Hobby, Full Time or Part Time

**Jokeman** · 01-29-2012, 09:17 AM

Part time. I work with Rick about 25-30 hours a week on top of a full time job. 65-70+ hour weeks is the norm. I enjoy working.

**Merlin** · 01-29-2012, 09:58 AM

"What was once a vice is now a habit" (OK, I know it`s not the exact Doobie Brother`s quote)

What started out as "I need to get the swirls on my vehicle corrected" has greatly evolved!
Is it a hobby...yes, I guess you could call it that. Do I do friends vehicles? Whenever I can.

I do it because (for me) it`s fun! When it stops being fun and enjoyable I`ll only do my own.
I truly enjoy the look on a persons face when they come to pick up their finished vehicle.
The minimum I have ever gotten (from a person that IMHO has no personality at all) was WOW!
I do it because I like taking pride in my work and the sense of satisfaction of a job well done.

As someone once said "Choose wisely before you decide to go down that dark rabbit hole."
Well I went down that "rabbit hole" and (so far) I`ve enjoyed the adventures along the way.

**Nizmo** · 01-29-2012, 11:23 AM

It`s mainly a hobby for me. I work another full time job M-F and part of Saturday, so it doesn`t leave much time. It`s more of a relaxation for me, set the radio and letting go. I`ll do all my folks vehicles and some neighbors vehicles, but nothing much more than that. I`ll take on the occasional job that someone was not satisfied with the hack shop up the road.

**Midnight1700** · 02-09-2012, 12:45 AM

Start off as a hobby but decided to give up 27 years in banking and go full time. Since my decision, I`ve been detailing everything from Daily Drivers to Exotics to Air Force One and a B29 Bomber. Haven`t regreted making the decision and haven`t looked back.

**rwright** · 02-09-2012, 11:36 AM

Part time for me. I like my regular job and have no plans to leave unless I win the lottery, then I`ll be a full time detailer. I work on daily drivers mostly because I love making people fall in love with their car all over again.

**opie_7afe** · 02-24-2012, 09:17 AM

i voted part time, as thats about what i work detailing on my own, then again i just recently started hitting the pavement, and figured out the licensing stuff some office idiot was lying/misinformed me about...dude telling me i needed 7 business licenses for this county for every tiny small town in the county yet there so close together its insane, i knew that was not right.....glad i talked to a business owner who cleans houses(same difference as detailing as far as licensing is concerned) next step is getting my parris island and other base passes so i can get right onto base with no problems.

**rurocking** · 02-24-2012, 12:39 PM

It`s only a hobby for me. I have always enjoyed a clean well polished car. I always maintain the 2 family vehicle. In the past 2 years I got a bit more serious and started doing a few others in the summer for my son and some friends. I truly enjoy the reward and the look on their faces when they see the car.
I also consider the time I spend reading the articles on this board as part of the same hobby. The "Detailers Showcase" is my favorite topic. Their is nothing I enjoy more then to witness the quality of work some of you generate and the beautiful cars you all get to work on.

**Beemerboy** · 02-24-2012, 12:49 PM

Detailing started as a hobby for me in the 70`s in the 80`s I made it a part time job only on weekends, much like it is today. When I located to Sonoma County about 11 years back. I started to market myself as a local detailer and today I`m get about all the work I want.

**YNOT** · 02-24-2012, 01:17 PM

Detailing has always been a hobby to me. Since I turned 16 and had my first car, I`ve been obsessed with not only customizing them, but keeping them clean. My dad was "very picky" and it rubbed off I guess.

However it wasn`t until 2006 that I bought my first "black" vehicle and it was at that point that my "detailing obsession" would take on a whole new life.

Since that day, and the months to follow as I saw the black finish become swirly, I hated it and started searching how to get rid of them. I`ve now got two DA polishers and a boatload of Poorboy`s and a few Meguiar`s products and make it mandatory to keep all 3 of our cars in tip-top shape...even better than I ever did in my younger years.

So yes...definitely a hobby...an EXPENSIVE hobby. But nothing makes me happier than seeing the paint gleem in the sunlight or better yet, when someone compliments me on how `clean` my cars are.