afouralex

If you recall I was asking about how to maintain my brilliant black A4 a while back...I've given up on scratch patrol on my own...I'm convinced I know how not to make the problem worse, but I want to know what to look for in an auto detailer that I can take my car to consistently. There are A LOT of detailers here (Orange County) but I don't know what services I'm looking for...what should I make sure they're doing to remove the swirls? Don't want to spend more on things that might make it worse so I thought I'd check back here first..

AudiTX87

Check the thread below. Friend recommended this product for getting rid of swirls and correcting clear coat scratches. Just ordered today. I'll let you know how it does.

afouralex

yeah let me know, that probably won't be a good idea for the entire body of the car...but good to know it it'll work on small portions - I've been considering debadging but I'm afraid of the aftermath - post a picture when you're done would love to see on black...

AudiTX87

Interesting enough.. the 2.0 T side with all the badges and the quattro is the one that cleaned up pretty good. Im sure you'll like it, would make yours look even more stealth.

Also.. try this. I apply spray wax onto a polishing rag and seal it in a plastic bag over night or a couple a days. At the end you'll get a cloth that always polishes and leaves clean finishes because it soaks in the wax. You can spray it every now and then to cheat. haha

bac2h

Why not try asking on the California regional forum? Good source for this kinda thing..

RKA

you're just re-rubbing a dirty rag over the car. What's wrong with misting the cloth and panel with detailing spray and wiping it down? (not something I like doing, because you'll still get swirls, but if you can't use soap and water, it'll do)

RKA

Many will use glazes and skip a true polish. That will hide your swirls until the next car wash, then you'll be back where you started. You also need to pass on detailers that don't know how to work a rotary. Unfortunately, that's a little harder. Find a previous customer that has had their car detailed, and view that car after a car wash. Of course if that customer isn't detail oriented and doesn't know how to minimize swirling while washing the car, it's kinda pointless. But at the very least, if there are signs of hologramming or other machine artifacts, you will see them...that's something to specifically avoid.

Best bet is to find local fanatics, maybe on some of the porsche forums or autopia.org. You're fortunate that you're in an area where there is probably an abundance of detailers. Finding a good one might be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but at least it's easier than mining for a diamond.

Phil G.

I'll never buy one, never. Just too much work keeping them looking perfect. Every single mark shows up - full time job keeping up.

roadyTT

And you might actually come to enjoy it

afouralex

unfortunately I'm always low on time and am very OCD, so I foresee it coming out worse than it currently is, which would drive me crazy...