What new members REALLY need to know about detailing

Scottwax

New member
1. "Best" is subjective when it comes to waxes and sealants. Too many variables for there to be a single, all around best wax or sealant. Do you want durability? Sharp reflections? Super wetness? Incredible depth? Is your car a daily driver? Garage queen? Do you have acid rain/fallout issues where you live? What is the annual rainfall in your area? Average temperature? How harsh are your winters? How hot are your summers? Do you have to park under trees?



2. No one knows how many passes with a machine it will take to remove your defects. It takes however many passes it takes. Even those of us who do this for a living can't look at a car right in front of us and know how many passes it will take and it can be different from panel to panel.



3. Similarly, we don't know what pad/polish/speed combo it will take to correct your paint either. Even the same cars, painted the same day will respond differently. Many a time, I've had a stack of pads and several bottles of polish sitting next to a car trying to find the right combination.



4. It is spelled "Meguiar's", not "Meguire's". Learn it, love it, live it.



5. The Professional Detailer's General Forum is not for asking what wax or polish to use. It is for general discussions of the business of professional detailing. The Car Detailing or Product Discussion forums have higher traffic and you will get a lot more input.



6. There is no one single person here who knows everything about detailing. Focusing on what just one person does or uses will limit your knowledge.



7. (from Salty) Stop wet sanding or heavy cutting without the proper experience and then asking is this damaged, when you know it is.



8. (fron JuneBug) I would like to add, if you're just starting out - KISS, as in keep it simple stupid, if you go out and try to buy every product, 1 you'll be broke and 2 you'll never get good at anything.



Definitely agree. Stop making detailing hard and complicated, it really isn't.



1. Evaluate

2. Clean

3. Evaluate again

4. Correct

5. Check work carefully

6. Protect.



9. (from carn00bie) there has been an awful lot of newbs posting, rather than searching lately.



3492searchfirst.gif




10. When you polish your car and whatever you are using isn't working to your satisfaction, don't run to your computer and make a post about not being able to get the swirls out and then ask "should I use a more aggressive polish/pad?". Here is the answer- "yes". Now you don't have to get mad when 3 hours later your post doesn't have any replies. ;)



Please use a little common sense. Assuming you are using proper technique (use speeds of 5-6 with a DA buffer, enough pressure to lightly slow the spinning-then letting up just enough for the speed to pick back up, and moving the buffer about 1-2" per second in 50% overlapping passes) if you aren't removing the swirls/defects you need a more aggressive polish, pad or both.



11. It is BRAKE dust, not BREAK dust.
 
Oh yeah, forgot...you kids get off my damn lawn. :lol



As long as I am being grumpy, minus whale go all the way, amirite?
 
You don't get to 26k unless you know what you are talking about. Great post Scott.



I love the Meguire's...I mean the Meguiar's one :)
 
Nice rant!



Adding to your list.



Stop wet sanding or heavy cutting without the proper experience and then asking is this damaged, when you know it is.
 
I would like to add, if you're just starting out - KISS, as in keep it simple stupid, if you go out and try to buy every product, 1 you'll be broke and 2 you'll never get good at anything.
 
- 90% skill, 10% product



- Pictures online can look great, car can look like a$$ in person. Only exception really is the halogen shots.
 
Great points Scott. Very helpful advice. Wish I had this list when I started on this gig...would've saved me some time and money.



I'd like to add:



A product being 'boutique' doesn't mean it's better. It may simply be a more expensive way to get the same result as a 'commercial' product. Show no bias when evaluating a brand/product. Just look at the results. This will accelerate your growth (and enjoyment) as a detailer.
 
Good advice so far .... I'll add another one if I'm allowed.



Reading about detailing, while helpful and informative, will only get you so far ... to get good at it you need to actually practice it.



I often see posts from people who say they have a plethora of polishes, compounds, pads, etc and they want people 1000 miles away to tell them what pad/product combination will remove their defect. If you have the defect and product at your own fingertips and under your own 2 eyes, start with the least aggressive approach you think might be effective and start learning how to correct paint by actually DOING it. Hands on practice using common sense is often the best teacher. :buffing:
 
How about not putting "56k no way!" in the title? Who still uses dial up to access a picture heavy detailing forum anyway?:nomore:



And how about not asking for advice for problems without at least adding a picture of what you are working with? :nixweiss
 
This is one of my favorite posts here for a long time :-) The same questions are being asked here over and over again, so I think making this a sticky and even obligatory to read for new members, is a good idea :-)
 
it's probably been mentioned (i'll say it again), but the "search " function needs to be used more... :bigups
 
if only i had seen this post earlier... :blush :guilty look:



could have helped to reduce or curb my spending on detailing products. as well as minimize my inane posts.



very useful and helpful. great post scott .
 
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