Things I learned from my first detail job

[scandata]

I added some pics. Verdict on Blackfire Wet Diamond and Midnight Sun combo: it's everything the hype says it is. Highly recommended.

[charlietuna]

Nice work and great tips. The back brace is most noteworthy as even if you are in great shape, polishing at a high level is extremely demanding physically. I recently purchased one for polishing and they help a lot.

[scandata]

Originally Posted by charlietuna

Nice work and great tips. The back brace is most noteworthy as even if you are in great shape, polishing at a high level is extremely demanding physically. I recently purchased one for polishing and they help a lot.

Thanks for the kind words. Joe M gave me a good tip about the back thing. Smaller pads create less back stress because they don't vibrate as much as larger pads. You figure a 4" pad vs. a 5½" pad might take a little longer to cover the same area, but you don't have the interruption of changing pads (and backing plates) when you move to smaller areas like the windshield frame and the back of the trunk.

He also posted this link (http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-P...ly-and-review/) last night with some handy tips on using a PC.

[Harga]

Wow, did it really take that much time for everything? I'm planning on doing the process on my zl1 when the weather cooperates and was honestly only expecting to spend a Friday night and all day Saturday on everything.

Car looks sharp btw!

[scandata]

Originally Posted by Harga

Wow, did it really take that much time for everything? I'm planning on doing the process on my zl1 when the weather cooperates and was honestly only expecting to spend a Friday night and all day Saturday on everything.

Car looks sharp btw!

Thanks, I'm very happy with it. Everything listed did take that long, but I'm a stickler for detail, and it also depends on the condition of your vehicle. But consider that when polishing, going too fast will only slow you down if you have to redo a section. Doing 5 complete passes in a cross-hatch pattern takes a while at an inch per second, and even though the swirls were minor, I polished the WHOLE thing - you might not have as many areas that need polishing. I did the rims as well, which probably added 2 - 3 hours total, considering Dawn wash, claying, Iron-X, 2 coats of sealant, and wax. Also, this was my first time polishing, so I actually spent a few hours on just the hood (the area where I started) because I was seeing which pads and polishes had the effect I needed (run 5 cross-hatch passes, inspect it; not perfect? Do it again with a different pad/polish. Not right? Repeat). I also spent over an hour buffing out a couple of deep scratches elsewhere on the vehicle. Lastly, I started each day going over the whole surface with waterless wash to remove any dust that settled overnight. That didn't take too long, but still adds up.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

13 hours total polish time? My 1st detail was with 2 step Megs DMCKIT5 took 20 hours polish time. Course I'm an old fart with RA, golfer's elbow, rotator cuff surgery (4 screws), and a recurring pinched nerve in my lower back! It was much easier second go round with finishing polish only, but still 8 1/2 hours. Just call me Slo Joe.

[rocknroll_jeph]

Very nice write up... I guess I am not the most obsessed one out there when it comes to washing and cleaning. I must let my wife read this! Also my Camaro is the 3rd car I have ever owned and as much as I love the color black I bought a silver Camaro just so I didn't have to detail it every other week. My first car (2007) looks fine from 5 feet but close up the black paint is just full of swirls and scratches I can't seem to get out.

[terry_b]

Great job! I can't wait to get out and give mine a thorough cleaning. I really want to go the full mile and clay bar and detail as well but it's really hard to devote the time when it's my daily. Once motorcycle season starts up though

Edit: Question: How did you end up spending approximately on the full detailing tool kit? I'm starting from scratch and I'm curious what kind of investment is there.

[lbls1]

Nice results. The middle pic of the sculpture garden with your car has a lot of potential in terms of a killer shot.

[scandata]

Originally Posted by terry_b

Great job! I can't wait to get out and give mine a thorough cleaning. I really want to go the full mile and clay bar and detail as well but it's really hard to devote the time when it's my daily. Once motorcycle season starts up though

Edit: Question: How did you end up spending approximately on the full detailing tool kit? I'm starting from scratch and I'm curious what kind of investment is there.

Thanks! Mine's a DD too, so I had to do this over my vacation. The cost? I might run the exact numbers later, but for an estimated "getting started" cost, I would say around $180.00, not counting the polisher and micro-fiber cloths. Like you, I was starting from scratch, but I had a lot of product left over, so next time won't be as costly, and I won't have to buy the pads again. If money's tight, you might be able to skip using the Iron-X; only you can be the judge of that. You can also buy cheaper wax than midnight Sun (although I highly recommend using it). I only used about ¼ of the Iron X, ½ a bottle of each polish, ½ a bottle of sealant and barely any wax (Midnight Sun wax applies very thin and goes a LONG way).

The Breakdown:
Clay: $8.00
Iron-X & grout sponge: $28.00
Waterless Wash: $10.00
Meguiar's M105 & M205 polish: $22.00
Pads: ~$42.00 (average about $6.00 each, I probably used 7 altogether)
Sealant and Wax: $75.00 (it was a combo pack of BlackFire Wet Diamond Sealant with BlackFire Midnight Sun Wax)

Those prices are retail and don't include postage or discounts, BTW.
Of course there's also the cost of the Porter Cable polisher (~$120.00) and many microfiber cloths - I went through 8 or 10 per day and was running them in the laundry every night.

Before you buy anything online always check to see if there are any promo codes or online coupons before finalizing your purchase. I've saved a lot doing this. Some good sites to check are retailmenot.com and goodshop.com. For example, here's the page on retailmenot when I entered "Adams Polishes": http://www.retailmenot.com/view/adamspolishes.com

Or just Google "[brand name] promo code" and work from there. And it's not just car stuff. Try that next time you order a pizza (or anything). You'll get at least 10% off.

Happy Detailing!

[scandata]

Originally Posted by lbls1

Nice results. The middle pic of the sculpture garden with your car has a lot of potential in terms of a killer shot.

I really like that area for car photos. Unfortunately there was a smudge on the lens, and the sun wasn't in an optimum position.

This is another good spot, the Ringling Museum of Art (in Sarasota, Florida). That's actually part of the sidewalk where I'm parked, so I have to time it right, when there's no staff milling around.

[ihaveacamaro]

woah 4 hours to apply wax!!! That's a long time! Try using a red pad like you did with the sealant.

Also, if you're getting wax in the cracks, simply spread the wax around first away from the wax and work it closer, that way there won't be any excess buildup in the cracks

Car looks great!

[scandata]

Originally Posted by ihaveacamaro

woah 4 hours to apply wax!!! That's a long time! Try using a red pad like you did with the sealant.

Also, if you're getting wax in the cracks, simply spread the wax around first away from the wax and work it closer, that way there won't be any excess buildup in the cracks

Car looks great!

Thanks for the compliment and tips! I actually bought some red pads for that purpose, but I found that it was easier to do it by hand than try to spread the wax evenly on the pad; they're 5½" pads and the tub of wax (it's a paste wax) is only about 4" across. Next time I'll get some 4" red pads and apply it directly into the tub.

I saw a Junkman video about spreading wax out before moving over cracks, and that method did help, but my problem areas were where I hadn't masked well enough and went right up against the trim under the windows and top - the excess came from the edge of the pad. Also, because the tape I used was tackier than I thought, there was a fine line of glued-on powder outlining where the tape had been. A double-whammy!

[ihaveacamaro]

Originally Posted by scandata

Thanks for the compliment and tips! I actually bought some red pads for that purpose, but I found that it was easier to do it by hand than try to spread the wax evenly on the pad; they're 5½" pads and the tub of wax (it's a paste wax) is only about 4" across. Next time I'll get some 4" red pads and apply it directly into the tub.

I saw a Junkman video about spreading wax out before moving over cracks, and that method did help, but my problem areas were where I where I hadn't masked well enough and went right up against the trim under the windows and top - the excess came from the edge of the pad. Also, because the tape I used was tackier than I thought, there was a fine line of glued-on powder outlining where the tape had been. A double-whammy!

The tape residue has always been a huge issue of mine. I finally saw (I never claim techniques that aren't mine) a technique used by Mike Phillips over at Autogeek first hand on how to remove tape residue and avoid wax buildup b/c of the tape. Simply remove the tape before the waxing portion and wax over with your machine. At first, I thought this method had to cause scratches, I mean you're running tape residue into your pad and into your paint. But lo and behold, no scratches. After using this method, I never got scratches but to believe me you have to try it on your own

Be careful not to get wax on your trim though! Or wipe it immediately off if you do!

P.S. Where in sarasota are you from? I'm originally from Tampa