mbislam

I'm new to cars and even newer to car forums, but I've noticed these "build threads" all over the interwebz that I learnt a lot from, so I figured I'd make one myself. Who knows, this newb might end up helping someone else?! So yeah, leave any questions in the comments, and I'll TRY to answer it to the best of my ability

Thanks to RyanA3 and his build thread for some of the info below. You can find more/similar info on his thread "2015 S3 Introduction". Also, he takes much better photos than I do

*Modifications list* !=Complete ; ?=Incomplete

! Winter Wheels/Tires 18x8 et 45/Blizzak WS80 [ECStuning Style 628/Coscto]
! Liquid wrap front grills rear valance, and window trim [Black. Halo EFX]
! Vinyl wrap roof. Black.
! Tint all side mirrors and rear windshield [3M CS 35%]
! Apply ceramic coating for shine/hydrophobicity/easier cleaning [CQuartz]
? Smoked Vinyl for sidemarkers
? Cold Air Intake [APR? Injen?..]
? H&R Sport Springs w/ MRC
? H&R Front & Rear Sway bars
? Wheel Spacers [ECS? 8 or 10mm]
? Wheels [Vossen/Vorsteiner/Avant Garde? 19" or 20"]
? Pressure washer [AR 118. Amazon]

Tint/wrap done at Elite Glass tinting and Kustom Koatingz in Philly,PA:
https://www.eliteglasstinting.net/
https://www.facebook.com/KustomKoatingz

I'll be editing this thread as I have updates to the mod list above. You can also follow me on Instagram (@saadwashere) for more photos.

HTH

salvadorik

Good job! I really love the blacked out grill. If I get S3 that would be sepang blue as well. And one of the first mods will be: clear bra xpel ultimate, wrap grill and roof in black. It looks awesome bro.

mbislam

Thank you! Totally agree on the clear bra, need to save up the $$$$ for it

boost4u2

Looks Great! You and I have similar taste Ill post some pics of my Sepang with the new RS Grille when we get some better weather next week!

arU4ic

Cquartz sounds like a great option. Their website is pretty non-specific, do they coat the whole car? How much? How does it work?

mbislam

Ah yes, I saw your thread. Looking forward to reviews on the grille. Looks so sick!

mbislam

Yep, they coat the whole car including the tires. Basically gives it one helluva shine, another layer of protection for the paint, and super ease when cleaning the car. You won't have to wax/buff your car for another 2 years, with a "reload" of the coating after year. Just wash it with soap and water.

Just like Opticoat, there are versions of it. CQuartz Finest is the same as OptiCoat Pro - it's there "best" one and only a handful of authorized detailers can apply it, and costs a small fortune. I had regular CQuartz done, as my research has shown that Finest is almost a gimmick, and the difference is minimal between Finest and regular. There are threads of people using the regular and updating it after 9months/12months. The coating holds up perfectly!

It cost me $600 including the detailing (removing all swirls and straight edges) and two coatings of the sealant. The reason why you want to remove the swirls is that the ceramic coating forms a layer over the paint, so any imperfection that is present will basically be trapped for the next 2 years, if not removed.

HTH

mbislam

Here's a link to show my car after it was coated:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f22cl0m9k...LnsjLBTma?dl=0

boost4u2

I hate to ask, but how much did they charge you for the dip ? How did they treat the surface prior to application? Thanks

mbislam

The three front grills, window trims, and rear valence cost $500. They used Halo EFX covert black with Raail Xytek Gloss over top. It couldn't look more OEM, man. Like I look at it up close, and I can't tell a diff.

I had left the car over the weekend since the CQuartz needed a day to cure. Not sure how they treated the car before application. I do know that the car was already detailed, and the sealant was coated before it was plasti dipped.