1. Blue Magic clay bar kit
2. California Gold - car wash shampoo
3. Meguiar's Quick Detailer spray.
I quickly learned that in order to make the Cali Gold work it's best, don't add too much water...allow it to suds up real heavy and it works great...but if you follow the instructions it doesn't tell you how much/or less water to make it work the best. I literaly used only 3 big Gulps of water to 3 measured cups of Cali Gold and it works wonders.
the Meguiar's Quick Detailer is what really brought the shine to showroom quality.
added a client who rode by on his bike and saw my car all cleaned up. I'll have to pass along the savings to new clients because the Cali Gold is about $4 more expensive than the $1.89 bottle of Ajax.
Why are you using quick detailer spray? That stuff is terrible after the first couple days of application. It doesn't last and is el cheapo in nature. You need real wax or polish to finish it off. Something long lasting.
1. Blue Magic clay bar kit
2. California Gold - car wash shampoo
3. Meguiar's Quick Detailer spray.
I quickly learned that in order to make the Cali Gold work it's best, don't add too much water...allow it to suds up real heavy and it works great...but if you follow the instructions it doesn't tell you how much/or less water to make it work the best. I literaly used only 3 big Gulps of water to 3 measured cups of Cali Gold and it works wonders.
the Meguiar's Quick Detailer is what really brought the shine to showroom quality.
added a client who rode by on his bike and saw my car all cleaned up. I'll have to pass along the savings to new clients because the Cali Gold is about $4 more expensive than the $1.89 bottle of Ajax.
DUDE; forget those pics.
Post more pics of that AVATAR you have on your Signature....DAAANG!
__________________
Charles Longwood, Florida
Seminole County United States of America
1. Blue Magic clay bar kit
2. California Gold - car wash shampoo
3. Meguiar's Quick Detailer spray.
I quickly learned that in order to make the Cali Gold work it's best, don't add too much water...allow it to suds up real heavy and it works great...but if you follow the instructions it doesn't tell you how much/or less water to make it work the best. I literaly used only 3 big Gulps of water to 3 measured cups of Cali Gold and it works wonders.
the Meguiar's Quick Detailer is what really brought the shine to showroom quality.
added a client who rode by on his bike and saw my car all cleaned up. I'll have to pass along the savings to new clients because the Cali Gold is about $4 more expensive than the $1.89 bottle of Ajax.
Client for what? QDing his car?
Don't ever use Ajax on a car, if anything only use harsh soaps like that priorm to polishing and re-application of a real, properly applied protectant like Zaino, P21s, Kkasse, etc...
I will also add that I have seen severe fading and stripping of the shiny black pillar material on the most recent E-class model due to this same reason, in addition to the metal staining of course.
I am curious though, does anybody know the exact composition of the this metal trim used by MB for many years? Particularly the trim on the mid 90s models, if it is difference from the more current models.
__________________
EuroLux:. Private Auto Detail
Portland, OR
Last edited by CharlesAFerg : 04-23-2008 at 11:32 AM.
BENZ RIDER:
I'm going to share with yall a little trick I learned
I agree the Car Soaps don't tell you except- "use 1 oz. per gallon..."
Who in the world has little one ounce measurement cups?
Thinking about this I got an idea.
You know those little cups you receive on the Nyquil Bottles, those little plastic cups attached to it?
Look at it carefully. They have measurements.
I measure out 4 of these cups to 4 Gallons of Water and it cleans wonderfully
No more guessing!
Guess what? When your done, the Nyquil Cup fits PERFECTLY on top of the
Shampoo Bottle.
Check it out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I quickly learned that in order to make the Cali Gold work it's best, don't add too much water...allow it to suds up real heavy and it works great...but if you follow the instructions it doesn't tell you how much/or less water to make it work the best. I literaly used only 3 big Gulps of water to 3 measured cups of Cali Gold and it works wonders.
1. Blue Magic clay bar kit
2. California Gold - car wash shampoo
3. Meguiar's Quick Detailer spray.
I quickly learned that in order to make the Cali Gold work it's best, don't add too much water...allow it to suds up real heavy and it works great...but if you follow the instructions it doesn't tell you how much/or less water to make it work the best. I literaly used only 3 big Gulps of water to 3 measured cups of Cali Gold and it works wonders.
the Meguiar's Quick Detailer is what really brought the shine to showroom quality.
added a client who rode by on his bike and saw my car all cleaned up. I'll have to pass along the savings to new clients because the Cali Gold is about $4 more expensive than the $1.89 bottle of Ajax.
Benz rider... no offense to you, or your passion to clean your car, but that is nowhere near a detail, let alone a full detail... you started off good with washing and claying, but that is followed up by at least a proper wax/sealant, if not polishing in between... you cannot end a detail with quick detail... quick detailer is meant to clean off some light watermarks, dust, etc. and not seal the paint whatsoever.. yes some quick detailers have a little sealing ability, but it's very minute compared to even the worst wax out there...
In short, you should wash, clay, use quick detailer to get rid of all clay residue, then either wax or polish then wax, to do an actual detail
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr.xpowerseller
Why are you using quick detailer spray? That stuff is terrible after the first couple days of application. It doesn't last and is el cheapo in nature. You need real wax or polish to finish it off. Something long lasting.
As I said above, quick detailer is used for cleaning stuff, whether it's 1 day old water spots or polish during a detail, and shouldn't be associated with the word "application"...
Benz rider... no offense to you, or your passion to clean your car, but that is nowhere near a detail, let alone a full detail... you started off good with washing and claying, but that is followed up by at least a proper wax/sealant, if not polishing in between... you cannot end a detail with quick detail... quick detailer is meant to clean off some light watermarks, dust, etc. and not seal the paint whatsoever.. yes some quick detailers have a little sealing ability, but it's very minute compared to even the worst wax out there...
In short, you should wash, clay, use quick detailer to get rid of all clay residue, then either wax or polish then wax, to do an actual detail
..............~
As I said above, quick detailer is used for cleaning stuff, whether it's 1 day old water spots or polish during a detail, and shouldn't be associated with the word "application"...
Benz rider... no offense to you, or your passion to clean your car, but that is nowhere near a detail, let alone a full detail... you started off good with washing and claying, but that is followed up by at least a proper wax/sealant, if not polishing in between... you cannot end a detail with quick detail... quick detailer is meant to clean off some light watermarks, dust, etc. and not seal the paint whatsoever.. yes some quick detailers have a little sealing ability, but it's very minute compared to even the worst wax out there...In short, you should wash, clay, use quick detailer to get rid of all clay residue, then either wax or polish then wax, to do an actual detail
As I said above, quick detailer is used for cleaning stuff, whether it's 1 day old water spots or polish during a detail, and shouldn't be associated with the word "application"...
i agree, but not neccessarily. in most of the cars I work on, including mine, rarely need the last step you mentioned because most of my clients park their cars in garages or cover them with tarps after I'm done. I garage mine also, so the last step off polishing/wax is not needed if I've done it 2months ago. so in many cases for me, a "full detail" can stop at the QD'ing because I have the polishing done already. right now I'm just doing maintenance. the next time I use the polish/wax will be in June,, early August for a couple clients.
thanks for the input.
and somebody said something about "fading". I don't think Ajax has anything to do with that. that's most likely too much exposure to the sun. that'sll fade anything.
i agree, but not neccessarily. in most of the cars I work on, including mine, rarely need the last step you mentioned because most of my clients park their cars in garages or cover them with tarps after I'm done. I garage mine also, so the last step off polishing/wax is not needed if I've done it 2months ago. so in many cases for me, a "full detail" can stop at the QD'ing because I have the polishing done already. right now I'm just doing maintenance. the next time I use the polish/wax will be in June,, early August for a couple clients.
thanks for the input.
and somebody said something about "fading". I don't think Ajax has anything to do with that. that's most likely too much exposure to the sun. that'sll fade anything.
When I saw the title "full detail" I assumed you did a full detail, which is not the 3 steps you listed... if however you're just doing maintenance, you're still doing it wrong, because claying the car will remove most, and usually all, of the wax/sealant that's on the paint, thus making it necessary to apply another layer of wax/sealant... I'm not here to discuss detailing with you because some people find their own ways, make money doing it, and could care less... I'm simply giving you advice on proper ways of doing a detail...
a paint detail consists of washing, claying, polishing the sealing... sealing can be done with a carnauba wax or a polymer based sealant, but is either way the main step in protecting the paint. polishing is 80% of the gloss/shine you get in the paint because polishing gets rid of all the swirl marks, water spots, etc.... so polishing is the main step for a detail, but sealing is the main step in starting the proper maintenance of that freshly detailed vehicle...
maintenance consists of proper washing, drying, and yes QD if you desire, but it's not necessary... but maintenance also consists of claying 1-3 times per year depending on the area car is located, but wax/sealant must be applied after claying...
Again, take this for what it's worth, but if you're doing maintenance on your own, let alone a client's, car by claying and then QDing and calling it quits, you're doing a poor job maintaining that vehicle
Ajax strips your LSP, it dries out the finish as well. This significantly increases the risk of a severe chip as apposed to just a knick if hit by a rock etc...
Yet, the main thread has already been mentioned, the lack of protection from waterspotting, tar which will become impossible to remove, bird droppings etching into the paint, and flat out getting dirty faster. It creates the perfect environment for your car's finish to spiral downward with various markings, contamination, and severe swirling and most notably, oxidation.
In regards to the previous post by lecchilo, claying won't necessarily remove all wax, but it randomly compromises the LSP in areas that the clay may have come in closer contact than others, like if the clay comes in direct contact without lube, catching on the finish. Regardless, the protection has been compromised, and you are correct to suggest re-application, this is definitely a requirement.
I don't want to flame the thread owner, but..
Please, don't charge people for your service as this would be unethical business practice, whether you know it or not. You'll learn, just talk with us we'd love to give you advice.
I'm here to help!
Last edited by CharlesAFerg : 04-24-2008 at 09:40 PM.
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