Difference between 1, 2, and 3 step detail?

[brwill2005]

Originally Posted by 89gt-stanger

Honestly, I think "1-step polish/2-step polish/3-step polish" is a joke. I have customers who either want a wash, interior or wax. And then there are the customers who want swirl/defect removal. I consider any "polish" that still intentionally leaves defects behind (i.e. a 1-step polish) a half-assed job. I have never had a customer that wanted to pay to remove only a little bit of defects or add a tiny bit of gloss. They want the whole she-bang. On almost all of my defect removals, I start with M105. When there is only light-light moderate I use 205. A while ago I started to use products from Menzerna for polishing. However, when 205 came out, I was once again addicted to Meguiars.

You are young and do not have much business experience. I too live in a very high income area; actually one of the most wealthy in the country. I have been doing this full time for nearly four years and part time for over 10. It is very common for me to encounter people who are just looking to have a one or two step polish. It is not very common for me to encounter people who are willing to pay for a 3 or 4 step polish. I believe the longer you do this, the more people you will encounter who only want a one step polish.

[Superdutytd]

Originally Posted by lecchilo

I also think of it as polishing steps because everything else is just parts of a detail job... can't really count washing as a step, or waxing, because what'st he point of washing, claying, polishing if you won't wax... thus why I name my services based on polishing steps.



So what you're saying is that you polish each vehicle to perfection? What happens when you need to remove too much clear coat to get to perfection, which ironically now ends up being the opposite?

Maybe you work with cars in the 2007-2009 year range and a light 1-2 step will remove all defects, but in the real world there are 20+ year old vehicles on which perfection simply isn't useful, possible, or necessary. A black car that's swirled to hell will look 10x better with a light 1-step of say M205/LCW and that's all a client may want. It will look that much better because 50-70% of those swirls/defects in the paint are fairly shallow and recent and removed pretty easily with the 1-step.

As a detailer, you go by what the client wants but more so what you feel is best for the paint. If you polish every car to perfection, you're either lucky to work on some newer cars with clients that want perfection, or you'll have some pretty pissed off clients if/when they relate their cc failure to your polishing to 'perfection'.

Quick example... yesterday I did an inspection on a 2002 BMW 525 and paint was extremely hard. To correct to perfection (which I wouldn't do anyway fearing loss of too much cc) it would take roughly 4-5 steps of aggressive compounding, and obviously 1-2 steps with finishing polish. This would run the client at least $1k. We decided on a 2-step which took care of 90%+ of defects on every panel but the hood, which was in horrible condition and will be re-sprayed in the near future.

Just to be clear, most of my work end up being in the 95-100% (100% is always debatable but in the lights available to me, including the sun, it is 100%) but quite a few of my clients aren't in it for perfection (some due to price some due to my recommendation of keeping cc intact) and simply want to freshen up the paint with a clay, 1-step polish, and wax.

EDIT: I'm simply awed by your bold statement that me doing a 1-step polish for my client who can only afford $250-350 for the detail is half-assed. I've never intentionally half-assed work and definitely don't consider doing a service for a client half-assed because it costs less than my 20hr details where I can take time to do pretty much everything I want.

Out of curiosity do you use a CC thickness gauge?

[lecchilo]

Originally Posted by Superdutytd

Out of curiosity do you use a CC thickness gauge?

I started using one a couple months ago. Out of curiosity, why do you ask haha?

[StumpyDetailing]

Easy enough answer for me:

1 Step: All-in-One Polish/Wax like Optimum Poli-Seal or Autoglym SRP

2 Step: Seperate finishing Polish and then Waxing, needing 2 steps on the entire car.

3 Step: Compounding first, then a finishing polish, then a wax. 3 step process.



I have been known to use a light compound, then finish with an all-in-one product to do a 'cheater' 3-step for customers that do not demand perfection but still want a beautiful finish.

Agree? Disagree?

[lecchilo]

Originally Posted by StumpyDetailing

Easy enough answer for me:

1 Step: All-in-One Polish/Wax like Optimum Poli-Seal or Autoglym SRP

2 Step: Seperate finishing Polish and then Waxing, needing 2 steps on the entire car.

3 Step: Compounding first, then a finishing polish, then a wax. 3 step process.



I have been known to use a light compound, then finish with an all-in-one product to do a 'cheater' 3-step for customers that do not demand perfection but still want a beautiful finish.

Agree? Disagree?

That's one way of looking at it but I don't do it because if you're counting a polish and a wax as 2 different steps, then the simplest detail will be a 4 step (wash, clay, polish, wax). That's why I count a 'step' as a polishing step and nothing less. Everything else is just washing, waxing, etc. Use whatever works I guess as many people use either way of naming the services.

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted by lecchilo

I also think of it as polishing steps because everything else is just parts of a detail job... can't really count washing as a step, or waxing, because what'st he point of washing, claying, polishing if you won't wax... thus why I name my services based on polishing steps.



So what you're saying is that you polish each vehicle to perfection? What happens when you need to remove too much clear coat to get to perfection, which ironically now ends up being the opposite?

Maybe you work with cars in the 2007-2009 year range and a light 1-2 step will remove all defects, but in the real world there are 20+ year old vehicles on which perfection simply isn't useful, possible, or necessary. A black car that's swirled to hell will look 10x better with a light 1-step of say M205/LCW and that's all a client may want. It will look that much better because 50-70% of those swirls/defects in the paint are fairly shallow and recent and removed pretty easily with the 1-step.

As a detailer, you go by what the client wants but more so what you feel is best for the paint. If you polish every car to perfection, you're either lucky to work on some newer cars with clients that want perfection, or you'll have some pretty pissed off clients if/when they relate their cc failure to your polishing to 'perfection'.

Quick example... yesterday I did an inspection on a 2002 BMW 525 and paint was extremely hard. To correct to perfection (which I wouldn't do anyway fearing loss of too much cc) it would take roughly 4-5 steps of aggressive compounding, and obviously 1-2 steps with finishing polish. This would run the client at least $1k. We decided on a 2-step which took care of 90%+ of defects on every panel but the hood, which was in horrible condition and will be re-sprayed in the near future.

Just to be clear, most of my work end up being in the 95-100% (100% is always debatable but in the lights available to me, including the sun, it is 100%) but quite a few of my clients aren't in it for perfection (some due to price some due to my recommendation of keeping cc intact) and simply want to freshen up the paint with a clay, 1-step polish, and wax.

EDIT: I'm simply awed by your bold statement that me doing a 1-step polish for my client who can only afford $250-350 for the detail is half-assed. I've never intentionally half-assed work and definitely don't consider doing a service for a client half-assed because it costs less than my 20hr details where I can take time to do pretty much everything I want.