Pro Vs. Joe

[Vae_Victus]

Hey everyone,

Well I have a slight dilemma. I don't know whether to take my car to a pro and have it fully detailed or to tackle it myself and do it all from scratch. My concerns are the cost of buying everything that I would need since i don't have anything but a wash bucket and whatever i use to wash my car. Another problem is that my car is black (04 cobra) and I have minor swirl marks that i want GONE ASAP! I have never use a PC but know how to clay and wax by hand....tho i am quite the newb still. lol
I have many questions and was hoping you guys can help me out:

How often do you polish (using PC) your car?
How long does it take to fully detail a car (including minor paint corrections)?
Once I have successfully removed all swirl marks...what is the best way to prevent them from reoccurriing?
What is the difference between Cleaner Wax and Carnuaba Wax? (told u i was a newb lol)

To be honest I find it overwhelming when I read the posts on here about all these different compounds, sealants, glazes, waxes, pads etc etc...there is just sooooooo much to learn that I'm not sure I can dedicate that kind of time and effort to learn it all. I love washing my car and detailing it myself but only when I am confident I wont damage the car or its surface. Sometimes I think its just easier and SAFER to just pay a local detailer $250 to remove whatever swirls and imperfections I have and then just maintain the car myself till it needs another polishing/buffing job. I assume once a car is detailed it should remain swirl free for at least a year...that is with good maintenance and washing/claying/waxing every few months.

Sorry guys i know its a long read but any help and/or advice is most appreciated.


Vae Victus

 

[Black Talon]

I do it myself, but if you aren't sure about it take it to a good Detailer.
I can detail my car in 3 hours.

 

[Tom's_03SVT]

I use to do the daily upkeep myself and get the car completely detailed once a year.

If you haven't had the car detailed since you've owned it, i say let the pro's handle the first one and you can handle the upkeep.

Get some decent microfiber towel, wash mits, soap and wax or sealant and you won't have any issues keeping a black car clean.

 

[Vae_Victus]

Thanks guys...I think I will get the car detailed professionally and then keep her clean and swirl free by purchasing all the items Tom mentioned.

Damn black cars. lol

 

[MachME]

Buy the pc, some pads and some poorboys. It is not has hard as you think, it will take time.

SOme general quik things...

Cleaner wax preps the car for wax. It will strip old wax.

Carb. wax gives some protection and depth, does not last long.

Sealers are syn. and have the durabilty factor.

Glazes fill in swirls, they are a temp. fix, they do not remove swirls.



Look up stuff on here, a lot of info for you with guys asking the same thing.

 

[thomas91169]

AutoGeek.com Automotive Super Site

they have tutorials on how to use a Porter Cable. You can also find them on youtube.

DIY>Paying a "pro" which most are hacks that do a simple wash and wax that looks great for a day since its all just filling the swirls. Its a $300 buyin (PC+Pads+products) but the knowledge lasts a lifetime, and you can use it to make some easy side money. Compare that, to spending $400 every few months for some half-assed "detail".

 

[jf4boogie]

AutoGeek.com Automotive Super Site

they have tutorials on how to use a Porter Cable. You can also find them on youtube.

DIY>Paying a "pro" which most are hacks that do a simple wash and wax that looks great for a day since its all just filling the swirls. Its a $300 buyin (PC+Pads+products) but the knowledge lasts a lifetime, and you can use it to make some easy side money. Compare that, to spending $400 every few months for some half-assed "detail".

Sad but true.

The so-called "detail" shops in my area absolutely MURDER a paint job. At night with the halogens on in a car lot it looks like they took a wool pad at about 4k rpms and some heavy compound and did the whole car in 10 minutes.

The few that actually know what they're doing are behind the scenes cleaning up these ass hats mistakes for those that are willing to pay. They often work from their home and dont really advertise(or have to).

If you decide to let someone else tackle it, just ask for some references before handing the keys over...

:beer:

 

[gt03mustang]

There are MANY different types of people who detail and they all have a different view of what detailing is. The thing is, detailing is VERY subjective, what one person may think looks awesome, another may think it looks like crap.

Here are a few examples...

You've got your average person who feels a detail is washing the car, putting some wax on it with some tire shine, vacuum the interior and apply some kind of dressing. They typically aren't willing to spend much time on it and they feel the few hours they do spend make the car look great.

You've also got the typical hack who uses cheap bulk products and really has no clue what they are doing. A lot of these people work at dealerships, body shops, or high volume detailing shops. The problem here is that these places simply aren't willing to pay someone to spend the proper amount of time detailing a car. So when it comes to paint correction, they will usually buff the car with a rotary using a wool pad and some compound. Then they will go over it real quick with a heavy filling glaze and that'll be it.

Lastly, you've got your high quality detailers who spend HOURS and even days perfecting every surface of the car. These people got their process down to a science and have extreme passion in their work. They want to blow the customer away every time and will spend as long as it takes to do it. They can tell you the chemical make up of every product they are using and whether certain ones will harm your car or not. Their paint correction process usually includes 3- 4+ steps and you can bet your ass there wont be ANY buffer marks left over. If you watch one of these people work, they WILL truly blow you away with the amount of knowledge they have. They will literally make the hack, average Joe, and even the average PC detailer look like they dont know a thing about detailing. It usually takes these people a very long time to detail a car because of the fact that they ARE VERY good at what they do. It costs a lot because it is true quality work. A lot of people cant even begin to understand what goes into a quality detail job unless they watch and speak with one of these detailers. Therefore, a lot of people underestimate exactly how long and how much work goes into a detail job like this.

Bottom line is, if you find a detailer like the last one I mentioned, than I GUARANTEE you the work will be far beyond what any average person with a PC can accomplish. But it all comes down to what YOU think looks good and will make YOU happy. I know some detailers in Canada also, just shoot me a PM.

 

[thomas91169]

There are MANY different types of people who detail and they all have a different view of what detailing is. The thing is, detailing is VERY subjective, what one person may think looks awesome, another may think it looks like crap.

Here are a few examples...

You've got your average person who feels a detail is washing the car, putting some wax on it with some tire shine, vacuum the interior and apply some kind of dressing. They typically aren't willing to spend much time on it and they feel the few hours they do spend make the car look great.

You've also got the typical hack who uses cheap bulk products and really has no clue what they are doing. A lot of these people work at dealerships, body shops, or high volume detailing shops. The problem here is that these places simply aren't willing to pay someone to spend the proper amount of time detailing a car. So when it comes to paint correction, they will usually buff the car with a rotary using a wool pad and some compound. Then they will go over it real quick with a heavy filling glaze and that'll be it.

Lastly, you've got your high quality detailers who spend HOURS and even days perfecting every surface of the car. These people got their process down to a science and have extreme passion in their work. They want to blow the customer away every time and will spend as long as it takes to do it. They can tell you the chemical make up of every product they are using and whether certain ones will harm your car or not. Their paint correction process usually includes 3- 4+ steps and you can bet your ass there wont be ANY buffer marks left over. If you watch one of these people work, they WILL truly blow you away with the amount of knowledge they have. They will literally make the hack, average Joe, and even the average PC detailer look like they dont know a thing about detailing. It usually takes these people a very long time to detail a car because of the fact that they ARE VERY good at what they do. It costs a lot because it is true quality work. A lot of people cant even begin to understand what goes into a quality detail job unless they watch and speak with one of these detailers. Therefore, a lot of people underestimate exactly how long and how much work goes into a detail job like this.

Bottom line is, if you find a detailer like the last one I mentioned, than I GUARANTEE you the work will be far beyond what any average person with a PC can accomplish. But it all comes down to what YOU think looks good and will make YOU happy. I know some detailers in Canada also, just shoot me a PM.

agreed aside from the fact a PC in the hands of the truly gifted can do just as good as job as any other rotary, it just takes longer.

 

[gt03mustang]

The finish you get from a rotary will most likely be superior to the finish you get from a PC, IMO.

 

[Vae_Victus]

Man...u guys are really awesome. Thanks to everyone. I've been thinkin it over and after calling a lot of detail guys around I realised that they claim to detail the entire car in a matter of few hours...which after reading many posts and many articles online I realise that its more like a weekend long project to get the car detailed JUST RIGHT! I dont wanna pay someone cash to simply "hide" the imperfections. I want my paint to really be "fixed" and detailed properly.
gt03mustang...thanks for ur input. I have sent u a pm.

I'm actually starting to change heart on this issue. Maybe the initial cost of buying a pc is what made me kinda stray away from the thought of detailing the car myself. I have read many articles about detailing the car with a pc and it seems straight forward. My only "real" problem is the kind of products to use. not so much name brands cuz that will vary from person to person. My main problem is understanding WHAT each product actually does and what its purpose is. I understand clay barring a car to remove dirt and grime stuck on ur paint. I understand the 2 bucket car washing approach to avoid loose dirt from being trapped into the wash mit. I am finally starting to understand the differnce between cleaner wax and actual carnauba wax. Polishing and glazing is where I get lost. What is the difference between polishing and glazing? And another issue I have is the different coloured pads to use with the pc. I'm trying to read as much as i can online and on this site but sometimes its easier to ask them in a forum such as this.

Again...thanks for all the help fellas. I am definately learning a lot here.

 

[Vae_Victus]

btw...has anybody heard anything about Adams Polish? I've read many other brand names but none about this company. Thinkin of this kit Adam's Complete Dual-Action Car Polisher Kit

What do u guys think?

 

[Vae_Victus]

I've been looking around the net and I think i have everything covered for detailing my car. Keep in mind I already have washing material as well as claying material. If you see I missed something please let me know.

Porter Cable 7424 with Orange Mild Cut pad, White Polishing pad and Black Finishing pad.
Optimum Polish II
Optimum Finish Polish (not sure this is needed if using Optimum Polish II)
P21S Concours Look Carnauba Paste Wax.

I will wash/dry car, then clay using detail spray as lubricant. Once I have the car clay barred and ready for polish/wax what is the proper procedure and which pad to use?

Thanks in advance


Vae Victus

 

[thomas91169]

Get more pads, like minimum of 3 orange, 3 white. Might want to get a bottle of Optimum Compound as well. Id skip on the other colors unless they are included, anything past white is pretty useless, and if you are using a pad that soft, you might as well just be applying or doing whatever you are attempting to do by hand. I say 3 pads because they get very soft very quick when doing paint correction, and once a pad loses its firmness, it loses its ability to cut. Youll wonder why halfway through a detail you are getting swirls still, its cause the pad has broken down.

First try the Polish with an Orange pad. If its not enough to get all the imperfections out, go with the Compound. You always want to use the least amount of cut possible to get the results you want, as starting out with OP Compound and an Orange pad may not be necessary, so its always good to test in one area how many steps you need to do.

If you use the Compound, follow up with the Polish on a orange pad as well, but you might not need to work it as much. You can use the White pad in this step too, but IMO you arent doing much.

I like to use a white pad on 4k with Optimum Poly-Seal after the polishing step. I work it over quickly and then hand wipe away with a nice clean microfiber, most of it evaporates though.

I then apply 2 coats of Natty's Paste Wax (red or blue, depends on my mood) using a microfiber applicator pad. I do the entire car very quickly, and then wipe off, and repeat.

Theres other polishing combo's out there. Im running OP cause i have shitloads of it still left from when i bought everything (3 or so years ago!)

 

[gt03mustang]

Get more pads, like minimum of 3 orange, 3 white. Might want to get a bottle of Optimum Compound as well. Id skip on the other colors unless they are included, anything past white is pretty useless, and if you are using a pad that soft, you might as well just be applying or doing whatever you are attempting to do by hand. I say 3 pads because they get very soft very quick when doing paint correction, and once a pad loses its firmness, it loses its ability to cut. Youll wonder why halfway through a detail you are getting swirls still, its cause the pad has broken down.

First try the Polish with an Orange pad. If its not enough to get all the imperfections out, go with the Compound. You always want to use the least amount of cut possible to get the results you want, as starting out with OP Compound and an Orange pad may not be necessary, so its always good to test in one area how many steps you need to do.

If you use the Compound, follow up with the Polish on a orange pad as well, but you might not need to work it as much. You can use the White pad in this step too, but IMO you arent doing much.

I like to use a white pad on 4k with Optimum Poly-Seal after the polishing step. I work it over quickly and then hand wipe away with a nice clean microfiber, most of it evaporates though.

I then apply 2 coats of Natty's Paste Wax (red or blue, depends on my mood) using a microfiber applicator pad. I do the entire car very quickly, and then wipe off, and repeat.

Theres other polishing combo's out there. Im running OP cause i have shitloads of it still left from when i bought everything (3 or so years ago!)

You left out the jeweling process...

 

[Finaltheorem47]

I say 3 pads because they get very soft very quick when doing paint correction, and once a pad loses its firmness, it loses its ability to cut. Youll wonder why halfway through a detail you are getting swirls still, its cause the pad has broken down.

I disagree with this, but agree with the rest. You're probably getting the pads caked up.


I know you already decided to do it yourself, but the reason why I started detailing is because of the satisfaction you get from making your car look so good... and its your car.. you didn't pay someone else to do it, you did it.

 

[V-Sicks]

Before my cars are delivered to my customers, they get a IPA wipedown to ensure that there is no filling whatsoever. Then i show the customer the car under halogen lights to ensure that there are no defects left.

 

[thomas91169]

I disagree with this, but agree with the rest. You're probably getting the pads caked up.

wouldnt doubt it. Id think i was using too much product, except that im still on the same bottles of OP Compound, Polish and Seal from 3 years back. Maybe the product is old?

 

[Vae_Victus]

Thanks again you guys.

Finaltheorem47...your car looks super f#$%ing clean!

 

[hand-to-ball]

Hey everyone,

Well I have a slight dilemma. I don't know whether to take my car to a pro and have it fully detailed or to tackle it myself and do it all from scratch. My concerns are the cost of buying everything that I would need since i don't have anything but a wash bucket and whatever i use to wash my car. Another problem is that my car is black (04 cobra) and I have minor swirl marks that i want GONE ASAP! I have never use a PC but know how to clay and wax by hand....tho i am quite the newb still. lol
I have many questions and was hoping you guys can help me out:

How often do you polish (using PC) your car?
How long does it take to fully detail a car (including minor paint corrections)?
Once I have successfully removed all swirl marks...what is the best way to prevent them from reoccurriing?
What is the difference between Cleaner Wax and Carnuaba Wax? (told u i was a newb lol)

To be honest I find it overwhelming when I read the posts on here about all these different compounds, sealants, glazes, waxes, pads etc etc...there is just sooooooo much to learn that I'm not sure I can dedicate that kind of time and effort to learn it all. I love washing my car and detailing it myself but only when I am confident I wont damage the car or its surface. Sometimes I think its just easier and SAFER to just pay a local detailer $250 to remove whatever swirls and imperfections I have and then just maintain the car myself till it needs another polishing/buffing job. I assume once a car is detailed it should remain swirl free for at least a year...that is with good maintenance and washing/claying/waxing every few months.

Sorry guys i know its a long read but any help and/or advice is most appreciated.


Vae Victus

If you've never used a PC, take it to a pro, and learn the CORRECT way to hand wash your car - two bucket method, grit guard bucket, leaf blower and microfibers. It'll be far cheaper and easier than buying all the products you'll need (which will cost you over $200).