Pro/Body shop product lines-?

A

audio1der

New member
I'm not a "name brand" buying kind of guy. I just don't care.

I'll pay for/buy a name brand if it's worth it to me, like genuine Nissan oil filters, Kraft peanut butter, and now detailing supplies.

But if a person is using a fair amount of product so that they can justify buying by the gallons, why not look at pro/body shop lines of product?

Everything on this board seems oriented towards small lines- maybe because it's easy for the enthusiast. That's fine. But Is there anything wrong with these other unmentioned lines of product? Even the brand name stuff is compared on the board ever day, where 1 product is invariably (although subjectively) better than the other(s).

http://www.prowax.com/bodyshop.shtml

That is the sort of thing I'm looking into- thoughts?



Thanks, guys,

Kevin
 
I don't see anything wrong with going to "commercial" products. I used Pro stuff back when I was a kid, around here every "serious" gearhead used Pro stuff for *something*, it was sorta a part of "being in the know".



Pro, Hi-Temp, and the ValueGuard line from AutoInt are all good. I used Hi-temp polishes and compounds quite a bit and was always happy with the results. IMO the 3M stuff I'm always raving about (PI-III RC/MG) is a "pro" line too I know bodyshops that use it exclusively). And 1z seems to be just as much of a "commercial/Pro" line as a consumer one (maybe more so) though you'd never know it without a little research.



For LSPs the smaller, "boutique" lines might have some special offerings (4* UPP, Souveran, etc.) but for "grunt work" products, sure, buy professional stuff by the gallon. I bet plenty of the pros on here are gonna say how happy they are with such stuff (Anthony O. likes Hi-Temp, for instance).
 
I think a lot of it comes down to the whole 'process not product' argument. There are a number of 'professional' lines that are well liked around here (3M, Meguiar's, Hi-Temp, Menzerna, etc.). I think the reason you don't see as many people raving about companies like Prowax or Valueguard for instance, is that most people on this website are enthusiasts, which is just a different niche.
 
If you use a machine for your LSP's, either sealant or nuba, prolines are cool because of the waste involved. Even though you use a lot more on a pad then an applicator, it still will be cheaper on those proline products. It kinda cool to put a big ol' ex on a pad and sling it around. When I first started many-a-year ago I used to use such products. There's nothing wrong with them, and if your objective is to make money than go for it. If you use applicator to put your LSP's you will save a lot more money. And if you detail your own car every two months, then there's no reason not to use something cheaper.



I would however be careful when it comes to many of the proline compound/polishes. A lot of those cheap gallon jugs do not have the type of quality stuff in them, then say like Menzerna. You can actually do damage and that's where I draw the line, but LSP's why not.



But, none of those lines (That I know of) will do what Zaino will, you cannot apply two coats then a topper if you chose. I always offer choices to the customer, but they almost always want two or more coats, so what are my options? Go back the next day? keep the car overnight? Most detailers think one coat coverage is cool because it gives basically the same visual pleasantness as two, and is half the work.



I'm to the point now that all I want is regular customers I can trust and products I know that are durable. I have never got 6 months of coverage from one coat of sealant, but I always get 6 when I put three coats on. And 6 months is my personal goal for protection on any given car. I don't think most people want to pay the type of money it costs for a detail to have to come back 4 times a year. Better to charge a little more for the extra cost of product and labor so they can come twice a year. I don't buy a name brand because of it's name, I buy it because it's the only one I know of that can do what I need it to do. With AIO there is also a lot of evidence that it can be added to a LSP for long durabilty, and I also consider that putting on two coats of sealant. AIO is also a "name brand." I just don't know any prolines that you can due this with.
 
Unless your in BIZ why bother with gallons??



A gallon of wax would last you a while if you were only detailing your own cars (maybe 1-3 cars). It would probably go bad before you used it all. Most of us here use high end products over bulk, generic, private label, commercial products, because of results. I'm not saying you can't get good results with those products, but I do think some people don't realize that "a little goes a long way" with most all products. I would maybe purchase dressings, cleaners, and spray products in gallon lots if I found one that I liked, purely for the economic sense.



I've used TOL and hi temp products, and most of them are not bad at all. These products just don't stand out from the rest like some high end products most of us use here.
 
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