Muray

This topic might have been beaten to death already. But here it is anyway since I want to hear if anyone has any new info. I'll be getting a 2011 in Phantom Black. I plan on doing something right away to protect the paint. Since the paint will be brand new, I would think it would be a little different than an older car. I also want it to be as simple and easy as possible. So I am thinking Klasse AIO & Sealant.

Also, my MB had severe brake dust problem and the brake dust got cooked onto the rims and wouldn't come out! MB changed the brakd pads so there is no more problem but I can't get the brake dust off the rims to save my life, I've tried everything. I am hoping the new S4 won't have this problem. Should I try some kind of wheel wax to prevent this problem?

zerinS4

Factory pads on every German car I've ever driven dust like crazy and there isn't a whole heck of a lot you can do about it other than keep the wheels washed and maybe put a bit of wheel wax on them. It won't keep the dust from sticking but it will make it easier to get off. The key is to make sure you wash your wheels often and not let that corrosive brake dust sit on there longer than is necessary.

Alternatively you can switch to an aftermarket pad to cut down on the dust.

PhilH

I wash my wheels once a week to avoid this.

Wax on the wheels does help a little, but the effect wears off very quickly on the hot wheels, so you need to wax very often.

It makes sense that German manufacturers would be concerned with effective braking than low dust (at least for repeated high speed stops). You pretty much have to pick one or the other.

DrGP

I think if you want to have Some protection, you need to use something on the wheels that is more durable than wax. I suggest using Liquid Glass, Rejex or Zaino Clear Seal. I've used both the LG and Rejex. Now experimenting with the Zaino CS. The nice thing about the Zaino CS is that you can just wipe it on a painted surface without having to wipe it off. Too soon to tell how it compares to the other 3 products which do work for a while. But like all protectants, they need to be re-applied regularly

ItsDubC

Waxes for paint aren't intended for and don't last very long in the high-temp and chaotic environment that wheels live in. Sealants work better. I used the Klasse twins on my wheels before mounting them back in Oct I think, and they've been easy to clean (the longest I've let brake dust sit is around two weeks). Recently I've noticed that the protection is wearing off tho, so it may be time to repeat the procedure.

Smith837

Realize you're interested in easily protecting the whole car -- I too am interested in hearing about products that others like for this. But as for removing brake dust from wheels, SONAX Wheel Cleaner is the best product out there (be sure to read the product description and scroll down for pics of it in action):

http://www.detailersdomain.com/sonax-wheelcleaner.aspx

I agree with others that cleaning your wheels often (1x every week or two, depending on your driving), will go a long way.

NickS

LOL @ "Used a power washer and they look great!"

OF COURSE THEY DID...you used a power washer. That says nothing about that product. I can get those same results with any cleaning product sprayed on the wheels using a power washer.

ItsDubC

^Ya, the Sonax stuff has been getting rave reviews not only for its cleaning ability but also because it gives visual feedback. I plan on trying it out after I've exhausted my supply of P21s gel (which I actually haven't had to use much of lately since my wheels have been easy enough to clean w/ whatever carwash solution I'm using.

Smith837

FWIW, I don't own/use a power washer. Just sprayed it on, agitated a bit, then washed away with regular hose. At that point, my wheels didn't look like the photos at the end here -- I still needed to wash them a bit -- but everything left wiped off like butter. And this goes for my first wash with 2+ weeks on the car and loads of gunk on the wheels from the new brakes/tires.

I don't profess to be an expert in this area, but I like to do my homework and seek out expert opinions. Try it and if you think other products beat it, let us know.

zerinS4

I've never put any sort of sealant on my wheels, BBS, HRE, OEM or otherwise... diluted simple green + power washer and they come out looking good as new. Just requires a little gentle detail work and that's all you need! All this talk of sealant seems silly and pointless if you wash your wheels regularly.