Detailing Class Down Under!

[Aaryn NZ]

Hey Team Autogeek. :xyxthumbs:

So this Tuesday just gone I hosted my first ever attempt at a detailing class & you know what? I think it went really well.

With my gorgeous Wife Ange as my assistant we set about teaching a class of Six dealership Detailers about techniques, processes, tools, & products to do with exterior detailing to a quality standard.
Now I’m not going to lie, I was fairly nervous but at the same time I was really excited. This is an industry I love dearly & being in the position to pass on the information & experience I have taken on board over the last twenty five years felt like a real privilege to me. rops:

My students .... With the exception of two, the other four were inexperienced & with little to no opportunity for training/education in the industry here in New Zealand I guess both themselves & I didn’t quite know what to expect.

Being that Blenheim (My home town, Population 31,600) is fairly small & someone will always know someone, I had heard a couple of my students had some concerns about the class.
One had concerns that I was going to go in there & tell them (longer serving folks) that they’re doing it all wrong & my way is the best way, & the other was mumblings about “what could we possibly learn” etc. Now I got rid of one of those concerns in the first five minutes.

Let’s proceed.

A brief run down of what you see in the photos.
We are limited in NZ as far as having X amount of tools ... products too but we are catching up somewhat in that regard, with access to some great products.
I had planned on focusing more on keeping the tools & products as close to what they already use & concentrate on the “process” until a conversation arose with the Dealer Principal a couple of weeks out.
The talk of efficiency & results lead me to change my approach a little bit & introduce new territory.

With one of the more experienced students having some understanding & experience with a rotary polisher in hand, the other five were strictly using free spinning DA polishers & in my original plan I was going to make sure they got the best out of these tools. Now following my conversation with the Dealer Principal I decided to introduce them to the “BEAST” the mighty Flex 3401 vrg. I make no apologies about my biased opinion of these tools, or Flex tools in general - In my experience they’re built extremely well, they are reliable & most important of all - They assist me in getting the results I desire in a timely manner. :buffing:

Right, before I bore you all with all the writing, I’ll include some pictures huh. Onwards -


After a brief introduction, I copied a style I learnt from Mike Phillips, “Hands On”. Aggressive Wash Process.

Clay Towel -

Blew them away with the “Baggie Test” ... :dblthumb2:

Whilst that Holden Captiva was “Stretching” after having been thoroughly decontaminated, washed & dried, we carried out a “Careful” wash technique & decontamination on this Holden Barina too.

Now that we had two vehicles, washed, decontaminated & dried, we headed inside .....


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[Aaryn NZ]

Inside, I talked about tools & the variations of such, abrasive technology, pads, techniques & set about teaching them about how I go about my polishing process.

On this vehicle I was going to throw them in the deep end & get them with the “BEAST” in hand & even the Flex PE-150 Cordless for a quick spin. rops:

Highlighting the defects with a Scangrip Sunmatch light & taking paint thickness readings whilst explaining how THIN clear coat is on modern vehicles.

Talking about Flex Tools & showing off my Flex PE-150 Cordless Rotary Polisher which is the only one in the entirety of New Zealand, & one of my favourite polishers ever.

So after a quick demonstration, it was time to hand over the tools for some “Hands On” learning. :buffing:

Early on during this step the friction from the other student came to the surface & within a few minutes of constructive tutoring the doubt was left alongside the attitude & by the end of the day this student was one of the most positive & motivated. rops:

Sealant - CarPro Reload -

Trim Restoration with Solution Finish - rops:

Some quick photos of this Holden Captiva completed out in the Spring Sunshine -

And the Class looking pretty pleased with their workmanship - :dblthumb2:

.... onto the next vehicle ....





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[Aaryn NZ]

.... Continued ...

For this little Holden Barina I wanted to demonstrate the importance of a good AIO style Detail & we switched over to free spinning DA polishers & 3D HD Speed & I think everyone was really surprised at the results that could be had with a fairly simple process.

A couple liked the ease of operation that comes with a free spinning DA but then on the other hand, most were hooked on the power of the “BEAST”.

Pictures - “Hands On” - :buffing:

Finished pictures -

Another one down & again - happy faces. :dblthumb2:

During a break for an afternoon tea & a rehydration stop, we. Had a Q&A session about the days proceedings which was fantastic. Lots of great questions being asked & the General feel was that they all were having a great time.

I learnt lots too. I certainly know where I can improve if I decide to hold another class in the future & with interest from around New Zealand already, this could turn into something going forward.

After our break we headed back outside to demonstrate on a New car, just how important it is to prep them properly, with correct washing techniques & to showcase that New cars need decontamination steps as well ...






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[Aaryn NZ]

... Continued ....


New Holden Astra going through a careful wash process & decontamination steps -

There you have it folks. That’s my first attempt at hosting a class. The feedback so far has been great. Like I mentioned earlier, this is a small town & any bad feedback will eventually make its way back if there is any but I genuinely believe all were impressed & only positives were taken away.

One key aspect was a Manager observed much of the class & I think a sense of amazement at how involved detailing really is was an eye opener & systems have already been put in place at these dealerships in the last two days!!! :dblthumb2:

I had (& I’m not a reseller or distributor) three new Flex 3401 vrg polishers here on the chance that if anyone was interested they were here & could be purchased . . . All three units now have new homes at the dealerships. It’s cool to see the Dealer Principal is interested in some investment in the detailing departments & seemingly willing to improve, not only results but processes too. :buffing:

Me, well I thoroughly enjoyed it. Certainly went better than I imagined at some stages leading up to the day & I’m extremely proud of the service we provided. And thank you all for the support & filling me with the confidence to run with this, you’re all awesome & I appreciate it. rops:

Here’s the class at the end of the day -

Thank you all for stopping by & toughing this one out.


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:





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[SWETM]

So glad for you mate! You have setup a real nice education. And the hands on teaching is always an appreciated way to learn and also teaching out. You nailed it Aaryn and Ange!

Also happy to see that the dealerships shows interested to evolve their businesses to a higher standard. And that they already took your hands off the new Beasts says a lot LOL. Great to hear that both experienced and not so experienced was in the class. Otherwise it's easy that the experienced ones goes on like before and the new guys and gals get run over and follow the way they have always been doing. Prestige can be hard nut to crack. Hope it's takeing them to the a new level of detailing. And that you get more classes to educate. But that's I'm sure will happens. I mean who would not want to learn from the guru of detailing in New Zeeland

And what an awesome write up and pictures you did. Very enjoying to read and watch. Awesome work professor Aaryn!

/ Tony

 

[RTexasF]

You should be proud. I'm especially glad that you won over the few that were not initially "with the program". The winning over of management observing is yet another feather in your cap.

 

[DirtyCanuck]

Incredible job man!! Well done. I’m glad it went well for you. That’s a pile of work on top of all the work you already have.

 

[Jayfro]

That is outstanding!! It was a great read, great pics, I can only imagine how much they learned from The Master from Down Under!! Im still blown away by the van or truck you posted a couple of months ago that appeared to be destroyed and you resurrected it back to life!!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

One word,


Excellent!


I think you've just carved out a new career for yourself besides your detailing business.


I was once told

When you teach, you learn


I would also say the BEST teachers or as we use in the detailing industry, the best Instructors, are people that have a true and sincere passion for sharing what they know with others TO HELP THEM. Not make a buck. And I would say you fit this description Aaryn.


Great job.


:dblthumb2:

 

[PaulMys]

That was such a GREAT read, Aaryn!!!

I had no doubt you would hit this out of the park, and you DID!

SO happy for you, man. And I am sure the class had a killer time and learned things that they will NEVER forget.

 

[fly07sti]

WOW! You are a maniac my friend. I don’t know how you and Ange juggle it all. I hope that group of guys realizes how lucky they are to have someone teaching them, much less the Best Detailer in New Zealand. I mean, does it get any sweeter? I’m tired just reading all the work you did.
BTW, I see that beard is growing in little fuller. Lookin good bro!

 

[Misterpaul]

Aaryn, I told you you got it...and you did. High fives, two thumbs up, a job well done and a pat on the back are in order. Very happy for you and your students. rops: :xyxthumbs::applause::applause::applause: :dblthumb2::dblthumb2:

 

[Paul A.]

Not only should you feel proud but I am too for you! GREAT read. If I lived in New Zealand I'd be buying from THAT car dealer.

 

[Sizzle Chest]

Bravo!!! Incredibly well done Aaryn! This is an awesome thread! Very happy for you that it went well and you were comfortable with your first 'teaching' class! Excellent!

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

Awesome job my friend. You not only affected their lives but the hundreds of cars they’ll touch for future owners. Good on you.


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[Aaryn NZ]

So glad for you mate! You have setup a real nice education. And the hands on teaching is always an appreciated way to learn and also teaching out. You nailed it Aaryn and Ange!

Also happy to see that the dealerships shows interested to evolve their businesses to a higher standard. And that they already took your hands off the new Beasts says a lot LOL. Great to hear that both experienced and not so experienced was in the class. Otherwise it's easy that the experienced ones goes on like before and the new guys and gals get run over and follow the way they have always been doing. Prestige can be hard nut to crack. Hope it's takeing them to the a new level of detailing. And that you get more classes to educate. But that's I'm sure will happens. I mean who would not want to learn from the guru of detailing in New Zeeland

And what an awesome write up and pictures you did. Very enjoying to read and watch. Awesome work professor Aaryn!

/ Tony

Cheers Tony. :xyxthumbs:

Great points my friend. I certainly wouldn’t shy away from another opportunity to do more classes. Appreciate your comments & kind word buddy.

You should be proud. I'm especially glad that you won over the few that were not initially "with the program". The winning over of management observing is yet another feather in your cap.

Thank You RTexasF. :xyxthumbs:

Yeah, I wanted to sort that out as soon as possible so I wasn’t fighting that all day, pleased it went the way it did. Actually, I almost insisted that the manager was there, I felt it was an important step for them to move forward - no point filling the plane with fuel if you’re not gonna let it fly ...

Thank you for your comments mate. rops:

Incredible job man!! Well done. I’m glad it went well for you. That’s a pile of work on top of all the work you already have.

Thank you DirtyCanuck. :xyxthumbs:

... Mmmm, yes .... The previous week I was starting to wonder what the heck I had done to myself but hey, we got there in the end.

That is outstanding!! It was a great read, great pics, I can only imagine how much they learned from The Master from Down Under!! Im still blown away by the van or truck you posted a couple of months ago that appeared to be destroyed and you resurrected it back to life!!

Cheers Jayfro. :xyxthumbs:

Thanks for the kind words my friend.

Haha, this one?

Or this one?

Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:

 

[Aaryn NZ]

One word,


Excellent!


I think you've just carved out a new career for yourself besides your detailing business.


I was once told

When you teach, you learn


I would also say the BEST teachers or as we use in the detailing industry, the best Instructors, are people that have a true and sincere passion for sharing what they know with others TO HELP THEM. Not make a buck. And I would say you fit this description Aaryn.


Great job.


:dblthumb2:

Thank you Mike. :xyxthumbs:

I very much appreciate all the help, support & advice you gave me to make this class a success my friend. rops:

I’m definitely excited to do this again & I have already had serious interest from a couple of different avenues.

Again - thank you. :urtheman:

That was such a GREAT read, Aaryn!!!

I had no doubt you would hit this out of the park, and you DID!

SO happy for you, man. And I am sure the class had a killer time and learned things that they will NEVER forget.

Thank you PaulMys. :xyxthumbs:

Awesome my friend, I appreciate your support. I have to say, I was trying so hard to get this post done last night ... got to 11pm & my mind was virtually asleep on me & it just seemed like I was mumbling away. I’m pleased it came across okay.

WOW! You are a maniac my friend. I don’t know how you and Ange juggle it all. I hope that group of guys realizes how lucky they are to have someone teaching them, much less the Best Detailer in New Zealand. I mean, does it get any sweeter? I’m tired just reading all the work you did.
BTW, I see that beard is growing in little fuller. Lookin good bro!

Thank you Don my Brother. :xyxthumbs:

Hahaha, yeah. It’s been my thermal face mask over Winter for my commute to & from work by bicycle ... getting outta control a bit but I’ll see if it can stay a little longer.

Man, I appreciate it buddy - it was a busy busy August for sure but hey, no pain no gain right??? rops:

Aaryn, I told you you got it...and you did. High fives, two thumbs up, a job well done and a pat on the back are in order. Very happy for you and your students. rops: :xyxthumbs::applause::applause::applause: :dblthumb2::dblthumb2:

Thanks Misterpaul. :xyxthumbs:

Yeah you did!!! Thank you my friend, Your Support, confidence & encouragement didn’t go unnoticed at all, in fact, I fed off the positivity from my Autogeek Family, & I credit much of the success of this class to y’all. rops:


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:

 

[Aaryn NZ]

Not only should you feel proud but I am too for you! GREAT read. If I lived in New Zealand I'd be buying from THAT car dealer.

Cheers Paul A.:xyxthumbs:

Thank you mate, that means a lot. rops:

Bravo!!! Incredibly well done Aaryn! This is an awesome thread! Very happy for you that it went well and you were comfortable with your first 'teaching' class! Excellent!

Thanks Scott. :xyxthumbs:

Appreciate the kind words my friend. I credit my confidence to you guys, my Forum Family. rops:

Awesome job my friend. You not only affected their lives but the hundreds of cars they’ll touch for future owners. Good on you.


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Thank you Coatingsarecrack. :xyxthumbs:

Great point. Let’s hope they continue huh. Thanks for taking the time to comment mate.



Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

For what it's worth...


Besides having fun teaching others the craft of car detailing and the art of polishing paint, if you do this long enough you'll see some of your students go on to be very successful in this industry.

 

[2black1s]

Congrats! It's gotta be a great feeling of accomplishment and self-satisfaction... Pulling that off so successfully for the first time.

The only experience of mine that could compare in regards to the self-satisfaction you must be feeling is public speaking. In my past professional career as an Aerospace Quality Engineer/Project Manager I had to do a fair amount of that. The initial experiences were terrifying leading up to the engagement but the feeling afterwards was nothing short of ecstatic.

I imagine that's kind of how you're feeling.