Hi, my name is Ron and I'm a Detailaholic...

[ronmart]

Years ago I used to be paid to detail cars, but I got a white collar job and walked away from it. I was still obsessive compulsive when I actually bothered to clean my car, but I got lazy for many years. Recently I purchased a 2006 Porsche 911 C4s Cabriolet (hi rennlist 997 owners) and my addiction resurfaced again. I went out and purchased $1400 worth of products mostly from Autopia and Griots and have gone bannanas with the detailing. My neighbors have think I've gone insane and my wife just shakes her head that the OC detailer she met in 1986 is back with a vengence.

I'm looking to get some sage advice on various topics and spend more time learning about new techniques that have come up in the 15 years or so that I've been out of the detail scene. I'm learning a lot by trial and error and have lots of great products, but I'm always up for learning more.

Ron

 

[CalgaryDetail]

Hello Ron



Hey welcome to DC, Nice carm and im sure you will learn alot, a few things have changed since 86, post some pics of that car with a freash coat of wax im sure itll look awsome, But welcome to dc:howdy

 

[TrueDetailer]

Welcome to the site. You'll find all the help you need here.

 

[ronmart]

You'll regret asking me for pictures! After a days hard work I typically take a few hundred pictures and have a hell of a time tossing out the "bad" ones.

Here's just a few:

:howdy

 

[CalgaryDetail]

really really nice cars, whats products and procces do you use?

 

[ajbarnes]

Looks like making the switch from being a detailer to a white collar job was a great decision eh? :lmfao

You'll find your obsessive compulsive behavior will only get worst the longer you visit these boards! I run a detailing business, so I have it really bad because I end up buying a ton of products for personal and business use. :redface:

 

[The Chee]

Welcome to DC Ron, sorry about your wallet

pson't forget to use the 10% discount code for some of DC's sponsors

 

[G35stilez]

Welcome!

You certainly came to the right place.

All three look stunning, especially your avatar pic .

 

[cwcad]

I agree with Sean, Your avitar is stunning!!

Gosh, you spent 1400 dollars at one time???? Hope you recieved free shipping!

Would be interested in the products purchased and the process that you used on your new ride.

Welcome to DC!!

 

[jlift]

I can relate to Ron. I am just new (about less than 6 months) to the detailing world and already have bought 4 of those stainless steel racks (6 feet high, 4 feet wide, 18 inches deep) and set them up in my garage. Guess what they hold? yep...detail equipment, supplies, towels, etc.etc. Just last Saturday I was detailing my truck, as usual (switch off between my car and truck) and one of the neighbors stopped as I was pressure washing it and asked if I do this for a living. I told him, no, it's a hobby. Well, it sure is a great way to meet the neighbors, I guess. I really don't think that I could detail anyone else's ride, but I am becoming more and more obsessive about mine. And, I keep ordering and ordering and ordering......most recently 1/2 gallon each of Adam's VRT and Detail spray. Of course, my wife thinks I am crazy. But, I just open my garage, turn on my satellite radio and go at it, slowly but surely. The funny part is I never, ever, use to enjoy washing, waxing my cars. I actually neglected them, but something happened when I bought my new truck and my semi-new (2003) car. Well, excuse me for now, I gotta see what's the best deal on wheel cleaners......(ha ha).

Jack in West Covina.

 

[ronmart]

really really nice cars, whats products and procces do you use?

I've got basically everything Griots makes and I've picked up quite the haul from Autopia as well. I'm in love with P21s Carnauba Wax. I found it to be easy to apply and remove so I love the stuff. However, I'm open minded so I'm looking forward to learning more about what others use.

I'm definitely in that OCD phase right now. Hell, I did my wife's huge Lexus LX 470 a few weeks ago with the following:

* Griots Machine Polish 2 (on with orbital, off with hand)
* Griots Machine Polish 3 (on with orbital, off with hand)
* Klasse AIO (via hand on/off)
* Klasse High Gloss Sealant (via hand on/off)
* Griots Best of Show (on with orbital, off with hand)
* P21s (via hand on/off)

It looks awesome, but it was hell!

I'm going to have to get some of the 3M Hand Glaze too as I've heard lots of people say good things about it. Is anyone able to compare it to the Griots polishes? I've used Griots new Machine Polish 4 as well, but found it to be too mild to be useful.

For a regular wash, I like to use a quick wax when drying which I apply when the car is wet. I'm a big fan of Meguairs quick wax on my black Benz because it makes the black just pop, and I don't get the same results from Griots Spray On Wax. However, I trust the Griots more so I use it on my 997 instead of the Meguairs, but then again I had two free bottles of it.

Standard washes consist of:

* Griots Car Wash (best stuff ever)
* Griots Wheel Cleaner or P21s gel for heavy build up
* Griots Rubber Cleaner for tires (monthly)
* Griots Speed Shine for post drying touch ups
* Sonus blue microfiber towels for drying (4 - 5 for the 911)
* Thin pile microfiber mitt with two buckets (pre-rinse & rinse with grit guard). I like these mitts better than the wool because I can see if any grit is trapped, but this has been a topic of much debate.
* Griots Boars hair brush (long hair version) for JUST the bottom panels to knock of any dirt the hose couldn't get before I use my mitt on it. Again, many cringe when they hear this.
* I do take the hose spigot off for the final rinse and I use the power blower on cracks and creavases, but I prefer not to use it for the whole car.
* Stoner (exterior) and Sonus (interior) glass cleaner

Monthly I'll add:
* Sonus Chrome polish
* Meguairs plastic cleaner

Quarterly I'll add:
* Griots Plastic Polish
* Sonus leather cleaner & conditioner (best stuff ever for baby butt soft leather). This product is rebranded from Leather Master in the UK.
* Sonus Total Eclipse for dash and plastic parts

I still haven't settled on a product to use on the interior regularly (especially the 997's full leather). I have:

* Griots Interior Cleaner
* Sonus Cockpit Detailer (anti-static)
* Sonus Total Eclipse
* Meguiars Quick Interior Detailer
* Meguiars Natural Shine Vinyl & Rubber Protectant

Even though the last one is probably evil, I like the results it provides the most.

Wow, sorry to ramble on. I love this stuff though and just got carried away!

 

[ronmart]

Looks like making the switch from being a detailer to a white collar job was a great decision eh? :lmfao

You'll find your obsessive compulsive behavior will only get worst the longer you visit these boards! I run a detailing business, so I have it really bad because I end up buying a ton of products for personal and business use. :redface:

Well it helped pay for the fancy cars and a great lifestyle, but I do miss the job satisfaction of my blue collar days.

 

[ronmart]

I agree with Sean, Your avitar is stunning!!

Thanks! (and thank you too Sean)

Gosh, you spent 1400 dollars at one time???? Hope you recieved free shipping!

No, not at one time. I think the most I spent at once was $600, and the 2nd runner up was about $500. The rest were smaller purchases, but all of the purchases were within a 5 - 6 week period. (don't tell my wife!)

Would be interested in the products purchased and the process that you used on your new ride.

Welcome to DC!!

See my post above. Once I can find the bandwidth, I plan to post reviews of every product that I've used. I'll do it offline first and then have a bunch of posts for the reviews with one thread that cross links them all so I can have a reference link in my signature.

This reminds me, I've got so much crap that I actually have color diagrams with pictures of each product along with their uses and complementary products (i.e., use microfiber X with this product).

 

[ronmart]

I can relate to Ron. I am just new (about less than 6 months) to the detailing world and already have bought 4 of those stainless steel racks (6 feet high, 4 feet wide, 18 inches deep) and set them up in my garage. Guess what they hold? yep...detail equipment, supplies, towels, etc.etc. Just last Saturday I was detailing my truck, as usual (switch off between my car and truck) and one of the neighbors stopped as I was pressure washing it and asked if I do this for a living. I told him, no, it's a hobby. Well, it sure is a great way to meet the neighbors, I guess. I really don't think that I could detail anyone else's ride, but I am becoming more and more obsessive about mine. And, I keep ordering and ordering and ordering......most recently 1/2 gallon each of Adam's VRT and Detail spray. Of course, my wife thinks I am crazy. But, I just open my garage, turn on my satellite radio and go at it, slowly but surely. The funny part is I never, ever, use to enjoy washing, waxing my cars. I actually neglected them, but something happened when I bought my new truck and my semi-new (2003) car. Well, excuse me for now, I gotta see what's the best deal on wheel cleaners......(ha ha).

Jack in West Covina.

Funny! We are definitely in the same phase right now!

The good thing is that I'm no longer a DVD addict and this hobby causes me to get exercise and be outside so I can actually watch my kids when they are riding their bikes. It is definitely a more socially acceptable hobby than being a home theater/ xbox junkie!

Oh yeah, and DON'T send me any links to those racks!

 

[jaybs02]

Hi Ron,
Welcome, you'll feel right at home with the rest of the detailaholics.

The Porsche looks incredible, you may have walked away from detailing, for white collar work, but you haven't lost the knack for it.

Enjoy your stay
"J"

 

[harry444]

One more thing you might want to pick up is a porter cable DA buffer its worth its weight in gold IMO and for inside try some Poorboy's world NL it is great mater fact all PB products are great give them a try

 

[audiboy]

Welcome to DC! Those are some pretty impressive vehicles you have there. I hope you enjoy your stay.

 

[jdoria]

Ron,
I have a similar illness. I just bumped it up one notch. I am funding a detail garage to open in my area so I have a church to clean my own cars in. It is a clinical illness.

 

[CBlakeNS]

Griots has some nice products.

Nice vehicles!

 

[ronmart]

Hi Ron,
Welcome, you'll feel right at home with the rest of the detailaholics.
Enjoy your stay
"J"

Cool - thanks for the warm welcome!

The Porsche looks incredible, you may have walked away from detailing, for white collar work, but you haven't lost the knack for it.

I'd love to sit here and take all the credit for that, but to be honest it is a new car I purchased in February and I don't allow it to go out in the rain. Given that fact plus the fact that I detail it weekly AND the final fact that my avitar picture as taken in April when the car was only 2 months old means that I'm just good at keeping a new car clean! Of course, I did put a fresh coat of P21s Carnauba Wax on it so that helped quite a bit too.