MNQuattro

Hi, I brought home my Mythos Black Metallic Q5 three weeks ago, and so far I've washed it 4 times (twice by hand, twice in a touchless wash). My question is - do it need to do any sealant or waxing (or other treatments) right away? Minnesota winter is right around the corner, so i want to keep the car protected. What should I do immediately?

Note - i don't have any power tools, so all applications would be by hand.

Thanks!

MNQuattro

Well, I did some digging and learned that any quick 'detail' performed by the dealer when selling a car off the lot can be questionable at best, and that new cars can experience quite a bit of contamination in transit.

So, I did a 3 step process. First, a thorough wash with quality soap. Second, clay bar'd the car (first time I had ever done this, was less intimidating than I had anticipated). The result was a nice, smooth paint surface. I compared the un-treated surface vs the clayed surface with the 'plastic baggie' test, and the result was pretty impressive. Third step was a paint sealant using Meguiar's Ultimate Wax (polymer sealant, not really a wax).

The result is a really stunning, shiny and well-protected Black Beauty!

Last thing I want to work on is sealing/protecting the wheels, but I haven't selected a product yet for that. Any suggestions?

snagitseven

Next, look into paint protection products like Opti-Coat Pro/Plus or CQuartz, No more swirls or light scratches. Waxing would be optional and snow, UV, bugs, bird droppings, acid rain harming the paint will be a thing of the past.

MNQuattro

Thanks for the advice. I've researched that a bit, but have never used the product. How do I compare the different products? Is this something that I should use a dealer for, or more of a detail specialist?

snagitseven

Definitely a pro detailer. I've had the Opti-coat Pro for 3 1/2 years and added the Plus layer recently. I'm very pleased with the product - it sheds dirt, easy to clean and has maintained the shine - I haven't had a need to wax since it was applied. Do an AudiWorld search for Opti-Coat - there's lots of info in the forums on it and other paint protection products like CQuartz.

If you are planning on getting film for the front, do that first - the Opti-Coat can be applied right over it.