semi pro/hobby detailer

T

TRAKPAK

New member
Hi Yall. I am an avid detailer however, I don't go to the extreme you all go to in order to acheive ecstacy like you do BUT, I do get very close to being a pro detailer on my vehicles (which is relatively close to where you guyz go with your customers and your personal cars) but in a much quiker way without investing 8 hours. The biggest difference is you get paid for perfection, deal with crappy, swirly, scratched paint jobs that people think you can save-( and often you probably do) but I don't. I do applaud all you detailers for all the BS you gotta go through to help people bring their cars looks back from the grave.. I only deal with my cars - newer/ never let them go to heck to begin with so I got it on gravy street- however- I do get down and will cut extreme corners because I am the owner- as for you all- owners expect their cars to blind them with beauty even if it is a 1994 Jetta. lol

I have learned alot from reading your comments and wanted you all to know your expertice is greatly appreciated by me- thank you all. I use mostly over the counter stuff but all the higher endish stuff- Mothers, Megs, Liquid Glass, Ice just for convenience sake. Again, thank you all for sharing your secrets and wisdom. I do like the TW ICE- works killer on my rides. TRAKPAK

2008 Silver 4Runner Limited 15k
2008 Dark Candy Apple Red/ tri-coat Roush Trak Pak
2006 Pearl Opalescent white AWD Lexus 300

Thank you all:wow:
 
Welcome.

Even though the TW Ice isn't an acrylic paint sealant with guaranteed one year durability that has to be applied in a very prescribed manner or it won't work, I know my father likes it and uses it on his vehicles with pretty nice results. :)

Hang around long enough, and you'll get me. Or you won't. ;)
 
absolutely-but- I love it- I've used the ICE QDetailer a bizillion times and am always impressed with its luster- It also seems to be longer lasting than I would have originally think. I love the paste over the liquid glass after washing/claying/cleaning/LQGlss/ICE- ICE is nice for OTC stuff. Last weekend I used Megs/liquid wax over the top- cool and the gang. I won't be driving that vehicle till next weekend- maybe-- and will put a coat of Nattys or Ice over the Megs liq top coat before I take it out again- zero problems.
 
I bought TW ICE when it first came out and did a small section of one panel on my Ranger and then deposited the ice in it's rightful place in the trash container. :passout:
 
Welcome to DC.

You've probably noticed everyone has an opinion here that they are more than happy to share.:redface: :dcrules
 
Trakpak - I hope you'll see my other post about just trying to be funny in lilght of recent events regarding the acrylic paint conditioner statement.

Seriously though, I have watched my dad use the TW Ice and have seen the results myself. He can do the whole vehicle in about half the time (or less) it takes me to apply traditional sealant/wax.

The stuff really (really, really) reminds me of Zaino Clear Seal. I bet if you put some ICE in a bottle, slapped a "Z" label on it, folks would be shouting it's praises.

In any case, find what you like and use it. There's absolutely no reason that you have to spend bookoo dollars on "premium" products. Sure, they are nice, but you can get very good results out of over-the-counter products.
 
i have thick skin- I don't really care about comments of Ice going in the trash- it all depends on the application. For my vehicles , it makes them look like new money. might look average on an older vehicles paint.

I have a several buddies of mine who uses PB's and I really like 1 of their cars and 1 doesn't look as good as mine and its NEW!!!!!!!!!!!- oh well.

I agree with some on this forum that r obviously very dedicated and gifted- and some I don't-I know what works for me-in most cases but am excited to try your pro recommendation because you all know what's happening more than I do- but I still love ICE. lol
 
Just remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Detailing is more than just a job for some people. Some of us look at it as art. Also remember that just using a line of products doesn't get you results. It is the process of using those products that really get you the results you are after. It is great that you are able to maintain your vehicles with 'OTC' products, but if you ever want to turn the corner in appearance, then you are going to have to branch out to the web. There simply isn't anything on the shelf that can compete with some of the products that are distributed in places other than WalMart and PepBoys. ;)
 
jngrbrdman said:
just remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Detailing is more than just a job for some people. Some of us look at it as art. Also remember that just using a line of products doesn't get you results. It is the process of using those products that really get you the results you are after. It is great that you are able to maintain your vehicles with 'otc' products, but if you ever want to turn the corner in appearance, then you are going to have to branch out to the web. There simply isn't anything on the shelf that can compete with some of the products that are distributed in places other than walmart and pepboys. ;)
Click to expand...
+1
 
Detailing as art? Sounds a bit new wave to me. :hmmm:

And just to clarify for a new member (and OP), W@lm@rt and PepBoys are not the only sources of OTC products. Depending on your area you can often find a plethora of quality products which applied appropriately can deliver more than ordinary results. To say that you must purchase boutique products online to achieve great results is elitist and just not truthful. Learning the techniques and processes are key to acheiving above average results.

For clarification and full disclosure I use online products? Yes, I like to try different products from time to time and it is nice to support the vendors which help to provide our access to this site. Still, in my area (a large metroplex) I have ready OTC access to a variety of products.
 
I really wanna try the DG stuff- killer reviews and yes- OTC stuff is cool but will not produce art- its not hard getting a new car to look good- not for me. Pro's in this biz are artists and I recognize that- Vut i still like ICE for now anyways. lol
 
Trakpak, DG (can I assume you are referring to Duragloss?) is one of the quality products readily available OTC in my area (just picked up a bottle of FC&S earlier today). Many believe that this product line compares quite favorably with a well known boutique (available online or if you have a distributor local) line.
 
I am referring to Duragloss. I've seen it on cars and it was very good looking. You know, it would just be easier for me to just use the best NON abrasive products makes the most sense for me for newer vehicles. I know PB's is good but I've seen such fabulous results from Megs/Mothrs/LqdGlass etc...How much better does it need to be? Having said that, it seems as if you take care of your paint from the gitgo- its easier until u know longer own the vehicle.

I realize everyone doesn't get to buy a brand new vehicle all the time either. I have an afinity for Mustangs and am going to add a few older ones to the stable in the next 6 months or so, so I 'm gonna have to deal with alot of "old paintish" issues . Thats a big reason I'm trying to learn as much as I can. Again, thank you ALL for all the great info- Older cars sound like a science of their own.
 
For what its worth, I saw the Klasse twins at the local Honda dealership parts department a couple weeks ago. Those are some of the premium products that used to be really tough to find locally. Another place to check are autobody paint supply shops. They are often Meguiar's or 3M distributors and there are other products you can find there as well.

There are three grades of products the way I see it. Consumer, Professional, and Enthusiast.

Consumer grade products are like Mother's. I've never seen those available by the gallon or marketed towards professionals. Meguiar's has some consumer grade stuff, but they also have professional grade products in consumer sized bottles. Most pros don't have much use for a 16 ounce bottle of car wash, but you can get Meguiar's 00 in such sizes.

Professional grade products are industrial strength and industrial sized. Some of them don't necessarily work any better than consumer grade, but they are available in larger quanities. Most of the paint polishes would be considered Professional Grade due to the fact that most consumers don't have machines to cut their paint with. This is why you won't find the whole line of Meguiar's or 3M polishes on the shelf at WalMarts. You'll see a couple at Autozone or somewhere like that, but usually only one or two choices.

Enthusiast grade products are for those individuals like yourself, who are only caring for their own vehicles and want the best. Since 'best' is a totally relative term, I suppose you could find what works best for you off the shelf and be perfectly happy. I know I was totally content with Meguiar's Gold Class for years until I found Klasse and Four Star and Pinnacle and Wolfgang and the list goes on. Gold Class is still a great looking consumer grade product, but when I wanted to turn the corner in appearance, I had no choice but to go online. Enthusiast grade products aren't marketed on the shelves. They are sold through distributors who typically don't have brick and mortar shops. I'm not sure how Zaino distributors work, but most of the product distributors I've seen for Enthusiast grade products are professional detailers themselves and carry the products they use to sell to their customers. All of the vendors on Detail City carry all three grades of products. The thing I like about places like Autogeek are that I can order some of the professional grade products along with the enthusiast ones that make my cars look so good and I can even throw in a few consumer products that are often priced better than they are on the shelf. Sure I have to pay shipping, but it isn't that big of a deal. It is worth it.

One thing I can promise you is that there is no wax you will find off the shelf that will compare to Natty's or Souveran or Fuzion. There is no polish line you will find off the shelf that is as versitle and easy to use as the SSR polishes from Poorboy's or the XMT polishes from Pinnacle. I've never found a leather cleaner/conditioner that does the job of Leather Stuff from Poorboy's. I've never used a leather conditioner that works as well and smells like the Pinnacle or Wolfgang conditioners do. There is a huge difference in quality and performance, so while OTC products are adequate, it sounds to me like you have a passion for detailing and making your cars look their best. I think to correct some of the problems on the older 'stangs you are going to pick up you are going to need something with a little more kick than what you'll find easily off the shelf. There is a lot to learn about what does what, but just know that while there are some products off the shelf that are hard to beat, when it comes to paint care, I can't say that I've found anything locally that compares to what I've found on the interwebs. :)
 
thank you so much for the reality 101 lesson. I know your probably right about that info. I'm gonna stop at the Honda dealership and get some Klasse-it'll do the job for now. Thanks
 
When you said you were going to have to deal with old mustang issues, the Klasse All In One product was the first that came to mind. It is a tremendous oxidation remover and 'primer' for the Sealant Glaze. There is a little bit of a trick to applying the sealant glaze though. It isn't like a typical wax. One thing that you'll learn as you delve into the Enthusiast grade products is that they don't always work like what you are used to.

The easiest tip I can give you is to use a damp applicator and wipe it on in a very thin layer. Don't apply it like we learned on Karate Kid. Wipe it in a straight line in the direction the wind goes over the car. Thin thin thin. If you can see it then you are using too much. You'll thank me when it comes time to remove it. Sealants only need to make contact with the paint to begin bonding, so a thick layer just turns into a nightmare to remove.

Then when you are buffing it off use a damp (not dripping) towel in one hand and a dry one in the other. The damp towel will give you the bite you need to remove the haze and the dry one will take care of any streaks. What you will be left with is a diamond hard shine that is comparable to a polished rock. Give it a day or so to cure and then go ahead and top it with a paste wax if you want a little more glow to it. I think you'll really like the Klasse twins and it is a great place to start if you can find it locally. :)
 
Jngrbrdman said:
When you said you were going to have to deal with old mustang issues, the Klasse All In One product was the first that came to mind. It is a tremendous oxidation remover and 'primer' for the Sealant Glaze. There is a little bit of a trick to applying the sealant glaze though. It isn't like a typical wax. One thing that you'll learn as you delve into the Enthusiast grade products is that they don't always work like what you are used to.

The easiest tip I can give you is to use a damp applicator and wipe it on in a very thin layer. Don't apply it like we learned on Karate Kid. Wipe it in a straight line in the direction the wind goes over the car. Thin thin thin. If you can see it then you are using too much. You'll thank me when it comes time to remove it. Sealants only need to make contact with the paint to begin bonding, so a thick layer just turns into a nightmare to remove.

Then when you are buffing it off use a damp (not dripping) towel in one hand and a dry one in the other. The damp towel will give you the bite you need to remove the haze and the dry one will take care of any streaks. What you will be left with is a diamond hard shine that is comparable to a polished rock. Give it a day or so to cure and then go ahead and top it with a paste wax if you want a little more glow to it. I think you'll really like the Klasse twins and it is a great place to start if you can find it locally. :)
Click to expand...

You need to repost those pictures here of that old, red oxidized toyota pickup and let them speak for themselves! :bigups
 
I've got those pictures on my website. I need to find the larger resolution versions of them since these got shrunk a bit. I don't think I took them that large to begin with, but these aren't as big as they could be. It definitely is a good example of the power of a chemical paint cleaner like AIO though. eshine.ca has been using those pictures to sell Klasse for several years. That stuff is just really amazing.
 
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