Automagic products

J

Josiah

New member
Does anyone use the Automagic (www.automagic.com) product line? I was calling detailers around here in Colorado, and one of them used them... Wondering what you all thought. :confused:

I'm in the process of deciding which supplies to buy as I start my business, any tips are greatly appreciated!

thanks,
Josiah
 
They typically make bulk generic detailing products sold in gallon lots, geared toward bodyshops detailers, and dealerships. This enables a low materials cost to maximize profit.



Their products are not bad, but not the best for the auto detailing enthusiasts that you find on this forum.



I have used their wet wax with good results. It is an abrasive carnuba that gives a deep wet shine, but doesn't last more than a month.



If cost savings is the most important to you and you don't mind the upkeep, then automagic products are the way to go.



They are also the makers of CLAYMAGIC, which is a great product.



For a similar line up geared towards the same clientel, check out the prowax line.
 
Well there surely are lots of great products out on the market. However to start up a detailing business I think I would look at two manufacturers that have been in the biz for a long time, have complete product lines, large R&D budgets and financial strength.

The two I'm thinking about if you haven't already guessed are:

www.meguiars.com

and

3M Car Care Products
 
I was leaning towards the Klasse AIO, Meguiar's No. 9 Swirl Remover for the exterior to get started, and possibly look into the BlackFire line. I also may purchase Blitz and see how I like it. Along with a few quick detailing sprays, clays and wax preps...



How important is it to use the same product for a complete wax? For instance Klasse prep, polish, wax, quick detailing spray, et cetera. Can you usually use different product lines with good, or better, results?



Maybe apply Klasse AIO after using Mother's Clay and Meguiar's swirl remover, then finish up with some Pinnacle Crystal Mist or Meguiar's No. 34 Final Inspection?



Thanks,



Josiah
 
For polishes and swirl removers I would go with 3M, they are the best for that application. You can mix products with Klasse, just make sure you dont put anything on the paint the will prevent the Klasse from bonding properly.



As far as QD goes, I dont think I would use Crystal Mist in a business. It is very expensive, its around $65 for a 1/2 gallon, and you will go through this stuff like water.



Also, you are going to need a polisher and a probably a rotary buffer. Make sure you have lots of expierence with a rotary before you use it on a customers car. A rotary can get away from you quickly and cause extensive damage to the paint.



Most of the products you are talking about using in a business are really for enthusiasts (Klasse, Blitz etc.), so they are going to cost quite a bit more to stock than the "pro" stuff sold in gallons.
 
That these are for your detailing business. Automagic products will do ok, also check out superior products, and the pro line.



One brand that I had great experience with is TOP OF THE LINE Products. They can also be bought in gallon lots, but might be a few bucks more per product. Topoftheline.com



These products are designed for easy, quick, use, with good visual results. Most are lacking durability, but most pro detailers will tell you that for 90% of their customers, they just want to catch their eye with a clean, shiney car.



These are the daily beaters and old lady clean up type jobs. They just want the car looking good till they get a chance to trash it up again. They probably never wash their car, so they will never know when the wax wears off. For these applications I would use bulk, gallon lot sizes of generic detailing products. Catch their eye, use stuff that is easy and quick to use and you will maximize profit and have a happy customer.



Now for the car enthusiast, use your 3M, meguires products, and maybe for an extra fee, a claying, and application of zaino or klasse sealant. Pricing is the hardest thing to do, but if you know what your competition charges, you should be in good shape.



Hope this helps.....
 
Thank you for the advice... I did not even think about using a different product for the business, I was just planning on using the best.

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

These products are designed for easy, quick, use, with good visual results. Most are lacking durability, but most pro detailers will tell you that for 90% of their customers, they just want to catch their eye with a clean, shiney car.
</blockquote>
Hmmmm.... Even for customers with Porsche's and Jaguar's and the like? I don't know what kind of vehicle I will be detailing most, but I will take your statement into consideration.

I am going to get the Porter Cable 7424 and start with that. It seems that it would be best for quick wax and buffs on customer cars, am I correct? I have no idea how to use it yet, but I will practice and get good at it before I use it on a customer car. Using the 7424 will be quicker than waxing/buffing by hand as well, I would think.

It is important to know your customer before you sell them your services... For instance, someone with a Dodge Viper who calls wanting waxed will (possibly) want a quality wax/polish job, while grandma will just want it looking good for her next outing. How do you keep "grandma's" returning for business?

Again, thanks for the advice. I will continue to change my "shopping list" before I buy for the business.

Josiah
 
Personally, I would stay away from Automagic unless you like cleaning white residue from all the emblems and between body panels. They basically make products for the detailers who clean cars for used car lots, so their products go on and offf quickly, so the shops can handle more products each day.

Like Short Cut said, for a shop that will deal mostly in privately owned vehicles, Meguiars and 3M are the best way to go. You can usually find a local distributer and when you buy in bulk, you save a lot of money. For example, a 16 oz bottle of Meguiars High Tech Yellow runs about $10 at an autoparts store, while through my Meguiars distributer, a gallon is about $28. For slightly less than 3 times the cost, I get 8 times the product. Both Meguiars and 3M also have strong support for their detail shop clients.

I use the same products on every car, regardless of the cleaning habits of the owner. I want every car I detail to look the best it can; besides, I'm a mobile detailer, so I only detail 2-4 cars a day anyway, and my costs per car is very low, even using Meguiars Pro Body Shop line of products (not that they are that expensive anyway). Also, since I only detail privately owned cars, I am not under the pressure of used car dealers or fleet owners to finish each job quickly.

Personally, I think using the same high quality products and the same techniques on <strong class='bbc'>every[/b] car will bring you more business and a better reputation. I haven't advertised in at least 4 years now, and other than when the weather (or current events like the 9/11 attacks that slowed me down for a few weeks) affect my business, I am always up over prior year, and 94% of my business is repeat or referral.

I have also found that a buffer is not necessary in most cases, in fact, I no longer use one at all. Buffers slow me down compared to waxing and polishing by hand. Others really like using them and can work faster with one, so at least try one, get proficient at using it and then decide if you prefer to detail by hand or machine.

Good luck. You will find detailing a rewarding job. Only one boss at a time (the customer) and you can see the results of your hard work in a few hours, not months like an office job. :up
 
Scott, I'm with you all the way on this one. I think the customer should get the best treatment. But... you have to keep it profitable. I suppose it will take practice to know what I can do and keep it profitable.



Scott, and I also wondering what OSHA/EPA regulations you have to meet to have a mobile business... Some local detailers said they don't offer mobile detailing because of the EPA regulations. I was planning on doing that, but can't find any info on it. What do you know about this?



Thanks,

Josiah
 
Josiah-I guess any EPA/OSHA regulations you would have to meet depend on local and state laws. I do know in California, you have to recover any water that you wash an engine with, and such recovery systems are not cheap-about $10,000 or so. Some states may require you to recover any water you wash a car with, but you would have to check with respect to your area. The car soap I use only requires 1 gallon of water and no rinsing, so there is no real mess on the ground when I am done, and there are no Texas state laws requiring me to recover and recycle the water I use.



I normally do not clean engines--too much electronics under the hood and the mess it makes underneath the car, and again, being mobile I certainly am not going to invest $10,000 in a recovery system should Texas mandate their use.



I have found it very hard to keep employees-especially in the summer when they whine about the heat, but I do have the Data sheets for the cleaners I use-but none are toxic at all.



You just need to research your local laws to see what is required. If you need a recovery system to detail engines on site, then you may just not want to offer that option. I rarely get asked to detail an engine, and it doesn't seem to be a problem-most guys with $75,000 cars don't even know how to open their hoods anyway-they can pay others to do that!
 
One of the best BMW rebuild shops in the Pacific Northwest uses Clay-Magic (blue not red).



If your looking for something that's pretty darn good check out "Race Glaze" They have a leveler that is very good and if your into a 1-2-3 product the "Polish/Sealant" is not bad either. I've seen the results on many BMW's and Mercedes and they look fantastic.
 
#1 priority ----> Catch the eye of the customer. This is second to durability. WET WAX by automagic sure looks nice. I would use a machine though, as it is rough to buff off. It lasts as long as a typical carnuba.



I tried TOPOFTHELINE products and prefer them for a pro lineup where bulk sizes are available.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top