I really don't have time to clay, paint cleanse, and polish my own car. Family life will do that to you. Anyone in the Western Suburbs of Chicago know of a good detail shop that actually understands the detail process. I don't want to end up at a full service car wash that has high school kids handling buffing wheel and no clue. Also, anything in particular I should ask a detailer about his process? Thanks in advance.

 

Well, like they say - "The proof of the pudding is in the eating".

Ask to see some of the finished cars coming out of the shop. You should be able to get a feel for how much attention they pay to the details, and you can look for things like uncorrected swirl marks/defects, or buffer holograms added during the polishing (although I would hope that they would be using orbital buffers and not rotary buffers for anything other than serious defect removal).

 

Don't ask them how much it costs for clay/polish/wax. Instead, have them look at your car and describe to you what they think needs to be done. If they can't be specific, look for someone else.

 

+1 this is a great way to get a feel for your new detailer. make sure you look over his work coming out of the shop as well.

 

+2

 

Try these guys. I spoke to them and they seem to know what they're doing(albeit I've worked with them personally)

http://www.jandjcarwash.com/premium_...on_package.htm

 

Don't trust any professional detailer who doesn't offer the option of having your car polished with a r/o buffer. If they only offer hand polishing (or only washing/clay barring/waxing and skip the polishing step altogether), they're not a real pro. Move on.

 

It should be clarified that there are mobile car wash professionals and mobile detailers and mobile paint polishers.

Most car wash guys do just that...they wash your car and use a liquid wax and are done. They generally work by hand though some use an orbital buffer (Craftsman type). These guys charge $35-$100

Mobile detailers usually wash the car and use a machine buffer to apply a wax to mask defects. Speed is their priority. Many will use a rotary buffer and almost none will have a R/O (Random Orbital) in their tool set--the polisher is too slow for their production level jobs. These guys charge $65-$250 (depending on the market)

Mobile paint polishers are more rare but can be found on enthusiast detailer websites. Depending on their experience and whether they are working from their garage or out of a shop, might charge anywhere from (Free..will work for beers..to $1,500). They are full service and do interior and exterior though some specialize. They will do whatever it takes to make the paint look it's best. However, the skill level varies widely. Most know how to use a R/O but not a rotary. Those that do know how to use a rotary, may not take precautions to ensure your paint lasts for the longterm.

I think the posts so far have been very good. I would also ask the potential detailer these questions. The specific answers may not be relevant to the actual detail, but they will give you feedback on their thinking process:

What products do you use and why?
What do you think about the 2 bucket wash method?
Will you leave white residue on my trim or in the cracks? What will you do to prevent that from happening?
Will you conceal swirls in my paint or remove them? Why?
What LSP will you use? What's the difference between Carnauba and Synthetic Polymer waxes?
Do I have a choice between them???

One of the first questions I ask a potential customer (going the other way--where I interview the customer--him not interviewing me) is..how is the car maintained and where does it live most of the time?

A car that lives outdoors requires a different polishing/maintenance system than on that is a garage queen. A car that is washed at a the local car wash also means to me that this owner doesn't care about his paint. If the owner is going to wash the car himself, I'll ask him to show me his process. Most of the time they will say they know how to use the two bucket method, but I will find flaws in their process, and I will point it out.

Another thing I ask the customer is about their expectations. Most customers expectations are far lower than my own. I want to know if they can see or care about the things I do. If they don't, I might educate them a bit, and if they still don't care..then I know what to charge---basically a wash, clay and wax, with maybe some light polishing.

Richard

 

Good points, Richard.

Although I'll just add.... doing a full detail on your car without using a machine polisher is pretty much like kissing your sister.

WTF is the point ??

 

Depends on what your sister looks like. Duh.

 

 

Growing up in North Carolina, I know about the finer but oft misunderstood aspects of incest.

 

do tell us Blimey

 

Sounds like great advice! You are a true professional. Some questions:

- What method or products am I listening for to remove swirls and what am I to watch out for?
- What is an LSP?
- How does a car owner decide which wax is best for their situation?

 

I don't always agree that a person that uses a carwash doesn't care about their paint. I live in Chicago, which makes it difficult to wash your own car for at least 6 months of the year. I would rather get that road salt off of my car in a car wash that has a good undercarriage wash, than let it sit on my car for months on end. Sometimes the sludge gets so bad that you can't even see out of your windows, and it is too cold for even a self service wash. Not all of us live in an area that is conducive to hand washing all year round. I lived in San Diego for many years and never used a car wash, but now my choices are limited.

My goal here it to try and restore the damage that winter and the use of a car wash has done to my car in the Spring when weather permits. I enjoy my car and want to do the best that is possible in my particular situation. I'm driving the car not f!#$ing it.

 

in the context that does come off a little harsh from richard. but i know what Richard is trying to say. for you i would recommend an Epic or other synthetic wax because it will hold up better. i try tyo get in a few waxes right at the end of the season to get it through the winter. in my area we get a good amount of snow and more salt then we need. but when it is in the single digits there's really no chance of doing it myself so i use the touchless style car wash. focus on the better points richard mentioned such as

What products do you use and why?
What do you think about the 2 bucket wash method?
Will you leave white residue on my trim or in the cracks? What will you do to prevent that from happening?
Will you conceal swirls in my paint or remove them? Why?
What LSP will you use? What's the difference between Carnauba and Synthetic Polymer waxes?
Do I have a choice between them???

that will help.

good luck.

 

Is this a good time to ask what the 2 bucket wash method is? I am new to this but as I mentioned previously have always washed by hand when weather permitted. I did change water in wash bucket frequently and never used same materials for wheels and tires. I feel like I am missing something here though.

 

You have one bucket filled with your normal wash water...and another with just rinse water. Use the rinse bucket to rinse out your dirty mitt each time before picking up more soapy water out of the wash bucket. This lowers your chances of dirt making it back onto your paint as you wash.

 

To add to Melissa's post, when you're prepping your "soap" bucket, don't pour the soap in the bottom of the bucket and then blast it with the garden hose. Suds are *not* your friend when it comes to washing your car, because it's easy for dirt particles to become suspended in the suds, rather than dropping down to the bottom of the bucket. (This is less of a problem with the two-bucket method, since most of the dirt should end up in the rinse bucket, but dirt can still find its way back to the soap bucket, and when it does, you want it to settle to the bottom.)

Just fill the soap bucket with water, then add the soap and swirl it around gently until it's mixed up.

 

And get a couple of Grit Guards for your buckets.

 

Here is my 2 bucket wash cart, with built-in wash mitt holder, locking wheels, rot-proof construction/materials, low center of gravity helps in high speed turns, red corner bumpers for high visibility, imperial/metric measure buckets.

I do use this rig to around freezing, for full washes, but just use a coin-op wash to rinse when colder.

Mark

 

You guys aren't reading my post in its entirety. There was nothing harsh about what I said. Read the sentence before this.

"One of the first questions I ask a potential customer (going the other way--where I interview the customer--him not interviewing me) is..how is the car maintained and where does it live most of the time?"

Detailers are regional. I live in SoCal and have to interview customers who live in this region where salt and snow are not concerns, so obviously the questions and assumptions I make are relevant to the region.

I was sharing some tips based on what I've learned having talked to hundreds of customers in my area, that may be of use as a consumer seeking out a detailer in your area.

I wasn't implying you were one of these customers..that wouldn't make sense in the context of this thread. If you thought that, then I apologize, but here in SoCal, we have options--we can either wash our cars, or let someone else wash it. You should see what the cars look like that are washed by others..they are a total wreck and the time and effort required to restore them is greater than one that is hand washed by the owner.

For your part of the country, your options are limited--you do what you can during the winter. Obviously this advice does not apply to you or your situation.

Richard

 

Richard's advice is good, and we're lucky to have it I learned to detail from listening to Richard, and others, while I lived where winter lasted 5+ months, dirt roads, and a LONG way from any kind of true detailers.

I've used lots of products, but have always tried to use Richards main techniques. They work

Mark

 

Bottom line, this is a forum full of detailers, with lots of detailing advice to give. Take it all in, and make sure to let things cool down if you do decide to f*%k your MINI

Mark

 

Good one, I'll keep it in mind when the time comes.