2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

[ChevyNick]

Let me start off by saying the goal of this detail was NOT 100% correction.

Hey guys, my Uncle wanted his truck cleaned up so I took on the task.

Process:
1. Interior clean up Vacuum/Wipe down.
2. Wash
3. Clay
4. Color X on yellow pad speed 5 (GG6) (Amazing Product!)
5. Ultimate Paste Wax by hand
6. Blackmagic tire foam

I'll post the pictures in Before/After Before/After format. By the way, I charged him $50 since he was family.

My question for you guys is, what would you charge for a detail like this with the above process I used? Would you do something a little different?

Pictures:

After one cycle of Color X!

[Murr1525]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Looks good, nothing wrong with a quick clean up.

Could be a case for the MF system to do quick work, or D151 for a bit more cleaning ability in a cleaner/wax, but not going to buy a whole kit and system just for one car.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Those first couple of shots showing the before/after of just one round of ColorX are just amazing! Of course it's not 100% correction, but what a huge difference from what is basically just a really good cleaner wax - no wonder Murr is always recommending it (and why so many people love it!!).

My question for you guys is, what would you charge for a detail like this with the above process I used? Would you do something a little different?

First, the "would you do something a little different" part of the question: Yes and no. What process you do is going to be dependent on the customer's expectations and what they're willing to pay for the service. For a full, 100% (or darn close) correction there are plenty of options, from Ultimate Compound on a polishing pad to the DAMF System to a full rotary correction. But if the customer is just asking for a quick clean up then you did a great job as is.

As for the "what would you charge" part, that's going to vary as well. Some here may quote a flat rate, others an hourly rate, and those will vary as well depending on geography, etc. Depending on level of correction desired, a process like this could run $150 to $700. For what you did, since it wasn't a full correction, we'd expect to see a price set at the lower end of that scale. Ask yourself this, though: what's your time worth on an hourly basis, and how long did it take you to do this?

[Shawn Devlin]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

As others have mentioned, you did a great job on bringing life back to some tired looking paint. As far as feedback regarding process, two things:

* You mentioned using a yellow pad, was this Meguiar's yellow polishing pad? If so, try using a black Meguiar's cutting pad next time to push a little more correction out of ColorX.
* Regarding ColorX, I try and avoid the temptation of topping an AIO product. If I want to perform two steps I will break up the products into a dedicated polish and separate sealant/wax for maximum effectiveness.

Pertaining to price charged, take your expenses and subtract from your income from the job, then divide by the number of hours invested in the job and you'll have an idea of what you're making. Be sure to account for depreciation, pads certainly don't last forever, and neither do machines like your buffer. $50 is fine for family and the chance to proctice your skills, but for anyone else it is my opinion you are well short of what you should be charging. At the end of the day only you can decide what your time is worth, one piece of advice is to be fair to yourself and charge a rate that matches the quality of your work.

[ChevyNick]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Those first couple of shots showing the before/after of just one round of ColorX are just amazing! Of course it's not 100% correction, but what a huge difference from what is basically just a really good cleaner wax - no wonder Murr is always recommending it (and why so many people love it!!).
First, the "would you do something a little different" part of the question: Yes and no. What process you do is going to be dependent on the customer's expectations and what they're willing to pay for the service. For a full, 100% (or darn close) correction there are plenty of options, from Ultimate Compound on a polishing pad to the DAMF System to a full rotary correction. But if the customer is just asking for a quick clean up then you did a great job as is.

As for the "what would you charge" part, that's going to vary as well. Some here may quote a flat rate, others an hourly rate, and those will vary as well depending on geography, etc. Depending on level of correction desired, a process like this could run $150 to $700. For what you did, since it wasn't a full correction, we'd expect to see a price set at the lower end of that scale. Ask yourself this, though: what's your time worth on an hourly basis, and how long did it take you to do this?

Alright, looks like my first question is super broad lol.

Well for this vehicle here I had roughly 6-7 hours into it. I had a couple of distractions along the way though. But still, it took quite some time... I feel that me charging $100 for this process would be pretty darn fair. I am definitely not a professional, but I feel that I do really good work for just "some guy". If someone ever asked me to do a full correction, I'd have to ask for a good chunk of change because it is sooo time consuming and you just don't know how long it's going to take and what problems you might run into.

As others have mentioned, you did a great job on bringing life back to some tired looking paint. As far as feedback regarding process, two things:

* You mentioned using a yellow pad, was this Meguiar's yellow polishing pad? If so, try using a black Meguiar's cutting pad next time to push a little more correction out of ColorX.
* Regarding ColorX, I try and avoid the temptation of topping an AIO product. If I want to perform two steps I will break up the products into a dedicated polish and separate sealant/wax for maximum effectiveness.

Pertaining to price charged, take your expenses and subtract from your income from the job, then divide by the number of hours invested in the job and you'll have an idea of what you're making. Be sure to account for depreciation, pads certainly don't last forever, and neither do machines like your buffer. $50 is fine for family and the chance to proctice your skills, but for anyone else it is my opinion you are well short of what you should be charging. At the end of the day only you can decide what your time is worth, one piece of advice is to be fair to yourself and charge a rate that matches the quality of your work.

Yes, it was the Meguiars yellow pad. Do you mean the red cutting pad? That wouldn't leave the paint hazy would it? I guess that would just be one of those test spot situations though.

If I was just to use a dedicated polish, I don't feel like I would have been able to clean up the paint as much as I did with Color X. Maybe there is a more aggressive compound/polish? I still feel like an AIO isn't all that bad of an idea. It cleans up the paint relatively well, and leaves an excellent base for a final coat of wax for maximum effectiveness of it bonding (I think?).

The "fair to myself" part... I'm one of those people who are too modest. I could be an excellent detailer and I'd still just call myself ok. I gotta find an actual professional and have them rate me lol. But in all honesty I feel that I do a pretty darn good job.

Looks good, nothing wrong with a quick clean up.

Could be a case for the MF system to do quick work, or D151 for a bit more cleaning ability in a cleaner/wax, but not going to buy a whole kit and system just for one car.

Thanks Murr, figured you like this especially because of Color X :p Word of mouth from the family and friends is spreading my name around quickly. Maybe investing in some D151 wouldn't be a bad idea. I've been using that on the vans at work if you remember the post I made about that a few months ago, and I don't have any issues with it at all.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

* You mentioned using a yellow pad, was this Meguiar's yellow polishing pad? If so, try using a black Meguiar's cutting pad next time to push a little more correction out of ColorX.

Yes, it was the Meguiars yellow pad. Do you mean the red cutting pad? That wouldn't leave the paint hazy would it? I guess that would just be one of those test spot situations though.

We kind of hate to say it, but we think Shawn might be a bit confused here. Your choice of the yellow polishing pad for use with ColorX to clean up the paint was the right choice. The black pad (W9207) is a finishing pad and would offer less cut than the yellow. The burgundy pad (W7207) is indeed quite aggressive and will likely cause some hazing when used with the DA.

If I was just to use a dedicated polish, I don't feel like I would have been able to clean up the paint as much as I did with Color X. Maybe there is a more aggressive compound/polish? I still feel like an AIO isn't all that bad of an idea. It cleans up the paint relatively well, and leaves an excellent base for a final coat of wax for maximum effectiveness of it bonding (I think?).

Had you replaced ColorX with Ultimate Compound but did everything else exactly the same way, you would have gotten more defect removal since UC has a lot more cut than ColorX. In most cases it will finish out ready for wax, but sometimes you do need that additional polish step in between. Something like Ultimate Polish or M205 works great here. But again, what are you customer's expectations? If they just want a quick clean up, odds are you're not going to do an additional step since they basically aren't paying for it. But if they're willing to pay for a higher end detail, that middle step with M205/UP would be the way to go. In this case, however, it seems your uncle was looking for a very quick clean up and may well be thrilled with the end result, even if it was corrected using nothing more than a cleaner wax.

There is no doubt that you made a huge improvement in the appearance of this truck - if you're happy with the result (given the time and materials used) and your customer is happy, then that's what really matters.

[Shawn Devlin]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Alright, looks like my first question is super broad lol.

Yes, it was the Meguiars yellow pad. Do you mean the red cutting pad? That wouldn't leave the paint hazy would it? I guess that would just be one of those test spot situations though.

You are correct, I meant the red Meguiar's cutting pad but mistakenly referred to the black version. Sorry for the confusion. Haziness? I suppose it is possible but this can be mitigated with reducing pressure and speed as you finish your passes. There are no absolutes here, and a test spot with is going to determine best product, pad, etc.

If I was just to use a dedicated polish, I don't feel like I would have been able to clean up the paint as much as I did with Color X. Maybe there is a more aggressive compound/polish? I still feel like an AIO isn't all that bad of an idea. It cleans up the paint relatively well, and leaves an excellent base for a final coat of wax for maximum effectiveness of it bonding (I think?).

Depends on which polish we're talking about, ColorX is a very nice product, I use the Mirror Glaze equivalent (M66) and it is quite effective. When you are talking about a product that is intended to perform multiple tasks it can sometimes fall short of the performance of a product intended to correct defects. My feedback is only geared towards considering possibilites and is purely constructive in nature, in this instance if you can get more correction out of the same effort that is something to consider. Some may disagree with this, I can only relay my expereince and what has worked for me.

The "fair to myself" part... I'm one of those people who are too modest. I could be an excellent detailer and I'd still just call myself ok. I gotta find an actual professional and have them rate me lol. But in all honesty I feel that I do a pretty darn good job.

Your work showcased in your pictures is very nice, I would not worry so much about what a professional has to say. Your customer's feedback on your finished work is the only opinion that matters.

[Tuck91]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Truck looks nice.

Whatever you do, do not use a a burgundy cutting pad on the paint, stick to black or yellow. Not sure why that os being suggested above.

The only thing I would do different is pick up a gallon of M66 Quick Detailer Cleaner/Wax, its a nice product and will last awhile.

As for price, I would have charged probably $200-$250. That would be with a pressure wash prep & decon with a complete interior cleaning too.

[smack]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Truck came out real nice for the process you did.

I charge 175 for a truck/suv to do the work you did.

[ChevyNick]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

Had you replaced ColorX with Ultimate Compound but did everything else exactly the same way, you would have gotten more defect removal since UC has a lot more cut than ColorX. In most cases it will finish out ready for wax, but sometimes you do need that additional polish step in between. Something like Ultimate Polish or M205 works great here. But again, what are you customer's expectations? If they just want a quick clean up, odds are you're not going to do an additional step since they basically aren't paying for it. But if they're willing to pay for a higher end detail, that middle step with M205/UP would be the way to go. In this case, however, it seems your uncle was looking for a very quick clean up and may well be thrilled with the end result, even if it was corrected using nothing more than a cleaner wax.

There is no doubt that you made a huge improvement in the appearance of this truck - if you're happy with the result (given the time and materials used) and your customer is happy, then that's what really matters.

Thanks for the words of wisdom. Maybe next time I'll try UC and see how it appears to finish on the paint. If it's hazing, I'll just switch back to Color X (Assuming the customer is only looking for a clean up)

You are correct, I meant the red Meguiar's cutting pad but mistakenly referred to the black version. Sorry for the confusion. Haziness? I suppose it is possible but this can be mitigated with reducing pressure and speed as you finish your passes. There are no absolutes here, and a test spot with is going to determine best product, pad, etc.



Depends on which polish we're talking about, ColorX is a very nice product, I use the Mirror Glaze equivalent (M66) and it is quite effective. When you are talking about a product that is intended to perform multiple tasks it can sometimes fall short of the performance of a product intended to correct defects. My feedback is only geared towards considering possibilites and is purely constructive in nature, in this instance if you can get more correction out of the same effort that is something to consider. Some may disagree with this, I can only relay my expereince and what has worked for me.



Your work showcased in your pictures is very nice, I would not worry so much about what a professional has to say. Your customer's feedback on your finished work is the only opinion that matters.

Nothing wrong with your constructive though Shawn. I appreciate the idea but think I will stick with a yellow pad as my most aggressive pad. If I need more correction, I'll try UC.

Truck looks nice.

Whatever you do, do not use a a burgundy cutting pad on the paint, stick to black or yellow. Not sure why that os being suggested above.

The only thing I would do different is pick up a gallon of M66 Quick Detailer Cleaner/Wax, its a nice product and will last awhile.

As for price, I would have charged probably $200-$250. That would be with a pressure wash prep & decon with a complete interior cleaning too.

Thanks for the feedback. I kind of wowed at that price range but for high quality work, it is definitely worth it. Detailing is very time consuming...

[Slidder]

Re: 2003 Chevy Silverado Z71 BLACK! (COLORX IS AMAZING)

If this is a super good Uncle you have then personally, I would not have charged him anything. I'm a push over when it comes to family members. Don't short change yourself when it comes to charging "customers." Depending on your experience, take the minimum wage X's the # of hours you put into the detail and then factor in product used and wear on equipment which by the way is really hard to figure out.

Go visit some detail shops where you live. "LOOK" at the overall condition of their shop. Is the office floor covered in dry french fries, empty Pepsi cups, etc laying on the floor. Is there only one wash bucket and it's full of black gooey looking water. Is there more than one wash mit and is it laying on the floor, next to the one wash bucket?

The owner or employee doesn't need to be dressed in a suit but if his hair is longer than your wife's, doesn't know what a razor blade is, wearing Levi's that you know have to be ten years old, etc, then ask him what he offers in the way of detailing options and how much does he charge. Don't be afraid to ask for references. Then stand back and evaluate how you present yourself and your business if you run your own shop. Based on that, you can come pretty close to asking a fair price for your work.