Are the detail classes worth it?

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ClaytonBigs86

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Hey everyone,

I've been pondering doing some weekend detailing for some extra cash. I have limited practice with professional detailing but I enjoy doing it in my free time. I have been researching classes and being in Michigan, Esoteric Car Care is very close and they just posted a great deal for some of their 2020 classes. I'm wondering if anyone has taken the Esoteric class and if it was worth it? Also if you took a class from any other large detail companies was it worth it? I had a friend do the DetailKing class and his biggest complaint was that they were trying to sell him their products the whole time. I'm really looking for a good hands on class that is close to Michigan.

Thanks,
 
Check out Mike P's classes, might be well worth the time.
Mike has the most thorough detailing classes on the planet. Check out his schedule for 2020.
BTW he doesn't try to sell you products, that's Nick, Bobby and Meghan's job.
 
yup , check roadshow detailing class with Mike , usually a full 2 days hands on
 
ClaytonBigs86 said:
I have been researching classes and being in Michigan, Esoteric Car Care is very close and they just posted a great deal for some of their 2020 classes. I'm wondering if anyone has taken the Esoteric class and if it was worth it?
Click to expand...


I've known Todd at Esoteric for years. He has a stellar reputation. I have people that have attended his classes, Detail King classes and others attend my classes and they say 2 things,

1: Todd's classes are good. A good mix of classroom time and hands-on time.

2: My classes are the most hands-on classes.



It seems like every week there's a someone new claiming to be an instructor and now offering detailing classes. God bless them and go for it. My recommendation is to look for pictures showing real people doing real hands-on and when it comes to documenting classes, no one does it better than me.

Here's just a few examples, and keep in mind, it takes an entirely different skill set to make all these pictures magically show up on a vBulletin discussion forum and endure over time. A monkey can be taught how to put a picture on Facebook.


3-Day classes here at Autogeek in Stuart, Florida

Pictures: May 2019 Detailing Bootcamp Class at Autogeek with Mike Phillips

Pictures & Comments - January 2016 Competition Ready 3-Day Detailing Class with Mike Phillips

How to do high quality production detailing - Your largest market!

Pictures & Comments from the February 2017 Competition Ready Detailing Class!

1970 Superbird Detailing Class - The art of polishing paint - Competition Ready Detailing Classes at Autogeek

The Flex 3401 Car Detailing Class - Hands-on real-world training

Rupes Bigfoot Polishers Detailing Class & Extreme Paint Restoration

How to use the Rupes Bigfoot Polisher - Detailing Class

How to use the Flex 3401 to remove swirls & water spots

Porter Cable 7424 - Meguiar's G110v2 - Griot's DA Detailing Classes

How to use the Cyclo Polisher - Detailing Class at Autogeek

RUPES Cyclo Detailing Class - Pictures of Cyclo in action!

Cyclo Polisher Buffer Hands-On Detailing Classes at Autogeek

Rupes Detailing Classes at Autogeek!

Flex 3401 Detailing Classes - Show Car Detailing and Production Detailing




Here's just a few of the Roadshow Classes

323 Pictures - Autogeek's Hands-On Roadshow Detailing Classes!

Pictures: Autogeek’s Roadshow Class with PRAXIS Detailing in Auburn, Indiana

Here’s the power of teamwork and BLACKFIRE One Step!

Pictures - Allentown, Pennsylvania Roadshow Car Detailing Class

Pictures: Roadshow Class with Detail Pro Shop in Powell, Ohio

10 cars detailed in 2 days! Texas Roadshow Detailing Class!

Pictures & Comments - Atlanta, Georgia Roadshow Class!

Pictures & Comments - 2018 New Jersey Roadshow Detailing Class

Pictures: Roadshow Class at Waxstock in England!




Boat Classes
I never seem to get to the pictures for the boat classes, it's so time intensive. I did get over 200 pictures from the 2018 class. You won't find 1/10 the number of pictures in this thread anywhere else on the Internet showing you what you get to do at a boat detailing class.

Pictures: 2018 Boat Detailing Class at Autogeek with Mike Phillips

Pictures and comments: Marine 31 Boat Detailing Class - February 6th, 2016




The one thing all of the above documented classes have in common are...

You see people on their feet, tools in their hands working on cars and boats. No chairs. No sitting. Not time for chairs and sitting as our classes cover so many tools, products and techniques.



That said, I think Todd teaches a great class. It's a good value for your money. I've never been to Todd's class nor have I been to any Renny Doyle classes but I respect these two names in our industry to provide a great hands-on experience.


If you talk to Todd, tell him I day "hi"


:)
 
As someone who took the Denver road show class in August, I say Absolutely worth it. I can go on and on, but have to go. Just do it!!!
 
I took a class with Mike just over two years ago and recently(August 2019) stopped by a class for a few hours to help out. I absolutely recommend taking one, don’t know about Esoterics classes, I can only assume they will feature specific brands and most of them boutique(see expensive) and not cover the full array of detailing machines and products like Mikes classes.

He will teach you how to use every type of polisher out there, 8mm, long throw, forced rotation, cordless options and usually has some nano and rotary polishers on hand. You get to learn with 1k’s of dollars worth of polishers, pads and detailing products(chemicals, towels etc). That alone was/is worth it to me, I can have a hard time pulling the trigger on a $300+ polisher, getting to use a few of the higher end ones I was able to make a decision.

Also, since you’re looking to do this on the side, Mike will give you a lot of tips and tricks that save time and keep you moving forward, in business time=money!! The class will pay for itself in just a couple details.
 
Thanks for the insight and all the pictures Mike, it definitely looks like you run a top notch class! Now I just have to decide if I want to travel to FL or OH for a class. I have all the equipment and chemicals now I just need a little bit more knowledge to make me feel comfortable taking on other peoples cars.
 
I cover a lot of tools, here's a quick video of just the tools available for mechanical decontamination.

I'm teaching a class on these tools at Mobile Tech Expo on Thursday, January 30th at 1:00pm. My first class starts at 8:00am and I'm teaching a total of 7 classes that day.


Check out the video though, not perfect but something is better than nothing....

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=988813684825363



:)
 
[Warning on taking Mike’s classes!

I have taken 2-Roadshow classes and also his boot camp held in the AG facility, that being a 3-day ordeal.

I am a DIY by nature and had three cars at home plus my adult kids cars when they visit. So I do this purely for satisfaction that I am doing my best to protect and maintain my investments.

If you want to learn the easiest way, just watch videos at home.

Mike’s approach involves you showing up early for the class and expects you are ready to learn and share experiences with your classmates. You will cover all the basics of detailing and then deep dive into methods to be efficient and yes how to build your skills for those doing this for profit.

Now for the next 10-hours you are trying out tools, products, and learning how much paint changes with each car. You leave the day tired and looking forward to doing it again the next day.

Next morning you are excited to arrive early and now asking more questions. You do more cars and try out more products and tools. Somehow I remember sitting down 3-times that second day.

Each class gives you a chance to touch many different vehicles and Mike’s experiences keep you informed on how to minimize mistakes.

If you learn best by listening then skip Mike’s classes as you miss out on the hands-on approach. You could still listen in class, recommended, but jumping in gives lasting satisfaction.

Your choice!

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I’ve only been to one class/training years ago held by Rod Kraft who was with Meguiar’s at the time. The class was informative and I wish it went on longer or there was more of them. So I would say any class is good to go to if for nothing else, to have fun!
 
I took Mike's class in January 2103 and it was awesome. I learned so much by doing it--not listening to someone else and then trying to emulate their techniques. I cannot begin to tell you how much the class was 'worth it'. It's not cheap but most things that are this good are not either.
 
If it were me & my hard earned money - Hands down every time I’d be spending it on a Mike Phillips Class. :buffing:

How’s this for perspective - in January 2015 I traveled all the way (8000+ Miles one way!) from New Zealand to Stuart Florida to attend a Mike Phillips Boot Camp Class. So already just on travel costs alone I have spent more than the cost of the class, then accomodation, food etc, then the class ... bare in mind, I’m self employed & the shop doors are closed whilst I’m not there so there’s a loss of earnings to consider too ...

Worth it??? Yes!

Would I do it again??? In a heartbeat!


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
Mike Phillips said:
I cover a lot of tools, here's a quick video of just the tools available for mechanical decontamination.

I'm teaching a class on these tools at Mobile Tech Expo on Thursday, January 30th at 1:00pm. My first class starts at 8:00am and I'm teaching a total of 7 classes that day.


Check out the video though, not perfect but something is better than nothing....

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=988813684825363



:)
Click to expand...

Mike when’s the 2020 roadshow schedule come out and are you coming to the Pacific NW?


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I attended one of Mike’s classes (Autogeek) 1.5 years ago. Totally hands on ! Great class to take,learned a ton.
 
Coatingsarecrack said:
Mike when’s the 2020 roadshow schedule come out and are you coming to the Pacific NW?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

What he said^^ I was going to do the Ohio one this past summer but I moved back from Seattle to MI so with all of that going on and settling into new offices for the start up I work for left little time. Now that I'm settled I have been researching classes weekly and hoping to take one in the coming months.
 
ClaytonBigs86 said:
What he said^^ I was going to do the Ohio one this past summer but I moved back from Seattle to MI so with all of that going on and settling into new offices for the start up I work for left little time. Now that I'm settled I have been researching classes weekly and hoping to take one in the coming months.
Click to expand...

You in Seattle too?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
As everyone else has said, Mike's classes obviously. Todd's good to, never took his classes but I've emailed him about products I bought from Esoteric (don't sell here) and left questions on their YT videos. He's always quick to respond and very helpful. If I was close to Ohio I would 100% take his classes. I know you said in the Michigan area, but you could take a trip to Southern California. Good weather and Jeremy from Shine Supply's class is suppose to be stellar. It's 3 days and I believe a whole day's spent with him focusing on becoming a business. He doesn't recommend the class for people who just want to learn how to detail. It's for us who want to make money from doing it. I know a few have mentioned Todd will try to sell you on products they sell at his shop. Maybe so, but the technique you learn from him would apply to any similar products.

I think Meguiar's does road classes with their NXT (I think that's what it's called) I took their 2 free classes at their HQ, and outside of Mike here, Micheal Stoops is one of the most knowledgeable detailers I've come across. With all I learned in the 2 free classes, I can't imagine how great the NXT classes would be. Something you could at least look into.
 
j.williams@perpetualradiance said:
As everyone else has said, Mike's classes obviously.
Click to expand...

The thing I like to point out about my classes is the one thing I do that I don't see others do and that's because it's time consuming, I document how hands-on my classes are with pictures.

In the 5th post of this thread, I shared 26 write-ups or threads filled with pictures like this one from the Cyclo session at just one of my classes,


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I think I'm the only guy that has photo-documented dedicated Cyclo classes, (plural).

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There's more than just the 26 threads I shared, I just picked threads that had dozens and hundreds of pictures. Here's why I think this is important. Without pictures taken at classes, how would you REALLY know what YOU get to do? I just don't see pictures from other classes. And when I do, it's one or two pictures and that's it.



j.williams@perpetualradiance said:
Micheal Stoops is one of the most knowledgeable detailers I've come across.
Click to expand...

I agree, he's incredibly smart and talented. I'm also happy to say he got his start attending the TNOGs I started at Meguiar's. They actually started out as WNOGs, or Wednesday Night Open Garage. I changed the nights from Wednesday to Thursday.

I think this is the FIRST documented Wednesday Night Open Garage. This is before I switched them to Thursday night. Back then, Mike was known as Mike-in-Orange as he had not started working for Meguiar's yet.

The time stamp for the first post in this thread is - Mar 7th, 2006, 08:13 AM - the class actually took place on Wednesday March 15th, 2006


Extreme Makeover - 1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe Convertible

249TransitionTeam002.jpg



Mike was a regular at the WNOGs and then TNOGs and demonstrated a real passion to work in the car appearance industry. I recommended him to get his job in Customer Care at Meguiar's to get his foot in the door, which he did. The later when I came to Autogeek in 2009, because he hung in there and helped me with the classes, learning how to not only detail cars but to teach car detailing, my confidence in him was high enough to write a job recommendation for him to take my place at Meguiar's and in their wisdom, they gave Mike position. He has worked very had over the years and as such, moved up the ladder to his current position, Sr. Global Product & Training Specialist.


One thing I remember about Mike was that he had a neighbor that worked in the shoe industry and Mike always wore different cool shoes to the weeknight classes. If you look closely, I think these shoes had FLAMES on them,

249PlymouthEMO_006.jpg







On the topic of the NXT Tech classes, I was also one of the first Instructors at the first 2 NXTi Detailing Classes along with a host of other talented people including,

Mark Willie from Mirka
Mike Pennington - Meguiar's
Jason Rose - Back then Jason was Meguiar's now he's at RUPES
Kevin Brown - Buff Daddy
Rod Kraft - Back then Rod was at Meguiar's - now he's at Griot's Garage
Kevin Brown - Back then Jeff was at Meguiar's - now he's at Griot's Garage
Me - Back then I was at Meguiar's - now I'm at Autogeek


Meguiar's NXT Tech Institute - September 18th

NXT TECH CLASS II, these guys are CAR CRAZY


Good times for sure.



:)
 
Yes, Mike's Roadshow detailing classes are ABSOLUTELY worth it! I have been to two of them. The first one was when he was still with Meguiar's. There is no substitute for hands on experience. The opportunity to try all the different DA and forced rotation polishers first hand is priceless as well.

RamAirV1
 
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