For the past week, I have been toying with the idea of purchasing detail equipment/supplies and trying to learn how to detail the car myself. For the longest time I thought that just a regular wash with water, soap and some wax is enough, but after reading here and on some other forums, I came to the conclusion that I'm wrong .
Should I go ahead and invest in the needed supplies or take it to somone? I found a reputable guy in my area that charges $210. Many of the cars are high end, so I'm thinking he's legit.
For the most part, I have the time to do it myself, although I am sometimes impatient and reading through many diy's, it seems like a painstaking process.
Don't know which to choose... any advice will be appreciated.

 

that wacko badge answers it for me!!

actually what answers it for me is knowing what exactly was done to my car and how it was done. i dont have to take shortcuts cause i am not getting paid for my time. i can take as long as i want to make sure its done right.

do you have a friend who has detailing equip? thats the best way to learn. next best is to get the stuff yourself. you can pretty much get a coupla years supply for the cost of your detail. and you know it was done with no shortcuts...

any question as to which way i think you should go?!!

 

I say stimulate the economy: put a hard-working detailer to work for a few hours. They'll in turn spend the money on something else, and it will reverberate around the economy...

 

unfortunately, don't know anyone personally that I can get some lessons from. From what I figuered out, it'll cost me at least $300 for the equip./supply (lmk if I'm wrong).

I'm more inclined to do it myself since... as you said "you know it was done with no shortcurts".

Is there a list with all the supplies you need?

 

I think he's doing quiet well... either way, someone is getting paid

 

start here:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=716141

do some reading and post back questions...
my number one rule = keep it simple
#2= less is more (dont buy too much stuff- only what you really have to have in the beginning)

inspection is the first step of detailing.

 

what do you get for $210? if a professional will wash, clay, wash, polish once, polish again, and tax, i would pay $210 for that. that has to be 8 hours of labor.

 

Personally, I'm always very wary of telling people to go to a professional. Many of them are total hacks. Just because this guy details high end cars doesn't mean he has a clue what he's doing. There's a thread on Autopia from maybe a year ago where some guy detailed a Lambo and burned the crap out of the trim on the car with his rotary. Even ignoring the fact that he damaged the car he also did an overall poor job. High end cars are not an indicator of a good professional whether you're talking about a detailer or a body shop.

Do it yourself. Buy some products and read a lot. Personally, I had no one to teach me. I learned at first by reading books and then when the internet became a popular thing I learned even more by reading articles/threads posted there.

If you use an orbital it will be hard to screw up your car and you'll get good results. In time with practice and a lot of reading you'll get stunning results.

 

will do

 

received an e-mail of his detailing procedure.

If you're curious on how I go about my work or wondering why it takes so long for a "car wash" or why it's so expensive compared to your down the street Mr. Car Wash. Here it is:

a) Careful thorough exterior hand wash panel by panel with pH neutral soap, very delicately in back and forth motion - think of it as a massage for the vehicle. Including commonly ignored areas such as door jambs, exhaust tips, wheel wells, brakes, exterior trim. Dried with the highest quality waffle weave towel in the market and topped with a deep gloss Polycharger detail spray. Blowed dry on hard to reach areas. Car is cleaned with the highest quality of water produced by a de-ionizer system, this prevents watermarks, water etching and deposits that has the potential to eat away your vehicle's finish.

b) Clay barred, high quality polymer paint decontamination that removes rail dust, brake dust, overspray and contaminants. Two step clay bar if necessary to remove stubborn marks.

c) Alcohol wipedown on entire car to reveal all imperfections. Two step (three step if necessary) scratch resistant polishing and compounding to remove swirls, defect, heavy oxidation, water etching, light scratches to provide an unbelievable finish. Some defects maybe to severe to be safely remove.

d) Acrylic Shine Glaze applied to enhance the sealant and wax to bring out that maximum gloss

e) NanoTech Sealant Paint Protection is applied to provide paint from luster and elements - lasts for months! Think of it as a jacket for the car. Perfect for the winter time! Allow 12 hour to bond with the clear coat. Ignored areas such as exhaust, door jambs and headlights will be sealed as well.

f) Premium hand applied carnauba Brazilian wax and then wiped away with baby diapers and/or plush microfiber towels. Different wax will be used on different colored cars to bring out maximum gloss. Ignored areas such as exhaust, door jambs and headlights will be waxed as well.

g) Second coat of "winter" wax is applied to prevent damage from harsh weathers.

h) Thorough interior including carpet, floor mats, trunk, dash, console, gauges will cleaned, deodorized & conditioned with UV protection. Leather surfaces will cleaned and conditioned. Glass surfaces will be cleaned. Interior, leather and glass will be sealed.

i) Wheel detail which includes hand polishing to remove micro scratches and protected with a micro-barrier wheel sealant to prevent brake dust from eating away the clear coat! Coconut and Watermelon Scented! Then apply high gloss wheel wax. Tires are dressed with conditioner to prevent from browning and a coat of UV protection.

j) All metal surfaces such as exhaust, trims, grill and emblems will be hand polished