Other than polishing, what do you spend the most time on?

Other than polishing, what do you spend the most time on?

  • Washing

    Votes: 14 29.2%

  • Waxing / Sealing

    Votes: 7 14.6%

  • Interiors

    Votes: 16 33.3%

  • Undercarriage

    Votes: 1 2.1%

  • Wheels/Tires

    Votes: 9 18.8%

  • Engine bay

    Votes: 1 2.1%
  • Total voters
    48
It is Interiors for me too.

The Client spends all their time inside, so it has to be perfect, smell perfect, and feel perfect, to me.

This is where I have found the Steamer to be my best friend; between it and my Extractor, I can knock out Interiors way faster, use less chemicals for cleaning (except for carpet where I use Meguiars QuikOut), and I get all the gunky stuff out and everything is pretty sanitized.

I am not a fan of cleaning interior glass so much, but I drag myself through this part too.. :)

Dan F
 
I would also have to say interiors. I really dislike doing interiors, but as Dan stated, that is where the customer spends the most time and the part they nitice the most. It seems as though, as much as you do on the interior, there is always that you miss, and have to get last minute.

I also spend a lot of time on wheels and tires, but the nod goes to interiors.
 
A really good interior detail takes time.

I have been known to spend five to six hours on a somewhat clean interior.

Even a new vehicle takes a good 45 minutes to get super clean on the inside.

Soiled vinyl and leather, streak free glass, and vacumming excessive dirt and debris eats up time.
 
Tuck91 said:
A really good interior detail takes time.

I have been known to spend five to six hours on a somewhat clean interior.

Even a new vehicle takes a good 45 minutes to get super clean on the inside.

Soiled vinyl and leather, streak free glass, and vacumming excessive dirt and debris eats up time.
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Correct on all counts! I guess that's why I hate doing them!:doh:
 
It is usually all the little details like polishing chrome, cleaning jambs including trunk and under hood, treating plastic and rubber surfaces with restoration or protection products, etc. I try to do things in an order (like try to glass last) to minimize going back to clean. For example, I always tend to get protectants on paint. When I work in the garage, it can be hard to see these kinds of issues.
 
Tuck91 said:
Interiors.


I like to get every square inch clean.
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Same here. After a thorough cleaning of all surfaces (carpet, vinyl, leather, everything) I go over all the cracks and crevaces with a toothpick wrapped in a Megs QID wipe. I want the interior to be as flawless as possible.

I really don't mind doing interiors all that much, though.
 
Got_Leather said:
for me, it's the washing / prepping stage. I have spent 3-4 hours just prepping a car for polishing, plus I don't do many interior jobs
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Thats odd, with your UN and all :-?

The wash/prep cycle is where I seem to get hung-up also. Just like with anything else in life though, without a good foundation, the rest is meaningless IMO :-B
 
Got_Leather said:
for me, it's the washing / prepping stage. I have spent 3-4 hours just prepping a car for polishing, plus I don't do many interior jobs.
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I'm kinda like that too. I AVOID doing interiors. In fact, I've told some mini-van-moms that "I don't do interiors!" :rofl:

...................................

"I got your number from the local car wash... do you do interiors?"

"What type of vehicle?"

"It's a mini-van."

"Nope.":D:D:D
 
Luster said:
I'm kinda like that too. I AVOID doing interiors. In fact, I've told some mini-van-moms that "I don't do interiors!" :rofl:

...................................

"I got your number from the local car wash... do you do interiors?"

"What type of vehicle?"

"It's a mini-van."

"Nope.":D:D:D
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Yes Bill Ive stopped doing mini vans also . But>>>.....I guess you should never say never because I caved and did one last week for a really good customer of mines girlfriend. They promised me it wasnt bad and they would take everything out of it to make it a little easier on me . I was still sceptical because the van was 8 years old and she had 3 little boys :D not that little girls cant be just as bad LOL.

Anyway sure enough the van was filthy and took me 7 hours just to detail the inside and I was literally working in the dark trying to finish the exterior .I think it took me almost and hour just to clean under the seats when I flipped them up there looked like massive halloween candy leftovers glued onto the carpet I was in a bad mood all day about it but my story has a happy ending after all.

Luckily the customer saw each problem I was encountering , very stained carpet , ground in dirty leather ,extreem fallout ,years of baked on brake dust ect ect........usually a customer doesnt even know whats going on or check on the progress or often times isnt even there so this was good.

Anyway I lucked out and got him to let me come back for extra money and really do a nicer job and clean up some details I didnt have time for .

The best part is it turns out she is a really busy Mom but does care about her vehicle and wants me to come every 3 months to keep it looking nice.:thumbup:So in the end I gained a new customer and felt good about the outcome.

These are the kind of customers I really appreciate and love to have:smile:

Didnt mean to derail the thread ..........but I can get hung on several things like carpets ,leather , claying , wheels . It just depends on the vehicle and what shape its in like this one for example
 
I somehow find myself spending way to much time removing the contamination. And not what the clay bar does, but the globs of tar and debris attached to the lower rockers, and all of TOGW from the small cracks.
 
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