Detailing :)

[alkemyst]

Just ordered up supplies over the past couple weeks...didn't realize how much stuff I have now.

Porter Cable 7424
6" counterweight
6" hook and loop flexible backing plate
3 3/4" hook and loop flexible backing plate

Edge 2000 6" pads:
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
White x 3
Red x 3

Aqua Carpet/Upholstery Brush for PC
White Carpet/Mat Brush for PC

Meguiars #80 Speed Glaze
Meguiars #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish
Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover
Meguiars #26 High Tech Carnuba
Meguiars Gold Class Wax
Meguiars #5 New Car Glaze
Meguiars #7 Show Car Glaze
Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant
Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer
Meguiars #10 Plastic Polish
Meguiars Plastx
Meguiars Scratch-X
Meguiars High Endurance Natural Tire Gel
Meguiars High Endurance High Gloss Tire Gel
Meguiars Natural Shine Vinyl and Rubber Spray
Meguiars Gold Class Wheel Cleaner

DP Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

Folex

303 Aerospace Cleaner
303 Aerospace Protectant
303 Aerospace Fabric Guard

Forever Black Trim Dye Kit

Clay Magic Red
Clay Magic Blue
2 bottle Clay Magic #49 lube

ton of terry cloth towels
Basic Microfiber x 6
Cobra Yellow All Purpose Microfiber x 12
Cobra Green Detailing Microfiber x 12
Cobra Indigo Finishing/Polishing Microfiber x 6
Cobra Deluxe Jr Microfiber x 6
Cobra Waffle Weave for glass x 2

Stoner's Invisible Glass

2 way mini detail brush
1" detail brush
OXO crevice tool
wheel lug brush
various 'toothbrush' types

Fire hose nozzle

Lake County Glass Polishing Kit

Paintwork Clay Pad

grit guard

Some 3M compound and light cut cleaner.
An eastwood felt glass pad and rhodite

 

[The Boston Dangler]

sounds good. detail my car and i'll buy lunch

 

[alkemyst]

That may get you a wash and quick wax.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
That may get you a wash and quick wax.

happy ending?

seriously, what's a well-done (not insane) detail cost? assuming it's not mid-summer busy season.

 

[alkemyst]

I don't do it for profit, this is for my own cars and occasionally family. However, a 'real detail' where they put your car back to better than new condition is usually done over 2-3 days or more and can cost starting at $300-500. Some waxes by themselves are more than that .

For my car I spent 8 hours on the exterior and then another 4-5 on the interior. The exterior needs another 4-5 hours probably to get the final remnants of swirls out. Touch up will be another day.

Most 'detailers' are really doing car washes.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

last year, on a perfect summer day, i spent about 10 hours on the exterior. the interior was in good shape, and i wanted to hit the road. i did it at my office: free water, lots of room to make a mess, shade.
what i did:
follow the directions!!
thoroughly hose down the car, then shampoo with terry cloth, rinse, repeat with fresh bucket (my idea).
dry with terry cloth.
tires, aluminium wheels - nothing but soap, water and elbow grease
touch up a couple chips in the nose.
while the touch up paint set up, i started the wax on the rear. apply by hand, remove with 10" microfiber random-orbital (low speed). i forget if it was 1 coat or 2.
hit every seam, nook and cranny with small foam brushes.
terry cloth over the entire car 1 more time to finish.

the car looked ineffingcredible afterwards. even at night it was beaming. i use mostly maguire's products, but i find mother's to be ok too. the car is 1 1/2 years old now, so i stay away from the clay and other abrasives, because i don't know what i'm doing.

do you have any advice for the layman? how can i get water out of the mirror housings? compressed air? what should i use on chrome and chromed plastic?

 

[alkemyst]

clay isn't abrasive (or shouldn't be...stick with clay magic blue IMHO).

for mirrors a blower is best, but you can also stick the edge of a microfiber / absorber in there and wick it out (same with where your lugs go on exposed wheels).

For chrome I'd just polish it with the polish and wax for the paint...you can use chrome polish too if it's neglected.

Chrome plastic is a hard call, there is a ton of different types. I'd just stick to 303 cleaner and coat it with some protectant.

Terry is a terrible thing to use to dry really, even worse to buff with. Even cheap microfiber is lightyears ahead of it to protect against swirls and light scratches.