First REAL detail job

[Lydia]

My boss came in today and asked me if I knew of a good detailer in the area because she wanted to get her husband's car detailed for Christmas. I wasn't sure if she was pulling my leg since I had told her once that I was wanting to start a detailing business. So I told her I could detail it. She said she wanted it deep cleaned, carpet shampoed and all. Anyways, after we talked a little, I went out and looked at the car. It is a black Grand Prix 4 door. I think it's probably in the 2000-2004 year range. It's really dirty, but through the dirt I didn't see many swirls. Who knows what the paint condition will be underneath the dirt. Anyways, I'm really excited about this since it is my first detail outside of close friend's/family member's cars. So I was wondering if any of y'all had ever worked on a black Grand Prix and had any tips? Also, I was planning on using #80 or #83 (with the G100) to remove the swirls, and then topping with NXT. Is there some kind of polish I could use before the NXT to make the black appear deeper? The only polish I have is DC#2, but I don't mind buying another kind of polish (I've been wanting to for a while anyways...I just didn't know what kind to get). Also, the seats are leather with those little holes in them. I've heard of people getting the holes clogged with what ever leather treatment they use, but if I remember correctly, as long as I use a small enough amount of product I shouldn't have any problem, right?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

[BlueZero]

Re: First REAL detail job

Cool! Congratulations!

On my truck (black) I've used DC#2 and #7. Both seem to do the same thing. Also if you are going to be using #80 that has polish in it anyway, so there might not be much of a benefit if any of applying a separate polish. On the leather just make sure to apply the product to the pad and not to the seat. And don't put too much on. I like to work the product into the pad on parts of the seat without holes before I work over the holes.

Hope that helps and good luck!

[BlueTooth]

Re: First REAL detail job

for the polish Ive heard great stuff about #7 especially for black/ dark colored cars, and good luck on the detail, this should really help u start ur own business

[SVT Lightning]

Re: First REAL detail job

Congrats Lydia! You must be excited. Anyway....the DC2 is a great product and easy to use with the PC. I don't know if you would notice much difference since you will be using the #80s but what the heck. It sure can't hurt can it! Once you have used up your DC2 you could give the #7 a try if you want to go for that little extra "pop". Have fun and try to post some before and after pics if you can.

[Setec Astronomy]

Re: First REAL detail job

If it were me, I would skip the DC2 or other pure polish, and go with #83 followed by #80. If it's really not too bad, you could just use #80...but I doubt it's really that good. I usually have pretty good luck with #83 finishing down, but on black it would be safer to follow with #80. Then just top with your fave LSP.

[Jorge Sanchez]

Re: First REAL detail job

If you're going to deal with perforated seats try using spray/ liquid leather cleaners that way we don't clog up the holes.

[TH0001]

Re: First REAL detail job

Agreed with others, if your using #80, there is no reason to follow down with a pure polish. #7 is a higher quality (or in Mike's words, is richer in polishing oils) polish then DC2. #80 features the same polishing oils as #7, so there PROBABLY wouldn't be a benefit to using a polish on top of #80.

When you get the surface prepped and cleaned (swirl busted in otherwords) test a small section with a pure polish and see if you notice a difference.

Make sure you are charging enough for your services, don't be shy sense its your first time, trust me. I would be in the neighbor hood of 220-300 (maybe more with interior) so don't be shy.

[Lydia]

Re: First REAL detail job

Thanks so much for everything, y'all!!

Yes I am very excited about it. I'm also a little nervous too. I hope I can do a good enough job.

I think I'll just stick with using #80 without a polish since the same polishing oils are in #80 as #7, and #7 is richer in polishing oils than DC#2.

Do y'all think I might need #82? I know someone (I can't remember who) posted in another thread when I was trying to decide what to get with my $100 gift certificate, and that person said I might want to consider #82 because he has to use it to eliminate the hazing from #80 on his black Grand Prix.

What kind of leather cleaner would y'all suggest I use? I have the consumer line leather cleaner conditioner, but if need be I can get a different kind.

Also, what wax do y'all think would work better, NXT or #26? I was in NAPA the other day looking for clay, and I saw a bottle of #26. I decided to buy it, but they couldn't get the code to work so they just gave it to me for free. Gotta love it. Anyways, I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, so I don't know how it compares to NXT. Which would y'all recomend, keeping in mind it's a black car?

I'm not charging her enough at all, but she is a great boss and I'm more hoping to get referals from this job. Besides I didn't have the guts to ask for much. I actually asked her for $50 but she said she'd pay $75. Although come to think of it, if I do happen to get referals (may be just wishful thinking!) they will probably want the same rate. Crud. Oh well I'll cross that bridge when (and if!) I get to it.

Thanks again for all the help!

[gorin002]

Re: First REAL detail job

may i wish you succses make some pictuers of the grand prix

[TH0001]

Re: First REAL detail job

#82 (or #9) on a 9006 pad will remove any hazing that #80 could leave behind. The only paint I have every had haze though was my motorcycle. I usually use a rotary which breaks the polish down better, so I almost never get any hazing and usually end with 83!

My advice for the #82 would be to use it ONLY if you get micromarring from #80, and if you get micromarring from #80 I would first try to repolish the area and work it longer, making sure that the abrasives are fully broken in first.

#82 is a great product, but my opinion (and mine only) is that #80 is better in almost all regards. The oils are higher quality (the #7 oils) in #80 so you get a darker, deeper finish. Again, this is my opinion, as I know many people who perfer the look of #82 over #80.

Test a section, and see if there is marring, then consider stepping down. I have also stated using #9 and am finding that I like the way it breaks down better then #82 also.

Goodluck and let us know how it turns out!!!!

[Lydia]

Re: First REAL detail job

Well, I did the car Friday. In a way it turned out well, in a way it didn't. Firstly, I didn't have as much time as I wanted. I had from 9:30-4:30. Second, she wanted me to focus MAINLY on the interior. So after using #40 on the vinyl dash, vinyl parts on the doors; using the consumer line leather cleaner/conditioner and sometimes APC+ on the leather seats; vacuuming the carpet; cleaning the rugs in the bathtub (with GC car wash and a brush...it worked great); and cleaning the door jambs with QD, it was 1:30! I think I was being a little obsessive in the interior, but her husband is a salesman so he is in the interior a lot. Besides, that's what she wanted me to concentrate on. I could have probably spent a little less time in the interior, and she would still have been happy. Oh well.

As for the exterior, it was FILTHY so I washed it twice with GC car wash, then dried it. I also used GC car wash for the wheel and tires (I seem to get better results just washing wheels with car wash solution and a wash mitt set aside for the purpose, than when I use actual wheel cleaner). Since I had so little time, I didn't even use the PC at all. That was a major dissappointment, since the paint was rather swirly, and I think I could have made it look much better with a few passes with #80. Oh well, that's how it goes. Next time I'll know I need more time. Anyways, after washing and drying, I clayed a section of the hood, and it really needed it but I realized I didn't have time to clay it. So I put a coat of NXT on the hood (I was tired and wasn't thinking straight) then on the rest of the car I put a coat of Cleaner Wax. I put Endurance High Gloss Gel on the tires, and wiped it off after about 10 minutes to prevent sling. I put #40 on the wiper cowling because it looked really bad (thanks Al!!), and my sister (she happened to be over at my house and wanted to help me get done in time) used ScratchX on the mirrors. My sister and I used QD on the windows inside and out (they are tinted and I didn't think Windex should be used on tinted windows...I don't have any Meg's glass cleaner). Oh and my Dad and sister used QD a little bit on the engine. I didn't have time to do a full engine detail either.

The front bumper had very bad etching from love bug guts (they had eaten all the way through the paint), and the hood had some kind of white flecks on it. I'm sure clay would have gotten off the white flecks, but I didn't have time. So the car wasn't perfect, but it looked wayyy better than when I started.

When I drove it over there, my boss came out to see it and she was very happy with it. I wasn't sure if she was just being nice, but I talked to my friend (who also works there) yesterday, and she said my boss was really happy with it. My friend had told my boss it looks great, and while they were talking about it (my boss was laughing at me because I'd apologized about how I couldn't do anything to make the front bumper look better) another person who works there walked up and told my boss "Your car looks great!" Also, today when I called work, my boss said her husband was very happy with it, and he didn't drive it today because there was a chance of rain and he didn't want it to get dirty. LOL. Although her husband (he happened to be at her work) said to me "The engine still needs to be done!". I'd already told my boss I hadn't had time for the engine, but sometime if she drove her husbands car to work, I could do the engine since there is a hose hook-up there. Also she said I had a lifetime client.

Give yourself a pat on the back if you got all the way through this. Sorry for such a long post, but I was kind of excited (and dissappointed) about how it turned out. I wasn't happy with it, but my boss was so I guess it was a success in a way. If she does get me to detail it again, I should be able to spend less time on the interior, and spend more time on the exterior.

Also, I detailed a black Gold Wing Saturday night (rather spur of the moment....it needed to be done right away). I only had about 2 hours, so with the help of my other sister, I washed it with GC, dried it with an air compressor and towels (it was at my friend's house and I didn't have any of my towels or MFs because they were all still dirty from doing the Grand Prix...I had to run to Walmart and buy some MFs), used ScratchX and then NXT on the mirrors and front of it, than, due to lack of time, used ColorX on the rest of it. For the chrome I used NXT All Metal Polysh. I'm hoping I will get another chance (and more time!) to do the Gold Wing, because it's a beautiful bike, but it's got some pretty bad swirls and water spots. It still turned out looking nice, though. This was just a favor for a friend, although they did offer to pay me. A few of my friends asked me how much I would charge to detail their motorcycles once they saw the job I did on the Gold Wing. Also, one guy told me he wants me to detail his Camaro before he sells it in a few months.

[TH0001]

Re: First REAL detail job

CONGRATS

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: First REAL detail job

way to go Lydia! congratulations

[gorin002]

Re: First REAL detail job

way to go Lydia! congratulations

me to

[veedub Mike]

Re: First REAL detail job

Give yourself a pat on the back if you got all the way through this. Sorry for such a long post, but I was kind of excited (and dissappointed) about how it turned out.

It was a pleasure to read through your write-up.
And don't worry or even be disappointed.... running out of time because of spending a little too much time here and there is a problem that all of us went through while doing complete detail jobs for the first time.
I guess even the most seasoned pro's could sing you a song about that.