Under the bonnet

[Gill ZB]

Spent a lovely day with my handsome better half - and he looks awesome again (after much birdy poo removal!!) cleaned paintwork and trim under the bonnet today - can't have been done for years ! Thought the dealer did all that .....hmmmm....after my experience I'm not surprised! Recommendations for best way to clean under the bonnet welcome ? Take him for a steam clean - Leave it to the experts? Bristle Hound told me somewhere local to where I live (Darlington) but I've forgotten ! Advice please on any other areas of care - engine/bodywork (that I could do myself) that a new Audi owner would need....apologies for more pics but can't resist lol

 

[Scottyg]

As its black, touch the paint work as little as possible. Personally if I bought black again I'd get it pro detailed with a nano/silica or ceramic coating. It stops you or whoever washes it trashing the paint work.
I've never power washed, steamed or the like under the bonnet. I simply wipe it down with a damp MF every 3rd or 4th wash.

 

[Gill ZB]

As its black, touch the paint work as little as possible. Personally if I bought black again I'd get it pro detailed with a nano/silica or ceramic coating. It stops you or whoever washes it trashing the paint work.
I've never power washed, steamed or the like under the bonnet. I simply wipe it down with a damp MF every 3rd or 4th wash.

Thanks for the advice and sorry to sound like an idiot buts what's a Nano silica coating and pro detailing? and an MF? I would never trust him to a car wash or pressure wash - prefer to do everything myself (beyond possessive Pmsl!!)

 

[Scottyg]

MF is a Microfibre Cloth.

The others are costings you can get professionally applied to your car to keep the paintwork perfect for longer and stops you from marking the paintwork. It's expensive but with it on a black car.

Go over to Detailing World and have a browse.

 

[Gill ZB]

MF is a Microfibre Cloth.

The others are costings you can get professionally applied to your car to keep the paintwork perfect for longer and stops you from marking the paintwork. It's expensive but with it on a black car.

Go over to Detailing World and have a browse.

Lol thankyou - I have bagfulls of MFs !! I called them dusters - shows my age lol - I will learn all the techy stuff eventually haha ...I know Bristle Hound told me about a detailer but I can't find the post and my memory is shot !! But thankyou

 

[DrEskimo]

I did my engine not too long ago.

I sprayed it down with a all purpose cleaner (VP citrus clean). Agitated with a brush then rinsed down with deionised water. Dried off with MF towels and protected the plastic trim with Chemical Guys Tyre and trim gel and used a synthetic wax (CG Jetseal 109) to protect the painted surfaces.

The picture seems to make the bottom right felt bit look covered by mud but it's just the sun!!

Obviously only having done 4000 miles it was considerable easy, but I recon a similar process with the addition of steam for those tough areas should make yours come up a treat

Maybe double check with a garage about any sensitive areas you might need to cover before getting wet, but a gentle spray shouldn't do any harm. Oh and also make sure the engine isn't very hot before you apply the cleaner! Will dry on and be a nightmare to clean up!

 

[Gill ZB]

I did my engine not too long ago.

I sprayed it down with a all purpose cleaner (VP citrus clean). Agitated with a brush then rinsed down with deionised water. Dried off with MF towels and protected the plastic trim with Chemical Guys Tyre and trim gel and used a synthetic wax (CG Jetseal 109) to protect the painted surfaces.

The picture seems to make the bottom right felt bit look covered by mud but it's just the sun!!

Obviously only having done 4000 miles it was considerable easy, but I recon a similar process with the addition of steam for those tough areas should make yours come up a treat

Maybe double check with a garage about any sensitive areas you might need to cover before getting wet, but a gentle spray shouldn't do any harm. Oh and also make sure the engine isn't very hot before you apply the cleaner! Will dry on and be a nightmare to clean up!

Wow!!!! I have engine envy!!!! It's awesome! I don't know enough the engine to even attempt cleaning it and do more harm than good ! But this looks totally awesome dude!!!lol - I think I'd be better going to someone reasonable who knows more about cleaning engines than I do ...but it's lovely to see under a different bonnet - I just wish I knew more about mechanics and how things work - not so I can do stuff - I just want to learn. I did car maintenance and body repair way back in the mid 90s but my mark 4 escort was a lot more simple than the beasts of engines in Audi's! Ha ha!!

 

[Gill ZB]

Wow!!!! I have engine envy!!!! It's awesome! I don't know enough the engine to even attempt cleaning it and do more harm than good ! But this looks totally awesome dude!!!lol - I think I'd be better going to someone reasonable who knows more about cleaning engines than I do ...but it's lovely to see under a different bonnet - I just wish I knew more about mechanics and how things work - not so I can do stuff - I just want to learn. I did car maintenance and body repair way back in the mid 90s but my mark 4 escort was a lot more simple than the beasts of engines in Audi's! Ha ha!!

Did I just post an emoji of a mouse?!! Was meant to be a lion - looked like one - should have gone to spec savers hahaha!!!!

 

[DrEskimo]

Wow!!!! I have engine envy!!!! It's awesome! I don't know enough the engine to even attempt cleaning it and do more harm than good ! But this looks totally awesome dude!!!lol - I think I'd be better going to someone reasonable who knows more about cleaning engines than I do ...but it's lovely to see under a different bonnet - I just wish I knew more about mechanics and how things work - not so I can do stuff - I just want to learn. I did car maintenance and body repair way back in the mid 90s but my mark 4 escort was a lot more simple than the beasts of engines in Audi's! Ha ha!!

Thanks! Honestly I don't think there is much to go wrong. I even used a pump sprayer and DI water so that I could be very careful about where water was going, but there isn't exposed filters, intakes or batteries so there really isn't much that can be harmed. Appreciate you wanting to be extra careful with your new pride and joy though

Agree 100% on learning about engines. Love watching what I can and would love to learn more. Just no time around my job/studying to fit it in

 

[Gill ZB]

Thanks! Honestly I don't think there is much to go wrong. I even used a pump sprayer and DI water so that I could be very careful about where water was going, but there isn't exposed filters, intakes or batteries so there really isn't much that can be harmed. Appreciate you wanting to be extra careful with your new pride and joy though

Agree 100% on learning about engines. Love watching what I can and would love to learn more. Just no time around my job/studying to fit it in

Yeah - I wouldn't risk doing anything as I honestly don't know what I'm doing with such an amazing and sophisticated engine ...I still can't believe he's mine!!! It hasn't sunk in yet lol! The car maintenance and body repair courses I did were free back in th day - wish I could find something similar now. Know what you mean about work and study - I just graduated for a 2nd time in Jan and at my age I found the studying and teaching practice exhausting - I'm just in admin now looking for another job as I'm being shafted by the company I work for. Good luck with the studies - and if you hear of any Audi CPD or trading days let me know lol !!