blk45
It's all in the prep!
What does that have to do with the rinse water that comes out of the hose?
So... What is a complete detail?
- Thread starter CharlesW
- Start date
What does that have to do with the rinse water that comes out of the hose?
Interesting.
Does the wash solution help with rinsing so there is less tendency towards water spotting?
It seems like there is a difference in how different shampoos rinse from the paint. Some seem to sheet water more effectively which would seem to be a good thing to prevent water spots. Maybe the ONR helps with that.
Detergents for dishwashers claim to have ingredients that help prevent water spots as well. Not the stuff that is injected in the rinse cycle, but part of the detergent used during the actual wash cycle.
It might be worth trying.
PerroneFord
Hobbyist Detailer
Seems to help with mine. I am assuming that whatever gets left on the paint from the shampoo is helping prevent spotting. Alternately, I will spritz the car with QD during the drying phase if I don't plan to do any other work on the car.
When I did my rinseless 2BM wash today, the black car dried without a water spot in sight. VERY impressed with that. And that car was NOT clean. I was driven down a muddy road the night before. Yes, I have pics.
JaredPointer
COME AT ME BRO
Exactly.
I want a wash solution that leaves nothing behind but clean paint.
I'm not really sure that such a car shampoo exists.
I guess you could use Dawn, but it probably has skin conditioners in it.
I do think that anything the rinseless wash products leave behind when used with the wash solution would be preferable to water spots.
PerroneFord
Hobbyist Detailer
IPA. Done.
agentxc_02
New member
On my car
1. wash
2. wash wheels inside and out
3. seal the wheels
4. dress the tires
6. clean undercariage
7. clay
8. polish 1, 2, 3 with griots polish
9. wax
10. clean and protect interior carpet
11. clean interior vinyl
12. dress the interior vinyl
13. clean leather
14. protect leather
15. clean interior windows
16, dress body trim and window seals
17. clean windows
18. apply rain x to the windshield and rear windshield
That is what i consider a full detail in my book
1. wash
2. wash wheels inside and out
3. seal the wheels
4. dress the tires
6. clean undercariage
7. clay
8. polish 1, 2, 3 with griots polish
9. wax
10. clean and protect interior carpet
11. clean interior vinyl
12. dress the interior vinyl
13. clean leather
14. protect leather
15. clean interior windows
16, dress body trim and window seals
17. clean windows
18. apply rain x to the windshield and rear windshield
That is what i consider a full detail in my book
JaredPointer
COME AT ME BRO
"Nothing" as in any kind of added wax. A pure shampoo - what I have been lead to believe is a true auto shampoo. I am not meaning stripping the vehicle LSP down to the bare paint. If anything is added, I want to be the one doing it if at all possible.
I do use a QD when drying, so I guess that would counteract spotting. My original sentiment stands about "drip drying" in an area with truly hard water. If I were paying what some of you guys are charging, and I see you not dry it off after the wash, I'd probably stop you right there, pay you for a wash and leave. If you're not even going to take the time to dry, why would I expect you yo take the time to do all the other little details? Maybe I am just picky, and most people wouldn't notice. That's just me.
PerroneFord
Hobbyist Detailer
Umm, I've never not dried a car. I didn't mean to imply that if that's what you thought. If doing conventional washing, I dry with a QD. If doing rinseless (based on my recent results) I don't need the QD, just dry.
RaskyR1
Rasky's Auto Detailing
A complete detail to me is doing whatever the car needs inside and out. A basic daily driver car would go like this.
1. Clean motor and engine bay
2. Exterior wash (wheels, wheel wells, tires, jambs)
3. Remove all tar and/or tree sap
4. Clay if needed
5. Vacuum interior
6. Purge interior with air and do a once over with the vacuum
7. Clean all vinyl and fabirc (dash, door panels, headliner, cup holders, glove box, ash trays...)
8. Shampoo carpets
9. Clean cloth/leather seats
10. Dress/protect vinly
11. Detail dash, vents, and all nooks & crannies
12. Polish paint
13. Apply wax
14. Dress tires, trim, and weather stripping
15. Clean all glass
16. Apply leather protectant if car has leather
17. Remove wax
18. Go over all jambs with DQ and check for polish in cracks, around emblems or decals.
19. Place air circulators inside car and let run overnight
Most complete details on an average sized car will take me about 8 hours with a 1-step polish.
1. Clean motor and engine bay
2. Exterior wash (wheels, wheel wells, tires, jambs)
3. Remove all tar and/or tree sap
4. Clay if needed
5. Vacuum interior
6. Purge interior with air and do a once over with the vacuum
7. Clean all vinyl and fabirc (dash, door panels, headliner, cup holders, glove box, ash trays...)
8. Shampoo carpets
9. Clean cloth/leather seats
10. Dress/protect vinly
11. Detail dash, vents, and all nooks & crannies
12. Polish paint
13. Apply wax
14. Dress tires, trim, and weather stripping
15. Clean all glass
16. Apply leather protectant if car has leather
17. Remove wax
18. Go over all jambs with DQ and check for polish in cracks, around emblems or decals.
19. Place air circulators inside car and let run overnight
Most complete details on an average sized car will take me about 8 hours with a 1-step polish.
Troy@Protekt
a.k.a. Troy@DetailCity
Troy@Protekt
a.k.a. Troy@DetailCity
This is my routine minus the air purge and air circulating over night. I use a vapor cleaner so neither one of those steps is necessary.
southerndetail
New member
If you're not even going to take the time to dry, why would I expect you yo take the time to do all the other little details? Maybe I am just picky, and most people wouldn't notice. That's just me.
What is the result if you don't wax a car? You don't have any protection. What happens when you don't dry a clean car? You are still left with a dry car, so no matter if you physically dry the car or let it air dry the results are the same.
What is the result if you don't wax a car? You don't have any protection. What happens when you don't dry a clean car? You are still left with a dry car, so no matter if you physically dry the car or let it air dry the results are the same.
tuscarora dave
"Luck" Residue of design
you reap what you sew.
Bunky
Detailing Gnosis
Here in Raleigh, we have very hard community well water so if you just left drip dry it will spot and not look as good dried. I assume if I am polishing later then this would automatically remove any water spots but it does spot glass too quickly.
I cannot get the blow dry method to work except in cracks,etc.
I cannot get the blow dry method to work except in cracks,etc.
JaredPointer
COME AT ME BRO
As a paying customer, in my mind, the results are not the same. I don't want water spots with mineral deposits all over my paint. IMHO, if I am paying you to do a wash I expect it to be dried - not left to "drip dry" in the sun while the water has a chance to dry on the vehicle. I think even most non-detail oriented folks associate drying with a car wash. If I am paying for something to be done, I expect it to be done. Again, this is just my take on it. Not saying you're wrong, just saying I wouldn't be paying you to do my vehicle.
tmacsad
Take Luck!
PREACH it Jared!!! :bigups
While a drip dry would result in water spots with our water, I really don't think many people having a complete detail done have any idea what is involved.
How or even if the vehicle is washed doesn't really concern them.
The number of steps and the products used are not really important to them.
The final results, and by that I mean how it looks as an overall package, are all they care about.
Especially clean windows.
If they were as picky as most of us, they would be doing it themselves.
How or even if the vehicle is washed doesn't really concern them.
The number of steps and the products used are not really important to them.
The final results, and by that I mean how it looks as an overall package, are all they care about.
Especially clean windows.
If they were as picky as most of us, they would be doing it themselves.
tmacsad
Take Luck!
While a drip dry would result in water spots with our water, I really don't think many people having a complete detail done have any idea what is involved.
How or even if the vehicle is washed doesn't really concern them.
The number of steps and the products used are not really important to them.
The final results, and by that I mean how it looks as an overall package, are all they care about.
Especially clean windows.
If they were as picky as most of us, they would be doing it themselves.
Good point Sir Charles. :bigups
PerroneFord
Hobbyist Detailer
I think to a degree the audience is important in this also. Those used to getting the car washed for $10 at the local hand-wash place are going to have VERY different expectations than the person who pays for a $250 detail once a month. In any case, I'd still dry the car. With the ONR/DPR it's fast and simple.
I also think it's a fair bit easier to assess the paint for further work if there are no new water spots on it. But this is just my view after doing this for a short time.
One other thing I've noticed is that presentation is important. I think when doing cars for more selective clients, how you present yourself and your business is noted. I make a point to try and discuss things with the client, set expectations, and keep them involved. Little things like the courtesy wash I did this weekend on another of the cars of the person who hired me. I was waiting for the sealant to set up on the car I was working on, so I did a quick rinseless wash of their other car as it sat in the driveway. Those kinds of things get noted, and my tip reflected it.
I also think it's a fair bit easier to assess the paint for further work if there are no new water spots on it. But this is just my view after doing this for a short time.
One other thing I've noticed is that presentation is important. I think when doing cars for more selective clients, how you present yourself and your business is noted. I make a point to try and discuss things with the client, set expectations, and keep them involved. Little things like the courtesy wash I did this weekend on another of the cars of the person who hired me. I was waiting for the sealant to set up on the car I was working on, so I did a quick rinseless wash of their other car as it sat in the driveway. Those kinds of things get noted, and my tip reflected it.