Getting my car detailed without going to jail?

Gabriel_Pitt

At least, as far as TV has taught me in that detailing is something that only murders do to try and hide evidence of their crime, and I don't want to end up as a person of interest getting perp sweated just because I want my 2008 Focus to back in fine cosmetic appearance after too long a period of lackadaisical care.

Seriously though, after giving my car a good personal cleaning, I've decided that it needs me to go that extra mile to make it 'nice' again. Using google to look for 'auto detail' x 'location' has produced a bewildering array of results. Are there any national auto chains that people would recommend going to? Plenty of local places seem to offer detailing service, so what should I be looking for?

see317

Gabriel_Pitt wrote:

At least, as far as TV has taught me in that detailing is something that only murders do to try and hide evidence of their crime, and I don't want to end up as a person of interest getting perp sweated just because I want my 2008 Focus to back in fine cosmetic appearance after too long a period of lackadaisical care.

Seriously though, after giving my car a good personal cleaning, I've decided that it needs me to go that extra mile to make it 'nice' again. Using google to look for 'auto detail' x 'location' has produced a bewildering array of results. Are there any national auto chains that people would recommend going to? Plenty of local places seem to offer detailing service, so what should I be looking for?

Where are you located?

I'd imagine that you're going to get more or less the same service from any chain.

darqness

If you don't mind waiting, sign up for a service like Groupon or Social Deals. Auto detailing coupons pop up pretty regularly. Most all places will have the same service.

Gabriel_Pitt

I'm in the Southern MD area for what that's worth.

It's just kind of bewildering with everything showing up on searches, from apparently self-service at some car washes, to mobile detailers, to service locations.

Dhalphir

Are you planning to sell it? If so, look for "presale car detailing". They tend to do a lot of things that a normal detail won't, like clean out the engine bay.

Effef

you may find these youtubes to be useful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yponMLIyFcI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSPqzgxrBFs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNMAmhGrxR8

MyDcmbr

Just aware that you get what you pay for. A good detailing by someone who isn't going to leave micro-scratches or swirl marks on your car is going to run $200+ at the minimum.

Also, if they say they can completely detail your car in less than an hour, just walk away.

Djeet

Interior detailing, exterior detailing, or both? IME chains can do a decent job on exterior detailing (though I've yet to find one that will use carnauba paste wax), but seldom do a decent job on the interior. It's only the independent guys (charging $200-300) who come to your house who will do a really good detail job and it takes a couple hours, and for the price they demand I've always elected to do it myself.

amateurhour

I haven't found a chain that will do the work of a guy who's made detailing cars his career or at least summer job.

As far as what to look for, make sure they're going the extra mile and actually taking the seats out of your car and cleaning up under there. some of the cheaper places will just shove a vacuum under the seat and call it a day but the good places ($200+ jobs) take a couple hours to do a car because they actually remove your seats to clean around them. That would be one of the big things I'd make sure they're doing.

EggyToast

Alternatively, if this isn't something you're passionate about, do the math on what it would cost to buy all the detailing bits and bobs for a one-time spruce up. For example, I lived somewhere where the dude next door regularly detailed his car, which caught my attention when he was removing and spray-painting his windshield wipers to make them as black as possible. For you, getting materials that you only use 1% of the amount will probably cost more than having an actual pro guy come out and spend half a day detailing your car, not to mention that he'll do an excellent job of it.

MyDcmbr

What Eggy says is right. To get all the stuff you need it's going to cost around $400 or so, if you buy good stuff and not cheapo crap. The most expensive part will be the buffer, and that's also the one part you DO NOT want to cheap out on.

Djeet

I'm not sure what specialty tools are being used for detailing that would amount to 4 bills. You'd need a bucket, car wash soap, soap applicator (I use a microfiber mitt), a claybar (if you need to get really sticky surface contaminants off), a chamois (or white 100% cotton towels), a hose and water supply. That's enough to get your exterior clean. To wax/polish you want a good wax (I prefer carnauba paste wax) and white 100% cotton towels (you can get wax applicators if you like, but a towel or old t-shirt works fine). For interior you need a vacuum with a wand and maybe brush attachment (A shop vac would likely do, I just go to the self-self car wash place and pay the dollar or 2 to rent theirs), microfiber cloths and a water source (mild soapy water for resitant scuffs and stains), and if you're being ambitious q-tips and toothpicks to get into hard spots like AC vents and the areas where trim panels meet of your shift boot. If you have leather upholstery then you'll want to pick up a leather conditioner of some kind.

$100 is enough to set me up for a couple years of full on exterior/interior detailing, maybe 3-4 times a year. Between detail jobs I'll drop $5 and a half hour at the self-service car wash as once you have a good wax job all you gotta do is wash off surface contaminants before they get too baked on (paint overspray, tree sap, bird shit). Doing a real nice detail job is likely going to take you 2-3 hours though, which may eat more into your weekend than you'd like.

MyDcmbr

If you are set on doing it yourself, go here http://www.autogeekonline.net/ read the how to's, buy the right gear, and have a blast.

Djeet

If your job includes needing a dual action orbital polisher and pads then $400 isn't an unreasonable budget. Though IMO that's more paint reconditioning than detailing. If your clear coat's starting to dull or if you've got swirls then you might have to do that, though I'd try 3 layers of paste wax hand applied first.

MyDcmbr

Just got done doing my car. Basically, if your cars finish doesn't look like this when you are done, you are doing it wrong.



(That's me giving a thumb's up in the reflection. :P )

msuitepyon

Nice work, Dcmbr.

I love detailing! It's amazing what a little elbow grease will do when combined with a clay bar and some wax.

A nice-looking car can be had without the outlay of a bunch of cash if you're willing to work until your elbows and shoulders are numb.

Park the car in the shade and let the exterior cool

Most professional detailers will start with a foam bath wherein they take something called a foam gun and spray soap on the car and let it slide off the car (without touching the car). This releases large particles of grit from the paint that will more-than-likely cause microscratches in the clearcoat if you were to use a sponge and soap. I start with a bucket or two of soapy water and douse the car top to bottom and let the soap run off.

After a rinse, I go in with a microfiber mitt--dipping it in soapy water, scrubbing a small portion of the car, and rinsing it in another bucket with a hose (don't keep putting grit in your wash bucket!). After all of the car has been scrubbed (top-to-bottom), it gets another rinse.

If you have the opportunity, use a hose with no attachment to flood water over the car (top-to-bottom) to sheet the water off. If done right, most of the water droplets will combine with one another and run off the car reducing the number of water spots. Then, if you have time, let the car air dry; otherwise, use a microfiber towel and move linearly across the car (don't swirl).

I like using a clay bar on cars. Think of it like an eraser to all the crap on your car--micro rust spots, bug guts, bird poo, etc. Most clay bar kits come with clay bar and a surface lubricant. Go one panel at a time--spray the lubricant (generously) and move the clay bar across the paint. If the paint hasn't been clayed for a while (or ever), you'll feel some resistance. Continue working the panel until the clay glides nicely over all of the paint making sure to keep the surface lubricated. After the paint is smooth, take a microfiber cloth and wipe away the lubricant. Knead the clay bar to expose a clean portion of clay and continue with the rest of the car one panel at a time. Make sure the car is dry.

Your elbows should be hurting now and you may have built up a sweat (you did park in the shade, didn't you?). Take a wax pad, put a squeeze of wax and start on one panel. If the wax smears and is difficult to move around, spray a little of the clay lubricant until it applies smoothly. Apply the wax to the entirety of the panel and then wait for it to haze over (the paint will look dull). Take a clean microfiber cloth and polish the haze away in a circular motion. A nice, shiny panel and your reflection should greet you. Avoid plastic or rubber trim--dried wax looks like crap. Continue with the rest of the car. Repeat several layers of wax, as desired.

Use a trim shine on plastic and rubber trim and a window cleaner on all of the windows.

Congrats, you detailed your car. Rest your elbow.