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Tragu

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I think that when people do the details that they do especially if it is alot of paint correction they could post the time the process took I know that I did a really bad Jetta the other day and it took 9 hrs just on the outside but it needed alot of paint correction. I know when I do someones car that I want to get out 100% of all the swirls (I know this is near impossable) even if it is someone that dosent care or wont notice. Just a thought
 
That's the way to do it ,even if the costumer does no. I grantee you will have a great costumer base. just be careful when you give quotes on cars. keep up the good work.
 
Once I started qualifying my customers, my time went down and my profits went up. Come to find out, 90% of my customers didn't even know what swirls were and didn't care if they were removed. Most thought the couldn't be removed at all! They also didn't care about what products I used. Most thought I was pulling their leg about a 60-90.00 wax. Also, I discovered that the interior is what most wanted pristine. Where I live, I can detail a ride and it will be dirty in less than 3 hours but the interior will keep going.

I was doing a 150.00 detail that took me 5-6 hours when I started. I can do two now in that time.
 
When I think of detail I think inside, out, some paint correction (no fillers), ALL THE DETAILS. I dont do 2-3 hour "details" and I dont use fillers to get the job done quick. UNLESS thats what the customer wants. If it only takes that long then its a wash and wax, not a detail. That term gets thrown around way to much IMO. My DETAILS take 2 days. I know the majority of my customers have no clue what swirl marks are and stuff like that. But I educate them, tell them what Im going to do and use, and REMOVE imperfections. If I think something might not come out, then I let them know and they are always fine with it.
 
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I know that the average car used to take me about 7 hours to wash, clay, do paint correction, and wax (or seal) and that was just for the outside. Now I can do the interior and exterior in about 6 hours on the same size car.

However, if a car is bad enough that I have to make multiple passes over the entire car with the PC, I could see that time easily pushing out towards 10 or 11 hours. But I think I am like D&D - I consider a "detail" to be everything, not just a wash or LSP application unless I have done the same car previously.

How do the customers typically respond to the education that you guys try and give them? How many of them really care?
 
Pauly6401 said:
How do the customers typically respond to the education that you guys try and give them? How many of them really care?
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Believe me, I'm thorough when I tell my customers what I'm going to do. They get a blank look on their face and say to just make it look good........and who do I make the check out to?

There are a few Corvette owners and Viper owners that I have that do care but these are far a few between the soccer moms and home builders that are my main staple. Me just vacuuming between their seats and console already has won them over!!!

Most of my customers would never know if I just used a spray wax. I don't because I actually enjoy my work and have self pride in an awesome, finished product.
 
If you going to this for a living you have to have pride in what you do. I have been doing it for 16 yr and I would say that maybe %30 of my costumers relly no what to look at.
But it is getting close for me the body is showing sign's of ware,and I not getting any younger. So maybe another 2 yr and I am done Aim selling all the stuff and retire.
 
Pauly6401 said:
I know that the average car used to take me about 7 hours to wash, clay, do paint correction, and wax (or seal) and that was just for the outside. Now I can do the interior and exterior in about 6 hours on the same size car.

However, if a car is bad enough that I have to make multiple passes over the entire car with the PC, I could see that time easily pushing out towards 10 or 11 hours. But I think I am like D&D - I consider a "detail" to be everything, not just a wash or LSP application unless I have done the same car previously.

How do the customers typically respond to the education that you guys try and give them? How many of them really care?
Click to expand...

I think people care. But because they dont really know exactly whats involved, they dont concern themselves with it. They care, just not as much as we do.
 
so a week isnt normal for a detail? some times two weeks?
 
justin30513 said:
They get a blank look on their face and say to just make it look good........and who do I make the check out to?
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+2 on this one. They are fine when I say wash, but when I start talking about clay or removing swirls, they look at me like I'm speaking a different language. Like Justin's customers, most people I work with just want it to look good and to know who to make the check out to.
 
Anywhere from 2.5hrs (maintenance wash/wax, interior vac and wipedown on one I've done previous paint correction/extraction on) to about 16hrs for a full correction (wetsanding if needed, 3stg rotary etc)/extraction/underhood.. I have to say that theres honestly more money in it for me by the hour doing the wash/wax's than the correction aspect of it.. I dont know if its my market, my marketing, or something else..

I don't do it for a living though.. Just side cash to me, so as long as I'm making as much as I would going to work that day, it doesn't matter to me.. Plus it keeps me active and off the couch..
 
what is a detail anyways?

ok, a 2001 crysler concord comes in repo looks like hell heres where i start, first pull out the air rachet and remove the seats then pop off all the trim panels remove the seat belts remove the center console now spray it all in a pump sprayer with a degreser known as hot shot red hot whatever its all the same spray all the removed parts and the door panels then door jams wheels and motor the scrub all with a brush then use pressure washer to rinse everything then use 300mph blower and compressor to blow everything dry, on carpet and seats after using pressure washer to rinse it i then use a thermax cp-dv-12 to extract the water next spray the whole dash with a watered down glass cleaner and scrub it all down with a detail brush then all is blown out with the compressor, then we let it all dry for a day or so while starting on the out side tape up all mouldings and wet sand the whole car from the mouldings up with 1500 grit sand paper then use a high speed buffer with a wool pad and a micro finishing compound on whole car then yellow foam pad with a pre cleaning lotion, then use auto magic bc-1 with a black waffle foam pad,then wet sand headlamps with 1500 grit and polished with bc-2 and high speed buffer,then use auto magic bc-2 with orbital buffer then use pro gold wax applied by hand and removed with orbital, now car is placed back together no seats still has spots on carpet so malco vinyl and carpet dye has mached a color so carpet is sprayed grey malco has 10 diff shades so took a half hour to mach but looks good now seats are back in and car is washed with a pressure washer to remove any compound or wax debris,after blow drying, ok car is dressed with a aerosol dressing inside and outside door jams and fender wells then i use a water based tire dressing that looks wetter then black majic, then one more time car is waxed by hand with malco flash and buffed by hand , now thank you mats are in place and air freshiner tabs are under seats plastic seat covers are in place and plastic steering wheel cover in place license plates are back on the car, and were done.. on some cars with alloy wheels wheels are removed with an impact and cleaned and reistalled.. now all this was done for 150.00........ so if its not a detail what is it?.
 
style said:
ok, a 2001 crysler concord comes in repo looks like hell heres where i start, first pull out the air rachet and remove the seats then pop off all the trim panels remove the seat belts remove the center console now spray it all in a pump sprayer with a degreser known as hot shot red hot whatever its all the same spray all the removed parts and the door panels then door jams wheels and motor the scrub all with a brush then use pressure washer to rinse everything then use 300mph blower and compressor to blow everything dry, on carpet and seats after using pressure washer to rinse it i then use a thermax cp-dv-12 to extract the water next spray the whole dash with a watered down glass cleaner and scrub it all down with a detail brush then all is blown out with the compressor, then we let it all dry for a day or so while starting on the out side tape up all mouldings and wet sand the whole car from the mouldings up with 1500 grit sand paper then use a high speed buffer with a wool pad and a micro finishing compound on whole car then yellow foam pad with a pre cleaning lotion, then use auto magic bc-1 with a black waffle foam pad,then wet sand headlamps with 1500 grit and polished with bc-2 and high speed buffer,then use auto magic bc-2 with orbital buffer then use pro gold wax applied by hand and removed with orbital, now car is placed back together no seats still has spots on carpet so malco vinyl and carpet dye has mached a color so carpet is sprayed grey malco has 10 diff shades so took a half hour to mach but looks good now seats are back in and car is washed with a pressure washer to remove any compound or wax debris,after blow drying, ok car is dressed with a aerosol dressing inside and outside door jams and fender wells then i use a water based tire dressing that looks wetter then black majic, then one more time car is waxed by hand with malco flash and buffed by hand , now thank you mats are in place and air freshiner tabs are under seats plastic seat covers are in place and plastic steering wheel cover in place license plates are back on the car, and were done.. on some cars with alloy wheels wheels are removed with an impact and cleaned and reistalled.. now all this was done for 150.00........ so if its not a detail what is it?.
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at 150 bucks, its insanity!! :joking:
 
It's nice to come here for therapy. My wife thinks I'm crazy spending a lot of time waxing the car.

It's a '95 Town Car that spent its early years at a funeral parlor in Independence, KS. Bought it from a hearse dealer that really didn't want to bother with it (so good price). I think the funeral parlor only ever washed it at drive throughs though as it was swirl bound. And had some bad scratches on top where they set the magnetic lights for processions.
So I did one side last weekend. Here's my process.
- patch any chips and clean up with either Langka or Dr Colorchip
- Wipe down by hand with Megs Paint Cleaner
- Clay bar (getting new DP bar by Friday)
- Blue taped off all parts not getting waxed
- PC with orange pad Megs Fine Cut Cleaner
using to get swirls/scratches down a little quicker than Menz Intensive
- PC with CCS white pad Menz Intensive Polish to bring out shine
(getting an orange CCS by Friday)
- PC with CCS white and Menz Final Polish
- PC with CCS gray and Menz Finishing Glaze
- PC with CCS blue and Wolfgang DPS
sits overnight
- PC with CCS blue and Soveran paste wax

Ok. I started around 10am, had a few interuptions (including rain) and had the sealant on by 7pm. The next day, took maybe an hour and a half (with rain interupting again) to get the Soveran on. This is back quarter, two large doors and upper window frames (a pain), and front quarter. Does this amount of time sound OK for this much paint repair (and being a little careful on my part) ?

Now to get out the dirt in the carpets from all the flowers that rode in the back. Tons of flower petals under the back seat. But I couldn't resist adopting this black Town Car.
 
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