water blade??

I guess then I am confused, what then is your difference in a $ service versus $$ service if the quality is the same?


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i'll give u an example...my basic car wash starts at $50.. that includes 2 bucket wash(sep bucket of wheels),basic wipe down of int and vac, and wax with trims dressed. only time my price changes if its severely soiled or oversized. my price or process doesnt change just because of what kind of car it is. quality is quality.. there is no subsitute. most DD cars get either basic wash or basic wash with claying. car enthusists will get a 1 step polish or 2 step or even multistep compound/polish if they are willing to pay for my services... i'm not gunna sell a customer a multistep process if he doesnt need it...unless he ASKS for it. its all about matching your services to your clients. i'll only upsell services they need, not what i want to do. and my quality of service stays the same.. reguardless of type of car. does that explain it?
 
Yes.

I was a customer for 25 years and would tell whoever was doing the work that I drive 35,000 miles a year, my company pays $x twice a year for a wash and wax plus weekly full service washes. Small scratches are not a problem. I want the car to look good from two steps away.

I probably did not need the quality of even your basic wash. So if I was told at that price they would have to use, for example, a water blade and there is a chance a small scratch could happen, I would say blade away. It was the level of quality I was willing to pay for and suited my needs. After four years I was trading in with 140,000 miles. A few clear coat scratches were the least of my worries. I just wanted better wax than what was sprayed on at the full service wash.

I'm guessing you would have hated me as a customer lol


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The OP should never have even said cutting corners on a detailing website. I would bet that 75% or more of the people on here run detailing businesses. I would never let a blade touch my car, I can't get over the fact of dragging something across my paint. Also it doesn't matter how good of a wash you do the moment your done there is going to be some speck of something back on the paint. You could be leaning over to dry the roof an some speck of dust on your shirt land on the paint and you drag your blade an it catches it. Yes even the best microfiber towel can cause harm but like someone said earlier a towel has nap to help draw it into the towel. To me it seams like the OP is just in this business to make a quick buck, by saying that the normal person can't tell the difference your saying that you take advantage of their lack of knowledge.

When you were saying something about the quality of work changing between a mercedes and a mini-van it doesn't. Its the amount of time an effort you put into it. If the customer can only spend $100 you should do everything you can while still making a profit, not do the bare minimum an cut corners because the customer wont know the difference. I personally don't think I could walk away from a car that I wasn't happy with the quality of the work. But hey I guess thats the difference between someone that does this because they have a passion for it an someone thats trying to make a quick buck.

Also if your going to get butt hurt an leave a forum because people criticize your "poor" technique then you have no business being on here. We are all here to learn and get better and share experiences.

Kind of got on my nerves so sorry if I offended anyone besides the OP.
 
Texsox said:
Does the soccer mom spend the same bucks as a guy with a $$$$ exotic? I am really surprised by that. I would have thought a dd that will keep depreciating until it has no value would get treated differently than an exotic that a guy is holding as an investment and is banking on appreciating in value. I can't see both writing the same amount on the check. I keep learning. Cool.


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Yes they do... Most of the "top" detailers work by the hour or service provided. So it doesn't matter if you bring in a 2001 Nissan Altima or a 2011 Lamborghini etc.

If the "client" wants a two-step correction, you charge them exactly how long it'll take you. You wouldn't charge the Lamborghini more just because the client looks like he can afford it. Now there is a difference between garage queen show cars and daily drivers, and most likely the soccer mom wouldn't want to get as good a correction as the guy who owns a ferrari. But that's not for you to decide.

Go on any forum. Most detailers don't work by "car type" but rather by correction required or by the hour.
 
You guys know your business, I am just curious. Does the soccer mom need a "top" detailed? Just like one poster would not up sell something a customer doesn't need, it sounds like most would not down sell either.

Should here be something between an automatic car wash and a highest quality, trying for perfection, wash? It seems like the op is servicing that market segment. It's where I was as a satisfied customer for 25 years.


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Another point I was thinking, when my car was being done I had two options, not work or rent a car. How's this for crazy, i would have paid extra for the blade if it got me back on the road faster. :-)

At least I tipped well lol


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chris.ganucheau said:
To me it seams like the OP is just in this business to make a quick buck, by saying that the normal person can't tell the difference your saying that you take advantage of their lack of knowledge.

But hey I guess thats the difference between someone that does this because they have a passion for it an someone thats trying to make a quick buck.

Also if your going to get butt hurt an leave a forum because people criticize your "poor" technique then you have no business being on here. We are all here to learn and get better and share experiences.

Kind of got on my nerves so sorry if I offended anyone besides the OP.
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And sorry if I got on anyone's nerves. I don't think I was taken advantage of. I wanted minimal exterior and fast. Someone who listened got my business. If they wanted to do the job they thought I needed, took longer and charged me for it, I would have felt cheated.




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I used a water blade for years and never scratched my car. It all comes down to how conscious the person is who is using it. I don't use it any more because now I have a faster method.
 
I too have been using a water blade on my own cars for years, had a couple black cars and at least 3 other dark colored cars. Never saw any evidence of that blade scratching mine. I know theres prolly 5% more risk of scratching the car with it but REALLY? Every single time you touch the car you run a risk of scratching it. Its all a matter of personal preference.

I wouldnt think of blowing air on my car from a leaf blower thinking that there has to be an air intake on there, couldnt that take in a nice sized chunk of dirt and blow it at your paint at 45mph? Deffinately possible.
 
dcjredline said:
I too have been using a water blade on my own cars for years, had a couple black cars and at least 3 other dark colored cars. Never saw any evidence of that blade scratching mine. I know theres prolly 5% more risk of scratching the car with it but REALLY? Every single time you touch the car you run a risk of scratching it. Its all a matter of personal preference.

I wouldnt think of blowing air on my car from a leaf blower thinking that there has to be an air intake on there, couldnt that take in a nice sized chunk of dirt and blow it at your paint at 45mph? Deffinately possible.
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I don't know about you, but I don't think there are any large "chunks" of dirt just hanging around in the air of my garage, let alone it getting sucked into the leaf blower and shot out. That's just a ridiculous comparison and something that would never happen.

I don't want to keep getting into this, because I'm not sure you guys are understanding. You said it yourself above, that you "run the risk of scratching the car every time you touch it"... So why would you unnecessarily amplify that risk to save you a bit of time? Yes, using a water blade has more risk than say a thick microfiber or air drying the car etc. Look at Rasky's picture for possible damage. You can google tons of other people where water blades have caused fine scratches, not worth the risk etc. When's the last time someone posted about dirt getting shot out of a leaf blower at ridiculous speeds?
 
dcjredline said:
I too have been using a water blade on my own cars for years, had a couple black cars and at least 3 other dark colored cars. Never saw any evidence of that blade scratching mine. I know theres prolly 5% more risk of scratching the car with it but REALLY? Every single time you touch the car you run a risk of scratching it. Its all a matter of personal preference.

I wouldnt think of blowing air on my car from a leaf blower thinking that there has to be an air intake on there, couldnt that take in a nice sized chunk of dirt and blow it at your paint at 45mph? Deffinately possible.
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Yes, but my Master Blaster has a filter in the intake to prevent that. :props:

08-1.jpg
 
I've used water blade enough to know they don't seek out dirt and use it to mar the crap out of your car, let alone leave huge scratches. There is a little truth to both sides, but some will never admit it. They are above mere mortal man. Best to just roll eyes and move on to more important things.
 
Madness87 said:
I don't know about you, but I don't think there are any large "chunks" of dirt just hanging around in the air of my garage, let alone it getting sucked into the leaf blower and shot out. That's just a ridiculous comparison and something that would never happen.

I don't want to keep getting into this, because I'm not sure you guys are understanding. You said it yourself above, that you "run the risk of scratching the car every time you touch it"... So why would you unnecessarily amplify that risk to save you a bit of time? Yes, using a water blade has more risk than say a thick microfiber or air drying the car etc. Look at Rasky's picture for possible damage. You can google tons of other people where water blades have caused fine scratches, not worth the risk etc. When's the last time someone posted about dirt getting shot out of a leaf blower at ridiculous speeds?
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I didnt say LARGE, lol. If you have any dirt flying around it could get blown onto the paint just like someone said "could" happen if dirt floated onto our paint while wiping the car with a blade. COULD COULD COULD.

We all run the risk is what I was saying not just people who use a blade. You think there is more risk in a blade, I think theres more risk in a non filtered leaf blower. Either one is risk just cause you like LB doesnt make anything else NO good in every situation. Its called an OPINION and every one has one/is entitled to it.
 
dcjredline said:
I didnt say LARGE, lol. If you have any dirt flying around it could get blown onto the paint just like someone said "could" happen if dirt floated onto our paint while wiping the car with a blade. COULD COULD COULD.

We all run the risk is what I was saying not just people who use a blade. You think there is more risk in a blade, I think theres more risk in a non filtered leaf blower. Either one is risk just cause you like LB doesnt make anything else NO good in every situation. Its called an OPINION and every one has one/is entitled to it.
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I don't use an unfiltered leaf blower. I use a master blaster and a guzzler towel most times... but I agree, the points made by people on each side of this thread are valid.
 
I have used a water bladen for 5-6 years. I am just REAL careful with it now, but it still saves tinme and towels. I had one bad experience about 4 years ago. I was wiping off water off the hood of my 2 month old black Mazdaspeed3 and a small rock got in and I put a 10" scratch across my hood. :cry:I almost stopped using it then because there is a chance for this. Other than that, its been great.
 
Rival said:
i use a leaf blower too, but first get all the pools of water off the glass, roof, hood, than blow the water top down to the bottom of the car, than get a microfiber to dry, cotton towel for door jams, inside trunk lid, etc etc


the blade just makes things go so much faster.
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I too use one. And makes drying the cars that much easier. Also never had any issues with it causing damage to my cars.
 
We do use them at work and i use one for my own car. I do spray the blade with QD before i do it and I have never had an issue with it scratching.
 
It's not the blade itself that is the problem nor is the concept. Wiping across paint with one of these on a cleanly just washed and rinsed car is fine. The problem is when the paint isn't clean as in areas missed during washing or rinsing. The missed grit or dirt has no where to go but across the paint.

A towel will trap the grit whereas a blade just drags it across the paint.
 
I worked at an Infiniti dealer when I was younger and we were given water blades to use on the cars. Looking back on it I probably messed up a ton of vehicles. On any vehicle I use the sheeting or pooling rinse and dry with an Air Force sidekick. The master blaster is sweet but it's a little pricey.
 
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