NXT Tech Institute - Saturday March 19th

[Kevin Brown]

NXTti [color=dark-blue]is getting close![/color]

The test panels and hoods have gone to the paint shop (Thanks Bob Davidson @ Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA)...

Jason Rose (of Meguiar's) and I have been running up the phone bill...

Mark Willie (of Mirka Abrasives) and I are meeting tomorrow to discuss the kits and NXTti specifics...

I'm starting to make lists of things to do.

For those of you that are calling but not reaching me, leave a message with your name and phone number! I want to talk to you. Those of you considering NXTti, there is still room. I'd like to firm up the list of students soon. If you've mentioned that you'd like to attend, now is the time to confirm your reservation.
Ill be posting a little about the instructors , but I'm stealing the Jason Rose and Mark Willie info from the previous NXTti's forum. Cool?

[KenL_BayAreaM5s]

Hey Kevin:

I'll try you via phone later this evening, as I'm still planning to come down with another local detailing fanatic. I also have another person that is potentially interested in attending from the Bay Area. We can discuss this later on the phone.

I'll also dig up some things from the past to bring along and share with you as well. It seems as though we have similar interests in cars or perhaps those that we have enjoyed working with over the years.

BTW, I hope there will be an available garden hose nearby since I'll likely be driving one of the M5's down rather than flying by air. If this is the case I'll surely have a nice assortment of 140mph bugs embedded into the front end of the car. ;-)

I'd offer Jeff a ride down but he'd likely be yelling "slow down" I'm feeling air sickness coming on. ;-)

Regards,

Ken Little

[Kevin Brown]

I look forward to hearing from you! And 65... Stay alive.

[AMDin93103]

Originally posted by KenL_BayAreaM5s
If this is the case I'll surely have a nice assortment of 140mph bugs embedded into the front end of the car. ;-). . . Ken Little

Do not. . I repeat. . Do not speed through Kings County. They work the road with airplanes, double patrol cars and speed traps all over. I have seen one unit pull over three motorist at once. Everyone I know that enjoys driving has at least one ticket in that area.

. . . and I am looking forward to meeting you. In what part of the bay area do you reside? I lived in Lafayette most recently and was raised in Walnut Creek not so recently.

Kevin: I just emailed you and dropped about 10 questions. If you answer them all correctly I will be there next weekend. I have a few panels (two black SS and a maroon CC) in my garage if you all could find them useful? Hopefully get to speak with you tomorrow?!

Yay, my first post.

[Kevin Brown]

Re: "Kevin: I just emailed you and dropped about 10 questions. If you answer them all correctly I will be there next weekend..."

Man what pressure! Well, I tried... I just sent you an e-mail. This is getting exciting...

[Kevin Brown]

Instructor Info...

NXTti is gathering steam! We're getting more calls and inquiries. Here's a little info about the Instructors.

Kevin Brown's Guide to NXTti Instructors

JASON ROSE
Jason Rose is a secret weapon.
Watch out for this guy. He's a proficient detailer, a stellar rep for Meguiar's, and delivers a knockout sales training (He proved this at the Inaugural NXTti). His specialty is problem solving. You'll be hard pressed to stump him regarding paint care issues. Take it from me as a distributor and dealer of Meguiar's products- Jason is a guy you NEED on your team. You will not meet a better person, nor a finer Industry Representative than Jason... I have tried! Should you decide to attend NXTti Sylmar, be forewarned...
If you're not careful around this man, you could really learn something!


MARK WILLIE
Mark Willie is an international type of guy. As a sales rep for Mirka Abrasives he's trained people in Finland, Mexico, and many other exotic locations (and you thought only movie stars lived such a magical life!).
In years past, Mark has been an integral part of our Meguiar's Booth at the Goodguy's West Coast Nationals. Mark is cool under pressure, and understands that most enthusiasts are very nervous wetsanding for the first time. We've invited him to NXTti Sylmar to calm your fears.
Together, Mark and I have sold well over 100 Mirka Fast Finish Kits, not to mention a countless amount of Meguiar's cleaners, polishes, and waxes. Mark has always been available to answer follow-up questions, and he'll be available to you, too. Mark couldn't make it to the Inaugural NXTti, but he WILL BE IN SYLMAR- Fantastic!
Mark Willie? Or won't he? That is the question. For the answer, come to NXTti Sylmar!


JEFF BROWN
Jeff Brown is famous. In Northern California, that is. Everybody up there knows him by first name. That's because Jeff has taught hundreds of seminars, worked dozens of shows, and helped thousands of enthusiasts (the Meguiar's way). Jeff has been a permanent fixture in our booth at the West Coast Nats. He always bails us out when we're in a crunch. I appreciate that! Another plus is this: Jeff is talented. He even learned to buff and polish cars from the best in the business- Barry Meguiar! But let's keep that between us... I'm not supposed to tell.
question: "Will Jeff be at NXTti Sylmar?" answer: YES HE WILL!

more to follow...

[RDVT4ME]

I was very impressed with the quality of the instructors when I attended the first NXTti. These quys are top quality!

Kevin, I assume you will be there instructing also. For you guys who don't know Kevin Brown....well he is extremely helpful and patient. He represents Meguiars very well. I want to thank Kevin for all the help he has given to me. Thanks Kevin!

[Kevin Brown]

Bob-

YES! I will be instructing in Sylmar. I appreciate the kind words. Hopefully we'll see each other at a future Meguiar's soon. Are you attending the Meguiar's Awards?

Bob, what have you done with the knowledge you've obtained at the Inaugural NXTti? Tell us how the training helped you!

To all the other NXTti graduates... If you haven't yet posted a few words about your experience after NXTti, I'm sure other MOL members would like to know.

I believe that NXTti is an amazing opportunity for beginners and seasoned car care enthusiasts. What do y'all think?

[Jason Rose]

Rod Kraft, NXTti Instructor

As Chief Instructor for NXTti, I know all the instructors quite well. They have been carefully selected to add value to this course, provide the absolute best learning experience possible, and to share their vast skills/experience.

Kevin Brown - Known in his community...and the ever expanding detail community...as a very...very...high quality detailer. He is as meticulous as can be. You can always tell a good detailer by listening to their customers. Kevin's customers "refuse to use anyone else", know that "he is the one to go to if you want it done right." He has years of experience...and eager to share the knowledge with others. He has also developed into a Meguiar's distributor that presents our products & techniques at car shows better than anyone I know! Second to none. When I need to collaborate with a professional detailer to develop a new product or system...I call Kevin first. His experience, skill set, and interests make him a perfect NXTti Instructor. (He lets me have the lime light...but this whole NXTti thing...was his idea. So, be sure to thank him when you see him on March 19th.)

Rod Kraft - Is a Meguiar's Sales Manager in the Northeast. He also has a background in detailing. We have lost count of how many training courses Rodney has conducted. He is a training machine! Which is why it was so easy to select him as an NXTti Instructor. You will find him to be extremely knowledgable and articulate, with a great speaking style. His contribution to this March 19th course will be invaluable to us...and to you! Rod will also have the added honor (stress) of extending the NXTti program to the Northeast region of the country. So give him several months to a year to develop his program...and we will have a Chief Instructor in the East!

So this, with Kevin's comments about myself, Jeff, and Mark...you know a little more about the NXTti Instructors for March 19th.

Looking forward to working with you that day.
Jason "Waxman" Rose
Senior Area Sales Manager
Meguiar's, Inc.

[RDVT4ME]

Kevin

No, I won't be at the Meguiars Awards.....that day is my wife's birthday.

As far as using my newly acquired skills. Well, one of my Corvette buddies had a pretty significant scratch on his new C6 from another car hitting him....he called on me to fix it. The rotary skill you taught me fixed his vette. He also owns an SL500 which received some water spots when it was at the dealer for a week. I'm working on it tonight. He asked me to come over and work "my magic" on his SL. Doing a neighbors CTS this weekend.

I am much more comfortable about using the rotary because of the training. I also learned a good methodical approach when analyzing problems and finding the proper solution.

A lot us us just want to grab the rotary and go to work.....not always the best solution. The NXTti training gave us a tool box of tools (ie, skills) and the knowledge to use them properly.

Another great asset that Meguiars makes available is Mike Phillips. I can't say enough about how well he shares is knowledge with us. Mike's Saturday seminars have done wonders for the car hobby!

[Kevin Brown]

Wow, Bob-

Do you realize how 'car crazy' you are? Your friends probalbly call you, 'The Magic Man'.
I'm impressed that you're doing such high-end repairs! The cars you listed can be challenging, even for an experienced bloke like me. You should be proud that you're tackling such high-end rides... Good for you!

Yes, Mike Phillips is a treasure for us. As I stated before, "You will be BLOWN AWAY by the 'Encyclopedia of Car Care Knowledge Formerly Known as Mike'!"

[RDVT4ME]

Thanks Kevin!

I never thought I would be taking a rotary to a $100,000 car.

Just got back from working on the SL500 (it's a red one). It took the rotary, #83 and a polishing pad to remove the water marks. Used a cutting pad with #83 to remove some scratches too. Followed up with #80 using the PC and then some NXT. Turned out pretty well. I was surprised at how hard the paint was. There were some area's that I could not get to with the power tools, ScratchX by hand with a terry cloth did the job in the hard to get to areas.

Kevin, any suggestions of better ways to attack this are always appreciated.

btw, prior to using the rotary on the SL, I tried clay, then some mppc by hand, then some #83 with the pc. None of those things got rid of the water marks. I finally then went to the rotary. Following Meguiars motto to use the least aggressive solution to accomplish the task.

[Kevin Brown]

Bob-

If you are satisfied with the areas you had to hand rub, leave it alone. If not, I would have to guess that some residue remains (calcium and/or magnesium). So, you can either use a mild acid, or jump up to M85 Diamond Cut 2.0. The acid eats the rough edges off the attatched calcium and magnesium (or simply dissolves it). I know that seems harsh, but it's not.
As you may already know, M85 is a very LOW scouring/quick cutting compound. Personally, I have yet to see it scour a painted surface (leave scuffy scratch marks). I've used it many times by hand, and have tremendous confidence in its abilities. Since you've followed the Meguiar's credo, 'Start with the least aggressive method', I think M85 is the way to go.

Give me a little more info on what you're seeing on the surface...

[Kevin Brown]

If anyone else is considering attending NXTti Sylmar, but are waiting for some magical signal to sign up, you won't get one. You simply need to ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I want to learn by trial and error?
Trust me, you don't. Learn by doing, but take the educated approach: NXTti.

2. Will I ever really 'push the envelope' of my abilities without expert training?
More than likely you won't.We will!

3. Is this class too advanced for me?
If you are a painter, a detailer, or a car enthusiast, this class was created for you. However, if you are still not sure, please call me. I am ready to help you decide if this class is right for you.


4. Do I want to trust high-caliber paint care to someone I don't know, or would I rather do it myself?
Doing the work yourself assures that you'll be satisfied in the results. Moreover, you'll know what to look for when employing another professional to do the work for you.


5. Do I currently have the confidence needed to properly analyze and correct paint defects?
If not, NXTti will give you the confidence needed to trust yourself.

I hope to meet you at NXTti Sylmar! Kevin Brown 805-922-6102

[RDVT4ME]

Kevin

Everything turned out well. The ScratchX took off everything in the hard to get areas. I was pleasantly surprised. I was just looking for any additional feedback on my method of attacking this problem. Thanks for the tip on #85.

I'm waiting to hear back from the SL owner today to see how it looks in the sun. Just want to make sure no problems show up. It looked great under the lights....but the sun is another good test. This was a good learning experience for me. Just follow the great instruction that I received at NXTti.....and it works!

This weekend when I do the CTS, I'm going to try the #66 to see how that turns out. I'll clay the car first. #66 might be a good option for those who basically view their car as just transportation.