Gray_Panther
New member
Hello Autopia!
Been visiting these forums for the past three years. Now that my life has settled in after a new job after graduating and putting on three years of experience under my belt, I feel it's time for me to open a side business in polishing cars. It truly is a great passion of mine and has taught me a lot about patience, work ethic and improving on my skills and myself.
I am planning to open my services in the Rochester, NY area come spring-time. I would want to work by referral only as I would not every weekend of mine taken up with detailing. I have the text for my brochure ready, the pictures will be added last by my friend who is a great photographer who will help my document a BMW X3 i have scheduled when the weather is bearable. I am excited and yet fearful at the same time. You can read about how to get a business together but they don't teach you how to settle your nerves!
Toyota Rav4:
I have done over a dozen cars, but never really did any write-ups for them. Some months back i decided i was skilled enough to do my own documentary and went through with it. Please enjoy!
I started off with a Dawn soap foam bath with 2 bucket wash. One bucket had two grit guards and the other had 1. Brought the cute ute in for some clay bar action. Meg's claybar was used with just ONR lubricant.
Took a leafblower for all the hidden water in the crevices and taped her up
This is what I was looking at:
Now the spare tire enclosure was the worst.....which ironically was my test subject for what would be most effective. I spent a good hour and a half learning how to maximize my PC with Meg's #105, #205 coupled with my megs cutting and polishing pads (Respectively).
I learned a (new-to-me) technique that will get rid of the holograms produced by #105, and also learned that #205 is very oily. So oily that it looks like holograms and micro-marring. Meaning another Dawn foam bath is needed to break it down and remove it. Great learning experience and I am glad I took the time to figure it out.
1-step was all that was needed for the car with #105. And this picture shows some of the oil that was leftover from #205
Poor attempt at a 50/50 but you get the idea (I will nail these down one day after I receive some tips from my friend)
Foam bath with Dawn APC to remove all the compound and polishing dust and oils.
You can see it breaking everything down
Success! (I wish I took more of these
, next time fore sure!)
Before Wax....don't mind the rear bumper it was spray-painted over after my sister hit my cousins car
Blackfire Wet Diamond was used as the 1st sealant. It cured overnight and applied Collinite No. 476s only on the roof for long lasting strength and in the morning after a very long night out I applied Dodo Juice Purple Haze. I absolutely love this stuff on dark cars. It feels so great to do it by hand because it is a soft wax. Truly a riveting experience.
5 suns approved
I didn't do the tires or wheels because my sonax wheel cleaner hadn't come in the mail yet.
Voila
My favorite Picture
All in all, it was my second best effort thus far. The best results were on my parent's crimson red BMW 1er, but I sadly didn't document my work on it.
Thank you for reading and I hope to learn a lot from all your criticisms!
Been visiting these forums for the past three years. Now that my life has settled in after a new job after graduating and putting on three years of experience under my belt, I feel it's time for me to open a side business in polishing cars. It truly is a great passion of mine and has taught me a lot about patience, work ethic and improving on my skills and myself.
I am planning to open my services in the Rochester, NY area come spring-time. I would want to work by referral only as I would not every weekend of mine taken up with detailing. I have the text for my brochure ready, the pictures will be added last by my friend who is a great photographer who will help my document a BMW X3 i have scheduled when the weather is bearable. I am excited and yet fearful at the same time. You can read about how to get a business together but they don't teach you how to settle your nerves!
Toyota Rav4:
I have done over a dozen cars, but never really did any write-ups for them. Some months back i decided i was skilled enough to do my own documentary and went through with it. Please enjoy!
I started off with a Dawn soap foam bath with 2 bucket wash. One bucket had two grit guards and the other had 1. Brought the cute ute in for some clay bar action. Meg's claybar was used with just ONR lubricant.
Took a leafblower for all the hidden water in the crevices and taped her up
This is what I was looking at:
Now the spare tire enclosure was the worst.....which ironically was my test subject for what would be most effective. I spent a good hour and a half learning how to maximize my PC with Meg's #105, #205 coupled with my megs cutting and polishing pads (Respectively).
I learned a (new-to-me) technique that will get rid of the holograms produced by #105, and also learned that #205 is very oily. So oily that it looks like holograms and micro-marring. Meaning another Dawn foam bath is needed to break it down and remove it. Great learning experience and I am glad I took the time to figure it out.
1-step was all that was needed for the car with #105. And this picture shows some of the oil that was leftover from #205
Poor attempt at a 50/50 but you get the idea (I will nail these down one day after I receive some tips from my friend)
Foam bath with Dawn APC to remove all the compound and polishing dust and oils.
You can see it breaking everything down
Success! (I wish I took more of these
, next time fore sure!)
Before Wax....don't mind the rear bumper it was spray-painted over after my sister hit my cousins car
Blackfire Wet Diamond was used as the 1st sealant. It cured overnight and applied Collinite No. 476s only on the roof for long lasting strength and in the morning after a very long night out I applied Dodo Juice Purple Haze. I absolutely love this stuff on dark cars. It feels so great to do it by hand because it is a soft wax. Truly a riveting experience.
5 suns approved
I didn't do the tires or wheels because my sonax wheel cleaner hadn't come in the mail yet.
Voila
My favorite Picture
All in all, it was my second best effort thus far. The best results were on my parent's crimson red BMW 1er, but I sadly didn't document my work on it.
Thank you for reading and I hope to learn a lot from all your criticisms!
