Pro Detailers - what's hot and what's not

SVR

Dream Machines
To all pro detailers



I'm currently looking for detailing work and although i have learnt a hell of a lot, i still have heaps to learn and i want to know from those who have their own detail business, the latest and greatest methods for washing and drying and what type of materials they use (ie - spongest/wool mitts/mf/ air blower or other



What products to restore a near new vehicle's paintwork which has had fallout on it.



I have done a few of my parents cars the past week

It involved



Wash with super gloss shampoo and acidet fallout remover

Prepsol to remove built up wax,grease and other contaminants

Then farecla fine cut, 3m swirl mark and finished with polish and wax as i did not want to use the real expensive stuff



After each step, i applied 3m GE to get any residue off instead of washing the car each step as an ex teacher of mine does

For some reason the paint just would not become smooth, which the fallout remover has always done before and the paint just did not shine. It was like i had washed and dried it



Is a wash/dry/farecla or any other cut, swirl mark remover,polish and wax a good enough step or do i need to do more surface prep and what surface prep products do you use



I am thinking of getting malco pro surface prep but need some opinions



My car and many others i regularly do work out great but my dad's subaru 2001 WRX just does not like me for some reason.



What cloths/products/methods do you regard as no no's these days



My dad's restored MGB has a $5,000 dollar paint job and it needs a polish at least. I'm thinking of either Top Gear non silicone polish/ppg final glaze and malco pro flash wax or omikron bodyseal and wax. It's only several months old so what steps and products should i use to do this?



Alot of questions i know but i don't want to get work and find out i'm detailing the wrong way
 
Why are you using so many different brands of detailing products? Is it because of either availability in your country or just personal choice?



Since I started my own detailing buisness in 1986, I have basically stayed with the Meguiar's Professional detailing products. They are the Mirror Glaze numbered products.
 
I would stay away from the Malco Pro Flash Wax. It doesn't last, has a extremely high solvent content and it has a annoying powdery residue. I was given a quart of it to try out, I hated it.
 
I would say for you to cut out the Prepsol step and cut to a different soap. No need for a super gloss car soap when you are stripping the gloss with Prepsol anyway. I would just use Dawn which will get rid of all the old wax anyway. And what it does not get the polishes you are using will get. I think you have way too many steps. Here is my routine:

1. Wash car

2. Dry car

3. Clay car

4. Polish

5. Wax or Sealant



No need to go over the car between every step. If you are having a hard time getting residue off then you are probably using way too much. I use 99% Poorboys products too and I have no problems with residue left over.
 
mirrorfinishman said:
Why are you using so many different brands of detailing products? Is it because of either availability in your country or just personal choice?



Since I started my own detailing buisness in 1986, I have basically stayed with the Meguiar's Professional detailing products. They are the Mirror Glaze numbered products.



I agree w/MFM...your best bet would be to keep everything simple and stick with a single product line, two at max. Meguiars is an excellent line for the beginner as well as the pro. POOR BOYS is also another good line and there are many others.



Another good place to look for quality products are the sponsers for Autopia, Detail City etc
 
Don M said:
I agree w/MFM...your best bet would be to keep everything simple and stick with a single product line, two at max.



Another good place to look for quality products are the sponsers for Autopia, Detail City etc





:xyxthumbs
 
mirrorfinishman said:
Why are you using so many different brands of detailing products? Is it because of either availability in your country or just personal choice?



Since I started my own detailing buisness in 1986, I have basically stayed with the Meguiar's Professional detailing products. They are the Mirror Glaze numbered products.



Well i like to experiment. All brands have plusses and minuses.

Previously i was using too much product but now have managed to find just the right amount. No disrespect but the megs pro line is good but there is better.



I thought it strange that my ex teacher washes the car with water after each step and i found that if i didn't go over the car with a small amount of 3M ge that the next step didn't turn out right.



I believe that you should always try different brands as they might have a few products that are superior to the current ones at the time. Don't want to be left behind in detailing technology.



Thanks for the replies
 
There's absolutely nothing wrong with experimentation, but I would try to limit the number of different brands used PER CAR or During a Single Detailing Session in order to limit the variables and get a true feel for how each product works.
 
I am also of the opinion that you should stick to one or two product lines. However, I have no problem with trying the different brands. Then you could narrow your choices down.
 
My advice ? Experiment with one product/brand per car.......Use Megs on one car, the try PB on the next,then Four star, then BF etc.....This way you get a feel for what brand, is capable of doing....When you discover this, then you can start interchanging products.......
 
As of now i'm using Prowax, 3m, and Meguiar's polishes. For wax and sealant i'm using Klasse, Clear Kote, Blitz wax, P21S, and Poorboys.
 
I use Poorboy's, Meguiar's, 4 Star, and several others.......... and I am not a distributor of any of those products! :D
 
SVR I was a Meguiars maniac until i searched and found P21s, Klasse and Autoglym was available in Australia.



Not too wrapped in The Autoglym but trying it at the moment........but P21s and Klasse are my favourite products. I just keep going back to them.



Dan
 
What place in OZ did you get Klasse from?



Autoglym have some good products in their 5 litre body shop range.
 
I got Klasse from AG Group Australia. There best known for Microfibre but also seem to import a lot of the US stuff. They have P21S, Klasse, Lexol, Clay Magic and Ive been trying to get them to get Clearkote in stock. They also gave me QEW samples 2 weeks ago.



Give them a try sales@aggroupaust.com.au Theres an australian online store with klasse too but i cant remember the name....



Dan
 
k2dan said:
I got Klasse from AG Group Australia. There best known for Microfibre but also seem to import a lot of the US stuff. They have P21S, Klasse, Lexol, Clay Magic and Ive been trying to get them to get Clearkote in stock. They also gave me QEW samples 2 weeks ago.



Give them a try sales@aggroupaust.com.au Theres an australian online store with klasse too but i cant remember the name....



Dan



That's amazing. I just stumbled across their website while searching for microfibre cloth availability in OZ. Will send them an email regarding the cloths and klasse.



the only online store i know of is Pacer's who provide me with their brand plus Malco.

pacer.com.au/shop/index.php
 
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