LightngSVT
12-04-2004, 01:26 PM
I want to state that I agree that points 1-5 are very good and sound advice. My issue is the blanket statement that all enthusiast detailers and internet detailing forums are "bad" and only a Pro can do a good job.
I occasionally visit a Ferrari board and they send out a monthly newsletter. This helpful tidbit :rolleyes: :mad: was included this month just thought I`d share (I have no affiliation with this site):
_____________________________________________
"Article Heading: ATTENTION TO DETAIL by Matt Zakarian and Mike Lee of Detailing Dynamics
Title: The Seven Biggest Mistakes People Make When Detailing their Ferrari
1. Using the wrong tools: I`m sure you`ve heard of "the right tool for the
job" and detailing your Ferrari is no exception to the rule. For example, I see
many people using the sponge/wash mitt you washed your car with to clean the
wheels, instead of using a wheel brush; or using some old rag to remove wax
off your paint instead of using a diaper/microfiber. These "shortcuts" not
only affect the quality of your job, but will also cost you a lot of extra work
later on. You ask how? Well, suppose that sponge you used on your wheels
picked up some brake dust, which did not rinse out but then wound up
scratching your hood the next time you washed your Ferrari. I can see you
cringe by the way. How long would it take to polish that scratch out? D
you want to take that chance?
2. Not giving the chemicals enough time to work: This is called "dwell
time." Many chemicals need time to work because their effectiveness is
based on a chemical reaction, not a physical one (as in a compound). Some
of the chemicals that fall into this category include tar removers (as well
as other solvent based chemicals) and leather conditioners. How do you know
how much time is enough? Read the directions (usually). Most often, the
directions are accurate, but I have noticed that on some products the
directions seem to have been written by a marketing or technical writer,
rather than by someone who actually used them. This is another case where
hurrying and taking off the chemical costs you more time in the end, because
you have to reapply it again.
3. Not letting the chemical do the work: I`ve seen many people resort to
using pressure, when the chemical they`re using doesn`t seem to work. For
example, when they`re washing their cars and the shampoo doesn`t remove the
spot, they press harder and harder on the sponge (probably scratching the
paint) instead of realizing the shampoo was not made to remove that spot and
maybe they should try a chemical that was. Remember that usually there is a
correct chemical solution for every problem. If you don`t know what that
chemical is, you can inquire online at (url removed) or call Detailing Dynamics at (phone number removed). But practicing on your Ferrari isn`t the wise thing to do.
4. Not using window towels on windows: The #1 problem most of the people
seem to have is getting windows truly clean. And while the cleaner you use
is important, it still won`t work properly without using the proper towel.
Trust me on this one! I know; you`re saying that you use newspaper (by the
way, ever since they switched to water based ink on newspapers, all it will
do is dirty your hands), paper towels or expensive disposable wipes you
purchased from that pretty catalog. I`m telling you that I`ve tried them
all and come back to these DyNA Clarity Glass Towels or equivalent window
microfiber suedes for only one reason; they work best. You want to have a
set of window towels that are dedicated for that purpose only and nothing
else. And make sure you wash them properly. (I describe how to do this in
my website.)
5. Using vinyl dressing on leather: One of the things that drives me
absolutely nuts is the directions on vinyl dressings. They almost always
say to use them on vinyl and leather. No, no, no! Think about it; have you
seen any shiny cows walking around like they`ve been drinking Armor All�
This is one of those times when you should not follow the directions. Not
only does the dressing make the leather shiny and slippery, but it also
closes the pores in the leather. How the vinyl protectant manufacturers can
get away with this amazes me. I`ve seen more than enough cars where Armor
All has been applied to leather seats and allowed to bake in the sun, thus
ruining the leather beyond repair. I`m sure the manufacturers of the vinyl
dressings know this, yet continue to include that in their directions in
order to increase sales.
6. Listening to their neighbor/friend who details on the side: Now this is
my personal favorite. Of all the six mistakes, this one is the most
widespread. It seems that almost every other person I meet has a buddy or relative who "details" (and is more than willing to share his vast arsenal of knowledge
with you). But as one of my best customers (who is a dentist) said, "Just
because you brush your teeth, it doesn`t make you a dentist". I`ve seen
people wash their car with a Brillo pad because their neighbor Bob told them
it would remove the road tar (well he was right, it did along with the clear
coat) as well as other "Oops" maneuvers.
7. Getting advice from the internet chat rooms: This one I added recently due to the growing popularity of the internet. I now read the detailing forum threads every chance I get; not for educational purposes, but for pure entertainment. IÃâ‚â„ve previously heard it said that Ãâ‚Å“The internet is the biggest source of misinformationÃâ‚Â and in this case I must say itÃâ‚â„s true. I especially enjoy reading the Ãâ‚Å“professionalÃâ‚Â forums; after all, these guys must know what theyÃâ‚â„re talking about. Ironically the top detailers in the country who IÃâ‚â„ve had a chance to get to know over the years never contribute their knowledge to these chat rooms. IÃâ‚â„ve found the advice on these forums to fall into (3) categories:
(1) The correct/best solution to the question or problem at hand.
(2) A mediocre/partial solution that although is not the best one will still not damage the car.
(3) A completely wrong solution that will not solve the problem and damage the car.
The problem in most cases is that you donÃâ‚â„t know who is on the other side of the keyboard. I remember some time ago on one Ãâ‚Å“ProfessionalÃâ‚Â chat room there was one user who was very helpful answering every question posted and offering advice to everyone who had a challenge. This went on for about (2) months after which he posted Ãâ‚Å“Just did my first paid detailÃâ‚Â. My question is what was he doing for the previous months? Doing your mothers and uncle TonyÃâ‚â„s car for free doesnÃâ‚â„t qualify you to be a Ãâ‚Å“ProfessionalÃâ‚Â detailer.
Well, there you go; a short list of lessons I have personally learned the
hard way and hope you won`t have to. As always, should you have any
questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at (phone number removed) or email at (email removed). May the wind be
always at your back and may you achieve your pursuit of detailing
perfection!"
I occasionally visit a Ferrari board and they send out a monthly newsletter. This helpful tidbit :rolleyes: :mad: was included this month just thought I`d share (I have no affiliation with this site):
_____________________________________________
"Article Heading: ATTENTION TO DETAIL by Matt Zakarian and Mike Lee of Detailing Dynamics
Title: The Seven Biggest Mistakes People Make When Detailing their Ferrari
1. Using the wrong tools: I`m sure you`ve heard of "the right tool for the
job" and detailing your Ferrari is no exception to the rule. For example, I see
many people using the sponge/wash mitt you washed your car with to clean the
wheels, instead of using a wheel brush; or using some old rag to remove wax
off your paint instead of using a diaper/microfiber. These "shortcuts" not
only affect the quality of your job, but will also cost you a lot of extra work
later on. You ask how? Well, suppose that sponge you used on your wheels
picked up some brake dust, which did not rinse out but then wound up
scratching your hood the next time you washed your Ferrari. I can see you
cringe by the way. How long would it take to polish that scratch out? D
you want to take that chance?
2. Not giving the chemicals enough time to work: This is called "dwell
time." Many chemicals need time to work because their effectiveness is
based on a chemical reaction, not a physical one (as in a compound). Some
of the chemicals that fall into this category include tar removers (as well
as other solvent based chemicals) and leather conditioners. How do you know
how much time is enough? Read the directions (usually). Most often, the
directions are accurate, but I have noticed that on some products the
directions seem to have been written by a marketing or technical writer,
rather than by someone who actually used them. This is another case where
hurrying and taking off the chemical costs you more time in the end, because
you have to reapply it again.
3. Not letting the chemical do the work: I`ve seen many people resort to
using pressure, when the chemical they`re using doesn`t seem to work. For
example, when they`re washing their cars and the shampoo doesn`t remove the
spot, they press harder and harder on the sponge (probably scratching the
paint) instead of realizing the shampoo was not made to remove that spot and
maybe they should try a chemical that was. Remember that usually there is a
correct chemical solution for every problem. If you don`t know what that
chemical is, you can inquire online at (url removed) or call Detailing Dynamics at (phone number removed). But practicing on your Ferrari isn`t the wise thing to do.
4. Not using window towels on windows: The #1 problem most of the people
seem to have is getting windows truly clean. And while the cleaner you use
is important, it still won`t work properly without using the proper towel.
Trust me on this one! I know; you`re saying that you use newspaper (by the
way, ever since they switched to water based ink on newspapers, all it will
do is dirty your hands), paper towels or expensive disposable wipes you
purchased from that pretty catalog. I`m telling you that I`ve tried them
all and come back to these DyNA Clarity Glass Towels or equivalent window
microfiber suedes for only one reason; they work best. You want to have a
set of window towels that are dedicated for that purpose only and nothing
else. And make sure you wash them properly. (I describe how to do this in
my website.)
5. Using vinyl dressing on leather: One of the things that drives me
absolutely nuts is the directions on vinyl dressings. They almost always
say to use them on vinyl and leather. No, no, no! Think about it; have you
seen any shiny cows walking around like they`ve been drinking Armor All�
This is one of those times when you should not follow the directions. Not
only does the dressing make the leather shiny and slippery, but it also
closes the pores in the leather. How the vinyl protectant manufacturers can
get away with this amazes me. I`ve seen more than enough cars where Armor
All has been applied to leather seats and allowed to bake in the sun, thus
ruining the leather beyond repair. I`m sure the manufacturers of the vinyl
dressings know this, yet continue to include that in their directions in
order to increase sales.
6. Listening to their neighbor/friend who details on the side: Now this is
my personal favorite. Of all the six mistakes, this one is the most
widespread. It seems that almost every other person I meet has a buddy or relative who "details" (and is more than willing to share his vast arsenal of knowledge
with you). But as one of my best customers (who is a dentist) said, "Just
because you brush your teeth, it doesn`t make you a dentist". I`ve seen
people wash their car with a Brillo pad because their neighbor Bob told them
it would remove the road tar (well he was right, it did along with the clear
coat) as well as other "Oops" maneuvers.
7. Getting advice from the internet chat rooms: This one I added recently due to the growing popularity of the internet. I now read the detailing forum threads every chance I get; not for educational purposes, but for pure entertainment. IÃâ‚â„ve previously heard it said that Ãâ‚Å“The internet is the biggest source of misinformationÃâ‚Â and in this case I must say itÃâ‚â„s true. I especially enjoy reading the Ãâ‚Å“professionalÃâ‚Â forums; after all, these guys must know what theyÃâ‚â„re talking about. Ironically the top detailers in the country who IÃâ‚â„ve had a chance to get to know over the years never contribute their knowledge to these chat rooms. IÃâ‚â„ve found the advice on these forums to fall into (3) categories:
(1) The correct/best solution to the question or problem at hand.
(2) A mediocre/partial solution that although is not the best one will still not damage the car.
(3) A completely wrong solution that will not solve the problem and damage the car.
The problem in most cases is that you donÃâ‚â„t know who is on the other side of the keyboard. I remember some time ago on one Ãâ‚Å“ProfessionalÃâ‚Â chat room there was one user who was very helpful answering every question posted and offering advice to everyone who had a challenge. This went on for about (2) months after which he posted Ãâ‚Å“Just did my first paid detailÃâ‚Â. My question is what was he doing for the previous months? Doing your mothers and uncle TonyÃâ‚â„s car for free doesnÃâ‚â„t qualify you to be a Ãâ‚Å“ProfessionalÃâ‚Â detailer.
Well, there you go; a short list of lessons I have personally learned the
hard way and hope you won`t have to. As always, should you have any
questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at (phone number removed) or email at (email removed). May the wind be
always at your back and may you achieve your pursuit of detailing
perfection!"