It's been a while - Update

[Zack01GC]

I haven't even visited this forum since March, let alone had the time to do so, but here's an update.

I know I didn't post much to begin with, but some of you may remember my 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited...


Well, I wrecked it in March, and haven't returned to this site since. I bought my 1998 Audi A4 shortly after I wrecked my Jeep, and within 8 days of having it, the timing belt broke, requiring basically the whole top end of the motor to be replaced. After it was in the shop for 9 weeks, I gave it a welcome home detail. I know it's a few months late, but better late than never.

-Wash with Meg's Gold Class car wash
-Clayed with Meg's Clay
-Polish - PC 7336, SSR2.5 on an Edge Green Pad, then SSR1 on an Edge Blue Pad
-Waxed with Meguiar's #26 yellow wax
-NXT on tires
-Mother's B2B on trim
-Meg's QID on interior surfaces
-Stoner's IG on windows

I know, laugh at all the OTC product, but I really had no time this past summer to justify ordering all of the goodies I had for my Jeep for this car. I had a free afternoon, and grabbed what I could, and used what I had left over from the previous summer (SSR's, #26, etc). The car recieves a weekly wash, and will get another similar detail before fall is over.

Unfortunately I do not have before pictures, and I used a crappy camera.









Here's one of both of my cars together - the '84 cannot be detailed, the paint is peeling from the roof, hood, and trunk. It will be cleaned soon, but I think detail will be an overstatement.

[67Customs]

Nice A4.

I'm surprised SSR2.5 is all you had to use. My A4 requied some pretty heavy compounding to remove the swirls with the Makita. It had some nasty hard paint.

I hate that the timing belt broke. You have the 1.8T motor, right? What mileage did it break at? I know Audi did a recall for timing belt breaks that happened before the suggested change interval. We just had ours changed before the recommended change mileage just to be safe.

[killrwheels@autogeek]

sorry to hear about all the car issues. In the second pic it looks like the bottom trim pieces need some rejuvination. When time permits get some Poorboys Trim Restorer, Black WOW, or Forever Black and I bet you'll love the results.

[Zack01GC]

Originally Posted by 67Customs

Nice A4.

I'm surprised SSR2.5 is all you had to use. My A4 requied some pretty heavy compounding to remove the swirls with the Makita. It had some nasty hard paint.

I hate that the timing belt broke. You have the 1.8T motor, right? What mileage did it break at? I know Audi did a recall for timing belt breaks that happened before the suggested change interval. We just had ours changed before the recommended change mileage just to be safe.

The timing belt broke at roughly 100,400 miles. I found that at least the front bumper, hood, passenger front 1/4, and rear bumper were repainted at some point. It did take a lot of working with the 2.5, and it is FAR from perfect, but it's better. I know I needed a better polish and a more abrasive pad for sure, but being a broke college kid that was working two jobs all summer, it was hard to find sufficient funds or time, so I worked with what I had. Maybe next summer I'll get it done the right way.

I will take care of the black trim at some point. My buddy (SmokinDiesel on this board) used the BlackWOW on his pickup, and I'm sold on it.

[nitro78]

the engine must not be a "clearance engine". did you have bent valves?

[Zack01GC]

Originally Posted by amy5732

the engine must not be a "clearance engine". did you have bent valves?

Yes, the 1.8T is a Zero Tolerance/Clearance engine. Bent valves, knicked a piston, too.

[67Customs]

Originally Posted by Zack01GC

The timing belt broke at roughly 100,400 miles. I found that at least the front bumper, hood, passenger front 1/4, and rear bumper were repainted at some point. It did take a lot of working with the 2.5, and it is FAR from perfect, but it's better. I know I needed a better polish and a more abrasive pad for sure, but being a broke college kid that was working two jobs all summer, it was hard to find sufficient funds or time, so I worked with what I had. Maybe next summer I'll get it done the right way.

I will take care of the black trim at some point. My buddy (SmokinDiesel on this board) used the BlackWOW on his pickup, and I'm sold on it.

So I take it the previous owner never had it changed. That sucks.

I didn't think 2.5 was strong anough for Audi clear. Just a tip for the future, I had good luck with the purple LC foamed wool pad and Optimum Hyper Compound.

Also, a good tip for the black trim, tape it off and paint it. I did that with my front lower grille inserts and the front and rear valences. Well, I pulled the grille inserts out, but I taped off the valences. It made them look brand new and it beats the crap out of having to re-dress them each week or each month. Dupli-Color Trim Paint works wonders.

There is not dressing on the black plastic trim in these pics...

[Zack01GC]

I have painted the black trim on my '84 733i (not when that picture was taken), and I used the Dupli-Color trim paint. It worked wonders.