View Full Version : How many hours does it take you to detail?
gh0st
07-30-2005, 08:03 PM
I`m just curious how long it takes you to prep, polish and wax the pain.
ericthebikeman
07-30-2005, 08:36 PM
It took me about 5 hours to wash, clay, polish & seal the paint on Friday.
ZaneO
07-30-2005, 08:43 PM
Took me nearly 7 hours today for a Mach1 with moderate swirling.
Time really just depends on what needs to be done.
imported_truzoom
07-30-2005, 08:43 PM
Minimum of 3 hours on any detail, unless it`s like a mini or a motorcycle.
DaGonz
07-30-2005, 09:22 PM
Four to five hours for an exterior detail with a light interior cleaning.
Six to eight for a complete inside and out detailing.
ericthebikeman
07-30-2005, 09:34 PM
Time really just depends on what needs to be done.
Quoted for truth
audipower
07-30-2005, 09:54 PM
You can clay, Klasse AIO and P21S in 3 hours. Polish can add over an hour depending how deep you get into it and experience.
Basically a evening.
buellwinkle
07-30-2005, 10:02 PM
Wash, clay, machine polish and wax, 3 hours. Then interior, wipe down, clean some stains here and there, apply leather conditioner and vacuum carpet/matts, another hour. I do this in the spring before summer, it`s just too hot to get that kind of time before the heat comes on. I find you can split it by washing, claying and polishing one day. Then wash the next day (helps get any polish residue off) and then wax 2 coats.
For the summer I just wash and do a hand quick wax, takes an hour.
Richt
07-31-2005, 12:38 AM
On my own car, weeks, in fact its an on going process.
Other peoples cars again depending on the severity as little as an hour to as much as 7/8 on some finishes.
Beason
07-31-2005, 07:49 AM
7-8 hours for moderate swirling on my Tahoe
Process Includes
Wash
Clay
Wash Door Seals
AIO/#20 Door Seals
SSR2.5/DACP
SSR1/SFP
RMG/VM
LSP
Dress Tires and Wheel Wells
Polish Chrome
Apply Rubber/Vinyl/Plastic Dressings
Windows inside/out
Clean Plastics/Dash w/ MCME
Protect Plastics
Clean/Condition Leather
Vacuum
drewski59
07-31-2005, 08:32 AM
About 6 hours for the exterior of my PT, which I really do about every 6 months. Add to that another 3 or 4 hours for a complete interior treatment!
I usually spend the better part of a weekend on it!
cwcad
07-31-2005, 08:40 AM
As some one stated earlier it depends on what needs to be done. What has happened to me as i become more Autopian the details take longer and longer because my eye has become more decerning.
An example would be it took five hours to do My Bravada in November. this was only an exterior job. The last detail job i did was on a 76 Chevy pickup in bad shape and I spent 11 hours using a rotary to get the job done and i had the owner wiping behind me.
What i know is that the last detail was more enjoyable than the first detail. I can only hope that that attitude remains with me as I continue to strive for the perfect shine.
JeffM
07-31-2005, 10:08 AM
I could easily spend 5 hours just washing, spot clay,light polish, LSP, clean glass, dress tires, dress trim, clean nooks and crannies.
C. Charles Hahn
07-31-2005, 10:17 AM
6-8 hours for a full in/out detail. Outside only takes maybe 3-4, interior 2 to 4 hours depending on the size and condition.
Accumulator
07-31-2005, 12:39 PM
Well, it takes me longer than anybody has posted so far :o I can do a quick refresh of my LSP about as quickly as anybody, but a real *detail*, every millimeter done properly, takes a long time.
When I did the black rent-a-Suburban it took me about 12 hours- good enough for that (and enough to wow most anybody), but not *close* to good enough for one of my vehicles. Doing the S8 or the Jag takes *MUCH* longer than that, as in days.
Example: I`ll spend a *long* time on the little slots of a grill (dozens of slots, at least four surfaces and four seams for each slot: clean, AIO, then SG or whatever x however many coats). Heh heh, I`m always griping about those grills...they must bug me.
With silver, just *inspecting* for light marring when I polish can take a very long time. Consider that you need different types of light sources and varying viewing angles.
Today I spent over two hours on the S8`s already-cleaned interior, and I still haven`t treated the seats yet. The way the wood (wax) and the vinyl (dressing) are adjacent makes it tough to keep the respective treatments from overlapping. Had to use small brushes and swabs. Ditto for the rubber bits that are next to painted surfaces, especially deep in the doorjambs.