I dont know maybe its just me but is there really a reason to do more than a couple steps when going through a polish/wax process. I read how the Zaino system works and it kills me to think people are actually spending 7-8 hours on their car. Me I do 3 maybe 4 steps including the clay, with only 2-3 different products, I can do anything I want/need to do, scratch removal, swirl removal, clean and polish the surface, wax and protectant. My results also seem to be similar with the Zaino and other systems, is it just the system I am used to and the tools that I have?

Im just curious of these extra steps are really necesary or what you all think....

...let the debate begin!

heres a little reference for you. These pics were taken after only 3 hours of work with 1 machine and 2 products, let me know what you think of the results


thats what the whole car looked like


hood after

 

Because some of us are fanatics and love to clean our cars. Every step adds that extra little touch or look that we drool over.

For many of us (I'm assuming others are like me), it's a lot of fun to try different products out and see what differences can be had. Best way to find out what combo works for you is to try them all!

 

So what products do you use?

 

I'm very fanatical and get into every nook & cranny when I detail a car whether it's mine or someone else's.

It usually takes me 8-9 hours to fully detail a neglected car inside & out. In that time I usually detail the engine bay, deep clean & dress the interior, clean & dress the exterior, 2 step polish the exterior, and wax/seal. Plus probably 100 other small steps.

To do a full detail on a well cared for car (like mine probably would take me 4-6 hours.

I'm not going to comment about Zaino and their multi-step system because most people know that I'm not a big fan of Zaino or sealants in general.

 

Well I am definatley a fanatic and I have a cabinet full of various stuff that I use, my point was on a regular basis there is no need for 4, 5, or even more steps, I think a lot of people dont understand the process completely and listen to all the gimmicks and promotions that are out there. In the 4 years I was a proffessional detailer I definately used my fair share of different products. I am partial to luw Coral and meguirs products myself since those are the companies that I am certified through as a proffessional detailer.

As far as products I use it varies by application but I use a variety of blue coral and meguirs products. On the above car I used velvet cut with the buffer, velvet cut again with the orbital, and finished with Meguiars tech wax. For deep scratches i use blue coral fine cut.

I know everyone is different in their methods and products, I just wanted to get an idea for what people were using and how long it took for comparison. I know even the hard core fanatics would like to spend less time cleaning and more time driving

 

outcrnru-
interesting topic that we have not had here for a very long time!

i think that the diff is that for many of us who are enthusiasts (fanatics as sabre indicated, meaning we are not pros)- we are not paid for time... pros want to make as much as possible in a given amount of time (since thats all they have)-
an enthusiast can spend several hours pulling the wheels and detailing the undercarriage, cause we arent expected to finish the job at any certain time or in any amount of time...
i spent way too long today detailing my interior, just on the vacuuming and polishing my pedals (for example). if i was a pro, i might have skipped the pedals all together!
same thing applies to the shine on the paint. we are looking not just for a great shine, but we are looking for perfection in the shine. deepest, wettest, glossy shine. we experiment with diff combos and do things that we are told will not work- just to find that they do sometimes work!
hard to get that under time constraints. and its more of an art than a science for us.
your pics look great, and you got great shine in them, so i congratulate you!
btw, i look for some balance in my cleaning and driving- but dont mind the cleaning at all! in fact, i really enjoy it-

and am well aware of my condition- hello my name is wanabe and its been 3 hours since my last detail!!

 

i like to clean as well. everyone notices when i have one water spot or a small amount of dust on my car, its rather funny. i dont mind a little dirt but ide prefer it not be there.

 

I like to clean also. I like the fact that people do not want to park next to me at work because my car is always so clean.

 

no i totally understand and agree with you, im just saying there are ways to get similar results with less products. Dont worry once its not so hot i will most likely spend 2 days on the paint alone, well have to see how it turns out after an endeavor like that

 

My extra steps only happen a few times a year for my car. When the time comes though I don't get good results from products that claim to do it all. I have a methodical approach that takes a certain number of steps based on how neglected the car is. If a car i'm doing hasn't been waxed in 8 years, the paint alone is going to take 4-5 products and 8 hours.

Pictures also lie (not saying that about yours specifically). When doing my civic hood it looked tons better with one pass of the rotary. i could have stepped back and taken an awesome shot but it just wasn't up to my standards. I have some folks that tell me their cars are swirl free, then I get out the twin halogen and the fluorescent lights and they start to cry.

also, I still detail for money on occasion so I try to stay up on the latest products.