Full Detail in one day? Is it possible

SL%%

SL%%

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Friends, my friend told me that it is possible to do a full interior/exterior and it's done in the US.

Am from Philippines so its kind of different and anyone here who've done that, kindly shed light on how you do it... Thanks....

btw, how do you deal with degriming? I mean is there a faster way of removing stubborn grime like the ones found on model name, logo etc?

Also in claying, what's the best possible method to remove heavy contaminants?


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Yes it is possible. I do it daily. One way to speed up the process is to hire help

Being from the Philippines should not cause this process to take any longer then it does anywhere else

The fastest/easiest way to remove heavy contaminants would be to wetsand
 
Flash Gordon, wow great can you share on how you do it and how many help you have? how do you do the attack plan? meaning, do you do the exterior while the other do the interior?

What grit do you use? 2,000 grit wet sand

Your experience on how you do this is highly appreciated...


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On average, most full details are completed in one day...That said, it mostly depends on the extent or depth of the detail AND the condition of the vehicle when it arrives.

These are the basic steps in order:

  • Wash
  • Clay
  • Paint Correction & Polish
  • Seal
  • Wax
First set your goals and expectations accordingly. "Perfect" is an ever elusive term and only can be found in the eye of the beholder.

Wash thoroughly using a quality car wash to remove all soluble contaminates.

Clay each panel to remove any embedded particulates that will break loose during the polishing stage. Use plenty of clay lubricant and a straight line motion when claying. Periodically look at the clay to determine when it's time to fold it in revealing a fresh section before continuing.

From Mike Phillips

Using Detailing Clay

Baggie Test Tip from Paul aka 2old2change

The Baggie Test - How to inspect for above surface bonded contaminants

The 3 primary benefits of using detailing clay to clay paint

Tips and Tricks for using detailing clay


http://www.autogeek.net/all-in-one-cleaner-wax.html1-Step or Full Correction

All-in-ones or 1-Step products do a nice job at removing oxidation, grime, and minor surface defects. The latest products do a damn nice job and leave some protection behind.

Compounding and Polishing are the purest way of turning an ordinary finish to a glass-like shine. There is really no comparison between the two but your goal and satisfaction will dictate your approach..

What I've found through the years is most customers are very satisfied with the results from a cleaner / polish. These products work very well removing oxidation, stains, embedded grime etc. revealing a fresh vibrant finish.

Detailing an interior can be challenging and the final results can be breathtaking if you have the right tools, chemicals, and treatments.

If the car is a real mess, but salvageable, I've spent 5 to 6 hours on the exterior and 4 or so hours on the interior. Then of course there's the engine compartment and the trunk....

The actual shape of the vehicle, ultimate goal, your skill level, and the products & tools you have available really determine the length of time and the final results...
 
We do full details in a day regularly. We actually completed two in a day this weekend totalling about 36 hrs of man-time split between the vehicles. Get the car washed and prepped, create a plan, and go.

A full detail/correction on a car thats driven and not garaged/left to sit will take a significant amount of time. It may not be possible for one person to properly complete a vehicle in a day. Always stay in the mind-frame of results over volume, and then slowly work on your efficiency.
 
SL%%;1077741 said:
Flash Gordon, wow great can you share on how you do it and how many help you have? how do you do the attack plan? meaning, do you do the exterior while the other do the interior?

What grit do you use? 2,000 grit wet sand

Your experience on how you do this is highly appreciated...


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

I typically have no help. I prefer doing this by myself


My process is the same on every vehicle. First thing I do (if needed) is clean the carpets/upholstery to give them time to dry. I then move to the wash process. This of course includes door jams wheels/fenderwells, doorjams and engine (if requested) and claying. This process typically takes me 2 hours. I then move to the interior (TO GET IT OVER WITH) before moving to the polishing stage(s)


Under most circumstances you should be able to remove contaminents using a claybar. If you are dealing with heavy overspray or heavy fallout 2,000 grit is a perfect grade (and a more efficient way) You also can go straight to polishing after using this grade

Practice will help you more then anything I could write

BobbyG said:
On average, most full details are completed in one day...That said, it mostly depends on the extent or depth of the detail AND the condition of the vehicle when it arrives.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

If you are dealing for the general public they are not going to want to hear (or understand) that it will take a week to detail their car. In most cases the job will need to be completed in 8 hours or less
 
Hi SL, doing a full detail in one day will really depend on the vehicle size, condition of the vehicle and the level of improvement the customer wants. And also consider the tools that you will be using, are they capable of speeding up your process? We recently done a full detail on a mitsubishi advventure, meaning we did the paint, windows, interior (seats removed) and engine, this took us roughly 3 days with 2 guys consistently working on it. Paint was heavily covered with water spots that some areas needed more polishing time, crevices were also full of mineralized dirt, which took a lot of time getting it cleaned. In short there are a lot of factors concerning time to detail a vehicle. Whats important is you don't over promise and just commit what you think you can do effectively in a day.
 
SL%% said:
Flash Gordon, wow great can you share on how you do it and how many help you have? how do you do the attack plan? meaning, do you do the exterior while the other do the interior?

What grit do you use? 2,000 grit wet sand

Your experience on how you do this is highly appreciated...


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


Herbert,

We would not recommend wet sanding as a replacement for claying for removal normal contamination of dirt, fallout, pollens, etc.; maybe for severe paint overspray, but that would be very rare.

999 times out of 1000, claying will remove common contaminants in one step without harming the paint. Then a cleaner wax or light polish and wax should be all you need to finish, unless the paint has deeper issues that need correction.

In a detail shop, time is money, as you don't normally charge by the hour.

Good luck!

Jim D.
 
^This. Wouldnt wet sand unless needed. If we do that kind of work its usually with the expectation that the price needs to be higher due to the number of steps and amount of time it takes.

Wet sanding should be a last resort; use the least invasive and damaging process possible to obtain the desired result.
 
BobbyG said:
On average, most full details are completed in one day...That said, it mostly depends on the extent or depth of the detail AND the condition of the vehicle when it arrives.

These are the basic steps in order:

  • Wash
  • Clay
  • Paint Correction & Polish
  • Seal
  • Wax
First set your goals and expectations accordingly. "Perfect" is an ever elusive term and only can be found in the eye of the beholder.

Wash thoroughly using a quality car wash to remove all soluble contaminates.

Clay each panel to remove any embedded particulates that will break loose during the polishing stage. Use plenty of clay lubricant and a straight line motion when claying. Periodically look at the clay to determine when it's time to fold it in revealing a fresh section before continuing.

From Mike Phillips

Using Detailing Clay

Baggie Test Tip from Paul aka 2old2change

The Baggie Test - How to inspect for above surface bonded contaminants

The 3 primary benefits of using detailing clay to clay paint

Tips and Tricks for using detailing clay


1-Step or Full Correction

All-in-ones or 1-Step products do a nice job at removing oxidation, grime, and minor surface defects. The latest products do a damn nice job and leave some protection behind.

Compounding and Polishing are the purest way of turning an ordinary finish to a glass-like shine. There is really no comparison between the two but your goal and satisfaction will dictate your approach..

What I've found through the years is most customers are very satisfied with the results from a cleaner / polish. These products work very well removing oxidation, stains, embedded grime etc. revealing a fresh vibrant finish.

Detailing an interior can be challenging and the final results can be breathtaking if you have the right tools, chemicals, and treatments.

If the car is a real mess, but salvageable, I've spent 5 to 6 hours on the exterior and 4 or so hours on the interior. Then of course there's the engine compartment and the trunk....

The actual shape of the vehicle, ultimate goal, your skill level, and the products & tools you have available really determine the length of time and the final results...
Click to expand...

BobbyG,

Thank you so much for this but may I ask some questions if you don't mind...

let's use a daily driven average Honda Civic car that goes through a carwash as an example.

1.) how long do you take to clay such example? an hour?

2.) "If the car is a real mess, but salvageable, I've spent 5 to 6 hours on the exterior and 4 or so hours on the interior. Then of course there's the engine compartment and the trunk...." so this is a full detail meaning with corrections (3-Steps) on the paint as well?
 
I would say it depends on your expertise and Equipment.

For me, doing a full interior/exterior is a minimum of 8 hours but most of the time it takes 10-12 hours. I am talking about:

- 8 Step wash for the exterior (Power rinse, shampoo, power rinse, wash, rinse, Wheel wash, rims wash, dry)

- Full interior (Interior wipedown, vacuuming, carpet and seat shampoo, interior cleaning, interior dressing, seat protection for fabric or conditionner for leather), Windows and Mirror cleaning.

- Paint decontamination
- Paint polishing (1 step)
- Paint sealant (powerlock most of the time)

That's a full day's work for me, I am sure some people could do it fast because they have more experience and some others because they use a rotary polisher instead of a DA like I do.

Also I am 43 so if someone with my experience and Tools was 20 they would very likelly be a lot quicker too.

So it's a lot of factors. But yes it is possible.
 
Calendyr,

Thanks so much for sharing your procedure, some questions though:

On the paint decontamination, you mean to say claying the car?

On the Paint Polishing (1 step), no need for compounding? So straight to polishing or this depends on the damage on the paint.


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Calendyr,

Also, do you do this alone or you have help with you?

Thanks


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I'd have to work 14-18 hours in one day to do a full two step correction plus interior and still would need help for the interior.
So I guess my answer would be no, not the way I do it, I'm so dame anal about everything.

One stepper yes.
 
Yes paint decontamination can be done either with a Clay bar or with an alternate product. I like the nanoskin sponges, they do a great job, you don't risk having to throw them away if you drop them, just wash them well and use them again. Also they probably last much longer than clay. Once I have used clay twice I don't feel good about using it again in fear some Junk in it will scratch the paint. Sponges can be used several times and they cost less than clay.

For daily drivers, unless the paint is in terrible shape, I usually suggest a 1 step polish to my clients. Most of the time it will remove everything except the random deep scratches. Those can also survive a 2 step process some times. I think the 1 step is the best value, it removes any oxidation and all of the light scratches and swirls. If someone wants to do a 2 step, I will be glad to do it but I don't try to sell it often.

I work alone. I don't know, maybe having help would be good, but I don't see how 2 people can work on 1 car for say 6 hours without stepping on each other's toes or having one person left with nothing to do while the other one finishes some of the work. Maybe I am completelly wrong about this but I feel it would be very inefficient. Plus, I usually don't trust people with work. I have had several employes in my life and have never been fully satisfied by any of them. People are lazy and don't care about their work as a rule, I know it is possible to find someone dedicated and OCD like I am but I feel that would take a lot of efforts and honestly I don't see why someone like that would want to work for me when he would be making a lot more money working for himself.

And as Hateswirls said, if you want to do a 2 step + interior, that is one tall order to do in a single day. Is it possible... probably but very hard to do. Only way I can see that being done by a single person would be to use a rotary polisher, and I don't like the risks that involves. Now if you have two people working together, it might be easier, you would shave a few hours if you can find a way to really work well together... but it would not cut the time in half, you would probably save something like 30% of the time it takes (best guess). So for a 18 hours job you are talking 12-13 hours. It's less than a day but still a lot of work for a single day.
 
SL%%;1078378 said:
BobbyG,

Thank you so much for this but may I ask some questions if you don't mind...

let's use a daily driven average Honda Civic car that goes through a carwash as an example.

1.) how long do you take to clay such example? an hour?

2.) "If the car is a real mess, but salvageable, I've spent 5 to 6 hours on the exterior and 4 or so hours on the interior. Then of course there's the engine compartment and the trunk...." so this is a full detail meaning with corrections (3-Steps) on the paint as well?
Click to expand...

You're Welcome..

1. To clay an average car after a thorough wash will take you about 30 to 45 minutes.

2. I described how long it takes me to do an acceptable 2 step correction on the exterior to remove oxidation, stains, swirls etc then apply a wipe on and walk away sealant.

For correction I like using Menzerna FG-400. This is the Menzerna's latest contribution to the detailing world and I am super impressed with how this product finishes up. Many times I've used this product alone, it's that nice.

Lighter colors are easier to correct because it's more difficult to see many defects whereas darker colors show everything requiring more work and effort. Remember, we're talking average correction, not surgical perfection.....this is an hourly charge...
 
I don't care what anyone says there is no way to do exterior and interior detail plus paint correction in one day by your self. If your doing it right that should take you 2 days. I have tried to do it in one day unless its a smart car now way anyone is doing it right. Unless the interior is like new you might be able to get it done in 16hrs straight. I laugh at people telling me their doing a 2 step paint correction in 5hrs there is know way your doing it right.
 
jimd@mothers said:
Herbert,

We would not recommend wet sanding as a replacement for claying for removal normal contamination of dirt, fallout, pollens, etc.; maybe for severe paint overspray, but that would be very rare.

999 times out of 1000, claying will remove common contaminants in one step without harming the paint. Then a cleaner wax or light polish and wax should be all you need to finish, unless the paint has deeper issues that need correction.

In a detail shop, time is money, as you don't normally charge by the hour.

Good luck!

Jim D.
Click to expand...

I know you work for Mothers, but how much actual experience do you have?



Pureshine said:
I don't care what anyone says there is no way to do exterior and interior detail plus paint correction in one day by your self. If your doing it right that should take you 2 days. I have tried to do it in one day unless its a smart car now way anyone is doing it right. Unless the interior is like new you might be able to get it done in 16hrs straight. I laugh at people telling me their doing a 2 step paint correction in 5hrs there is know way your doing it right.
Click to expand...

With more experience you will become more efficient
 
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