Products to use for my business...

KJW Detailing

KJW Detailing

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Hey Everyone!

Well my side job detailing business will open in the next few weeks and im going over a few odds and ends...

Right now i am looking at the products i have, products im planning on ordering, and help from you all on suggestions on what i might want to look into!

Here is what i have as far...

Exterior Products

PC7424
PC Complete Accessory Kit
(2) 6.5" CCS Green polishing / Finishing Foam Pad
DG 901 128oz.
Cobra Total Mircofiber Kit
XMT 1, 2, 3, 4, and 360
Pinnacle Signature Series II
(2) 5 Gallon Wash Buckets with Grit Guards
DP Engine Degreaser
Meguiars Wheel Brightener
DP Four-in-One Rinseless Wash& Shine
Pinnacle Poly Clay
White/Yellow and Black Wheel Shmitt
Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Wax
Duragloss Aquawax (AW) #951
ClearKote Yellow Cream Wax, Carnauba Moose Wax, Vanilla & Red Moose Glaze, Quick Shine
Tire/Wheel Well Brush
Brush for inside the wheels
Stoners Window Cleaner
Stoners Bug and Tar Remover
Tire Shine

*I think that is all i have for the exterior...

Interior Products

Brush for carpets and mats
Optimum Protectant Plus
DP Plex-All
Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner 128oz.
ClearKote Extra Duty

*Thats really all i have for the interior...i prolly need some other things...not sure...

Other Products

Cobra Microfiber Multi Towel Pack (interior and such)
Cobra Deluxe Combo Pack (wax remover)
Cobra Waffle Weave MicroFiber Glass Towel (windows)
I also have assorted products in which i have collected (taken haha) from work that i can use...
I have a power washer and vacuum
Spray Bottles
Gloves

Products I plan to order this week...or close to that...

Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0
Meguiars Speed Glaze
Meguiars Dual Action Cleaner/Polisher
Meguiars Ultra-Cut Compound
Rotary Buffer (idk which one either Makita or Dewalt)
7.5" CCS Yellow, Orange, and White Foam Pads

*I thinking this is what i plan to order...

if you have any further suggestion on products i should take a look at including in my detailing arsenal that would be great (but i dont want to make this confusing...im not looking for substitutions of products ex. menz rather than megs...im looking for products that i may be overlooking or forgetting to get, to include for my business...


Thank you very much!
 
You'll need some leather conditioner. Is the carpet/mat brush one used by hand? I use my PC brushes a lot. Something to consider. Your list looks like you're about ready.
 
Yeah a foam gun would be nice in the future...yeah i need some leather conditioner and i have both a hand brush and pc brushes
 
You need Menzerna! Drop Megs and go Menzerna
 
roadrunner1659 said:
Hey Everyone!

Well my side job detailing business will open in the next few weeks and im going over a few odds and ends...

Right now i am looking at the products i have, products im planning on ordering, and help from you all on suggestions on what i might want to look into!

Here is what i have as far...

Exterior Products

PC7424 (If you can get ur hands on one, a Flex would be a much better investment)
PC Complete Accessory Kit
(2) 6.5" CCS Green polishing / Finishing Foam Pad
DG 901 128oz.
Cobra Total Mircofiber Kit
XMT 1, 2, 3, 4, and 360 (Menz more expenseive but better results)
Pinnacle Signature Series II (Great Wax)
(2) 5 Gallon Wash Buckets with Grit Guards
DP Engine Degreaser
(Need some kind of engine dressing)
Meguiars Wheel Brightener
DP Four-in-One Rinseless Wash& Shine
Pinnacle Poly Clay
White/Yellow and Black Wheel Shmitt (BLACK SCHMITTS ARE GOOD, WOULD GO WITH LC ULTI-MITT, WILL LAST LONGER)
Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Wax (WOULD ADD COLLINITE 845IW)
Duragloss Aquawax (AW) #951
ClearKote Yellow Cream Wax, Carnauba Moose Wax, Vanilla & Red Moose Glaze, Quick Shine (DP Max Wax)
Tire/Wheel Well Brush
Brush for inside the wheels
Stoners Window Cleaner (MAKE SURE TO GET WAFFLE WEAVE TOWELS)
Stoners Bug and Tar Remover
Tire Shine

*I think that is all i have for the exterior...

Interior Products

Brush for carpets and mats
Optimum Protectant Plus
DP Plex-All
Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner 128oz.
ClearKote Extra Duty
(DP Leather cleaner/Conditioner)
(get a swissvax wheel brush, great for vents)
(some kind of brush, that looks like a tooth brush for cracks)

*Thats really all i have for the interior...i prolly need some other things...not sure...

Other Products

Cobra Microfiber Multi Towel Pack (interior and such)
Cobra Deluxe Combo Pack (wax remover)
Cobra Waffle Weave MicroFiber Glass Towel (windows)
I also have assorted products in which i have collected (taken haha) from work that i can use...
I have a power washer and vacuum
Spray Bottles
Gloves

Products I plan to order this week...or close to that...

Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0
Meguiars Speed Glaze
Meguiars Dual Action Cleaner/Polisher
Meguiars Ultra-Cut Compound
Rotary Buffer (idk which one either Makita or Dewalt) Makita
7.5" CCS Yellow, Orange, and White Foam Pads

*I thinking this is what i plan to order...

if you have any further suggestion on products i should take a look at including in my detailing arsenal that would be great (but i dont want to make this confusing...im not looking for substitutions of products ex. menz rather than megs...im looking for products that i may be overlooking or forgetting to get, to include for my business...


Thank you very much!
Click to expand...

here's my take
 
I understand that the menz might be better then the XMT but i only plan to use the XMT products for high end cars in which i am to unsure of the clear coat to take a rotary too...and for polishing...

I have engine dressing (cheapo stuff that i can take from work haha)...for now that will do but later on may change to something better...

I have a second wool mitt that i dont use and i can use that for wheels as well...

Dust why the addition of (WOULD ADD COLLINITE 845IW)

I will look into the leather cleaner/conditioner as i too feel that is something i need...I will also look into the swissvax brush.

I do have a toothbrush looking brush...

Thanks for the vote with the makita...and thanks for looking this over Dust2Glory!
 
mshu7 would u mind explaining? im pretty sure i understand what you mean but futher explination from you would be cool too...
 
Well, I started out buying all kinds of different products, thinking I would use them in my business. I've probably purchased most of the mainstream products that AG sells. I was also buying some items in bulk containers thinking I would use a lot of whatever that product was. When I finally started full-time with my business, I was carrying around gobs of products. I felt like I had 10 different products for each area of a car.

To make a long story short, I got sick of having 10 different polishes, waxes, shampoos, etc. I decided to find one manufacturer that carried most, if not all the products that I would be using. At first I decided on Meguiars because they had a product (typically, multiple products) for each individual area of detailing. Plus, it was very economical. However, after some time I realized that I didn't like all of their products. I had to once again re-evaluate my product line-up.

After much more research, I finally decided on the Optimum line. While they are more expensive than Meg's, I feel that paying more for what I think are superior products and are products that make my job more enjoyable, are worth paying for. I easily could have chosen to go with a more expensive line, but I am in business to make money (on top of enjoying the work) and you have to make smart financial decisions.

Since choosing to go with Optimum, I've also discovered another avenue in detailing I want to pursue, and that is being "green". All Optimum products are environmentally friendly and that got me thinking. I started researching "green" cleaners and found that I don't need all these different chemicals (degreasers, APC's, wheel cleaners, tire cleaners, bug & tar removers, etc.). With a couple household products, I can have one cleaner for most areas. Again, I was able to simply my product load by doing this. And now, I've decided to go with a nice steam cleaner to further decrease my dependancy on using chemicals while at the same time producing better and faster results.

Along with my decision to go with Optimum, I have figured out that when operating a business, you need to buy the best equipment that you can afford. In the early stages, some things that I would buy wouldn't be my first choice, but because they were cheaper, I would buy them. I've learned my lesson now. Anymore, I choose the absolute best machine, product, etc. that I can possibly afford. It will save me time, money, and headaches down the road.

So, when I say "keep it simple" this is what I'm referring to. Running a business is hard enough. There's no need to over complicate things if you don't have to.

Good luck with yours!
 
I completely understand what you are saying and i agree with you 100%...i see alot of this at the dealership i work at but i dont think its done because they are trying to keep things simple they are simply cheap but it works...you learn how to use the products for multiple things and it gets the job done.

Thanks for your reply!
 
mshu7 said:
Well, I started out buying all kinds of different products, thinking I would use them in my business. I've probably purchased most of the mainstream products that AG sells. I was also buying some items in bulk containers thinking I would use a lot of whatever that product was. When I finally started full-time with my business, I was carrying around gobs of products. I felt like I had 10 different products for each area of a car.

To make a long story short, I got sick of having 10 different polishes, waxes, shampoos, etc. I decided to find one manufacturer that carried most, if not all the products that I would be using. At first I decided on Meguiars because they had a product (typically, multiple products) for each individual area of detailing. Plus, it was very economical. However, after some time I realized that I didn't like all of their products. I had to once again re-evaluate my product line-up.

After much more research, I finally decided on the Optimum line. While they are more expensive than Meg's, I feel that paying more for what I think are superior products and are products that make my job more enjoyable, are worth paying for. I easily could have chosen to go with a more expensive line, but I am in business to make money (on top of enjoying the work) and you have to make smart financial decisions.

Since choosing to go with Optimum, I've also discovered another avenue in detailing I want to pursue, and that is being "green". All Optimum products are environmentally friendly and that got me thinking. I started researching "green" cleaners and found that I don't need all these different chemicals (degreasers, APC's, wheel cleaners, tire cleaners, bug & tar removers, etc.). With a couple household products, I can have one cleaner for most areas. Again, I was able to simply my product load by doing this. And now, I've decided to go with a nice steam cleaner to further decrease my dependancy on using chemicals while at the same time producing better and faster results.

Along with my decision to go with Optimum, I have figured out that when operating a business, you need to buy the best equipment that you can afford. In the early stages, some things that I would buy wouldn't be my first choice, but because they were cheaper, I would buy them. I've learned my lesson now. Anymore, I choose the absolute best machine, product, etc. that I can possibly afford. It will save me time, money, and headaches down the road.

So, when I say "keep it simple" this is what I'm referring to. Running a business is hard enough. There's no need to over complicate things if you don't have to.

Good luck with yours!
Click to expand...

Great post and great advice...

I have started streamling my product usage... Not one line for everything but I am not going to have 6 lines of polish and 4 APC's etc...
 
mshu7 said:
Well, I started out buying all kinds of different products, thinking I would use them in my business. I've probably purchased most of the mainstream products that AG sells. I was also buying some items in bulk containers thinking I would use a lot of whatever that product was. When I finally started full-time with my business, I was carrying around gobs of products. I felt like I had 10 different products for each area of a car.

To make a long story short, I got sick of having 10 different polishes, waxes, shampoos, etc. I decided to find one manufacturer that carried most, if not all the products that I would be using. At first I decided on Meguiars because they had a product (typically, multiple products) for each individual area of detailing. Plus, it was very economical. However, after some time I realized that I didn't like all of their products. I had to once again re-evaluate my product line-up.

After much more research, I finally decided on the Optimum line. While they are more expensive than Meg's, I feel that paying more for what I think are superior products and are products that make my job more enjoyable, are worth paying for. I easily could have chosen to go with a more expensive line, but I am in business to make money (on top of enjoying the work) and you have to make smart financial decisions.

Since choosing to go with Optimum, I've also discovered another avenue in detailing I want to pursue, and that is being "green". All Optimum products are environmentally friendly and that got me thinking. I started researching "green" cleaners and found that I don't need all these different chemicals (degreasers, APC's, wheel cleaners, tire cleaners, bug & tar removers, etc.). With a couple household products, I can have one cleaner for most areas. Again, I was able to simply my product load by doing this. And now, I've decided to go with a nice steam cleaner to further decrease my dependancy on using chemicals while at the same time producing better and faster results.

Along with my decision to go with Optimum, I have figured out that when operating a business, you need to buy the best equipment that you can afford. In the early stages, some things that I would buy wouldn't be my first choice, but because they were cheaper, I would buy them. I've learned my lesson now. Anymore, I choose the absolute best machine, product, etc. that I can possibly afford. It will save me time, money, and headaches down the road.

So, when I say "keep it simple" this is what I'm referring to. Running a business is hard enough. There's no need to over complicate things if you don't have to.

Good luck with yours!
Click to expand...


Awesome advice bro! I couldn't agree more. You're reference to product selection was the toughest for me. I bought a lot of small bottles of product to find which product worked best for me, cost included. Optimum, DP and Menz line are my go-to's for my jobs now, and have switched to buying the products I like in bulk.
 
I too have tried the multiple brands looking for the best and easist to use. After going through Megs, Malco, XMT, Wolfgang, Optimum, Duragloss, and a bunch of OTC and rebadged Chemical Guys stuff. I have what I believe is the right stuff - at least for me.
Car Wash - Duragloss, with a grout sponge from HD
Clay - Clay Magic Blue - the 10 dollar stuff at the car part stores
Compound - 3M 3000 Extra Cut, 3M wool & foam pads
Polish - Menzerna - IP, 106, 87 - 3M foam pad/LC white
Final Polish - especially black - 3M UtrafinaSE with 3M blue pad
Wax - Pinnacle Souveran for looks, Collinite 845 for durability
Sealant - still searching!!, I like DG 105/111, but I heard 1Z Glanz is the bomb, course a lot of folks love Zaino

Interior - leather cleaning - 8:1 ratio of Woolite to water, or Lexol
conditioner - Lexol
Lexol vinylex on dash/non cloth materials
APC - Simple Green
Glass - Stoners
Tires - I like a product from a local company, but as cheap as tire dressings are - try a few and decide for yourself

Final - Duragloss Aquawax

QD - ONR mixed to QD strenght

Buffers - I have a Makita, I have used a DeWalt, I'd give the nod to Makita cause it's a little lighter
PC to apply wax and quick polish when the rotary is overkill
 
Great reads on this thread... For my business i have basicaly made poor boys my stapel product of choice ... For polishes i use the ssr line and pro polish.... For sealent i use EX which i realy like the looks of for a sealent and for a caranuba i use natty blue..... These are my products of choice for the following reasons..... They are all very easy to use, dose not hurt plastics or metal, can be aplied in derect sun light... And in this business atleast for me this is a big plus becaus sometimes there is just no shade to work under and i dont want to pop up the canopey. Also for the final reason i love poor boys is becaus it is very cost effective.... :D:righton:
 
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