Need Help Detailers

"Proper" detailing is not cheap as far as products go. If you want the best you have to use the best. Rich people are going to demand the best and they are extremly picky. Here is a free "how to" detail that is packed with great info http://www.autopia-carcare.com/freeguide.html
Stores that I buy from is:
www.exceldetail.com-great MF towels for a good price thats easy on the walet
www.specialtymotoring.com
www.autopia-carcare.com
www.autogeek.net
Other good store are:
www.premiumautocare.com
www.poorboysworld.com-they have a great starter kit
www.properautocare.com
Good luck and your going to need a buffer the porter cable 7424 is great.

01ARM said:

Once I get out of school, I'm starting a job where I detail cars for a rich neighborhood. If you have any tips for me I'd appreciate it. What's the best way to dry it. (towels, where to buy them, etc.) Also, what are the best products to use, that won't cost me a fortune? (I'm trying to make a profit here). I don't miss spots or anything like that, so what would you recommend I charge?

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If you are looking to make a profit then dont spend that money on "boutique" car products. That's just a plain waste of your money.

A professional product line that I use alot is Hi-Temp, Valu-Gard and Optimum.

Hi-Temp has pretty much all the cleaners, polishes, waxes and dressings you will need and they are very cost effective. Don't spend $50 on a pretty tub of wax that is no better than a tub of wax for $16 in a plain ol metal can.

Let me know how I can help you get started. I have been at this for over 16 years.

Anthony

Do not use cheap products on high priced cars. There is a big difference between a run of the mill detailer and proffesional detailers. Go to www.autpia.org and www.detailcity.com these guys live and breath detailing. They will show you the right way to detail not just wash and slap on some turtle wax and call it a detail.

01ARM said:

First off, where can I buy these products?

What do you use to wash with?

What do you charge for a full job? Wax, interior, etc.

What do you use for bug removal?

Tips for drying, and what kind of towels to use.

Can I use wheel cleaner on Chrome/Polished?

Do you use a random orbital?

Just any other tips...

Most important: Glass cleaning, I'm using stoner's right now, but is there something better?

Thanks man, I really appreciate you helping me out, my passion is cars, and I'd rather be working with them, even if they're soccer mom van, then at Wendy's.

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Hello,

I'll do my best to help you out here. You can visit my website if you like also www.UltimateReflections.net

Moderators please delete that if it causes a problem

I wash with several different items. For my regulars, like Ferrari's, Porsche's BMW's. etc. I use a deep sea sponge. These are large, very porous sponges that are very gentle on the finish, especially darker paints.

I also use some chenile mitts with a bug cleaner on the other side. I also use a boars hair washing brush for the few large trucks and H2's I do.

Here is where I get these items. http://www.topoftheline.com/boarhairbodw.html

http://www.topoftheline.com/natwoolseasp.html

http://www.topoftheline.com/chenshambugs.html

Personally I would start off with the deep sea sponge and also a chenille sponge. Don't use the deep sea sponge on new cars, as in "new customer" cars, as many cars you get will be full of grime, road tar, etc. Use either a boars hair brush for that or the chenille mitt. Then after you have detailed the car and get them on a regular washing cycle then use the deep sea sponges.

To cut down on the length of this list I'll name all the products I use.

For car shampoo I use Optimum Car Wash

For paint polish I use Optimum Car Polish and Menzerna, namely the Final Polish II. Hi-Temp also makes a very nice polish called Light Cut.

For wax I only use Optimum Spray Wax

For a sealant I use Menzerna FMJ and also a new sealant I am testing out for Optimum.

To clean interiors I use either Top of the Lines Deep Down or handwashable Woolite mixed 6:1 with water.

For bug removal I use Hi-Temps "Bug Juice" http://www.topoftheline.com/bugremover1.html

For car drying I use an electric leaf blower plus some quality waffle weave microfiber towels.

I do not use a Porter Cable orbital as many others do because I believe they do not hold up to tough use nor do they work as well as a Cyclo orbital polisher.

Here are links to the polishers I use http://www.topoftheline.com/cyclo-polisher.html

http://www.topoftheline.com/metabopolisher.html

These are high dollar machines but are worth it because they will work every time you need them to. They will outlast others polishers by years.

Wheel cleaners can be complicated because of the many wheel types out there. For really tough wheels I use this http://www.topoftheline.com/32ozwheeltir.html

It is clear coat safe and also safe for chrome but do NOT spray it on aluminum wheels. For aluminum wheels you are best off with soap and water and then polish them out by hand.

Hi-Temp makes a very good degreaser that you can use on tires and wheel wells. http://www.topoftheline.com/all-purpose-cleaner.html

Now for my work I get about $40 for a hand wash and my detail work is around $300 to $500.

There is TONS of information that you will need to learn if you wish to be successful at this and many of these "detailing" forums are full of bogus junk so be careful. You will need to look into what your city reguirs of you as a mobile detailer or a fixed detailer. You may need insurance, city license, etc.

I am sure you have tons of questions and I'll do my best to help you out all I can. Before you buy anything ask me and I'll let you know if you need it or not or if it's any good. There are people out there that will sell you uneeded junk just to make a buck.

Again, "high cost" does not make one wax any better over another wax. Gliptone paste wax costs about $10 for a large tub and Pinnacle Souvergn costs about $45 for a smaller tub. Side by side you could not tell a difference, in fact the Gliptone produces a slicker surface. So don't bother spending your hard earned money at these boutique shops, rather buy quality equipment.

Hope this helps,
Anthony

well first off get a REAL BUFFER, not those cheap polishers you can get from walmart, im talking makita and dewalt, speeds ranging from 600-3000 rpms for makita's and 1000-3000 for dewalts. when your buffing you have to be carefull not to burn the paint or any soft moldings, but buffing will get out fine scratches and take out oxidation (give it a nice shine). you should get some compound (i like to use rapid cut, its a decent cutting compound for the budget minded) for wax i like to start with pro-gold first and then after that use meguires gold class (this is all done with a wool pad) then switch to showroom shine and a foam pad (the egg crate looking foam pads work better than flat foam pads) going about 1200 rpms or less, this is just for the exterior. if you have any questions you can pm me.

i am the assistant manager at a car wash that does all the detailing for 3 car dealerships in my area so im not bs'n you

my only advice is to take your time with each vehicle too. I used to work at a used car dealership that required high volume cleaning. it was a factory certified used as new type deal. you could buy a car under 4 years old which was reconditioned to look like new inside/out with a nice warrantee with it. we would move as many as 20 to 25 cars in a single shift. it was extremely fast paced and I always felt quality suffered because of this. they would also hire non experienced people and just turn them loose with the buffers. not good at all. atleast one out of every 4 cars would end up requiring some paint touchups due to the fact that they would move a freshly painted car over to us for polishing and someone wouldn't apply enough polish and use too much speed and poof, no more fresh paint.

I sometimes want to get back into doing this but working there kinda ruined it for me.

I don't think you need to buy top of the line products because the people will see a kid (I'm going to guess that your a kid because you mentioned school.) and they going to assume that it's not going to be a high quality job. I think you should first start off with the cheaper stuff and once you get some people and the hang of it, then you move on to the more expensive stuff. Good Luck!

mantix33 said:

well first off get a REAL BUFFER, not those cheap polishers you can get from walmart, im talking makita and dewalt, speeds ranging from 600-3000 rpms for makita's and 1000-3000 for dewalts. when your buffing you have to be carefull not to burn the paint or any soft moldings, but buffing will get out fine scratches and take out oxidation (give it a nice shine). you should get some compound (i like to use rapid cut, its a decent cutting compound for the budget minded) for wax i like to start with pro-gold first and then after that use meguires gold class (this is all done with a wool pad) then switch to showroom shine and a foam pad (the egg crate looking foam pads work better than flat foam pads) going about 1200 rpms or less, this is just for the exterior. if you have any questions you can pm me.

i am the assistant manager at a car wash that does all the detailing for 3 car dealerships in my area so im not bs'n you

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You don't need a compound nor should you apply any wax with a wool pad. You should never have the need, if and when you use a rotary, to go over 1700 rpm's and always try and stay under 112 degress in the heat area. Todays base coat/clear coat paints respond very well to a mild polishing pad with a mild polishing product. Nor do you put one wax over another wax.

Flat pads work better than the bumpy ones or egg crate type, actually you want a foam pad with a slight concave as this helps reduce buffer sling.

Wool pads have their place but they are for leveling and mid polishing steps, not waxing.

Anthony