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

[Mike Phillips]

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

Wow I spend 3 hours to do my washing/drying with no clay wow I am slow but hey I was just using the barbaric way tomorrow I plan to do all 5 steps and it's going to be my first time.

If you would, do you best to track how long from start to finish it takes you and share that in this thread.

[Stevens Detailing]

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

Hey Nick, If you dont mind me asking what are you fees for detailing?

Do you charge by the hour or give them a solid price before you start?


Here is how I do my pricing:

	Express Detail hand wash + paint gloss enhancer, vacuum + floor mats cleaned, dust + wipe down interior, clean & treat tires, streak-free windows - $75.00 Mini-Detail hand wash, hand wax, vacuum + floor mats cleaned, dust + wipe down interior, clean & treat tires, streak-free windows - $150.00 Complete Detail hand wash, smooth as glass paint surfacing using clay bar, machine applied high gloss paint polish, hand wax, floors mats and carpets cleaned (residue free), gauges,switches, vents and all crevices meticulously cleaned, leather treatment, clean & treat tires, streak-free windows - $250.00 Reconditioning Detail restores any vehicle to "like new" condition REMOVING not hiding all surface scratches and defects, same interior cleaning as complete detail. - call for quote (most reconditioning details run from $350.00 - $500.00) (all prices subject to size and condition of vehicle)			Show Car Detail I will personally prep or completlly detail your vehicle to be show ready. Custom bikes & Harley's specializing in bike detaling, creating flawless paint reflections,mirror-like chrome and getting in ALL the little areas to make a true detail. Estate maintenace creating a plan personally for you to maintain swirl-free, beautiful finishes on your collection. Please call for a list of references and quote.

[Golden]

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

Well, you're not alone. A few of the past details I have done:

Girlfriends car- 2003 Pontiac Sunfire- 6 hours.
My Old 2002 Silverado- 13 hours.
2000 S-10- 6 hours
My 2008 Cobalt- 4 hours (My first new vehicle, so it has been properly washed etc the entire time. Didn't need polish, just clay, cleaner wax, then NXT).

[10degreesbtdc]

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

What perfect timing finding this thread was for me. I was really feeling bad about taking so long and I have always been my worst critic.

I'm just starting trying to to this as a part time living and have been doing cars on the cheap or at no charge or on the barter system. I have not regretted one of them. They all have taught me something, all have been totally different requiring different technique, pad, product, etc. Also very different clients so PR pencil was sharpened as well. Most importantly, due to my (perfectionist) determination, I believe they all have been very happy customers.

Still, I know I need to improve in many areas, so I am trying to develop the skills; business, customer relations and paint correction/detailing so that I can demand top pay in the future and have a client base that advertises for me for referral business and hopefully have them come to me instead of me to them.

Anyway, one recent job, a 2006 Black Jeep Commander Limited was totally trashed and she only wanted it to look shiny and clean. I ended up totalling 23 hours in two days to get it where I was happy to let it go out. It was still not perfect and defect free, but the owner was extremely happy. She still is happy several weeks later and it looks great even though it was not perfect so it was an ego booster for me. (I find that that an ego boost is what I need at my age to get my muscles and achy joints moving the next morning since Tylenol, vitamins and several doses of caffeine just are not enough anymore).

The most recent vehicle, a severely oxidized, swirled and scratched Green metallic 1998 Dodge Conversion Van (this thing is huge!) with single stage paint breaks down as follows:

Monday 11-6pm, 7hrs total for the day, 3hrs buffing/polishing (rained on and off requiring repeated drying (don't have a canopy yet)
Tuesday 8-6pm, 10hrs total for the day 8hrs buffing/polishing
Wednesday 11-6pm, 7hrs total for the day, 5hrs polishing/waxing
total 24hrs in three days, 16hrs of which were buffing/polishing/waxing (8hrs of total time were applying 6 passes of M40 to mirrors, trim, door handles, bumpers; taking vehicle to self serve car wash due to Tampa water restrictions; polishing chrome, wiping interior, glass, cleaning wheels by hand (no water available)

While water restrictions / lack of water added about 3 hours to this detail, and extremely weathered trim/mirrors, door handles and bumpers took about 5 hours of the total time, the rest (16 hrs) was spend on paint correction/polishing/waxing. Even though size and condition were large contributors to this being a very though job for one person, I feel this much time is unacceptable when the results are not defect free and if I want to make money at this and please clients as well as myself.

Why did it take so long? I'm still struggling with finding the best method/pad/product for defect removal and once I start feeling the time slip by I tend to try to cover too much ground too quickly only to find that after I've done my second step (M205) I didn't get out all the defects in the first step (M105). Obviously it's not the product as it is used by many for total defect removal during first step with 1,2 or three passes as necessary. I believe it's my pad choice and that I'm trying to do too large an area. I've been using Lake Country CCS pads on rotary and find they jump a lot and do not create enough heat to remove defects. (at least not for me) I also used a too agressive/stiff pad (CSS orange) when a softer pad should have worked and would result in a better finish with M105. (Meg's soft yellow polishing pad).

Resolution: Test smaller area with Meg's yellow polishing pad and M105 at slower speed (1200 instead of 1500-1800). Once area is defect free, burnish with same pad/product and then move to next small area. Repeat first step over entire surface removing all defects and burnish (if that is your goal and customer's desire and if you are getting paid enough to warrant perfection) before proceeding to second step. Apply same process, test small area, to second step (M205 and yellow soft polishing pad), but if the first step (defect removal+burnishing) is done correctly the second step will look great and move along at a much faster pace with better results. Follow up with LSP (D151 or M21, or NXT...)

I cannot take credit for coming up with this strategy on my own although I realized that I was trying to cover too large an area. Nick Chapman aka Waxman was kind enough to help me out and share his experience and tips with me. Thank you so much, Nick! I plan to try this new strategy on my own vehicles this weekend. (after my arms, fingers and low back recover!) I'm sure it will work much better for me and provide the kind of results that I want and will make me look forward to each and every detail which will lead to satisfied, well paying customers and so on...

If you have a method that achieves perfection for you and shortens total time, please, PLEASE, share it! I'm a sponge when it comes to learning. I know the most important advice Nick has given me is: Work A Smaller Area and Do Not Move On Until You Are Satisfied With The Results You Are Achieving! The second step will only highlight any defects not removed in the first step and lead to going back to first step on same area again, taking much more time. (I just wanted to repeat that again for my own benefit)

I will follow up once I've done exactly what I described here on my own vehicles and post the results. Here's a few photos of the van.

[Nick Chapman]

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

Nick Chapman aka Waxman

Better delete that before Kevin gets wind of it

Steve, you're doing fine. Don't sweat the amount of time involved in your paint correction jobs. You're still learning. Heck, I still spend 20+ hours on paint correction jobs.

Nick

[ClearlyCoated]

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

It takes me 3 hours just to wash/dry/Last Touch/Quik Wax my car, and I've been refining my technique (used to take 4 hours). I know that when I had my car polished by the Total Pros, it took two experienced guys 5 hours to get it done. 8-10 hours sounds about right for someone who knows what they're doing, add more time for interior, wheels, engine bay, etc

[Nick Chapman]

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

Here's a few photos of the van.

Awesome! You really kicked butt on that van sir! Thanks you very much for taking the time to do it correctly! I owe you big time!!!!

Nick

[10degreesbtdc]

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

Awesome! You really kicked butt on that van sir! Thanks you very much for taking the time to do it correctly! I owe you big time!!!!

Nick

You are very welcome! Good thing I didn't think about single stage being so thin until after I was finished. Probably would have been scared to death of burning through.

[OhioCarBuff]

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

Wow thats a dramatic before and after on the van! It takes me 8-12 hours to do a full job, and thats just the usual twice a year buff I do on the cars in my family when they get the usual mild swirls etc from 6 months of regular usage.

[Ivan Rajic]

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

10degrees the van looks good and as Nick said, you're learning so it's fine, but in all honesty that is a lot of time for a 2 step (I can understand with the rain conditions, etc.)... for those who know me know I never skimp out on anything but the paint correction, a 2-step, on that van would take me roughly half the time, if not less.. I'm guessing 6-7 hours...

However, I know exactly what you mean by having to go back, and it's a horrible feeling, so I'll give you this piece of advice... on your future jobs, before you try anything else, take either a 9006 or 8006 Meg's pad and do a few test spots with M80... thank me later

[10degreesbtdc]

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

10degrees the van looks good and as Nick said, you're learning so it's fine, but in all honesty that is a lot of time for a 2 step (I can understand with the rain conditions, etc.)... for those who know me know I never skimp out on anything but the paint correction, a 2-step, on that van would take me roughly half the time, if not less.. I'm guessing 6-7 hours...

However, I know exactly what you mean by having to go back, and it's a horrible feeling, so I'll give you this piece of advice... on your future jobs, before you try anything else, take either a 9006 or 8006 Meg's pad and do a few test spots with M80... thank me later

Thanks for the advice. I'm certainly going to get some Meguiar's pads and I don't have any M80 so that's on my list too. I'm going to try to find some junk panels this weekend too and get first step defect removal down before I do my next detail.

Not making excuses, but I was fighting other elements too as well as rain. The second day the wind was constantly swirling 20-30, I was working under trees and on sand and had to constantly wipe to remove debris and sand to keep from grinding it in the paint. I tried blocking the wind with my truck, but that made the twister effect worse so I was also walking 20feet back and forth to my truck where I had to keep my pads and microfiber towels covered when not in use due to flying debris. It was quite frustrating at times, but I persevered. Ok, enough crying!

Can I ask how large an area you work at a time? Any advice on buffer speed and buffer travel speed for M80?

[miahjohn]

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

Nick-
I think to save you some time you need to equip that detailing cart of yours with a battery, electric motor and some sort of device that makes the cart follow you around.
Also, get some of that stuff out of garage and put it up for sale already!