Detailing a black Nissan Altima.

Z

Zacharias

New member
Hey guys/gals, Ive been detailing my own vehicles since the age of 15. I have been exclusive user of Zymol waxes and it has done me just fine.



However, after lurking the forums for 12 hours a day for the past 3 days the more I read...the more my head spins. I thought I knew good amount about detaling cars nd it turns out im just now seeing the tip of the iceberg.



I detailed Nissn Titan as my first real job and used mother gold class on it, come to find out the next day its getting bad reveiw for durability...



I want to offer my customers the best products and service I can provide.



My question is...what are some suggestions for a new guy starting out?

Sealer? Cleaner? Wax? You guys are loosing me!



Thanks

-Zacharias
 
Zacharias said:
However, fter lurking the forums for 12 hours a day for the pst 3 days the more I read...the more my head spins. I thought I knew good amount about detaling cars nd it turns out im just now seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Click to expand...



Welcome to Autopia!! :welcome The head spinning slows down after a while :)



As far as your business questions, a lot of that depends if you are just working for friends/family, whether it is a serious side business, or whether you are a full time pro. When you see the whole iceberg, there is not just one solution, as so much depends on the vehicle, and the customer/your expectations.
 
Thanks for the welcome, as far as my head spinning slowing down...haha. Im really enjoying reading and learning from all the posts, and the how to section is worth its weight in gold.



As far as this car, I know that it is going to have swirls and fine scratches that are going to catch the sunlight and drive me nuts.



I want to make this car look brand new again, with a finish that has depth and looks wet. Just a coat of wax can acomplish that job just fine to the customer standards but after finding out about other products, techniques and processes I want to learn everything I can to become a better detailer and give my customers a much higher quality job.



So if you had a Black 03 Altima staring you down with minor swirls and minor scratches....what would you recommend as the plan of attack as far as wax, polish, sealant...and all that biz.



On the business side of things, Im doing this on my days off from my real job..so its just here and there.
 
Are you working by hand or machine? I worked on a black Altima a few years ago that was a bit older (maybe a 2000 or 2001) and I remember starting with Meg's 83 but ending up using Poorboy's SSR2.5 on an orange and/or white pad. It was a quick one-step and came out pretty well on the fairly horrendous swirls and spotting.
 
I have a 10 inch orbital, but its garbage. I did 1/4 of a Nissan Titan with it, and decided it would not only be quicker but I could pay more attention to what I was doing by hand.



Ill be doing this car 100% by hand
 
I saw the Porter Cable 7424....Added to Christmas wish list.



Its going to be a while before I can afford to buy one. When I started the business I promised myself I would only spend $200 total start up costs and make the business support itself from the get go. So far im $70 deep in materials with a return of $70 from my first job..so I think im doing good so far. :woot2:
 
Honestly its going to be impossible to remove all the swirls by hand. You can get it looking decent but if you want a full correction youll need a porter cable. Theyre fairly cheap nowadays you can get them for around $100.



As for the $200 for the business. I personally dont think thats enough. Remember you gotta spend money to make money. Most pro detailers are usually in depth for about a year till they build up a nice arsenal of products and a good reputation around town. Although it always depends on what your customers are expecting.



Im not sure what products are good for hand-use. Ill wait till someone with more experience on that chimes in.
 
I think I can start the business with the original $200 I have set aside, Im seeing it as a challenge to myself. Also it will keep me in check with buying items that I do not need at the time. Over the past few years I have collected a decent assortment of products and tools just from working on my own vehicles as well as all of my family.



I have a seperate bank account in place just for the business. All the money I get from the business goes directly into that account and stays there.



As far as a reputation goes, I am lucky to already have a great reputation built for myself in my area. I live in Key West Florida, every one knows everyone. Everyone knows what everyone does, so im going to see that as an advantage for once.



I started with one client, a friend that I work with at my regular job that always calls me for help with her vehicle...she has already given me 4 accounts in a matter of days. I also repaired another co-workers vehicle in exchange for word of mouth advertisement.



I see my plan working given my unique circumstances and blessings.



About the PC7424, I'm dead set on ordering one after the holidays have passed and the finances begin to balance out again. I can't wait to get my hands on it and see what I can do with it.



To the moderators and fellow forum memebers, I apologize that this thread has become more of an introduction thread instead of a genuine thread about detailing a Black Altima. :( I am going to forward this thread's url to a moderator to be moved to the section it best fits. Sorry again guys, and thank you so much for the input and advice....it is truley priceless.
 
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