Muray

I am going to be getting my S4 in two months, and I want to prepare for taking care of my new baby. I am going to be doing all the washing and cleaning. I might even take the wheels off to clean and coat them with protectant. Eventually I want to become good at changing brake pads and fluid so I can prepare myself for HPDE's. I am thinking I need a very high quality wash mitt that doesn't scratch the paint and a torque wrench. I have never bought a torque wrench before so I wanted to get a recommendation on what's good and what kind of adapter I need for it. I am also thinking of getting a cheap racing jack. Other stuff I need like an oil dipstick and good wax I know what to get from this website. So for now, I need a recommendation on an excellent wash mitt, and torque wrench and adapters. Oh and what was the PSI we were supposed to run on the tires? I remember vaguely that this was a little controversial...

Muray

Oh yeah, I need wax/polish recommendation after all. I want something that can be easily put on/take off, and will not leave residue on black plastic since my car is going to have the titanium trim. I used NuFinish on my C350 two years ago and the residue is still on the black plastic trim. If you want to turn your black plastic trim to powdery white, I highly recommend NuFinish.

Un1k

am a member of a detailing forum and everyone there seems to love the cheap but one of the best: collinite 845 liquid wax

it's cheap easy to put on, easy to wipe off, and lasts very long.

NWS4Guy

Collinite is realy amazing stuff, their #850 metal wax is great for the exhaust tips as well.

I'd go check out www.detailersdomain.com - Phil (the owner) is an S4 owner and enthusiast himself, and sells some nice kits. The best, would be to use the dual bucket method (do some research on this) and to use quality products, from the soap and wax, to the detail spray and especially the care of the sponge/mitt and use of microfiber and waffle weave type things that will actually touch the paint.

Here's a good primer - check the last 4 videos out here:

http://www.cardomain.com/id/QuakerState

These are done by the guy who runs the shop in my area, which specializes in detailing exotics - the currently have a Koenigsegg in the shop to do a new car delivery on.

If you are doing your own pads and brake fuild, you'll need a vag-com cable, which is needed to cycle the motor which handles the newer Audi/VW rear brakes for the parking brake in the system. These are servo-mechanical and have to be told to cycle open, or you risk damaging the motors by not using this and compressing the caliper manually.

DrGP

I can recommend 2 different polishes(not wax) for your car. I have used both and they give a really good shine and much better protection than wax. I have been using Liquid Glass for 25 yrs now. Goes on easy. Wipes off easy. Really great protection especially against bird droppings. Works well on wheels and gives maximum protection with 3 coats. Then 1 coat every 6 months is all you need to maintain protection. I'm currently using Zaino Bros polish on my S4. I chose the All in 1 variety which needs 1 coat of polish, then a liquid protectant is applied, but not wiped off. Then a final shine its sprayed and wiped on. There is also an alternative Zaino product that allows you to put multiple coats over the original. That system gives a jaw dropping show car shine.But it does take more work and elbow grease than the AO1.

NWS4Guy

You understand that a polish is not a wax, and as such won't ever give the kinds of protection pure wax will, right?

Polish by definition is very fine and slightly abbrasive, taking out a fine layer of the clearcoat, hence making the paint shine like new and smoothing the finish, but the waxes included in most of these are dimished in effect due to the solvents the polish contains.

Polishing also removes the waxes already applied that will protect the paint, further making it dull faster and oxidize more. I don't discourage polishing, in moderation, but you should always wax to reseal and protect the paint.

DrGP

I am familiar with waxes and polishes. Liquid Glass and Zaino are not waxes. And they are more than a polish. Probably not really what you or I would consider to be a true polish similar to Dupont #7. Liquid Glass and Zaino are called a polish even though the proper term might me a polymer protectant finish. They are used in substitution of a wax. They are much more durable than any wax I have encountered . They also protect the finish better as well.They cause the paint to shine and no wax is used over it. They are wax substitutes.

Muray

How is liquid glass on black plastic trim?

k1speederS4

^ same question. I noticed today that I am getting swirl marks on my door pillars and I am not sure why. Nowhere else on the car has them and I have only had the car detailed or washed by me or the dealership (which is a hand car wash) I need something to get that out and protect it. I have thought of a clear bra for that area or just putting glossy vinyl over it. Suggestions?

Matt427

I had the same problem with the pillars and solved it by polishing with menzerna super finish and waxing them.

The scratches showed up after the dealer washed the car (hand wash).