A cold day in Iowa

[CharlesW]

It was 18 degrees F outside at 11:00 AM so with the warm up, (It was 12 degrees yesterday), I just had to clean the GTP.
11:05 - 28 degrees in the garage.
11:08 - Fired up my 90,000 BTU kerosene heater.
11:28 - Shut off the heater. Garage was 58 degrees.
12:15 - GTP has been cleaned with Poorboy`s Spray & Wipe, (This stuff is incredible:)), vacuumed, dash cleaned & treated with PB`s Natural Look, wheels & tires cleaned, windows cleaned, and Duragloss Aqua Wax applied.
FWIW, the garage temp fell to 48 degrees by the time I was done.

There`s really no point to this thread, I just was so happy with my hours work that I had to tell someone. I told my wife, but it was like "So, isn`t that what you always do when it`s dirty?" Don`t you hate it when they are always right?:)

Charles

[cwcad]

Some day when I grow up I will be able to use the garage on a full time basis. Although if I remain in Texas I guess that I will not have to fire up any heaters to get the car warm.

Man you only spent an hour cleaning your car? I worked on 1/4 of the tonneau cover today. Over three and a half hours spent. What I did looks good but I have a whole lot more to do.

[CharlesW]

Man you only spent an hour cleaning your car? I worked on 1/4 of the tonneau cover today. Over three and a half hours spent. What I did looks good but I have a whole lot more to do.
All I did was a cleanup and spray wax with no polishing. Shouldn`t take too long and it didn`t.
You were polishing.
The tonneau cover is about 1/2 acre in area.
The tonneau cover is black.
`Nuf said.:)

Charles

[Pockets]

On avg. how long does it take to detail a car inside and out???

[Poorboy]

Come on Charles that`s almost like a Spring day :D

cw ..I feel for you but you are a perfectionist ;)

[joe.p]

Chicago Temps as of 7:17 pm- 22 deg expected lows 04 deg..its sarting to feel a lot like Christmas :smile

[CharlesW]

On avg. how long does it take to detail a car inside and out???Wash, polish, wax/seal, vacuum interior, scrub carpeted mats, wash windows in/out, clean engine compartment, probably takes me close to 4 hours, maybe a little less.
That`s on my personal cars that aren`t in very bad shape to start with and since I`m doing it for my self, I don`t really hurry.
I think for a professional. it could range from a couple of hours for a vehicle in the condition of mine up to 6 or 8 hours for some of the nightmares I have seen.
I have seen an interior of a used car that was so bad that they removed the seats to be able to use an extractor on the carpet.

Just take a look at some of the cars you walk by and give some thought to what it would take to clean them up. When you really look at them, you will see what I mean about the differences in what you have to start with.

Charles

[CharlesW]

Come on Charles that`s almost like a Spring day :DYou`re closer than you think. Any day that the temperature is close to 20 degrees, I can heat the garage and clean the vehicles with not much problem.
Having a garage and a heater makes a world of difference.
I also have access to a heated shop on Saturdays, but it does require driving about 40 miles round trip. It seems a little handier, more time efficient and more economical to just heat the garage for 20 minutes. Plus if I go to the shop, I end up BSing with the owner more than working on the vehicle.:D

Charles

[cwcad]

Since starting on this forum I have learned so much, Steve. It has been a life transformation. Trying to emulate the workings of some of the great detailers on this forum.

This past year I had the pleasure to view some of this forums members vehicles on my sojourn to Alaska. I think my vehicle looks very good. Yet, after visiting with these gracious members and viewing their vehicles, I am far from a perfectionist. I am just trying to keep up with the real ones.

Charles in cold Iowa and Norah in hot Tempe, AZ., are two members that contribute greatly to Detail city. Very knowledgeable and caring of this forum, it members, and their own personal vehicle`s. These two members plus many others on this forum are the people that I am trying to emulate. They set high standards. I try to as well.

[Pockets]

Wash, polish, wax/seal, vacuum interior, scrub carpeted mats, wash windows in/out, clean engine compartment, probably takes me close to 4 hours, maybe a little less.
That`s on my personal cars that aren`t in very bad shape to start with and since I`m doing it for my self, I don`t really hurry.
I think for a professional. it could range from a couple of hours for a vehicle in the condition of mine up to 6 or 8 hours for some of the nightmares I have seen.
I have seen an interior of a used car that was so bad that they removed the seats to be able to use an extractor on the carpet.

Just take a look at some of the cars you walk by and give some thought to what it would take to clean them up. When you really look at them, you will see what I mean about the differences in what you have to start with.

Charles

Has it ever taken you 2 days to do a car:confused:

[CharlesW]

Has it ever taken you 2 days to do a car:confused:If by 2 days you mean 16+ hours, no.
I have done my vehicles over a 2 day time span, but only worked on them a couple of hours each day.
Keep in mind that I`m a hobby detailer and the vehicles I work on are in pretty good shape to start with.
It`s not too hard to keep them nice if you work at it regularly. The ones that get neglected for a long period of time are a totally different story.
I have read where some members really hate mini-vans and even talk about turning them away. My 1988 Astro van was 14 years old, 168,000 miles and still looked new inside. Same with my 1998 Pontiac Tran Sport, but it was only 7 years old with 153,000 miles. Both were always taken care of and it was pretty easy to keep them looking good.

Charles

[Poorboy]

I am far from a perfectionist. I am just trying to keep up with the real ones.

I`m sure you do fine work :bigups

[Pockets]

If by 2 days you mean 16+ hours, no.
I have done my vehicles over a 2 day time span, but only worked on them a couple of hours each day.
Keep in mind that I`m a hobby detailer and the vehicles I work on are in pretty good shape to start with.
It`s not too hard to keep them nice if you work at it regularly. The ones that get neglected for a long period of time are a totally different story.
I have read where some members really hate mini-vans and even talk about turning them away. My 1988 Astro van was 14 years old, 168,000 miles and still looked new inside. Same with my 1998 Pontiac Tran Sport, but it was only 7 years old with 153,000 miles. Both were always taken care of and it was pretty easy to keep them looking good.

Charles

The Lexus that I worked on today was never detailed. It`s about 4 or 5 years old, has been taken to drive through car washes it`s whole life (swirl heaven, it came to me filthy (you could see the dirt everywhere), it took me an hour and a half just to wash the thing. Then i spent the rest of the day using SSR 2.5 with a cutting pad to get them out. Then it got dark and i couldent see what i was doing. I mean i had a great time doing it just was getting a little down that it was taking me so long to do.

[holland_patrick]

THREAD JACKER......


Oh that was the moaning i heard echoing up the hudson valley......

I told ya BLACK IS A B*TCH.

MOOOOHAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

[Pockets]

LOL LOL LOL Well any suggestions then pat:confused: