Raymond's Car Detailing thread....

[white_steed]

I like the absorber, it's my preferred method of drying... along with a leaf blower when I'm trying to get rid of ALL the water lol. I'd pick one up, I've never had any problems with them... they're like $8. A Meguiars Smooth Surface claybar kit is $20 at most autoparts stores and comes with everything you need to do it.

alright, so that kit....a claybar...and an absorber....58 bucks. i can swing that.

how long do you think that stuff is gonna last me....(im not gonna use it til spring break anyways)

 

[investinwaffles]

Thanks

PC is a great investment man, I could have wheels right now but I decided to get the PC and other stuff instead, and glad I did..already profited 400$ from it..

I have a little detailing business as a little money maker on the side, so I've been trying out a lot of different products. Meguiars is probably my favorite over-the-counter brand for budget stuff, I'm recently been ordering Pinnacle/XMT products from autogeek, and anxious to try their Souveran wax on a black car.

I haven't done any engine details yet but plan to give that a whirl, probably going to get some Amazing Roll Off and other stuff from AG next time I make a resupply order. XMT 360 and 180 are also on the list, as well as Natty's Blue paste wax, and a foam gun with DP soap.

It's an addiction.

haha, i did the same thing as you.

Bought a bunch of **** and put it to use. So far ive made 4-500 or so (on top of the $400 i spent in detailing stuff).
Its hard work but it pays pretty well

Ill lay all my stuff out and take pics of it all this weekend

 

[investinwaffles]

And if you can find just a claybar, buy that over the kit.

Put a capful or two of car wash into a sprayer, and fill the rest up with water. Shake it up and use it as clay lube.

People will say that it will make the clay break apart. I really only keep clay for about a month because I use it so much but i have never had a slab of clay disintegrate on me yet

I have heard good things about the claymagic clay. Mother's is very hard (a little too hard), and i havent used megs yet (too expensive for the product).

 

[71mustang99]

What do you guys charge????

I wash, wax, tire shine, armor all anything that can be, sweep everything, and clean the windows. Any visible part of the vehicle is spotless...

I charge--
Car $40
Mini Van $50
Anything Else $60

 

[KevinV6]

This is the breakdown for cars (price increases marginally for mid-sized SUVS/trucks, and Large trucks/suvs/vans):
$25.00
- Hand wash / dry, bug& tar remove, tires and wheels cleaned
- Wax horizontal surfaces with Carnauba wax by hand.
- Windows & mirrors cleaned
- Trim dressed
- Tires dressed

$50.00 (most popular)
- Hand wash / dry, bug&tar&sap removed, tires,wheels, and wheel wells cleaned
- Claybar all paint surfaces
- Meguiar's Scratch-X by hand to remove isolated scratches
- Wax vertical/horizontal surfaces with Carnauba wax by hand.
- Clean&restore trim pieces
- Dress tires
- Clean windows & mirrors

$160.00 (includes everything the 50$ one does, but remove the scratch-x step, and add
- Clean/polish Exhaust tips
- Remove minor scratches, oxidation, blemishes, hazing, marring, and water spots with DA polisher
- Apply Carnauba glaze with DA polisher.

Interiors:
$15.00 (2 door) $18.00 (4 door)
notes: glove compartment, trunk and center console are never opened.
- Vacuum carpets, seats, cargo areas, floor mats.
- Clean interior surface with DP Total-interior cleaner
- Clean windows & mirrors
- Air freshener to dissapate minor odors

$35.00 (2 door) $40.00 (4 door)
- Vacuum carpets, seats, cargo areas, floor mats
- Clean carpet&floor mats(with brush attachment for Porter Cable)
- Remove minor-moderate stains
- Clean&condition leather surfaces
- Remove minor scuffs on plastic surfaces
- Clean other interior surfaces with DP total-int cleaner
- Remove moderate-foul odors
- Clean windows& mirrors

 

[DEstang]

I use a Dewalt Electronic Variable speed buffer with medium and low cut pads, and a polishing pad.

 

[wblynch]

I have been using Meguiar's polishes for several years now but have recently been trying "Sure Finish" and next I'll try some "Finish It" from Hi-Lustre (order on line).

So far, the Sure Finish is the best I've ever used. It works better and leaves much less residue. I get tired wiping off all the Meguiar's residue.

In the Meguiar's line I like #83 polish the best.

 

[Raymond]

Yeah the Meguiars Polish likes to leave **** behind that is fun to get off. Nothing too difficult, but I do know what you're talking about.

The car's getting a full detail before the show next saturday, gonna try out a few new things and update the thread again.

 

[investinwaffles]

I charged $275 To do a last-gen escelade with "the works"

Basically, if i saw it, i would clean it, polish it, seal it, and wax it. Plus i have a steamer that i steamed the headliner, carpets, and seats with (owner bought a smokers car, wanted smell removed and all swirls removed).
It took me about 9hrs start to finish.

 

[KevinV6]

^ You could have gotten well over 400$ for that job if you do quality work, lol.

I charge roughly half of the going-rate here in Pcola.

 

[investinwaffles]

^ You could have gotten well over 400$ for that job if you do quality work, lol.

I charge roughly half of the going-rate here in Pcola.

Probably, but the guy was eager to do it and I did it at my house (like 1000x easier than doing it on site, i have a great place to work during the day cause its nice and shady, plus the hose is right next to me and i have 4 outlets outside the garage)

 

[KevinV6]

Probably, but the guy was eager to do it and I did it at my house (like 1000x easier than doing it on site, i have a great place to work during the day cause its nice and shady, plus the hose is right next to me and i have 4 outlets outside the garage)

Nice, I need to get an extension cord with multiple sockets because it sucks having to unplug the vac to plug in the PC and vice versa.

I just got a call from a guy in my neighborhood /w a honda accord, doing his car Saturday, $156, and another car with the same services for $156, and tomorrow I've got another job but not sure what she wants done yet, probably in the $50-65 range..but point is..business is good.

 

[KevinV6]

Update on my stuff.

Vacuum:
-3 gallon 4.5HP wet/dry
-x2 extension tubes
-x2 wide mouth ends
-x1 crevice tool
-detail kit

Buffer:
Porter Cable 7424
-carpet brush attachment
-x2 orange pads
-x2 white pads
-x2 gray pads
-x1 blue pad
- pad cleaning brush

Soap:
-64oz Meguiars gold class soap
-16oz Meguiars gold class soap
-16oz Armorall wash and wax
-16oz Mothers California Gold soap

Wax:
-x2 16oz Meguiar’s gold class liquid
-x2 16oz Mother’s cleaner wax
- 12oz Meguiar's Gold Class paste wax
-x1 4oz mother’s cleaner wax
-16oz Meguiar’s NXT Synethic wax
-16 oz Meguiar’s Quik-Wax spray

Glass cleaner:
-32oz DP Krystal vision
-x2 16oz Stoner’s indivisible glass spray
-19oz Stoner’s invisible glass foam
-16zo Armorall autoglass
-16oz Meguiar’s Quik Glass

Interior cleaning:
-32oz DP total interior cleaner
-64oz DP total interior cleaner
-x2 16oz Meguiar’s gold class leather cleaner (spray)
-16oz Meguiar’s Quik interior detailer
-23oz Black Magic interior protectent
-10oz Armorall protectant
-22oz Armorall carpet&upholstery cleaner
-16oz Febreeze Autp
-12oz Odor out
-7oz odor gun odor remover

Tire/wheel:
-x2 26oz Eagle-1 All wheel&tire cleaner
-23oz Black Magic wheel cleaner
-24oz Mother’s All wheel cleaner
-24oz Mother’s Tire&rubbercleaner
-24oz Mother’s tire shine
16oz Meguiar’s Hot shine tire gel
-16oz Armorall Extreme tire gel

Polishes:
- 12oz Pinnacle XMT swirl remove #3
- 12oz Pinnacle XMT swirl remover #1
- 12oz Pinnacle XMT carnauba glaze
- 12oz Pinnacle XMT pad cleaner
- 12oz Pinnacle XMT pad conditioner
- x2 7oz Meguiar’s Scratch-X
- 16oz Meguiar’s Professional Show car glaze
- 16oz Turtle wax Ice polish

Trim:
- 8oz Mother’s Back to Black

Sap/bug remover:
-16oz Turtle Wax Bug&tar
-Pinnacle Bug&Tar scrubbing sponge
Claybar:
-x2 Mother’s clay bar
-x1 Pinnacle ultra fine clay bar
-x1 clay Magic clay bar

Quick Detailer:
-16ozM eguiar’s Quik Detail
-16oz Mother’s California gold Showtime instant detailer
Lens care:
-16oz Meguiar’s Plast-X
Washing tools:
-x2 5gallon buckets
-x2 Chenille wash mitts
- Telescoping rod /w chenille wash mitt
-Tire brush
-Wheel brush
-9 setting hose nozzle

Microfiber:
-x2 waffle weave drying cloths
-30 microfiber towels
-21 Microfiber applicators
-x2 tire shine applicators

 

[AutoBadges]

You have far too much free time on your hands to be arranging all those things, taking those pictures, and listing everything you have

 

[Raymond]

Good stuff Kevin, I lost about half of my supplies when I moved out but I'm slowly getting my collection back up to par. Right now it's just the essentials I need to keep my car clean and whatever I need for each detail I do. Been charging $50 a car for a full cleaning and wax, including interior, engine wipe down, etc. That's cheap compared to most guys around here but I'm mostly doing it for my friends and whatnot, just to pick up the extra money.

Did a white '06 Civic today, that was not fun. The girl freaking washed the car with a Brillo pad and left scratch marks all over the entire car. I was able to get rid of all the "spots" where she rubbed harder but the thing has DEEP swirls that my $25 buffer wasn't able to touch. It looks tons better, but still not perfect. They were happy though, so

 

[TGUNS06GT]

Good stuff Kevin, I lost about half of my supplies when I moved out but I'm slowly getting my collection back up to par. Right now it's just the essentials I need to keep my car clean and whatever I need for each detail I do. Been charging $50 a car for a full cleaning and wax, including interior, engine wipe down, etc. That's cheap compared to most guys around here but I'm mostly doing it for my friends and whatnot, just to pick up the extra money.

Did a white '06 Civic today, that was not fun. The girl freaking washed the car with a Brillo pad and left scratch marks all over the entire car. I was able to get rid of all the "spots" where she rubbed harder but the thing has DEEP swirls that my $25 buffer wasn't able to touch. It looks tons better, but still not perfect. They were happy though, so

Wish you were closer... I'd pay you to detail mine 1/month for that price

 

[KevinV6]

You have far too much free time on your hands to be arranging all those things, taking those pictures, and listing everything you have

LOL tell me about it, I had to put what I had in writing though so I can keep track..I forgot to list the mother's mag polish. damn.

Good stuff Kevin, I lost about half of my supplies when I moved out but I'm slowly getting my collection back up to par. Right now it's just the essentials I need to keep my car clean and whatever I need for each detail I do. Been charging $50 a car for a full cleaning and wax, including interior, engine wipe down, etc. That's cheap compared to most guys around here but I'm mostly doing it for my friends and whatnot, just to pick up the extra money.

Did a white '06 Civic today, that was not fun. The girl freaking washed the car with a Brillo pad and left scratch marks all over the entire car. I was able to get rid of all the "spots" where she rubbed harder but the thing has DEEP swirls that my $25 buffer wasn't able to touch. It looks tons better, but still not perfect. They were happy though, so

damn $50 is way under-priced, you under-cutter you. Haha. I'm going to slightly increase my prices pretty soon, and am in the works of applying for a business license (wonder how much those cost..) so I can start advertising much more heavily. Taxes are going to suck though. lol

Right now my rate for a car is $25 wash& wax, $50 wash/clay/paste wax and hand polish noticeable, but minor scratches. And $140 which is wash/clay/polish with the PC, wax. I usually end up with a solid $20/hr, but if I license it I'm going to need atleast $30/hr to keep up with taxes.


All of that stuff is still sitting infront of my car, I don't feel like picking it all up right now..hah

 

[Andy]

I do similar work for friends and family, and $50 is just too low. It isn't even worth the time. I usually charge $80 for a car, and $100 for a SUV/Van. My PC has saved me so much time this summer. I'm still kicking myself for not getting one sooner.

 

[JonFLStang]

Hey Ray, what would you use to get stains out of carpets? I tried some things but they didnt work.

 

[Raymond]

Well I'm doing a full detail on a black F150 Lariat next Sunday, getting paid $150 for that but I know it's going to kill me.