is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

[KIA HYBRID]

I would like to start off with telling all of MOL members THANKS FOR ALL THE HELPFUL INFO.I stop by a place that call their self a auto detail shop.The young man came out to meet me .I ask what is a auto detail.He told me I can get a wash and wax and the inside done.I told him I was looking for a 3 stage detail.He had a question for me as well.The question he ask me was "What is a 3 stage detail?The bay door was open so he walked in to ask a guy who was get ready to work on a car.He had his hand on a 10 inch Orbital buffer and told me we have a buffer.I told them that the buffer they had was not going to be able to do what i'm looking for out of my paint.Then they looked at my car which had some type of spots on the hood from the rain the night b4.Also was on the windshield.The guy told me that it was in the paint and it need to be compound.(I will laughing inside about them)Then that told me the 3 stage would be wash,compound,wax and said it was 3 in 2(still laughing inside).I left them came home then it started raining again,so I could not wash my car.After the heavy rain had stopped and the car was wet.I take a MF towel and wet it down real good and put some GC car wash on it and wiped down the hood and windshield of my car.Then I rinsed it off and use a MF towel to dry it.The spots are gone.I understand how the lack of knowledge of both parties can mess up a person paint.And the trust of a sign that read auto detail shop can be nothing but a hand car wash shop.If it was not for MOL members I would have took they word that the spot was in my paint and it needed compound.The equipment I saw in the shop was not more then 1/2 of the equipment and product that I have.I'm a good guy and I think I will go over there and show them that the spots was remove and all it took was some soap and water and use they bay to do my car and show them a tricks. (just use UW while they dry and car or show them how to rob some1 and use a glaze to play eye games on some1 paint and get more money)but if you do dirty it will come back to you so that is not the life I live.THANKS TO ALL HERE ON MOL AGAIN!!

[exploreco]

Re: is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

I agree with you there. I think just because the sign says "Auto Detail" doesn't mean anything after getting some education on here. You have to do your homework for sure before picking a shop. But I guess there are two kinds of people. People like you and and me, newer that are learning. Ask questions, you knew it didn't feel right. And then there are other people who are not on boards like this, people like who I work with that tell me, I wax my car all the time because I take it through the car wash and pay the extra $3 for the wax. Those that don't know what we have started to learn that will just take it to any "Auto Detail" and they don't know what they don't know. And to them, it probably looks just fine.

I have a doozy of a story of a new car we bought a few months ago that got destroyed by the dealer and ended up being repainted because of it. We fought it and got them to take the car back and got anther car that hadn't been repainted. It is a long story but that is part of what brought me to this site because we ended up having to get a different color (black) and then I realized how bad dealers screw stuff up and things started to click.

[C8N]

Re: is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

There are discussions as to what production detailing is and what high end detailing is.
What you normally see when members posting their work on MOL is high end.
It looks to me the detail shop you visited is production detailing.... in and out in type of places.... some of us even refer to them as hacks.
As I see it, there is a market for both types as not everyone wants/knows/afford what high end detailing can offer.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

Ah yes, the old Production vs High End detailing discussion. Yes, there are indeed situations where both are appropriate, but just because someone is a "production" detailer does not mean they are a hack. They are delivering what the customer is expecting for a price the customer is comfortable with - and there is nothing wrong with that. The vast majority of people don't really want a "show car shine", even though they may think at first that they do. Once it's explained to them what's involved to achieve such a finish, they usually back down and agree that what they really want is a clean interior and "shiny paint". We know plenty of guys around the world who offer services that range from a good quality one step process for the paint that might be a $150 package, all the way up to a top of the line "The Works" package that may cost $3000 or more. This does not include the guys who prep cars for extremely high end concours events where they may spend a few weeks working on the car.

Usually the main difference between a highly skilled detailer who offers an extremely wide range of services, and a shop that only does production work (and usually on the lower end of that definition) is that the highly skilled guy is spending more time furthering his craft; he's always learning and experimenting, and he can take the knowledge gained from his very high end experiences and sort of trickle down that skill set to his production work. He can move quickly and efficiently, and will still adapt to the paint as needed, often delivering well above the customer's expectations because he has a wider range of skills and tools to do the job. A shop that does everything the same way all the time usually has very cheap prices and delivers somewhat spotty results. But their customer base isn't as demanding or knowledgeable, so they're happy with the outcome.

It's like anything else, really. Do you eat steak at Sizzler or Morton's? Do you buy your shirts at Walmart or Nordstrom's? What can you afford, what's really important to you, how much are you willing to spend.... on anything? There is no right or wrong answer to any of these. We all make our own decisions based on our own needs, wants and abilities.

[KIA HYBRID]

Re: is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

MOL is a great place EXPLORECO or should I call it a GREAT SCHOOL? C8N you are right I can't judge any1 pocket and with high end detailing do come a nice price.But also some great work if they know what they are doing.An MEGUIAR'S products are on the high end compare to store brands.If we pick to use them It's show that we care about something you have put your hard earn money into.IF some knew that if they can get they ride done up nice and follow a few tip on how to keep it that way it would save a lot money out of they pocket.But the main reason they are in business is because no1 want to pay 150 to 300 dollars on getting a car wash as some call it.I just put together a list of supplies for my cousin who wash car on the side.But he just want to do a better job then the people who are doing it here.So I only added a QW to his list and a stain remover so he can be a step above the rest when he start.An let him know as he go along he can add polishes and hand wax or he can use my orbital buffer.AN he have been around the car washes here already to see what they offer and what they don't so he can offer the services that they don't.He already do a few friends and family car and it something he like to do.I ask would you do it for free and he said yes so like they say if you will do it for free it's something you like.I wish him all the luck in the world and hope he will take it all the way to the top where 1 day he can have a shop or his own business.

[KIA HYBRID]

Re: is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

Ah yes, the old Production vs High End detailing discussion. Yes, there are indeed situations where both are appropriate, but just because someone is a "production" detailer does not mean they are a hack. They are delivering what the customer is expecting for a price the customer is comfortable with - and there is nothing wrong with that. The vast majority of people don't really want a "show car shine", even though they may think at first that they do. Once it's explained to them what's involved to achieve such a finish, they usually back down and agree that what they really want is a clean interior and "shiny paint". We know plenty of guys around the world who offer services that range from a good quality one step process for the paint that might be a $150 package, all the way up to a top of the line "The Works" package that may cost $3000 or more. This does not include the guys who prep cars for extremely high end concours events where they may spend a few weeks working on the car.

Usually the main difference between a highly skilled detailer who offers an extremely wide range of services, and a shop that only does production work (and usually on the lower end of that definition) is that the highly skilled guy is spending more time furthering his craft; he's always learning and experimenting, and he can take the knowledge gained from his very high end experiences and sort of trickle down that skill set to his production work. He can move quickly and efficiently, and will still adapt to the paint as needed, often delivering well above the customer's expectations because he has a wider range of skills and tools to do the job. A shop that does everything the same way all the time usually has very cheap prices and delivers somewhat spotty results. But their customer base isn't as demanding or knowledgeable, so they're happy with the outcome.

It's like anything else, really. Do you eat steak at Sizzler or Morton's? Do you buy your shirts at Walmart or Nordstrom's? What can you afford, what's really important to you, how much are you willing to spend.... on anything? There is no right or wrong answer to any of these. We all make our own decisions based on our own needs, wants and abilities.

you are right

[exploreco]

Re: is a hand car wash the same as auto detailing shop?

KIA HYBRID, you are right, not only is this a resource, but a school too. I have learned so much. One thing I picked up from autogeek the other day was to not let the dealer wash your car when you go in for service. I never even thought about it. But now because of seeing that thread I am prepared to tell them do not wash it. Don't load my black car with swirls free of charge please