Audi Q8 detailing in Houston

What we watch for

Paint and interior on the Q8

Paint and exterior

Big flat doors, a wide octagonal grille and large wheels make the Q8 slow to wash properly. The frameless door glass seals into roof rubber that collects grime. RS Q8s often add carbon exterior trim and large painted brake calipers that need their own cleaning.

Interior

The same twin haptic screens as the A8, a lot of gloss black, and leather that is often perforated or quilted on S and RS models. The rear seat is roomy and the cargo floor long and flat, which makes it a favorite for dogs.

Living in Houston

Q8s are mostly daily drivers parked at restaurants on Washington Avenue or in Galleria garages, where fine dust settles on the big dark panels every day. Coated, that dust rinses off instead of being scrubbed off.

• Hard clear coat: swirls take more cutting to remove, so correction is slower, but a corrected finish holds up well afterwards.
• Black and dark colors are common: they show swirls, water spots and pollen film first, and benefit most from a coating.
• Piano-black trim: it scratches if you look at it, so it gets plush microfiber only and can be polished and coated.
• Large wheels and tall tires: wheel faces, barrels and wells take real time on this one, and it shows when they are done right.
• Exposed carbon fiber: clear-coated carbon is polished like paint; satin carbon is cleaned and protected, never polished.