*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

july was the last time i put mother's cleaner wax with carnuba on it

i'll wash it, clay it, then dry, seal, and wax.

 

Just be sure to treat it fully as a business rather than a hobby. Know and track all of your costs, including appropriate insurance. Be extremely cautious in taking on any debt to get started, it'll be a big weight around your neck especially early-on while building a customer base. Remember that your greatest limiting factor is your available time. However much fun it is to start, if you have to work 80 hours a week to make ends meet that's going to get really old really quick.

Figure out who your customers are, what they want, what makes them happy, and what pisses them off. Figure out where those people go looking for a detailer when they need one and get yourself there. Figure out why they should call you instead of the next guy down the street; what do you offer that's different from the other guy? What will get them to try you? What will get them to come back? What will get them to refer you to their friends and coworkers? In a nutshell - what makes you stand out from all the other guys doing the same thing?

Competing on price is tough if the other guys don't understand their cost structure and aren't pricing themselves to keep afloat; and when one goes out of business another hopeful steps in and also prices themselves right into failure. Wash, rinse, repeat. There will always be a line of low-ballers coming into the market when the barriers to entry are pretty low.

I don't mean the above to be discouraging; I applaud your entrepreneurial spirit and wish you the best success. I raise the above points because they tend to be what separates the successful small service businesses from the unsuccessful ones.

 

Not really a wax, but Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax doesn't stain plastics. I actually get it on my plastics intentionally, it makes them look better.

Meguiar's G18216 Ultimate Liquid Wax, 16 Fluid Ounces, 1 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HCM9H...olid=3JJ25TKF5MDC6&coliid=I2PT5QCI75K1L1&th=1

 

Those are some well chosen words my friend. Thank you Gpb.

i have spent several months listening to every source i can find, and taking the valid points, and some of the lesser known facts of detailing... more critically Mobile Detailing, which is going to help set me apart from others locally, and i have a target market that i feel will be very strong with excellent selling experience, and a dedication to provide great service.

That is really why i want to do this... you have to have a drive for a business for it to be something great, and i have a passion for serving people, and for anything with a motor in it or on it, and i am putting those two together.


You are correct, time is my limiting factor. I currently work 4 10's at the college, and 1 or 2 ambulance shifts a month, so really having a schedule to make the most out of mobile detailing is my first step, and flexibility. When someone asks for a detail, they dont want to wait 2 or 3 weeks, they are looking at, or sitting in the dirty vehicle, and want it cleaned ASAP.

Now, tell me if i am way off on this, but due to my time constraints, i am looking at building a customer base, and really looking to provide for those customers over time with maintenance washes/ detailing, so i can fill my time, and keep steady, without having to cut from another area of life..

I am looking at making some changes in the spring/ summer, but if the business started to grow, i would have to hire a great service technician, and just manage/ go out on a few details to keep up with my close clients, or to do the harder/ more involved jobs.

Just food for thought i guess.

Well, i got some more reading to do here, and some more numbers to crunch. I have researched my market and feel pretty confident in my pricing. I will probably post up more on here for input and specifics from those of you much more experienced than I.

Best,
Mark

 

Can someone recommend a safe product to use to clean and protect the matte finish on these wheels. I just got these as a replacement set because Costco scratched the originals up and I want to take care of these from the start.

On my first set of wheels, in just two years, it seemed like the black paint or powder coat was starting to fade or turn grayish. I don't think I used anything too harsh. Right now I have Sonax Full Effect that says its acid free and safe for all finishes. I welcome your suggestions.

Thanks,
Rob

 

Two bucket wash FTW...

 

What are you protecting the wheels with?

 

I just got these replacements. So nothing. On the old set I occasionally used CarPro Reload when drying. Not sure if that's really effective on matte.

 

There are a few matte protectants out there. The main thing is to keep them sealed.

 

Any recommendations? Just a paint sealant like the Reload? Thanks!

 

I would think Reload would be fine. I would probably try to coat once a month. Not sure how well Reload holds up to hear that your wheels are going to see.

 

Cleaned the ever living piss out of it.





Washed the frame, then the engine bay, then the bed, then the wheels and tires using my new Adams Polishes tools, switched out my bucket and cleaning tools, washed the body and door jams. Then dried it all and washed the bed mat. Left it sit over night to dry out. The next morning, pulled the wheels to wax them and fluid filmed the frame. Then rotated the tires when reinstalling. Then clay bar'd with Meguiar's clay bar kit. Paint sealed with Adams Polishes paint sealer then Waxed with their Americana wax. Then added tire shine with their new Tire shine. Finally, I touched up my plastics with Mother's Back to Black.

All in all, about 15 hrs. But a true labor of love for this silly truckster.


Initial impressions:

Adams Polishes Tire Shine- It is a very wet look, i love the look. Takes forever to dry and when you think it is dry, it still flings. You absolutely have to blend it with a sponge or it'll just lay on the tire where you sprayed it.

Adams Polishes Tire Brush- its a tire brush. it does its job but is surprisingly soft and shouldn't hurt your wheels unless you really grind on them, but we all know better. It was a great replacement to my old one from the old parts store.

Adams Polishes Wheel whoolie- excellent product. love it. wish i had one 10 years ago. If you have 17s or bigger on your tacoma, you need this tool to clean the inside of your wheels. 16s would be slightly more difficult in the front, you wouldn't be able to get all of the wheel because of the caliper and dust shield...in the rear you would be fine, plenty of room around the drums. Only annoyance is that you cannot get the very last little rear edge with it (where your inside clamp on wheel weights would go if you have them)

Adams Polishes Paint Sealant- Extremely rewarding shine. Its easy to apply but rough to get off. I used one towel to take the brunt of it off and a follow up towel to catch all the pesky streaks. I've never had paint this smooth.

Adams Polishes Americana Wax- I am in love with this wax already. It takes a lot of it to do a panel but man does it work. It goes on evenly and comes off just as evenly. No residues. No stained plastics. No mess. I am hooked. Cannot wait to try it again.

Adams Polishes Double soft Microfiber Towels- This is the absolute best microfiber towel i have ever used in my life. It is insanely good. But i'm glad they sent me two....i needed the second one after about 2/3rds of the wax was removed from the truck. I continued using the first one and saved the clean one for final detail and wipe down. Worked very well.

Their applicators are nice too, they seem like they'll last through dozens of detailing jobs without question.

 

The blue "pops" so much more in the light with this kind of protection on the paint... too bad all my pictures were gloom and doom because of overcast today

 

Last one, went out to get my cabin air filter from the truck to clean it just before dark...it had rained and i figured i'd see how the water beading does. had to go back in and get my camera!


I opened the hood and most of the water just cascaded right off!

 

You are using too much Tire Shine. I had same problem at first and good not get it to dry.

Curious why having to use so much Americana? A little seems to go a long way for me.

 

It just felt like i had to use a lot of it. I have no idea how long the tub of wax is going to last.


Well, the first sprayer they sent me was spraying way to much and was spraying it out sideways in globs. So i did what I could. I could've blended it better but my cheapo tire shine sponge ripped in half on the 3rd tire....so i was just rushing to get finished. I've since thrown that bottle sprayer away and replaced it. Much better.

It doesn't help that the tires are so aggressive, i knew exactly what i was in for.

But my comments about the tire shine trying time are justified because the bottle says "two hours." Which i think is crazy. Never have i used tireshine that didn't dry in at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Plus i like that super "wet" look. Curious to see how long it lasts.

 

Pretty sure you wash it after claybar as well( before and after) i usualy do

 

I wet the panel, clay it, then wet it some more before i towel it off and go to the next panel