# Are you sitting comfortably..?



## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Before we start, this post is â€˜sagging nappa freeâ€™, so I apologise if youâ€™ve clicked the title expecting a seat issues threadâ€¦ but instead, may I suggest make a coffee and grab a mitt full of chocolate digestives or perhaps even a wee dram might be in order..? You know it makes sense [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Then Iâ€™ll beginâ€¦

Well, it actually all began with this post back in July of this year. That pretty much documented my thought processes / dilemma at the time and the responses to that and countless other threads on the Forum have since helped me no end. I thank you all very much for that 

During early enquiries and investigation, I had a 3.2 TTR with S-Tronic on an extended test drive and also grabbed a 10 minute run in a 2.0T TTC Manual with Magnetic Ride all courtesy of Exeter Audi. The 3.2 TTR only served to show me everything I didnâ€™t want (I wonâ€™t elaborate here, thatâ€™ll come as a follow up to my introductive thread) and the short 2.0T run wasnâ€™t anything like long / representative enough to tell me much either

I pondered hard without inspiration during the next couple of months - the Elise found a buyer (which turned out to be a rather protracted sale due to hassles with the sale of the buyerâ€™s house) and was getting used less and less, (in fact, it struck me one Monday evening that Iâ€™d totally forgotten I still had the car let alone take it for a hoon over the weekend just passed!) yet still I couldnâ€™t make the leap

I paid a couple more visits to Exeter Audi to see if the TT would â€˜pull me in and take holdâ€™ with the help of various chats and musings, but something was always holding me back. To be fair to Stephen Chapman, he did pay me good attention, remained in touch and ask if there was anything he could do to secure my business at each visit, though as much as I really thought Iâ€™d be saying â€œDo it!â€ at any given moment, it still didnâ€™t happen :? â€¦which I readily confess is not at all like me. Then the penny droppedâ€¦

I have this issue. One that lives in many of us but it wraps me up badly when it grabs â€" once Iâ€™ve set my mind and heart on something, I have the patience of an un-saintly impatient thing. Iâ€™m useless at waiting for anything. The â€˜do I, donâ€™t I?â€™ fixation was driving me to distraction. I thought I wanted a new TT, but the six month wait was something that just wouldnâ€™t sit at all well with me. I doff my cap to those that can do it, but it would have taken over everything and Iâ€™d have been next to useless for far too long

I had grown so frustrated by the prospect of the long wait that I had all but reached the point of saying â€˜bugger it â€" drop the whole idea for a year and see whatâ€™s happening thenâ€™â€¦ but before resigning myself to that, I wondered how much accuracy there might be in Toshâ€™s regular â€œI could get one way quicker than thatâ€ type posts. On the evening of Sunday 16th September I emailed practically every Dealership in England, Scotland & Wales to see if there was anything around that closely matched my spec, whether they had a changeable stock order already in the system or even a cancelled order? I got many replies suggesting some pretty close examples and plenty of March 2008 offers, but nothing close enough to my requirements and nothing right here, right nowâ€¦ until Preston Audi called

Salesman Waseem Iqbal told me he had a cancelled order that was about to go confirmed for build week 42 and that I had an estimated two days to finalise my spec. â€œOoo, BW42â€¦ thatâ€™s like, the third week of October, I could maybe get this by mid-Novemberâ€¦ thatâ€™s more like it, six or seven weeks of waiting and none of this six or seven months cobblers!â€ Tosh was dead right it seemsâ€¦ cheers fella! [smiley=cheers.gif]

It took me all of ten seconds hard thinking to say â€œIâ€™m having that, how much deposit do you need?â€ I already had my spec sorted following countless games of â€˜Pin-the-tail-on-the-Audi-Configuratorâ€™, so by lunchtime on Monday 17th September, it was game-on! (My thoughts on the whys and wherefores of Spec / Options were laid out here

I had no subsequent thoughts of â€˜Oh, perhaps Iâ€™ve been a bit hastyâ€™ or wondering if Iâ€™d been a tad too impetuous â€" Iâ€™d mulled over a potential change for the last two months and the feeling of relief told me everything. It turned out my reluctance to take the plunge had nothing to do with the car itself or even losing the Lotusâ€¦ it was all about the timescale. With that cut to size, I never felt a single faltering moment

The rest of September came and went and October flew due to a heavy workload and deadlines. During this time everything fell sweetly into place. The car was pretty much a week ahead of build schedule and quickly found itâ€™s way across the Channel, my work got done following 23 days including 4 additional nights without a day off, various monies came in, the finance took shape, and the buyer of the Lotus finally completed his house sale! As we headed for the end of the month, it felt as if the planets were aligning nicely  I completed a job on Monday 29th, the Lotus went on Tuesday 30th which simply left Wednesdayâ€™s Halloween trip from Devon to Preston via Virgin Trains to complete an order to collection turn around in 43 days 

We hit Preston Station by 4:50pm and as Waseem was on holiday, Paul Bond from Preston Audi was there to whisk us along the 10 minutes drive to the Dealership. The experience from thereon in was a little, erm, unremarkable to say the least â€" if Paul smiled just once, then I must have missed it :roll: Donâ€™t get me wrong, thereâ€™s absolutely no reason at all for him to have been particularly excited about my new car as although it was a special moment for me, itâ€™s just another day for him but perhaps a little professional common courtesy wouldnâ€™t have gone amiss..? Supping on the receptionist supplied tea, I wasnâ€™t actually at all bothered by this salient lack of enthusiasm however as I was well prepared with the â€˜Delivery Inspection Checklistâ€™ downloaded from Bobfatâ€™s excellent Mk2 TT Knowledge Portal I was just confident about what I needed to see and how to get on with it. The whole handover process turned out to be a pure and simple business transaction - nothing more, nothing less. A shame in some respects, but not totally unexpected

We swiftly ran through the paperwork â€" Gareth Williams from Bespoke Automotive Consulting had done his usual sterling work with the finance side of things (thank you!), the 7 day Audi Insurance was in place and the manuals, keys, tax disc and handover checklist were soon ticked off. So, off to the carâ€¦










It was parked out front with still just enough light remaining to check everything over. On approach it did look perfect in my eyes although not shiny and sparkly as I had specifically requested that they only remove the transport protection and not to wash / valet it. Yes, thatâ€™s rather anal, but with all respect, the guys at Dealerships simply donâ€™t have the time or the super-softy-wofty gear to lavish anything but a form and function wipe over with a gritty sponge and an oily chamois. Thatâ€™s not necessarily their fault of course, but Iâ€™ve seen so many examples of shocking Dealership prep / swirling / marring that I strongly believe itâ€™s simply best left to those with more time to spend attentively prepping things

I really canâ€™t stress enough how valuable that Delivery Inspection Checklist was to me â€" I could tell that Paul wasnâ€™t particularly taken with â€˜being testedâ€™â€¦ even less so when it identified that the Service manual had not been Dealer stamped, or that the First Aid Kit comes as standard and that the Oil & Pouch were missing, but that mattered not to me as these nicely laid out points of reference were very helpful when faced with so much to think about and check. Perhaps if Iâ€™d been a little more local then I may not have placed so much emphasis on things being just-so, but given the distance involved, I had to be confident that I was getting things right - not arsey, not cocky, but simply on the ball and in a position to agree any appropriate resolutions should the need ariseâ€¦ and sadly, it did 

All the spec and options all checked out, the interior was spot on, the wheels and tyres all good and Iâ€™d all but finished checking panels for dings or scratches when a little rub on a dirty mark revealed a dig in the top of the rear bumper below the number plate. So close to perfection, yet so far away










Without much to debate there, Paul suggested straight away that it gets rectified more locally to me, which will be fine of course, so I asked him to note the issue and confirm repair in writing before I left. I will be looking for replacement rather than repair as Iâ€™ve bought a new car, not a patched up second hand one. This was an unfortunate blip, but it did not kill the magic as I was actually fully expecting â€˜somethingâ€™ to crop up. It _should_ be easily rectified without too much drama and everything else was bob-on 

The trip home started at rush hour which made for naturally slow progress but that proved handy to get familiar with various bits and pieces and give time to suck in the whole new car experience. Needing to get back for next morning commitments, we couldnâ€™t spend all night ambling south again via some of the finest roads that Wales may have had to offer, but instead took the M6 & M5 whilst conscientiously varying the revs, speed, gear etc to suit the run-in process a little better

The Symphony II was loaded and the Bose fired up somewhat lifelessly as the wife selected David Grayâ€™s A New Day At Midnight ?) I didnâ€™t bother with too much adjustment for a while although certainly felt distinctly unimpressed. By the time that album had unspectacularly passed and Josh Grobanâ€™s Awake struck up to a tad more tweaking, the sound was nothing less than beautiful. Really, really beautiful [smiley=sweetheart.gif] Josh is about as Classical / Operatic as Iâ€™ll ever get (i.e. not at all really) but the whole car was awash with such stunning orchestration that it swept us both away! A great choice  (Quick Bose tip: Remember, itâ€™s not always best to add certain frequenciesâ€¦ sometimes it may be better to cut others [smiley=thumbsup.gif])

A quick pizza stop (window seat of course!) and we soon found the A38 just south of Gloucester for some more entertaining roads. Again, revs controlled to sub 3.5k whilst numerous 30 & 40 mph built-up areas came and went. Back on the M5 at Bristol to Burnham -On-Sea and from there it was A and B road fun all the way home

Now, the trip so far had confirmed everything I knew the car would be â€" composed, refined and responsive. The Xenons were doing a fine job in the damp drizzly conditions whilst the Auto Pack handled rear dazzle and windscreen duties nicely. The levels of comfort and luxury were something I was looking for once again after a 19 month foray with an Elise, but then came something which took me completely by surprise. Bearing in mind that Lotus are renowned for world class handling which they achieve through pure engineering brilliance, I had readily resigned myself to the fact that the TT would never be a match for my previous pride and joy and was completely prepared for a life less extraordinary

Iâ€™m no track god - I donâ€™t ever claim to be, I donâ€™t ever want to be. I canâ€™t wax lyrical on the nuances of exactly how one carâ€™s attitude and consequent reaction relates to that of another in tunefully subtle detail as say Walter Rohl could (few can mind you!) but I am perfectly well qualified to say that the B3227 run from Taunton to South Molton absolutely blew me away! I never expected the car to be that good. It was â€˜Lotus grinâ€™ inducingly good (anybody whoâ€™s experienced that knows exactly what Iâ€™m referring to!) It gave me those same feelings and delivered those same rewards. All still below 3.5 revs but serenely swift in Comfort Mode and in the wet! I was amazedâ€¦ I still am. The wife simply said â€œYou really enjoyed that didnâ€™t you?â€ as we neared the end of this brilliant piece of road. Maybe it was the chuckles of surprise which emanated from me as the turn-in impressed me time and again that gave the game away? Whatever the tell-tale signs were, she had really enjoyed it from the passenger seat too

With all that said, it isnâ€™t a Lotus of course â€" itâ€™s not trying to be and neither do I want it to beâ€¦ Iâ€™d still have the Elise if thatâ€™s what it was all about. Its obvious high level of competence caught me completely by surprise. I just didnâ€™t think it would deliver this well on the handling front and that Iâ€™d simply have to get used the trade-off for all the other reasons that I wanted a change of car. I had no idea from the test drives that this is how it could be

I distinctly recall exchanging posts with Paul (FinFerNan) about â€˜The Holy Grailâ€™ â€" a car that can genuinely deliver performance with refinement, beauty with practicality. He suggests that the new TT is pretty damned close. I felt I was after some middle ground after owning a Mk1 TT followed by an Elise and Iâ€™ve definitely found it. Itâ€™s hereâ€¦ itâ€™s all hereâ€¦ and I wouldnâ€™t even use the word â€˜compromiseâ€™ to describe this achievement â€" itâ€™s far more positive than that

Sure there are quicker cars, sexier cars and of course more practical carsâ€¦ but how many hit the spot on all counts? For me, until now none, but I truly believe that Audi have nailed it with the Mk11 TTâ€¦ and I didnâ€™t even know it until 250 miles into a 300 mile trip!

With the car safely home, the following morning saw an enthusiastic new owner heading for the garage to collect armfuls of cleaning gear and products to start the whole new car prep process. I had toyed with getting a pro-detailer to give the car the best start in life, but after gleaning much from Detailing World and with some very helpful advice from Paul Townsend of Shine On Auto Detailing (thanks fella [smiley=thumbsup.gif]), I decided to put my own experience to work and in all truth, I usually get an awful lot of satisfaction of making a thorough job of things

Hereâ€™s what took place:

Day 1 (10:00am â€" 5:00pm)

Before shots:














































Rinse
Snow Foam & Chemical Guys Maxi Suds (75/25) soak with a Gilmour Foamaster II (Twice)










Rinse
Two bucket method wash via Sonus Lambs Wool Wash Mitt with Chemical Guys Citrus Wash (Twice)

Poly Clay with Chemical Guys Speed Detailer and Clay Lube / Poorboys Slick n Suds / Water super lube mix
Rinse
Two bucket method wash via Sonus Lambs Wool Wash Mitt with Poorboys Slick n Suds
Rinse

Dried with Sonus Der Wunder Drying Towel

Wheels off for all over wash, Klasse All in One base coat buffed with another Microfibre cloth followed by 3 coats of Chemical Guys Wheel Guard via Microfibre foam applicator and buffed with another Microfibre cloth

Before:









After:









Prep wheel arches with AutoGlym Vinyl & Rubber Care:



















Day 2 (11:00am â€" 5:00pm)

The intense cleansing on Day 1 revealed a scuff / swipe across the front bumper section:










A quick rub with some Menzerna 3.02 and it was all but invisible and whilst doing the following glaze and wax coats, I never noticed anything again, so weâ€™ll see how this pans out

Rinse
Two bucket method wash via Sonus Lambs Wool Wash Mitt with Poorboys Slick n Suds
Rinse

Chemical Guys EZ Glaze via Microfibre foam applicator and buffed with another Microfibre cloth

Chemical Guys 50/50 Connoisseur Wax Paste via German foam applicator (red side) and buffed with another Microfibre cloth (two coats)

Chemical Guys New Look Trim Gel via dressing sponge on exterior black trim, engine compartment plastics and tyres

Fourth coat Chemical Guys Wheel Guard

Day 3 (1:00pm â€" 4:00pm)

Rinse
Two bucket method wash via Sonus Lambs Wool Wash Mitt with Poorboys Slick n Suds
Rinse

Collinite #915 Marque D'Elegance Premium Auto Wax via another German foam applicator (red side) and buffed with another Microfibre cloth

Day 4 (12:00pm â€" 1:30pm)

Aerospace 303 Protectant on interior surfaces

Gliptone Liquid Leather on seats and Extended Leather parts

So, four days to clean a car..?  :? Well, yes and no  They werenâ€™t full days and I did take my time with plenty of tea-breaks, the odd post on TT Forum and lots of time in a daydream admiring the car! BUT, I freely admit, I am rather mad! Yep, no defence to that and the neighbours already know me as slightly obsessive when it comes to car care but now simply feel I should be committed. Whilst adding glaze and wax to the underside of the spoiler, door-shuts and front wings under the bonnet even I started to feel that maybe perhaps Iâ€™d possibly gone a step too far this time :lol:










However, I now know each and every square millimetre of my new pride and joy â€" intimately! I know the car has received the best possible start by having excellent prep together with effective and durable products on everything. Those whoâ€™d rather hammer through the car wash and maybe splat a bit of Turtlewax on it once a year wonâ€™t have related to this at allâ€¦ but they donâ€™t need to and I genuinely wish them all the best if thatâ€™s their chosen bag [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Will the Zymol / Swissvax pricey stuff follow suit..? Possibly, but with winter imminent, Iâ€™ll stick with the durability and save the top-bling for a spring refreshâ€¦ maybe

The rest of Sunday brought a family trip out and then the chance to grab a few shots as the light was beginning to fade. Oddly enough, the sun only shone for about five minutes the whole time I did the above and the Ice Metallic really came to life â€" way more than I ever recall my Mk1 doing, so with a bit of luck, Iâ€™ll get some sunny piccys done that show a little more shine tomorrow 
































































And thatâ€™s that so far  Many thanks to everyone who has responded to my questions & thoughts to date and shared in the enthusiasm. Names that stick out are FinFerNan, sane eric, Bobfat, TommyTippee, andyc83, Tosh, Arne, Rebel, VicTT, Weatherman, modernTT, nutts, RockinRobin, Ant001, monkey_boy, chrisadbn, ricka, stuTTer, drew_TTC2, DeanTT, tehdarkstar. Hereâ€™s hoping the Forum grows and the spirit strengthens [smiley=cheers.gif]

Thanks also to Stephen Chapman & Alistair Lee at Exeter & Stratford Audi respectively, and once again, Gareth Williams, Waseem & Ruth at Preston Audi and Paul Townsend

Helloâ€¦ helloâ€¦ anybody still thereâ€¦?

Clive


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## Arne (Dec 13, 2006)

Congrats Clive :!:

Very nice pics of a beautifull car, and a great "write up". Realy fun to read, and yes - I did read it all.... 

Now keep that car clean.....and keep enjoying it :wink:


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## FinFerNan (Feb 28, 2007)

About time too!

Well done Clive, the car looks great


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

Nice write up ,looking good


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## brittan (May 18, 2007)

Wondered what the delay was! Hell, Audi only take a week to BUILD the thing!. Good report though, and hope the scratch on the back bumper gets sorted properly. Had to stop half way through the post for a wee dram refill - which was good. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## andyc83 (Jun 19, 2007)

Clive, thanks for the mention in despatches! That's the pick-up post to end all posts indeed! Awesome write-up and amazing photos - I'm really happy for you!

For the first time in a while, I actually sat down and read a whole article from start to finish without flicking through the browser tabs! 

Mine should be coming in the next couple of weeks, so I'll attempt a little write-up of my own! Doubt it'll be as good, or as entertaining to read though!

As with how we can stand the 6-month wait...well, I for one can't - I've been pretty useless to everybody (and everything) since the end of June! So glad that my TTC is arriving at least 2 months ahead of schedule!


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## BobFat (Jul 24, 2007)

Oh my word ! What a great write up. Some lovely pics too. That is a truly stunning body workout both for you and the car  Enjoy her, you both deserve it 8)


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## dextter (Oct 29, 2007)

Clive; it`s taken me so long to read through your first post, and then this one, the blo*dy forum had logged me out..............honestly ! 

No, in all seriousness mate, that was one TOP, TOP write-up, and more entertaining than many that I`ve seen in motoring mags, so well done !

As regards the TT, well I`m in the same boat as you, in that I`m hoping I`ve found my Nirvana, or at least an affordable version of it......... :lol:

I`m really enjoying the first few days of TT ownership, and I hope that the feeling continues for a long time to come.

Enjoy the new TT then mate; as Audi really have produced a special car here ! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## John C (Jul 5, 2002)

Nice write up indeed. Agree about being a great all rounder, I had a blast this morning on the way to work in 'S' with mag ride on, great fun blasting about Sunday morning roads. Then this afternoon tootled home in 'D' and felt like a different car, both great!


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## StuTTer (Oct 13, 2007)

Excellent post. I can't say I'll go as far as you in the cleaning stakes but I've moved to the two bucket technique and the wash mit. 

Very good to hear that the drive is sublime and the auto dimming features work well. So many people on the roads have poorly fitted lights these days I think its a feature well worth the money.

Please post some more pics and write up. Entertaining and informative all the way.


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## saint (Dec 6, 2002)

John C said:


> Nice write up indeed. Agree about being a great all rounder, I had a blast this morning on the way to work in 'S' with mag ride on, great fun blasting about Sunday morning roads. Then this afternoon tootled home in 'D' and felt like a different car, both great!


Thanks for the summary JC.


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## Ant001 (Aug 22, 2007)

Great stuff janitor! Really cant wait for mine now.. Glad you're enjoying your new car


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## sane eric (Jul 19, 2007)

Brilliant.

A lot of what I have been thinking since my pick has been expressed here far more eloquently than I could have, and like stuTTer I feel slightly more motivated to clean my car properly than I would have been. 

Great write up, great photos.

Cheers.


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## Reaperman (Nov 3, 2006)

Fantastic write up..... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## TommyTippee (May 31, 2007)

Lovely story Clive and a nice write up. I do admire your utter dedication almost to the point of obsession.

I remember pming pics of my phantom black to you

I hope you go on enjoying the tt as much as I am and I think you are right when you say it does everything very well, I too believe Audi have nailled it with the mk2

All the best

Roger


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Arne said:


> Congrats Clive :!:
> 
> Very nice pics of a beautifull car, and a great "write up". Realy fun to read, and yes - I did read it all....
> 
> Now keep that car clean.....and keep enjoying it :wink:


Thanks Arne, glad you enjoyed itâ€¦ all!

Iâ€™ll try to keep on top of the car but it is frustratingly difficult in the heart of the Westcountry. Actually, during the â€˜Sunday morningâ€™ prep session, I washed, dried and Speed Detailed the wifeâ€™s Alfa 147â€¦ it took only an hour and looks absolutely stunning and all because of a similar prep a couple months ago (although not quite as thorough of course!)


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

FinFerNan said:


> About time too!
> 
> Well done Clive, the car looks great


Yeah sorry Paul â€" as you can see, I became a tad waylaid!

Ta for the comment and obviously thanks again for your input along the way - a most valued Forum member indeed


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

wallsendmag said:


> Nice write up ,looking good


Cheers Endo [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

VicTT said:


> Wondered what the delay was! Hell, Audi only take a week to BUILD the thing!. Good report though, and hope the scratch on the back bumper gets sorted properly. Had to stop half way through the post for a wee dram refill - which was good. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


Yeah, no big nasties to report Brian, just being typically â€˜in for a pennyâ€™ :lol:

Will be contacting Preston and Exeter tomorrow to get the scuff sorted â€" should be done without drama (I hope!)

Pleased that the piece was a suitable companion to your half bottle of single malt [smiley=cheers.gif]


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

andyc83 said:


> Clive, thanks for the mention in despatches! That's the pick-up post to end all posts indeed! Awesome write-up and amazing photos - I'm really happy for you!
> 
> For the first time in a while, I actually sat down and read a whole article from start to finish without flicking through the browser tabs!
> 
> ...


Hee hee, I did suggest the â€˜reportâ€™ could turn out that way! [smiley=dizzy2.gif] Glad it managed to hold your attention [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Best of luck with your arrival and collection â€" it really brings home once again how lucky I was with the timescale reallyâ€¦ seems to me that youâ€™ve been waiting an age! I was really flat out for the 3-4 weeks of my short wait which helped things fly â€" youâ€™re almost there so suck it all in! Its great stuff


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

BobFat said:


> Oh my word ! What a great write up. Some lovely pics too. That is a truly stunning body workout both for you and the car  Enjoy her, you both deserve it 8)


Thanks Neil, thatâ€™s a really nice comment 

Would love to add some of the cleaning stuff to your portal, but I think most people would (probably quite rightly!) think â€˜Bollocks to all that!â€™ :lol:


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

dextter said:


> Clive; it`s taken me so long to read through your first post, and then this one, the blo*dy forum had logged me out..............honestly !
> 
> No, in all seriousness mate, that was one TOP, TOP write-up, and more entertaining than many that I`ve seen in motoring mags, so well done !
> 
> ...


Haha! Yeah, I used to get that all the time too! Get a log-on cookie in there and all will be sorted [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Thanks for your kind comment on the post. I just started writing and next thing you know, 7 pages of Word had flicked over! 

Iâ€™m sure that Nirvana is hereâ€¦ if itâ€™s not that, then it smells like teen spirit anyway  I can tell by your enthusiastic contributions to the Forum since youâ€™ve been here that youâ€™re right into your new baby â€" long may it last!


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## BobFat (Jul 24, 2007)

Hey i'm up for that. I have a polishing section all ready for content. I'd be delighted to put up a how to guide. Might I suggest a beginners version and a 'i*f your mad like Janitor*' version. Its not about fulfilling everyones needs and wont be a product review site etc, just something to help the average Jo keep his/her car looking pristine.

Knock something up in word, embed the pictures and also supply them separately, to the email address in my addy and I'll get it hosted :wink:

Top man ! Thanks.


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## sane eric (Jul 19, 2007)

Janitor said:


> Would love to add some of the cleaning stuff to your portal, but I think most people would (probably quite rightly!) think â€˜Bollocks to all that!â€™ :lol:


But some of us who are clueless when it comes to detailing would appreciate something like that on the portal.

In fact, reading your report I was trying to extract the step-by-step guide to what you did, but I couldn't work out what some of it meant. Also, it looks like you went the whole hog whereas I would be happy doing less and getting maybe 50-70% of the result. A step by step guide on "cleaning/waxing for the slightly interested novice on a budget" would be appreciated, although I might be the only one in that particular category!

Anything would help...again, great write up.


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

John C said:


> Nice write up indeed. Agree about being a great all rounder, I had a blast this morning on the way to work in 'S' with mag ride on, great fun blasting about Sunday morning roads. Then this afternoon tootled home in 'D' and felt like a different car, both great!


Cheers John - a fair assessment from yourself there too. Itâ€™s great how this car can move to suit your mood


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

StuTTer said:


> Excellent post. I can't say I'll go as far as you in the cleaning stakes but I've moved to the two bucket technique and the wash mit.
> 
> Very good to hear that the drive is sublime and the auto dimming features work well. So many people on the roads have poorly fitted lights these days I think its a feature well worth the money.
> 
> Please post some more pics and write up. Entertaining and informative all the way.


Ahh, good man. Two buckets and softy mitt are definitely the all important first steps to take [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Indeed, the auto dim is as cool as beans! Not only for the dimming but also the fold away and light & rain sensors that come with the pack. Itâ€™s not exactly cheap, but cool and useful options all the same

Will endeavour to add more info of interest as ownership develops â€" I usually canâ€™t help myself even if no one wants to hear about it!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Ant001 said:


> Great stuff janitor! Really cant wait for mine now.. Glad you're enjoying your new car


Thanks Ant! Iâ€™m thoroughly enjoying it on all fronts and Iâ€™m sure you will yours too. Iâ€™ll admit to a tinge of madness but getting everything you can from your car offers rewards in so many ways, so why the hell not eh..?

Best of luck and hereâ€™s hoping the wait doesnâ€™t drag too badly


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

sane eric said:


> Brilliant.
> 
> A lot of what I have been thinking since my pick has been expressed here far more eloquently than I could have, and like stuTTer I feel slightly more motivated to clean my car properly than I would have been.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your comment oh sane oneâ€¦ I guess this now confirms me as your polar opposite then..? Cuckoo!

Pleased that a little wash day inspiration has passed on though [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

The piccys do look ok actually donâ€™t they..? Nothing flash â€" just a Pentax Optio E10 (whatever one of them is?!?!) The subject matter makes all the difference though I guess eh..? [smiley=sweetheart.gif]

Oh and yes, thanks for the â€˜sportsmanâ€™s betâ€™ and the banterâ€¦ it really helped during the painful bit  Kerching!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Reaperman said:


> Fantastic write up..... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


Ta very much, glad you enjoyed


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

TommyTippee said:


> Lovely story Clive and a nice write up. I do admire your utter dedication almost to the point of obsession.
> 
> I remember pming pics of my phantom black to you
> 
> ...


Thanks Roger â€" it is obsession isnâ€™t it..? If I had a quid for each time a neighbour has said something like that since Thursday morning Iâ€™d be, well, Â£27.50 better off!

Indeed, your piccys were a great help, thanks again for them. I know I ended up going completely the opposite way but that was certain not because I didnâ€™t like your choices, it was a very close thing and I simply chose the â€˜classicâ€™ look in the end 

Pleased to hear youâ€™re still getting great enjoyment from yoursâ€¦ I think a â€˜Tommy Type Tripâ€™ will be on the cards in the near futureâ€¦ oh yes!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

BobFat said:


> Hey i'm up for that. I have a polishing section all ready for content. I'd be delighted to put up a how to guide. Might I suggest a beginners version and a 'i*f your mad like Janitor*' version. Its not about fulfilling everyones needs and wont be a product review site etc, just something to help the average Jo keep his/her car looking pristine.
> 
> Knock something up in word, embed the pictures and also supply them separately, to the email address in my addy and I'll get it hosted :wink:
> 
> Top man ! Thanks.


Iâ€™ll happily put something together then Neil - simple and loony versions abound!



sane eric said:


> Janitor said:
> 
> 
> > Would love to add some of the cleaning stuff to your portal, but I think most people would (probably quite rightly!) think â€˜Bollocks to all that!â€™ :lol:
> ...


Yeah, sorry Eric â€" I too remember reading lots of threads on detailingworld and wondering â€˜what the hell..?â€™ Itâ€™s amazing how quickly you sink into the same abbreviated style of forum speak when describing all the products and processes though! I should have borne that in mind really

As above though, I will endeavour to put two clearer versions together for the Portal


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## hitchbloke (Jan 28, 2007)

All this talk about cleaning/waxing and not a post from Rebel in sight :!: :lol:

Fantastic write up, happy motoring


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## chrisabdn (Aug 15, 2007)

Man, I take a week's holiday and Clive's challenging Tolstoy!

I'll send in your nomination for the Booker prize mate! Don't know where you found time to clean the car in between all that typing!

Well, I moved into my new house last week and I can guarantee it won't be seeing near as much cleaning attention as Janitor's car ... much to the missus' dismay! :lol:

The car looks spectacular my friend, if you fancy a weekend in frigid Aberdeen I'll selflessly let you loose on mine when I get it ... I'm all heart! :lol:

A useful and interesting post as usual ... my waistline is suffering from all those chocolate digestives tho!

VRRRR, and of course, OOOOMMM!


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## Godzilla (Feb 20, 2007)

Great write up, and great cleaning effort. You make me feel ashamed :lol: Will have to have a go at following your instructions.


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## tt200 (Jan 29, 2007)

I'll save Rebel the job.

Four days to clean the car - you're completely barking !


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## ricka (Mar 31, 2007)

Hi Janitor, just read your (long) very entertaining post, great photos too.

Supa dupa looking car and your clearly enjoying yourself.

Well done matey, congratulations on your new 'baby'.

Regards, R.


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

tt200 said:


> I'll save Rebel the job.
> 
> Four days to clean the car - you're completely barking !


woof!


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## modernTT (Aug 9, 2007)

Great Post Clive!!!! It was good to hear someone so genuinely excited and proud to be a MK2 owner! All I can say about the wash is "hats down to ya" SIMPLY amazing! I wish I had the time to wash my new one like you did, reminds me of when I first started driving and devoted a full day to cleaning my first car! Look forward to more posts in the future! I have to agree that the TT does seem to fufill that all around great performer , jack of all trades card!  Congrats again!!!!! Take care! ~C


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## paulie1 (Mar 6, 2007)

Good write up Janitor,my wife thought i was obsessive about my car.....
Now i'll make her read this!:lol:


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## PeaceOut (Sep 12, 2007)

Great story Janitor.

I thought I was obsessed by taking 7-8 hours to wash/clay/zaino polish (3 coats) the following day after pick up. But I can definitely understand your feeling and how much of a smile it brings when you see it even if you're arms are aching and tired from all the wiping. Wish I had the luxury of a house and driveway. Have to run to the self-wash with all my gear to get my cleaning done now (the only plus is they have filtered water).

Wait till it's broken in and you feel comfortable pushing it a little more. The smile stays put every time you look at the car.

Wax on Wax off.


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## Rebel (Feb 12, 2005)

Nice pic's janitor

Specialy the dirty ones!

Great combo, seasilver with turbine wheels.... 
Where did i see that before :wink:


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## TommyTippee (May 31, 2007)

Janitor said:


> TommyTippee said:
> 
> 
> > Lovely story Clive and a nice write up. I do admire your utter dedication almost to the point of obsession.
> ...


Well Clive I think a "Tommy Trip" is an absolute must

My wife and I had a ball (well I did) tt is just a great tourer. But be careful you don't get arrested having too much fun 8) 8) :lol: :lol:

A trip to France or Spain or anywhere in Europe in the spring would be a wonderful experience or how about next week :roll: :roll:

Enjoy M8


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## Rebel (Feb 12, 2005)

Janitor, which product do you use, for cleaning your exhaust on the inside?


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

hitchbloke said:


> All this talk about cleaning/waxing and not a post from Rebel in sight :!: :lol:
> 
> Fantastic write up, happy motoring


Hee hee, heâ€™ll be along soon enough Blokeyâ€¦ gald you enjoyed the write up and yes, I think that some very happy motoring will ensue


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

chrisabdn said:


> Man, I take a week's holiday and Clive's challenging Tolstoy!
> 
> I'll send in your nomination for the Booker prize mate! Don't know where you found time to clean the car in between all that typing!
> 
> ...


 I think I may have mentioned in my very first post that I do enjoy a good type! It kinda helps me to grasp my thoughts and feeling even better to lay them out in text

I have to be honest â€" there is little else in my life that gets as much attention as my car in short sporadic spacesâ€¦ the family are toppingtons of course, but thatâ€™s all spread across daily life and not quite so intense! Maybe elements of the music business that I have been involved in come close to that unwavering dedication, but thatâ€™s always been a passion and over the last decade, business

Glad you like the carâ€¦ I just wish I could say the same about â€˜frigidâ€™ Aberdeen!  I have a Scottish road-trip on the definitely â€˜to doâ€™ list Chrisâ€¦ but not sure that Aberdeen even features in that!?!? But yes, you are indeed all heart

Easy on the biccys then fella and yes, VRRRROOOMMM without doubt! Love it, love it, love it love it, love it!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Godzilla said:


> Great write up, and great cleaning effort. You make me feel ashamed :lol: Will have to have a go at following your instructions.


Thank you Zilla â€" no need to feel ashamed mate, just worship at the â€˜two bucket templeâ€™ and bow down to the â€˜almighty Microfibreâ€™ and all will be forgiven [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Iâ€™ll try to get some clearer details of the kit and processes sorted soon - you know it makes sense! [smiley=freak.gif]


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

ricka said:


> Hi Janitor, just read your (long) very entertaining post, great photos too.
> 
> Supa dupa looking car and your clearly enjoying yourself.
> 
> ...


Cheers ricka, very glad that you enjoyed the post and piccys â€" would have added some sunny ones today, but the sun never shone! 

Thanks for the kind comments too  But then again, you are perhaps a little biased! Great stuff, a man with clear taste!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

modernTT said:


> Great Post Clive!!!! It was good to hear someone so genuinely excited and proud to be a MK2 owner! All I can say about the wash is "hats down to ya" SIMPLY amazing! I wish I had the time to wash my new one like you did, reminds me of when I first started driving and devoted a full day to cleaning my first car! Look forward to more posts in the future! I have to agree that the TT does seem to fufill that all around great performer , jack of all trades card!  Congrats again!!!!! Take care! ~C


Hey thanks Modâ€¦ and yes, genuinely proud is a perfect summary

I donâ€™t â€˜haveâ€™ the time, I â€˜makeâ€™ the time! Worked 23 days as well as 4 nights in a row leading up to collection day, so I guess I earned a little â€˜me timeâ€™ with the new arrival. Not seen it at all today though, been too busy again!

I will continue to post in a sickly full-on manner as thatâ€™s just me Iâ€™m afraid, all or nothing!

â€˜Jack of all tradesâ€™ is almost a good phrase mate, but that then goes on to suggest â€˜master of noneâ€™ which I feel although it may be accurate, would be doing the new TT a major disservice. It is fantastic in itâ€™s own right without need to live up to this performance, that load space or such and such a 0-60 time

Take care yourself fella â€" hereâ€™s hoping your scratch soon disappears


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

paulie1 said:


> Good write up Janitor,my wife thought i was obsessive about my car.....
> Now i'll make her read this!:lol:


Haha! Yeah, you do that paulie, mine resigned herself to the fact ages ago! She did comment on Saturday night that Iâ€™d even outdone myself this time aroundâ€¦ fair comment though eh..? 

As long as her car gets â€™the magicâ€™ now and then sheâ€™s happy. Oh and yeah, that along with the bills getting paid, the house kept tidy, bedroom duties kept in order etc etc etcâ€¦ Bless!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

PeaceOut said:


> Great story Janitor.
> 
> I thought I was obsessed by taking 7-8 hours to wash/clay/zaino polish (3 coats) the following day after pick up. But I can definitely understand your feeling and how much of a smile it brings when you see it even if you're arms are aching and tired from all the wiping. Wish I had the luxury of a house and driveway. Have to run to the self-wash with all my gear to get my cleaning done now (the only plus is they have filtered water).
> 
> ...


Many thanks Peaceful dude, Iâ€™m gad to see that you put the effort in too! It does reward greatly and on a car so beautiful, those rewards are magnified yet further. Do you know what though? I didnâ€™t ache for moment! Either Iâ€™m in decent shape at the mo or just totally numbâ€¦ not sure which!?!?

I am indeed lucky to have the space â€" Iâ€™ve absolutely no idea how those who have to keep their cars on the street manageâ€¦ I just guess the mindset is different in those areas anyway though..?

Yeah Iâ€™m looking forward to having it all run-in and loosening up â€" although having said that, itâ€™s not exactly â€˜slowâ€™ even now! The Elise felt better than new on the last memorable run I had in it at 13k miles

Wax on, wax off indeed Daniel son [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

TommyTippee said:


> Well Clive I think a "Tommy Trip" is an absolute must
> 
> My wife and I had a ball (well I did) tt is just a great tourer. But be careful you don't get arrested having too much fun 8) 8) :lol: :lol:
> 
> ...


A must is a mustâ€¦ it has to be! Name that place innit..? Have never done a proper GT kind of trip in my tender / creaking 37 years so I will absolutely have to rectify that 

Next week..? Donâ€™t tempt meâ€¦ I could be easily persuaded!

Enjoying I am!

Cheers


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Rebel said:


> Nice pic's janitor
> 
> Specialy the dirty ones!
> 
> ...





Rebel said:


> Janitor, which product do you use, for cleaning your exhaust on the inside?


Haha! Ah, yonder Rob, great to see you replying to such a preposterous post!

Glad youâ€™re loving the dirty piccys and the â€˜obviousâ€™ choicesâ€¦ they had such pendegestatory, if not perricomboblous undertones that I just couldnâ€™t resist such interfrastic contrafibularities!

The exhaust is naturally clean oddly enough, but the inside of the tyre valves took 7 washes with super-duper-Duckâ€™s-back slippy suds and four coats of different generations of Elk ear wax to get the feel just right for a trip around The Ring! Well worth the effort though :wink:

Bless you Rebel, you are a star in constellation [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## GarethW (Oct 12, 2006)

Bloody hell Clive....you need to get a job at "Top Gear" and take over from old pubhead  :lol:

Great post and glad we could help


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## modernTT (Aug 9, 2007)

[email protected] top gear comment...I love watching that show! Too bad we are a season behind!


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

GarethW said:


> Bloody hell Clive....you need to get a job at "Top Gear" and take over from old pubhead  :lol:
> 
> Great post and glad we could help


Gareth, is that 'Pubhead' or 'Pubehead'..? Two rather different things, but in reference to May, well I thank you kind sir, I'll see what the BBC say [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

I think Preston Audi finally have all their money now too! Amazing really, but completely in-keeping with their slap dash effort of a 'Let's make the customer's experience really special with an enthusiastic and accurate handover experience - NOT!â€™ :roll: (You don't have to respond to that comment by the way - you may have to deal with them again at any time!)

Thanks again

All the best

Clive


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## sane eric (Jul 19, 2007)

sane eric said:


> Janitor said:
> 
> 
> > Would love to add some of the cleaning stuff to your portal, but I think most people would (probably quite rightly!) think â€˜Bollocks to all that!â€™ :lol:
> ...


Cough! Cough!

I know you have better things to do, but I am in danger of visiting the drive through soon unless you can convert me!! :wink:

Cheers.


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

:lol:

Wo wo wo! Don't be doing the drive-thru mate! That will ruin things forever!

Am finishing it tonight


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## sane eric (Jul 19, 2007)

Janitor said:


> :lol:
> 
> Wo wo wo! Don't be doing the drive-thru mate! That will ruin things forever!
> 
> Am finishing it tonight


Top man. 8)


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## Weatherman (Sep 8, 2007)

Janitor said:


> And thatâ€™s that so far  Many thanks to everyone who has responded to my questions & thoughts to date and shared in the enthusiasm. Names that stick out are FinFerNan, sane eric, Bobfat, TommyTippee, andyc83, Tosh, Arne, Rebel, VicTT, Weatherman, modernTT, nutts, RockinRobin, Ant001, monkey_boy, chrisadbn, ricka, stuTTer, drew_TTC2, DeanTT, tehdarkstar. Hereâ€™s hoping the Forum grows and the spirit strengthens [smiley=cheers.gif]
> 
> Thanks also to Stephen Chapman & Alistair Lee at Exeter & Stratford Audi respectively, and once again, Gareth Williams, Waseem & Ruth at Preston Audi and Paul Townsend
> 
> ...


Wow, what a superb write up and I feel honoured to be included in such an esteemed list [smiley=sunny.gif] 
That was some cleaning job ! Look forward to more of your assessments on the car further down the line. Hopefully I'll be speaking to Mr Chapman or one of his colleagues again in the future following my first foray a few months ago :roll:

WM.


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## Janitor (Jul 2, 2007)

Weatherman said:


> Wow, what a superb write up and I feel honoured to be included in such an esteemed list [smiley=sunny.gif]
> That was some cleaning job ! Look forward to more of your assessments on the car further down the line. Hopefully I'll be speaking to Mr Chapman or one of his colleagues again in the future following my first foray a few months ago :roll:
> 
> WM.


 [smiley=cheers.gif] Ron!

You see, that is how you made the list - a little light hearted banter all taken in top sport and topped off when another member even called you Ron :lol: Little things, little minds and all that, but good stuff all the same 

Glad you liked the prep - the rest of the car certainly warrants it... a tremendous car all round that is enjoyed in so many ways to suit whatever mood

I had a follow-up voicemail from Stephen a couple days ago to see if I'm any further forward with my decision whether or not to get a new TT... guess I ought to drop in at some point soon 

Best of luck in pulling you own plans together matey [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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