How Much Did I Save ?

[2003VETTE]

This past weekend I decided to do my cars, so I did this,
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Polished with a DA and #80
4. 2 coats of NXT
5. Endurance on the tires

My Question is, If I would have taken them to a Detail Service, What would I have been charged. I know prices are different all over the country, and the world, and it will be interesting to see those differences.

[Superior Shine]

Compared to our prices you saved about $1000.

[2003VETTE]

Originally posted by Superior Shine
Compared to our prices you saved about $1000.

Thanks Joe,
When I was out there doing it, a few of my neighbors came by, and wanted to know if I would like do theirs, or if I knew someone that would. I'll have to give them your number, since your very close by. I noticed one of your pictures was only 2 blocks from my business.

[Superior Shine]

Where are you?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How Much Did I Save ?

Originally posted by 2003VETTE

My Question is, If I would have taken them to a Detail Service, What would I have been charged.

It's more than what other would have charged, the most difficult problem serious enthusiasts have is finding a quality detailer. People like Joe are the exception to the rule. I'm pretty confident judging my the horror stories posted here on our forum as well as my own experience detailing cars, that finding a detailer that truly cares about the quality of his, (or her), work is is difficult while finding any old hack detailer or detail shop is as easy as opening the phone book or driving around and looking for a brick & mortar business.

Besides finding a detailer that cares, you also have to find a detailer that knows what they're doing. A person can have the best intentions, (that is they care), but without the education, skills and experience to go with the human elements of caring you're still going to end up with a botched detail job.

Around where I live, it's pretty apparent on any sunny day that most of the detailers and body shops up here have never heard of a foam buffing pad, nor a dual action polisher.

The swirls you see in this Limousine are pretty much what you see in all of the detailed cars around my area...


Here's a freshly detailed limousine in the Victorville, Apple Valley area...




Here's what it really looks like,









Like I say, this is typical of what you see anywhere up here on a sunny day.


When you the owner take ownership of washing and detailing your own cars, you avoid having your vehicles finish damaged like the above photos show.

[SVT Lightning]

That Limo is horrific!!!! Imagine if it was black......

[gb387]

2003VETTE... not sure how much you saved, but you vehicle look great! nice work.

[2003VETTE]

Originally posted by gb387
2003VETTE... not sure how much you saved, but you vehicle look great! nice work.

I was kind of wondering if anyone was going to comment on my work. I have been commenting to my wife the last 3 days, MY BACK IS KILLING ME !!

[Superior Shine]

Your back hurts? GOOD !

Thats what you get for not calling your local detailer-



Actually those cars look very good, a little too good.

[sneek]

Originally posted by Superior Shine
Your back hurts? GOOD !

Thats what you get for not calling your local detailer-



Actually those cars look very good, a little too good.

lol if 2003VETTE dissapears we'll know who got to him

[the other pc]

Nice Job 2003VETTE!

Joe’s pricing obviously represents extremely high-end work performed by a master craftsman.

Since you’re in the SoCal I’d say that you could easily have paid roughly $200ish each, $600ish total for:

1. Wash with a brush caked with somebody else’s mud
2. Clay? What’s that?
3. Buff with a rotary, wool pad and liquid beach sand
4. 1 coat of whatever the heck was the cheapest last Tuesday
5. slingeriffic dressing on the tires (and down the side of the car…)



PC.

[RDVT4ME]

Nice vette!!!!!

Where are you at in so Cal....I'm in Yorba Linda.

If you did much buffing on those vehicles you would probably be at $200+ for the vette and you could easily spend around $300 for the truck. Again, depends on how much buffing time is required.

Like Mike said, there is a big difference between someone who just details and someone who truely cares for your vehicle.

[2003VETTE]

AND NOW THE BONUS QUESTION !!!

I acually did 1 more of my cars, for a total of 4 cars the past 2 weekends. How much did I save now ? Other than the back KILLING me, it really gives you a great feeling of SATISFACTION, to sit back (or lay on your back), and see what a person can do, when you really care about your cars.
This all started by going to a Saturday class with Tim Larsen on March 18th.
THANKS TIM, AND THANK YOU MEGUAIRS FOR TEACHING ME TO RELAX ! ! !

[rammsteinmatt]

do you have one of those mechanics stool/chairs with the roller wheels on the bottom?

im 6'3" and i find that to be one of my favorite tools during a wax (or a creeper, since my car is pretty low). this would help on the back problem, at least it did for me. this would be perfect for your what looks to be a denali and F350, it would be less helpful however on your vette, as most of the car is pretty low. but nonetheless, it helps me so i think it would help you as well

also on saturdays mike talks about your stance, such that one foot will take most of your weight instead of putting that pressure on your back. basically you stand like you are shooting (one foot in front of the other, so as to brace yourself) and the foreward foot will support most of the weight that would have normally went into your back. this would be helpful when leaning over the long hood of your vette or GS (i think it is)

if all else fails, 600mg motrin works pretty good

[2003VETTE]

Originally posted by rammsteinmatt
do you have one of those mechanics stool/chairs with the roller wheels on the bottom?

if all else fails, 600mg motrin works pretty good

I'm looking around for a good stool, I tried Sears catolog (Craftsman), so maybe I'll go into the store and look.
For now it's jacuzzi, and Doans pills, (they really work well).
P.S. The Lexus is a 430 LS, it was the one that Tim Larsen used to demonstrate the G-100