Same old, same old... Why do we do it?

T

thevolvoguy

New member
Why exactly do we detail?



Is it the money?

a hobby?

time to relax?



I think for me its more of a hobby than anything. I used to help my dad clean the car when I was just a toddler, and I have been doing it ever since. It also just lets me get out of the house and do somthing, its a time to think about various things, its almost like a relaxing time set aside for myself.



So, in saying that... Whats in it for ya'll? :nixweiss
 
Detailing is a big part of my life, I wouldnt call it a Hobby, and I dont do it to make a lot of money, but id does help me to relax or feel better. I am not sure what I would call it for me.......it is just a part of me:wavey
 
I'm not a pro, so for me it's pride in ownership.



I also dig the comments that my work elicits when I do someone else's car. My favorite is, "Why can't I make it look that good?"
 
I also detail for pride of ownership and for the relaxing benefits.



The comment I receive most often is: "How do you keep black BMW like that? It never seems to get dirty" Or "I tried the products that you suggested to me and I can't get the same look as you"



I just feel better when my car is shinning! :D



Cheers,

My Black 7 Series
 
thevolvoguy said:
[BIs it the money?

a hobby?

time to relax?

[/B]
Click to expand...



It's all of those actually.



If i didn't do this, I'd be sacking your groceries down at the local grocery store.



I wax my truck 1ce a week, , and polish around 3 times a year. I help friends get into ti too. I'd call that a hobby.



I also relax while doing it. The way to know if I had a bad day... If i'm waxing or polishing my truck and it is raining or snowing right then, or the next day.
 
You know, that's a good question. :confused:



I think the main reasons are pride in ownership (which is what helped me find Autopia in the first place), and it's a good hobby.



For some reason I was catching "mod fever" with my car. Unfortunately car modification is an extremely expensive hobby, and one that can only be performed once in most areas. Detailing on the other hand, can be (and must be) performed repeatedly year after year, month after month. In my case the skills I've learned help not only my car, but the cars of friends and family as well. The initial "startup" cost of this hobby can get quite high, but once you're surrounded by your mountains of supplies :D you only have to replenish them occasionally. Also, experimenting with new detailing products/techniques is cheaper and more widely ranged.
 
I think I do it because of the idea that I can make something better than it was before. I can clearly go from point A to point B with my tools and my resolve, without having to deal with anything else.
 
I'll throw in my $.02



I like to detail because it reflects who I am and I love to see a shiny black car or any color car. IT lets other ppl and yourself know that you take pride in your vehicle. Alot of ppl misjudge the concept of detailing unfortunately. The majority of ppl and customers I talk to say that they wash there car once a week and wax anually. To my standards, that's bare minimum to keep a finish looking good. Detailing makes me feel better about myself, after the job is done and done right i can stand there and say to myself, nice work mike!, hehe.



91
 
For myself it's a few things. It's pride in ownership, continually improving on my ability, and it's cheaper than therapy. :D ;)
 
MY car represents a good chunk of my paycheck for one. Another it is nice to know that are few cars that are as nice and well kept as mine:xyxthumbs
 
ShowroomLincoln said:
For myself it's a few things. It's pride in ownership, continually improving on my ability, and it's cheaper than therapy. :D ;)
Click to expand...
Just don't pour any repressed anger into your handiwork... :D
 
I do it because I want my car to look brand new and even better than some of those new cars. It brings be great joy when I park my car next to another one just like it, same color, except when I walk away from my car, mine looks way better. :D
 
I blame it all on my father. He had me waxing his 62 Olds Starfire and 67 Grand Prix convertible so I go a lot pf practice. Now, I hae become quite the little detailer. I enjoy making my black GP look great along with impressing the father in law by making the MGB that he and his daughter (my wife) restored look better than he ever did. (Boy, that's a big ol' run on sentance isn't it?)



Plus, I like teaching other guys in the club how to take care of thier cars. It's a nice feeling when they get done working on their own cars and see how a little effort can actually go a long way.
 
while I do like the feeling of having a clean and waxed truck gives me.. there is also the sense of accomplishment I get from having started and finished what I set out to do. In my business, there are so many times where I only do a piece of the entire work process, or I get to start something only to have to set it aside to do something else.. this is something that I get to do and control the inputs and outputs from beginning to end.. and then be proud of what I accomplished..



:D



Dana
 
I guess I'm sorta like Dana and a few others here. I remember as a little kid watching neighbors wash their cars in their driveways. I was too young to do the work but it always held a facination for me.



As I got older I enjoyed the challenge of transforming a dirty car into a clean one. I derived much enjoyment from the process *and* the end result.



I got deeper into it when I started mixing my own little concoctions and expanded my experience and base of knowledge. I went from asking "how" (the typical novice thought process) to asking "why" (a more serious concept that does not always have an answer).



I still enjoy the process of the transformation and appreciate the work it takes to get a car looking great. I don't enjoy the physical work as much as I used but that's prolly cause I'm so out of shape. But mentally I'm as still "into it" as I've always been. I get in a zone when working, things go fast, and I'm totally focused. So for me its the mental and emotional parts of detailing that really have appeal, not so much the physical part.
 
Sense of accomplishment



I started washing buses for the local school when I was 16. That got me a job the next few summers at a small detail shop where I learned alot. Now, I am 31 and a year ago moved from NYC to FL, a paradise for detailling. I am into it more than ever now. I have an executive job and detail for fun and some extra money (spend most on producst anyway) on the weekends. I schedule my jobs a week or two in advance and prefer to do it at their houses. My prices are reasonable and I get to choose the cars and people I am working with. I have found the best way to get clients is from the people in the neighborhood when they see you working, also word of mouth is key. Our skill is great because detailling is something everyone thinks they can do until they see someone who is a pro. Even so you still get that old timer who insists that the best shine for the money is raindance, who knows maybe he is right, remember he bought his tin 20 yrs ago for 2 bucks.
 
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