How should I handle paint correction when mobile?

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Bob Harris

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So I recently started up a mobile detailing business. I currently only offer two service packages, and I want to create a third package that includes some very light paint correction. As a mobile-based business however, there's a few challenges.

The main problem is that most corrections would be under the sun. I'm planning on utilizing Poorboy's products, as they're advertised to work well under the sun. Does anybody have any experience paint correction in the sun and would like to chime in with the products and techniques that they use?

The second problem is that I can't guarantee i'll have proper/consistent lighting. My idea is that this is gonna be a very simple package. I will definitely not be advertising a full correction, but something more along the lines of 40-50% defect removal. The goal here is to remove easier-to-get defects and restore some gloss to the paint, and this will be properly communicated to client and the price will also reflect that. It's gonna be a simple single pass with some sort of AIO product. I will not be chasing down any defects, and I'm only planning on spending about an hour or so on the actual correction. I want to know what you guys think about a package like this. If everything is properly communicated, what issues can I expect to face?

For reference.. My "Package 1" starts at $90 and my "Package 2" starts at $170. This "Package 3" would probably start at about $250-$320, and besides the light correction work, would also include an application of a liquid sealant like Collinite 845 instead of the spray wax and spray sealant used in the other packages.
 
Here's my suggestion...

Purchase BLACKFIRE One Step, comes in quarts and gallons.

I've been asked if it works in the sun and I have not used it in full sun but one of my recent students to my big 3-day class owns an RV detailing business and this is what he uses. He'd doing ALL his work outside in full sun and buffing out HUGE clearcoated RV's.

He came by and told me he LOVES this product.

Excellent correction, easy wipe-off.


:)
 
This is pretty much the exact kind of product I'm looking for. Something that is very easily applied and worked with, while also producing good results.

Would you recommend an AIO like this that includes protection already over say a compound that finishes very well and then applying your own protection afterwards?
 
I've done several mobile paint corrections. The mobile paint corrections that I've done, the customer had a garage to work in. Sometimes I didn't get it all done in one day and had to return the following day but it has worked out fine so far.

I've invested in a couple of Scangrip lights and some other LED lights with a stand.

Lighting is also important when applying a ceramic coating.
 
Congratulations on starting your detailing business! If you are going to be at a place of business like a gym, apartment complex or shopping center. You might be able to get permission to setup some pop-up tents for not only shade for the car but yourself as well. You didn't have your location set so I don't know if you are in a hot climate but it doesn't hurt to stay cool.

Also as a mobile detailer you will need to make sure you wear sunscreen. I am not trying to be your mother here, but being out in the sun for hours on end without sunscreen is not a great idea :)

If you are going to residential homes you may be able to use the garage with permission.

I like the idea of using products that are safe to use in the sun and the Blackfire AIO Mike recommended is a fantastic option.
 
Most customers that I deal with are more than happy to let me roll the car into their garage once I dry it off. I also have an easy-up canopy that takes about 5 minutes to put up if I know there isn't a garage available. The one I have cost me about $40
 
Working outside does have it's challenges. But for me, the hardest is working in underground garages, the lighting is quite simply horrible in there.

So for services, I suggest you stick with the following services as a mobile guy:

AIO Cleaner wax: I sell that has a 1 step polishing of the car. I use Meguiars D166 for this service. It works very well under the sun and on hot panels. Correction ability is halfway between a polish and a compound. I read somewhere that the wax has a durability of about 6 months. An other popular product for this kind of service is HD Speed. But HD speed has no where the correction ability of D166, and the durability of the wax is not very good either, probably in the 1-2 months range. A third product would be Meguiars D151 paint correction creme that is similar to speed in terms of correction and protection. These should be the main services you offer as a mobile detailers. It's fast to do (about 3 hours just for the polishing) and it gives good results that client can see.

1 Step paint correction: I use Meguiars D300 which is a compound that finishes really well. It is a great product to use and doesn't dust unless the panels are hot or the temperature is very high. As an alternative, you could use CarPro Essence Extreme Gloss Enhancer if the paint was in good condition and just want it to pop more.

2 step paint correction: This is hard to do because of time constraints. A typical 2 step for me takes about 10 hours, so I tend to run out of daylight and that is really annoying. For this I use D300 followed by Meguiars M205 or CarPro Essence depending on how I feel.

For more basic services like detailing without any correction, you can use cleaner waxes and not work them like a polish. For exemple, in my 1 step polish package, I will work the cleaner wax by doing 4 passes at slow speed and 1 pass at fast speed. In my detailing package I use the same product but I do 1 slow pass followed by 1 fast pass. So the defect removal is greatly reduced but you still get some and it takes much less time to do so you can charge less. It takes me about 1 hour to do the detailing package waxing as opposed to 3 hours to do the polishing package waxing.

As for working in the sun, I still don't have a canopy after 6 years. What I do is i chasse the shadows around the car. So I start working on the part not exposed to the car and try to follow the sun around. There are panels you will have to work in the sun doing this but it minimizes how many there will be. If you decide to get a canopy, make sure to secure it down with weights, you don't want that thing to catch the wind and bang on the customer's car.

Other product that is important when working outside: soap. I have gone almost exclusivelly to rinseless washing this year. This is so much easier when working in the sun! I do my pressure washer pre-rinse then I do panel by panel washing and drying with optimum no rinse. If it's really hot I can get water spots from the pre-rinse but I have a bottle of vinegar mixed with ONR at quick detailer strenght and I just use that to remove them quickly. Works extemelly well.

For underground garages, you will find that you never have enough light. I bring 700W worth of lighting and it's still not enough. I will be getting LED worklights shortly for those situations.
 
I agree with what Calendyr mentioned.

Also,


Till this day, 1-steps are my money makers.

However, when it comes to 2-steps a garage is a must and I tell my clients to make sure to budget a LONG day and sometimes two days if necessary.

But since you mentioned that you are not looking for full correction, yiur game plan of sticking with AIOs are fine.

Yes I do work in the sun a majority of the time.

Work on dialing on a system while time managing with the natural course of the sun. Try to keep shades of work on the shaded side as much as possible.

If you have no choice, sometimes its better to reduce your section size a tad. Again, it’s case by case.

I normally reach for CarPro Essence + Reload.

Back when I first started HD Speed was a great option. I noticed that a lot of people in my area could car less about defects and durability. They just want shine and gloss.

Me personally, because many of my clients don’t know the difference between wax and sealants, I still stick with a spray sealant (CarPro Reload) for this option because it’s easy to apply and it’s actually is a great product. Time is money also.

My option for a 1-step (in Maine) typically averages a starting cost of $300 to give you an idea...

All in all, the BIGGEST rule I have is I don’t use the word ‘buff’ with my clients when I meet them. Start using the words paint polishing.

People can start thinking that buffing is waxing. And others can thing buffing is using a ‘wheel’.

There are also the ones who thinking my Silver Package includes polishing. But in reality it’s just a ‘wash n wax’.

Just make sure to over communicate when selling these services.

Anyway, that’s enough AutoGeeking for today...

Best wishes!




Dan Tran
High Quality Car Detailing at the Comfort of Your Own Home
 
I'll tell you, we do a lot of paint correction. All of it in the sun. If you want something that works and is super easy to take off, you're looking at HD Speed. Is it the best? Probably not. But it's pretty good at what it is and like I said it comes off if you wave a MF rag in it's general direction. I haven't done a car yet where the customer wasn't very pleased with the results for the money.
 
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