Question about questions

Toy_Cam_Ed

Toy_Cam_Ed

Buffed out
After a recent experience on the "other" detailing site, I was wondering if this site was a bit more noob friendly. I want a place where I can ask the noobiest of questions and not be told I should have searched first. Of course I could have! But to me, I like the interaction of being on a message board, and feeling part of a community.

It seems the other site is more for the elite, which I am certainly not. I don't want to be told RTFM, or "search". Sure, I'm going to do my best not to ask every little thing, but sometimes I just want some fresh opinions, or info.

I plan on starting up a mobile detailing business on the side, and have a ton of questions. I just don't want to feel like a bother. Thanks.
 
I think I may know the thread you are referring to.

:welcome:Yes. I like this forum for the friendliness of the members. Feel much more like family. I like the other one too but, as you noticed, the conversations are often geared more toward the experienced detailers.

As a good start for your research try checking out the educational posts started by Todd Helme. Very informative without being excessively technical.
:autopia:
 
I think I feel both sides are correct. I came here about 6 months ago and read everything I could before I ask a lot of questions and then the questions that I asked, I tried to be very specific and I got great answers . I'll I find the other site to be the same and not overly rude.

However if you come on any site and ask completely basic questions when so many people here have done videos and written massive amounts of text on how to do things, it really does become a "read the manual " or "hey do a search " so I can see that side ....keep your questions very specific after you've done a lot of research, and you'll get a lot of help here....

Come on here and say " what buffer is best?" and I'll probably tell you to search too!
 
Perhaps it's just that I was a major player on an unnamed computer forum for years, where we truly believed that the only stupid question was the one not asked, and encouraged all and any questions no matter how many times it's been asked. Perhaps that was pounded into my brain after many years.

And no, I won't ask which buffer is best, as I've already bought one. ;)

Thanks, and I'll try to keep my questions to "need specific".
 
And then another side of this is that many many people have not had much experience with cars in general, and perhaps even car websites as well. How is one to know how to post up in the first place?

Ok, yes you can read a few pages of threads and get a "feel" maybe for this particular site but as we all know, you can sit down here for "just a few minutes", and look up at the clock and an hour/s have gone by... :)
.
So, then the question - "have not most everyone on this or that Site at one time, started out the same way? Did everyone jump on each of us and do the "Search" strong arm tactic?? How did we feel when that happened to us ?

It is probably better in the long run to just try help a person out and see if they can get more knowledge through their own research and develop more confidence in themselves, so they may be able to take on more of this Detailing love/hate :) relationship we all have a different levels, perhaps..

At the end of the day, if you Detail a lot professionally or not, a zillion people are going to stop you while you are working and ask you questions about your business, pricing, products, availability, "come look at my car's ______________ and tell me if you can fix this", etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum.. :) :) :) Is it a good idea to tell them to use the Search button?? :)

I would personally rather just try to help and hope others will join in, and move on to the next opportunity to help, but that's just me! :)

Dan F
 
Toy_Cam_Ed said:
After a recent experience on the "other" detailing site, I was wondering if this site was a bit more noob friendly. I want a place where I can ask the noobiest of questions and not be told I should have searched first. Of course I could have! But to me, I like the interaction of being on a message board, and feeling part of a community.

It seems the other site is more for the elite, which I am certainly not. I don't want to be told RTFM, or "search". Sure, I'm going to do my best not to ask every little thing, but sometimes I just want some fresh opinions, or info.

I plan on starting up a mobile detailing business on the side, and have a ton of questions. I just don't want to feel like a bother. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Welcome to this awesome Site !
You are in company of a great bunch of people - the Owner/s and Support Team are all first rate and do much behind the scenes to keep this place running 24 x 7, and that is just one small part of a huge retail operation.

So you want to go mobile ? Sounds like a plan !
If you want to let us know how much experience you have Detailing, you know, a quick or long resume' of what you have done, we can better help you out!

I personally do not like to do Mobile Detailing, but I know many that do like it and I am sure some will join in. I will be glad to offer whatever experiences I can to help anyway.

good luck with your research here !
Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
And then another side of this is that many many people have not had much experience with cars in general, and perhaps even car websites as well. How is one to know how to post up in the first place?
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Well, it's not a matter of posting experience, it's just a matter of learning here. I was a world class poster with over 9,000 posts on a computer forum. (and numerous others)
.
So, then the question - "have not most everyone on this or that Site at one time, started out the same way? Did everyone jump on each of us and do the "Search" strong arm tactic?? How did we feel when that happened to us ?
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Thanks for the kind words.
It is probably better in the long run to just try help a person out and see if they can get more knowledge through their own research and develop more confidence in themselves, so they may be able to take on more of this Detailing love/hate :) relationship we all have a different levels, perhaps..
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And that's exactly how I used to feel on my computer forum. (and before anyone says "it's just a computer forum", Um, those are some of the MOST heated on the net. Everyone owns one. Not everyone is into detailing.

At the end of the day, if you Detail a lot professionally or not, a zillion people are going to stop you while you are working and ask you questions about your business, pricing, products, availability, "come look at my car's ______________ and tell me if you can fix this", etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum.. :) :) :) Is it a good idea to tell them to use the Search button?? :)
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With the responses I've heard so far, my virginity is over.
I would personally rather just try to help and hope others will join in, and move on to the next opportunity to help, but that's just me! :)
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I was the same way, but I'm willing to adapt. I personally have no problem repeating the same old answers time and time again. No use complaining about it. Either you want to help regardless of the question, or don't. Either way no one loses.
 
Threads like this make me realize a few things:

1) I am out of the loop. I really don't go on any other detailing related forums; I don't have time. I occasionally get an email/phone call, "Todd did you see xyz did abc to lmnop...." I have no idea, I focus my energy, work time, and free time into this forum. Maybe I am the only one here who has no idea what the "other forum" is...

2) How much I enjoy the sense of community here and this is only affirmation that we continue to move in the right direction. This has little to do with me but a lot to do with the quality of forum members who come here to discuss products, techniques, and strategies openly. AF is, and will be, an open discussion forum.

So thank you for the thread and :autopia:
 
Todd Helme said:
Threads like this make me realize a few things:

1) I am out of the loop. I really don't go on any other detailing related forums; I don't have time. I occasionally get an email/phone call, "Todd did you see xyz did abc to lmnop...." I have no idea, I focus my energy, work time, and free time into this forum. Maybe I am the only one here who has no idea what the "other forum" is...

2) How much I enjoy the sense of community here and this is only affirmation that we continue to move in the right direction. This has little to do with me but a lot to do with the quality of forum members who come here to discuss products, techniques, and strategies openly. AF is, and will be, an open discussion forum.

So thank you for the thread and :autopia:
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Thank you for that. A sense of community is good. So far I like what I see. But I have to heal my tennis elbow before I can use my Megs g110. I'm dying to use it, but I F'ed up my elbows by spending weeks compounding by hand. Never again. Hopefully in a few days I'll be able to use my new toy and become a pro detailer after paying my dues.

Don't get old, it sucks.
 
I will be the devils advocate here, and probably an unpopular POV. I don't think it's wrong at all to tell somebody to search when somebody puts up a question just because they're semi lazy. And I'm not saying OP here is at all. But somebody who puts up questions that are totally basic , and three posts down somebody has poured their heart out answering the question, the poster simply doesn't want to do some reading. So I think there's a middle ground, as I said above.
 
I agree with Glen......a question like "I'm starting a detailing business, what do I need"?
begs for a head slap. It's obvious the person has done zero research and wants someone to tell him/her what to do, like that's even possible. Now a question like "I'm planning out my purchases for a detailing business and would like opinions on buffer X and buffer Y for a mobile user" makes sense and deserves an answer. It's all in what and how you ask.

Don't get old, it sucks.
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I am old and prefer it to the alternative.
 
I like to say is be free to ask questions here on Autopiaforums or if you feel like it then use the search engine. But always be free to ask on the forum, someone will come forward and answer your question. BTW you always welcome here and everyone else who wants to. :welcome: and :autopia:
 
I find both forums user friendly but :autopia: I feel like autopia is more friendly. But there's this dude Todd Helme here that has some mediocre advice :D:rofl.

But In honest truth OP, Todd and other members of this forum have provided great advice for my noob stupid questions I have asked. Not once has Tood made me feel like a idiot and has earned my business for life.
 
Hey Ed,

:welcome:

For some reason those folks are nearly everywhere and the very reason I limit myself to those sites with let's just say; a more relaxed and helpful member base...

Autopia Forums seems to have a nice set of filters in place and you won't find
self-righteousness or holier-than-thou attitudes here.

Questions are the way we learn and the only stupid question is the one that's not asked....

If you have a question that you might be a bit hesitant to post by all means PM me and I'll do the best I can to help you. If I don't know the answer I'll tell you that straight up, no BS here, just honest answers....:bigups
 
My thoughts on age....


  1. Age is just a number, sometimes an old number
  2. Old age ain't for sissies
  3. There is an alternative however it's permanent
  4. You can't take your detail supplies with you
  5. As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes and I can't remember the other two...
  6. Don't let aging get you down. It's too hard to get back up.
 
Thanks for the replies, but ya know what? I think I'll stay on my own. Is there an off-topic section? Maybe I'll post there.

In reality, 99.99999% of all questions have been asked before, and answered. I'll just do searches and spare people the time. Have a good one guys!
 
Toy_Cam_Ed said:
Thanks for the replies, but ya know what? I think I'll stay on my own. Is there an off-topic section? Maybe I'll post there.

In reality, 99.99999% of all questions have been asked before, and answered. I'll just do searches and spare people the time. Have a good one guys!
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You can do this or whatever you want - we will help ! :)

So you have a Meguiars G110V2? I have one of those also. A great machine, nicely balanced, not too vibration-prone as some, not too loud on the ears, doesnt burn up the brushes quickly, you get a spare pair, and they are easy to access from the outside of the case.

I just finished polishing out 31 windows on a 58' boat for a Client, and this machine worked great and took all the water spots out.

A lot of people on here, well, probably most, like and use the Griot's PC version of the machine. It is supposed to have more power to rotate the pad, but I read that sometimes it wakes up dead, but Griot has a great Lifetime Return policy. This is all good to me, except that if this happens in the middle of a Detail and you have no back up, well, it could get ugly.. :)

My back up is a Flex 3401VRG or is the other way around ??? :)

Tell us what you want to do, and we can let you know how/if, etc., it worked for us.

This is how we all get better at this, right ?

Good luck with your research and plans, hope the elbow/s get better.. Aleve should be your friend, if you can take this type of pill..

Dan F
 
What was this "other" site? I know it wasn't Autogeek because I've read all your posts/questions there and you were well treated.
 
Toy_Cam_Ed said:
Thanks for the replies, but ya know what? I think I'll stay on my own. Is there an off-topic section? Maybe I'll post there.

In reality, 99.99999% of all questions have been asked before, and answered. I'll just do searches and spare people the time. Have a good one guys!
Click to expand...

While a lot of questions may have been asked before we also have to be aware that in the detailing world, technology moves quickly! 4 years ago if somebody would have asked, "How do I remove deep scratches" the answer would have been with a compound a rotary polisher.

Today, with modern technologies, you will likely get a wide variety of answers from DA polishers to rotaries, to high grades of sand paper. Technology moves forward.

So while the basic principles have remained the same, advancements in technology and the required tweaking of techniques continues to march forward.
 
Personally I would rather people ask questions and have the excellent forum members here pitch in with their enthusiastic advice.
 
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