During detailing "season" how many vehicles do you detail during a month?

During detailing "season" how many vehicles do you detail during a month?

  • None

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 1

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 2

    Votes: 3 13.6%

  • 3-6

    Votes: 12 54.5%

  • 7-10

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • 10-20

    Votes: 2 9.1%

  • 20-30

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • Over 30 cars per month!

    Votes: 2 9.1%

  • Other.............

    Votes: 1 4.5%
  • Total voters
    22
E

edgewise

New member
First, washed the Jet Black 330Ci with Dawn.

(FYI:Griots products from here on out)

Clay bar next, using Speed shine and leftover rinse water for lubricant.



Wiped dry.



Started on a rear quarter panel to measure results with bright overhead lighting on setting number 4.



Using Machine polish 3, the least abrasive, I applied it using up and down, back and forth method, doing 2 sq. feet at a time. I was careful to start, and stop, the machine on the finish so overspray wouldn't muck too much up.(Spatters did occur on adjoining panels, but very light and easy to remove) Care was taken on 'humps' or spots that one could possibly burn(turns out, that is almost impossible with this random orbital)



Removed polish of each section immediately after by hand with Griots Polish removing towel (Yellow ones). Removal was very easy as long as you start to remove it right away.



Results were outstanding, so much that I ended up doing 1/2 the car.



Time:3 hours from wash, to claybar, to 1/2 polished.



The areas that I had swirl marks left over from suspected Boars hair brush Linear swirls in particular in one area were non existant! (I brought the Boars hair brush back to Griots last week, and replaced with Lambs wool glove) The surface looked as though I had used a wax finish with no swirls, but of course it needs to have a final protectant coat of wax using the buffer. Tomorrow about 4AM I'll finish the other half, as well as using Hand polish for the smaller area's. Then get started on the wax. So far so good! This Porter cable is very easy to use and virtually impossible to burn the finish, even with alot of weight on it.



I'm sure the next time I do this the time will be cut down, I did alot of 'inspection' during the process to see if the techniques I learned from Desmond in Toronto (Detailer that was visiting Griots last week) were working. They did! Very pleased. Picture day will be Sunday. Should have complete shots up by thursday.
 
Good to hear your results w/ griots poliush, looks interesting to me but i whent ahead with the 3M. Curious, what wax are you using, in my personal experience, Blitz and Mothers are better than the Griots Best of Show wax. It has a softer, less reflective look to it that you could like but i prefered the deep, wet look of blitz.
 
I always read, heard, and have been told wool is not a good choice to use on car finish because it can scratch the finish.



It can hold the dirt in the outer fibers in lieu of sucking them up towards the interior.



Random Orbital huh?



I always figured everone on here did everything by hand.



Good Luck.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by Guess My Name [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>

It can hold the dirt in the outer fibers in lieu of sucking them up towards the interior.

[/b]</blockquote>
Two bucket wash method was used. Eliminates the problem mentioned in quotes. I learned alot from a professional detailer... I spent about 1 hour with this detailer from Toronto that has big shot clients, he's been so successful that Griots flew him down to tour their facility since he uses their products. He covered everything from 2-bucket, linear wash method to finish waxing. Great info from him, and this board! Amazing seeing everthing in my garage reflecting off the areas I finished, I haven;t even waxed yet! , truly happy camper!

I'm using Griots Show Wax, plan to try them all, but Griots is what I'm stocked with now. I've used Zymol and Meguires in the past on my other autos (by hand). Starting off with Griots on this Jet black finish. Going to give both Klasse and Zaino a whirl over the next year.
 
Trust me, youl be amazed when you look at your finish after its been Klassed/zaino'ed. I could read the fine print on a bag of fertilizer that was sitting in my garage 2-3 yards away!. Klasse is sure gread stuff!. Hear that the griots paste wax is pretty good but never used it. Yes, many here have and use the PC w/ great sucess, makes polishing easier and a helluva lot better results. great 120 bucks to spend
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by Brad4rdHay [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>Yes, many here have and use the PC w/ great sucess, makes polishing easier and a helluva lot better results. great 120 bucks to spend [/b]</blockquote>
Man thats an understatement!

I have both Griots Carnauba and Show wax, applying the latter first, then 1 coat of Carnauba on top for grins, depending on the show wax result .
 
Really, i have wanted to try the paste (like i said, not blown away with the "Best of Show" so called "8 month" wax, looked decent but not awesome. Have you tried just layering the paste wax by itself?
 
Moe's patented "two bucket wash method" and Porter Cable 7424's are very popular 'round these parts. I use the Porter Cable for polishes and cleaners exclusively, wax by hand.



Neoprufrok was the first to report to us that his pricey Griot's Boars Hair Brush was indeed scratching the surface of his Flamenco Black Civic Si.
 
<strong class='bbc'> Part 2 !
[/b]
This morning beginning at 5am:
Finished polishing the other half the car, same method, small amounts of Machine polish 3. After finishing the polish, I decided to apply the Show wax by hand. Removed wax when it was semi-dry (no need to let it dry all the way so says #2 man at Griots) and used two White towels, one to initially remove the semi dry wax, the second to hand buff it out. Began at the top, worked down, save bumpers and rockers for last.

Unbelieveable. All the swirls gone, no more linear swirls. I had about 6 different lights on it from neon to cadescent (sp) and its beautiful. Pics today since the sun is out. Will post them this week sometime. I took some close up shots too to show the swirless finish.

Total time from Washing with Dawn to final wax(1 coat) 5 hours.
 
Oh, just wanted to post for the record, more than one person on this board (and another) have this perception that Griots is more expensive than Zaino. Just wanted to post my price results (you have to look cost per ounce when you shop)



Z-7(wash)- 16oz $7.95 (Griots same)

Z-5(Polish) 8oz $16.95 (Griots Polish 16oz $12.95)

Z-3(Show Wax) 8oz $12.95(Griots 16oz $19.95)

Rubber/trim same price.

Overall, oz for oz. Griots is less expensive for the products I use (and they're not all listed! I stopped when I saw the price gap)



One is polymer based, one is carnauba. Personal perferences on what folks like to use, right now I'm in a "Carnauba" period of my life hehe. Next year I'll probably try another polymer like I used to use, probably try Zaino.
 
Griots, oz for oz isnt that bad. The problem is that they sell some pointless stuff for lotsa $$ and market it too hell. They claim that the boars hair brush is the safest method to clean a car, when i, and many can clearly see that it was scratching their car (my brother spent big bucks on it for his bimmer). Personaly, i hadnt quite seen the light, so to speak until i used Klasse. It blew away anything else i had used, mothers, Griots, ect. The blitz is now my favorate wax. Really wet looking.
 
Most of their car finish products are priced lower, however you are right about everything else, I don't buy anything from them except Wheel cleaner, Hand Polish,#3 Machine polish,Rubber and Vinyl dressing, Plastic cleaner,Carnabua, Show wax,Speed Shine Quick detail. They're very competitive in pricing vs Zaino.



You can get things like butt caddy's, Porter cables etc. cheaper elsewhere.
 
Our season here in KC is from April 1 through November 30.

I do around 10 per month on the average during those months.

Open to EVERYONE from one-car guys to the pros doing 10 a week!:wink:
 
Detailing season starts January 1st here and ends December 31st :wizard:

My creditors just wouldn't understand if I told them I didn't have there money this month because its to cold :Frosty:
 
Flash Gordon said:
Detailing season starts January 1st here and ends December 31st :wizard:

My creditors just wouldn't understand if I told them I didn't have there money this month because its to cold :Frosty:
Click to expand...
Totally agree!!!
I did 3 yesterday in 25* windchill conditions. I'm actually busier in the winter since no one wants to wash their own vehicle!

I averaged out at 2.3 cars per day last year. That's working an average of 4.5 days per week. I try to work 6 but the weather and holidays knock my totals down.

I my record was 9 wash and vacs...simple ones...in a 10 hour day. Half were at one location and the 4 at another. Saved a ton of time by not traveling.
 
I voted 3-6.

I feel that this keeps me happy (don't get burned out or sick of detailing), keeps my customers happy and the service fairly personalized (I can still remember nearly all of my customers first and last names from the last 2+ years, what they drive, and what I used on their cars) and keeps a little extra cash in my pocket. :Dancing Dot:
 
Flash Gordon said:
Detailing season starts January 1st here and ends December 31st :wizard:

My creditors just wouldn't understand if I told them I didn't have there money this month because its to cold :Frosty:
Click to expand...

Not here in KC my friend. The customer base here goes into "THE DEAD ZONE" from December through March. Half the people will take it to Swirl-City, the other half Salt-City.

I think a lot of it around here is that between January 1 and April 1, the streets are always wet 'n' sloppy from snow, sleet, mist, rain and run-off.

I did a total of 3 details in December, Zero in January. February will be Zero. March, I'll have maybe 3-5.

April will explode!!!!:thumbup: (But I'm not doing this for a living... just for fun!):Innocent:
 
The most I have done is around 60 during the summer months of May-Oct time frame. Last year because I was ill Sleep it was 2.
 
Now that I have my DA, I hope to do more side work. I selected 3-6, but I will see if I can amp that up a bit.
 
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