Method of operation?

[pmd]

Example-

1st- Wash
2nd- Clay
etc...

And what do you charge??

[2drtahoez71]

it depends on what the car needs. Every car is defferent (color, condition, last time it was fully detailed, etc) However, just as a rough outline, this is what your average, decently maintained car probably needs:

1. Examine the car, make sure its relatively debris free, and look for any problem areas
2. Rinse first with a slow stream of water
3. Rinse with a slightly stronger blast of water to get everything you can off the surface
4. Wash
5. Rinse (sometimes a 2nd wash might be needed in extreme cases)
6. Dry
7. Clay
8. Remove swirls (DACP, SSR2, SSR1, SMR, etc)
9. Polish (PP, PWC, AIO, WGPE, etc)
10. Glaze/seal (VM, IHG, etc)
11. Wax/protect (S100, UPP, nattys, moose wax, etc)
12. Either do a light wash or QD to get all residue/dust off, i prefer to do a quick wash again.

These are simply steps for the paint. Most people start with the interior first. Some people do the wheels first, before the body. With me, its all a matter of what im in the mood for. Usually I want to jump right on the paint to start its transformation from dull to BLING because its the most fun (interiors are so boring and time consuming). And sometimes wheels can be a pain as well.

My full details start at $200 and take upwards of 5-6 hours.

[Jngrbrdman]

There are many steps and the price depends on how many of those steps you need to use and how long it is going to take you to do them. For example...

First Inspection
-Check out the car so you know what needs to be done.

Wash
-Clean Glass
-Clean bugs, sap, tar
-Clean tires and wheels
-Rinse

Dry Car
-Get all water out of the trunk and all the cracks that water likes to hide

Clay
-Perhaps using rinse water as lube
-Possibly wash again or QD to remove clay streaks

Polish
-Using 500 watt lights or other light source check for swirls and determine the appropriate product to use
-Mask off plastic trim to protect from polish
-Polish till the swirls are gone.
-Buff off polish and inspect the work

Sealant
-Use pre-cleaner to prep for sealant.
-Buff off pre cleaner and apply sealant
-Buff off selant and inspect work for streaks

Dress trim
-Dress all plastic and rubber
-Clean off any that gets on the paint

Dress tires
-Avoid spraying tire dressing on wheels.
-Spread thinly so it doesn`t flip up on the paint while driving

Wipe down wheels
-Using a QD or spray wax clean water spots off the wheels

Clean Glass
-Using glass cleaner or whatever method you choose

Clean door jambs
-Clean with soap and water mix or Spray and Wipe
-Use Spray Wax or QD to shine and remove streaks

Final Inspection
-Check for any over spray of product on the paint and buff it off
-Check for drips on the wheels or around the doors and trunk

That is basically it for the exterior. I consider door jambs part of the exterior. Actually, I would consider the engine as part of that too. Anyway, the link in my signature is a little more detailed, but you get the idea. A full exterior only detail like this is something I would charge probably bewtween $80 and $120 depending on the size of the vehicle. If the interior and engine were included then it would be more. It could drive the price upwards of $200 dollars.

[Focusedonsound]

When you start your detail. Whats your method of operation. Do you do the interior first then the exterior? Do you start on the wheels first or do them last? I think you get the idea. Any time saving tips.

Also ... do you guys do anything with the trunk area? I know a lot of people who have some nasty looking trunk! but don`t want that touched.

[nthngd2say]

My process:

1. Wash Wheels
2. Wash/Dry vehicle
3. Vacuum/Clean/Dress interior
4. Polish
5. Wax/sealant
6. Topper
7. Dress trim
8. Windows

I don`t have a trunk on either of my vehicles

[The Fuzz]

Well...... If its a lady then my first step is to check the car out. You gotta make sure there aren`t any surprises that the owner doesn`t know about and then they blame you for it. I usually spend an extra amount of time checking out the rear end. :naughty Never know what that lady...car, that is... has backed into without the owner knowing about it.

After I`ve checked it out and found it to be hot and good looking then I get her number. ...so I can call her when the car is done, of course. :naughty

Then I take the car to the local car wash and tell them to do whatever they do while I go back home and get ready for some smooth lovin. :naughty

If it was a dude and not a foxy lady then the steps I would follow if I was detailing it would be:

Interior (dash, console, seats, carpet, glass)
Exterior (tires/wheels, wash, dry, polish, wax/seal, trim, tires, glass)

I don`t think I would do the trunk unless they asked me too. I`ve found that most people just cram all their junk back there when they know the car is being detailed. I might open it just to get the water out, but that is about it.

By the way... There is another thread exactly like this floating around here. I saw it yesterday. I think I`m going to move this over there since we really don`t want to become like other boards with 1500 threads all about the exact same thing hanging around on the forums. :naughty

[Scott P]

It all depends on the condition of the vehicle and what services I`m doing. I usually do the following:

Wash exterior including wheels and tires.
Dry car.
Clay (if needed)
Paint cleaner
Swirl remover
Polish or glaze
Sealant or wax
Vacuum and wipe down interior (no extractor)
Do window glass
Apply tire stuff.

Then again, the Fuzz`s method looks quite promising...