've also read -- in posts here -- that auto paints aren't the same as they were years ago, and that allowing time for curing after purchase just isn't necessary. I'm not disagreeing with what you say, Jason, just wondering how much time is enough time and whether paint curing time is really needed after delivery of a car like this. Conflicting info has made me curious.<p>Rick
99.5 A4 1.8TQMS silver/onyx
97 A6Q Wagon black/taupe

M.S.G.

Bought my Santo blue in Jan. There were a few scratches so I tried to rub them out with rubbing compound. Big mistake. Don't know what to do now, there are tons of small scratches and the clear coat has lost its luster.

Jason H

That the paint may not be cured. It indeed MAY be cured just in the time it takes to transport (although the damp insides of a car carrier don't sound TOO condusive to hardening the paint). I myself waited a couple months before waxing my 2000 Ebony Pearl, and whether or not it did in fact "cure" any more by my waiting, the paint is relatively swirl and scratch free and seems fairly "hard" and doesn't show many chips after 15,000 mi.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=2361"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0></a>

CC Rider

Perhaps this was just a slip on your part Jason, but let it be known that wax doesn't remove anything and it is not the purpose of wax to fix problems. Wax is merely a final protective coating that you put on your paint AFTER you have done all of the cleaning and polishing.

If paint has scratches or swirls, you need to use a polish or glaze to try to fix the problem. Only after the problem is fixed do you wax the car.

As far as not waxing a new car, I'm not sure I agree with this. What about people that buy a new car in the winter months? I'd rather have a sacrificial layer of wax on the surface than let road salt and grime attack my paint. Same goes for bird droppings and bugs in the summer.<p><b>Drew S.</b> <a href="http://members.aol.com/drewinva/audi/" target="drewinva"><img src="http://members.aol.com/drewinva/images/98.5.jpg" border="0" align=center></a> <b>98.5 A4 2.8 qm</b>

mark mahadeo

Fist off mine is Ebony Pearl (aka Volcano black)

So much for letting the paint cure. Mine exited the plant March 15 (assume it was painted a week earlier maybe) and the dealer waxed it approx. 5-6 weeks later - around April 22.

Some of you may recall my problems related to wax on my car...

As a potentially useful aside, the (very knowledgeable IMO) service manager at my dealer said not to put "too much wax" on my Ebony Pearl, as layers of wax can create odd reflections (this was exactly my problem). 2 times a year with good wax was his suggestion.

Jason I think you're the same colour, right? What do you think?<p>'00 1.8TQS Tip, no mods (yet...)

eMKay (BFLO)

You used a compound that was too course, It's not too late to fix though if the damage is not bad. You need to use a fine cut also called "glazing compound" 3M makes it, sold at Pep Boys for about $7 a bottle. I don't use a buffer to do mine, it's faster, but I feel it's better to do it by hand. Even if it takes an entire weekend. My car is black, and needs it about once a year (96 Galant, searching for 2-3 year old A4)

eMKay (BFLO)

Oops, "course" should read "coarse" that's what I get for reading about Audi's sweep, bravo!

Jason H

A glaze would be a preferable solution for removing light scratches or swirls, as for a polishing material, I'd be wary, did you read M.S.G.'s post? I've actually had good results in removing the lightest swirls using Zymol cleaner wax. So I indeed did "wax out" marks in mine, and I've also found that if I miss a couple drops of water that leave light water marks, that when I buff using just carnuba wax, they disappear.

But overall you're completely right, a wax is the final protective sealant against the elements and NOT the best product to improve an already damaged finish, sorry for the confusion.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=2361"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0></a>

Jason H

The clearcoat comes with some kind of protectant from the factory. I took delivery Dec. 4th and specifically asked the dealer NOT to wax the car after it came in. I live in SoCal and the winter environment isn't exactly too harsh! :-) Even still, the paint beaded nicely during the few rainstorms we had, and there were enough dry sunny days that I felt the paint had cured well enough to give it its first wax in mid-March.

I wax about every two months since I use Zymol which is pretty thin, and I haven't seen any "odd relections" due to wax build up, what did they look like? The paint looks pretty swirl free, but I can feel a slight roughness so I'm probably going to do a clay bar treatment and then 3M Imperial Hand Glaze before too long.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=2361"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0></a>