Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

[Ivan Rajic]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

Nick, there are just way too many variables here... some people are faster (use certain techniques to move along faster through a detail), some products take longer to work with (even wiping off... SIP is a ***** to wipe off compared to meg's #83 for example) and ultimately clients are paying a certain price, and unless money isn't an issue to them, you're limited to what you can do on the car, unless you're really in love with detailing and will spend 20 hours for $300... I'm not. As someone mentioned before, as long as your clients know what to expect and that it's worth however much they're paying, keep doing what you're doing and don't feel bad if it takes you 12 hours to do what someone can accomplish in 8... I would highly suggest you sit down and evaluate your whole process though, as it will help you speed up... as you said it, time=money (unless, as I said above, you're given a car by someone to make it perfect and cover every square inch and money isn't an issue) so if you can go faster without sacrificing results, go for it.

I used to be very slow a year or so ago due to not being organized enough but with some tips to speed up the process I've shortened all full details by an hour or so

Shoot I would say on average it takes us about 20 man hours, if not more.

On some cars we have over 100 hours and on others about 50.

If the car is done in 5 hours its not perfect, not even close. However it doesn't mean it can't look good!

What is your process for the details that take 20 hrs on average? Can you post time spent on each step? I'd really like to know, even if it says "polishing door jambs" haha

I can't imagine spending over 15-20 hours on a car, unless it's a huge truck/van or a show car.

[EAT HEMI]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

It takes me at least 8 hours to do a quality job on a sedan that is in good condition.

Slow and steady wins the race?

[mcox]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

Hey Nick,

I wouldn't be too worried about the time unless you are finding out you are no longer profitable. We have all seen you work and your customers continue to come back to you so therefore they find value in your efforts and the amount of time you spend. If I ever need a complete 100% detail and I’m headed north on 35 I will definitely be looking you up. I believe that this quote is appropriate.

"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it, the tree is the real thing." Abraham Lincoln

My two cents worth anyway.

[TH0001]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

Shoot I would say on average it takes us about 20 man hours, if not more.

On some cars we have over 100 hours and on others about 50.

If the car is done in 5 hours its not perfect, not even close. However it doesn't mean it can't look good!

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

If I'm not doing a full on paint correction then it takes me maybe 4hrs to do a car. You think cars are bad, try doing an aircraft sometime, even small airplanes can take a day or two.

[EAT HEMI]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

There was a thread that talked about tips for working faster, not sure how a person would search for it however.

Yeah, I started that thread, but it fizzled out. It was titled "Keys to Efficient Detailing."

[Ryan L.]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

I don't do that many full buff out jobs as I do wash and waxes but when I do full buff out jobs I find that I often keep the car over night. Sometimes it is frustrating but then again it usually ends up with a bigger pay check and a repeat customer so you have to take that into consideration.

Ryan

[yalerd]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

Maybe I'm just slow But the cars are perfect as can be when they leave my hands

I think the main difference is not that you work slow, that you receive the car in a very bad condition, that you're not organized when working. What I really think is that it's all going to depend on the type of people you are working for and what type of rep you've built.

You've built up a reputation Nick and people that contact you know what type of work you are doing, so they expect you to deliver a perfect finish

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

I really never look at the clock. Its done when its done. I try to be quick. But I also want it to look right to my eyes.

That works great when you're just doing your own vehicles. But I'm in business for myself, and time=money

While I don't constantly watch the clock, I do set a stop watch when I start, and stop it when I finish so I know exactly how much time I have in a vehicle. The customer is charged for the amount of time I spend on their vehicle.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

With me, even a car thats not too bad of shape is still going to take me 8 hours.
Maybe I'm just slow But the cars are perfect as can be when they leave my hands

Thats the part to focus on. "The cars are perfect as can be when they leave my hands". All of us on this forum want the cars to look like a show car. We don't mind spending extra time to do it completely. Not to say the others don't. We just have our way of doing it. Maybe its the extra pass with the da/ or buffer. Maybe we think of a new combo to try. Some are just naturally faster at things then others.I really never look at the clock. Its done when its done. I try to be quick. But I also want it to look right to my eyes.

[pampos]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

With me, even a car thats not too bad of shape is still going to take me 8 hours.
Maybe I'm just slow But the cars are perfect as can be when they leave my hands

That's the point of detailing...7-8 hours is the minimum time that i spend until now on paint correction ..If the cars are perfect or not i cannot say by my self

[Hemin8r]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

With me, even a car thats not too bad of shape is still going to take me 8 hours.
Maybe I'm just slow But the cars are perfect as can be when they leave my hands

I'm totally with you on this.

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

With me, even a car thats not too bad of shape is still going to take me 8 hours.
Maybe I'm just slow But the cars are perfect as can be when they leave my hands

[pampos]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

It also depends on how bad the car is when you get it.

I agree on that...if the car has only dust,there are some tiny swirls and the interior needs only a refreshing touch it needs less time than a car full of swirls,RIDS ,washed 5 months ago,black rims from the brake dust and all the mud from the winter stack on arches and a clean hole on the driver's side windscreen just to see where to go....

[3Fitty]

Re: Full wash/clay/buff/polish/wax in 4-6 hours?

Nick,

I'm certainly NO pro (I just figured I was on the "challenged" side) because a standard job on one of my cars takes 8 hours and that does not include and engine detail or the interior. That is simply a modified 5 step:

1. Wash

2. Clay

3. 2-3 passes with 80 or as needed

4. #7

5. 1 coat of NXT 2.0 (second coat on the following day).

I *might* be able to knock this down to 6.5 hours, but I doubt I could get it any faster. However, even this has taken me longer than 8, if I had to make more passes with my G110 in step 3.