Ask A Professional Detailer?

[egma12]

I got my 2011 Limited detailed professionally yesterday... the truck looks great!. What caught me by surprise is when I went to pick it up, the detailer asked me if I had noticed the scratches on the chrome trim at the bottom of the driver's window. My truck is only 3 months old and I have been extremely careful with it so far. And thinking that I am perfectly aware of every inch of the truck, I was first shocked by the question and my second reaction was the detailer must have scratched it by accident and trying to deny it... I got totally paranoid of course but I did not go as far as accuse him. Indeed when I walked around to the driver's side, I noticed it very easily from 10 feet away... the middle section of the trim looked totally scratched... and this being on the driver's side, there is no way I could have missed it before... or so I thought... thinking I will go back to the dealer and ask them to change the piece, I took my car back and drove away. When I parked my car outside and got out of the car, I could not see the scratches anymore. I guess the fluorescent lighting at the detailer really brought out this imperfection but there is no way to see them under natural light unless you get very very close knowing there is an issue there. Which brings me to my question... do you have any comments about the effects of lighting? Should I have checked my car indoors under such lighting before taking it from the dealer on the first day to make sure all is OK? I don't know anymore if the car was given to me this way... I thought I was in total control and aware about the condition of my car... I feel disappointed and kinda cheated by this situation... the worst part is I don't know by whom?

[CanuckG35]

I got my 2011 Limited detailed professionally yesterday... the truck looks great!. What caught me by surprise is when I went to pick it up, the detailer asked me if I had noticed the scratches on the chrome trim at the bottom of the driver's window. My truck is only 3 months old and I have been extremely careful with it so far. And thinking that I am perfectly aware of every inch of the truck, I was first shocked by the question and my second reaction was the detailer must have scratched it by accident and trying to deny it... I got totally paranoid of course but I did not go as far as accuse him. Indeed when I walked around to the driver's side, I noticed it very easily from 10 feet away... the middle section of the trim looked totally scratched... and this being on the driver's side, there is no way I could have missed it before... or so I thought... thinking I will go back to the dealer and ask them to change the piece, I took my car back and drove away. When I parked my car outside and got out of the car, I could not see the scratches anymore. I guess the fluorescent lighting at the detailer really brought out this imperfection but there is no way to see them under natural light unless you get very very close knowing there is an issue there. Which brings me to my question... do you have any comments about the effects of lighting? Should I have checked my car indoors under such lighting before taking it from the dealer on the first day to make sure all is OK? I don't know anymore if the car was given to me this way... I thought I was in total control and aware about the condition of my car... I feel disappointed and kinda cheated by this situation... the worst part is I don't know by whom?

 

Yes, proper lighting (fluorescent and halogen) will reveal MANY things that are not visible in normal light. That is why every professional detailer uses them. If you do not have fluorescent lighting or a halogen lamp, direct sunlight is the next best thing. It's hard to say how the scratches in the chrome trim were caused though. It could be your washing habits, caused by the dealership when they prepped your car, etc.

 

If you want to key a close eye on your true paint condition, pick up a halogen lamp like this. They are typically less than $50.

 

 

 

 

As an example, here is a customer's 1 week old BMW under a halogen lamp. They thought their paint was in great shape until I showed them what their paint looked like under a halogen lamp. And this was only 1 week old. :wacko:

 

 

 

 

And after my work was complete under the halogen lamp.

 

Edited December 3, 2010 by CanuckG35

[bbf2530]

I got my 2011 Limited detailed professionally yesterday... the truck looks great!. What caught me by surprise is when I went to pick it up, the detailer asked me if I had noticed the scratches on the chrome trim at the bottom of the driver's window. My truck is only 3 months old and I have been extremely careful with it so far. And thinking that I am perfectly aware of every inch of the truck, I was first shocked by the question and my second reaction was the detailer must have scratched it by accident and trying to deny it... I got totally paranoid of course but I did not go as far as accuse him. Indeed when I walked around to the driver's side, I noticed it very easily from 10 feet away... the middle section of the trim looked totally scratched... and this being on the driver's side, there is no way I could have missed it before... or so I thought... thinking I will go back to the dealer and ask them to change the piece, I took my car back and drove away. When I parked my car outside and got out of the car, I could not see the scratches anymore. I guess the fluorescent lighting at the detailer really brought out this imperfection but there is no way to see them under natural light unless you get very very close knowing there is an issue there. Which brings me to my question... do you have any comments about the effects of lighting? Should I have checked my car indoors under such lighting before taking it from the dealer on the first day to make sure all is OK? I don't know anymore if the car was given to me this way... I thought I was in total control and aware about the condition of my car... I feel disappointed and kinda cheated by this situation... the worst part is I don't know by whom?

 

EDIT - CanuckG had not posted when I began composing my reply, so some of my information is now repetitive. I'm a slow typer! In addition, looking at Canucks photos, I wish I lived close enough to take advantage of his detailing services. I am pretty darn good for a non-professional. However, while keeping in mind that the detail in photos can be deceiving, all I can generally say when looking at those two pictures is...WOW...the work put into that paint finish looks good!

 

 

Hi egam. :D Yes, various types of bright light, the angle the light is reflecting off the surface etc. etc. can all affect what is seen in a vehicle finish. Bright light, whether it be sunlight, fluorescent or other, hitting scratches at the correct angle, will make them much easier to see.

 

For example, that is one reason why a new vehicle should always be picked up on a bright sunny say. Darkness and rain can hide finish imperfections quite readily.

 

My thoughts? Since you clearly state the scratches are not visible at all in natural light (the only light you normally see your Edge in before this detailing), I tend to believe they were there previously. Otherwise, it would have been very simple for the Detailer to never mention them at all, park the vehicle outside, and you would have never been any wiser sine they are essentially not visible in outside lighting.

 

The bottom line (in my opinion only, of course)? There is no sense in feeling "cheated". Who were you cheated by? You have had the vehicle for three months and never noticed the imperfections before. Then you could see them under the detailers lighting. However, when you reexamined it outside after the detailing, you could not see them either. So they may very well have been there before the detailing. Maybe a cat jumping on your car using the chrome beltline molding as a ladder step, birds,, neighborhood kids, etc. etc.? Or the scratches may have been there from the factory. Or they may not have been. As you can see, I am just theorizing wildly now to point out there is no way to determine what may have happened. Therefore, no sense in making baseless accusations or feeling cheated. Just one of life's' mysteries, with no way to prove it either way. Actually, why not feel lucky that the scratches can not be seen in sunlight, since that is where your car is the vast majority of the time?

 

Should you have examined the vehicle in both outdoor and indoor light before you took possession from the Dealership? Well, it would be a more thorough examination. However, we all have to draw the line somewhere as to how far we want to go and that decision would be a personal one. Myself? I make sure to take delivery/examine my new vehicles outside on a nice sunny day before I sign the papers. While I would not take delivery at night or on a rainy day, I have never made the Dealer move the vehicle to enable me to examine it indoors and outdoors (but that is just me).

 

Trust me, I keep fanatical care of my vehicles and think I know every inch of them. But since they are parked outside, usually uncovered, new things pop up every once in a while and I can't know how they occurred. Unless our vehicles are kept indoors and hermetically sealed from the outside world and its dangers, we never have "total control" over them. All we can do is use the correct automotive finish products necessary to correct what happens to them, live with it and enjoy driving them..

 

Again, for what it is worth, this is simply one mans opinion.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

Edited December 3, 2010 by bbf2530

[egma12]

bbf2530 and canuck, thank you both for your feedback. I take all this as a learning experience. There seems to be so much to learn still... But it is great to have access to such forum to share with and learn from. Thanks again!

[wilsons66604]

This is awesome weather in NE KS! Record breaking 72 (just before the freezing rain tomorrow)

I used the time to play Hooky and do a no rinse wash in my driveway. That stuff is great!

[akirby]

I used the time to play Hooky and do a no rinse wash in my driveway.

 

I bet the neighbors were surprised.........

[richy]

This is awesome weather in NE KS! Record breaking 72 (just before the freezing rain tomorrow)

I used the time to play Hooky and do a no rinse wash in my driveway. That stuff is great!

 

I've yet to recommend it to anyone who has not fallen in love with it. At this time of year, it's a godsend.

[CanuckG35]

This is awesome weather in NE KS! Record breaking 72 (just before the freezing rain tomorrow)

I used the time to play Hooky and do a no rinse wash in my driveway. That stuff is great!

 

Good stuff Scott. ONR sure is a great product isn't it? Like richy stated, it's a godsend in the winter months.

[HS2020]

Ok after reading several thoughts on sealers, cleaners, and wax. I have always used Meguires products. I use the Liquid Gold Class on my truck and cars. Is this good to use on my 2011 Kona Blue Edge? I will pick up the good stuff because I had a friend that use to detail cars but he has since moved away sometime ago. So for now is the Meguires one of the best OTC polish and wax out there to use? Also what would be good to use on my 1999 F150 XLT to bring back the luster to the paint?

Edited January 2, 2011 by HS2020

[CanuckG35]

Ok after reading several thoughts on sealers, cleaners, and wax. I have always used Meguires products. I use the Liquid Gold Class on my truck and cars. Is this good to use on my 2011 Kona Blue Edge? I will pick up the good stuff because I had a friend that use to detail cars but he has since moved away sometime ago. So for now is the Meguires one of the best OTC polish and wax out there to use? Also what would be good to use on my 1999 F150 XLT to bring back the luster to the paint?

 

Can you use Megs GC on your Edge? Absolutely. It's not a bad OTC carnuba wax at all. The downside to the GC, and just like any other carnuba wax, is it's durability. You'll only get about 4-6 weeks protection out of it, and after that it will need to be reapplied. For people that don't mind applying paint protection every month, using a carnuba is no problem. For those that don't want to or don't have the time to apply paint protection every month, a synthetic polymer sealant is a great choice. You'll get approximately 4-6 months durability out of a good quality sealant. And if you want, you can apply your Megs GC over the sealant for a little bit more depth and gloss.

 

Regarding bringing back the luster and shine on your F-150, you'll really need to polish it by machine. Using an abrasive polish along with a random orbital polisher will remove a very thin layer of the clearcoat, thus removing any paint imperfections, oxidation, etc. Either you can take it to a local detailer or you can purchase the necessary tools and do it yourself. If you are potentially interested in doing it yourself I can help you get started with the right tools and products.

[HS2020]

Can you use Megs GC on your Edge? Absolutely. It's not a bad OTC carnuba wax at all. The downside to the GC, and just like any other carnuba wax, is it's durability. You'll only get about 4-6 weeks protection out of it, and after that it will need to be reapplied. For people that don't mind applying paint protection every month, using a carnuba is no problem. For those that don't want to or don't have the time to apply paint protection every month, a synthetic polymer sealant is a great choice. You'll get approximately 4-6 months durability out of a good quality sealant. And if you want, you can apply your Megs GC over the sealant for a little bit more depth and gloss.

 

Regarding bringing back the luster and shine on your F-150, you'll really need to polish it by machine. Using an abrasive polish along with a random orbital polisher will remove a very thin layer of the clearcoat, thus removing any paint imperfections, oxidation, etc. Either you can take it to a local detailer or you can purchase the necessary tools and do it yourself. If you are potentially interested in doing it yourself I can help you get started with the right tools and products.

 

I believe in doing things myself. that way when it gets screwed up I have no one to blame but myself. I would love to get the right tools for the job. Having been a C130 Crew Chief and worked on all my cars,trucks, and motorcycles I know the importance of having the right tools to do the job. I did save the link you gave in an earlier post. I do know if you are not careful you can burn through the paint when using any hi speed polisher. Thanks for the help.

[CanuckG35]

I believe in doing things myself. that way when it gets screwed up I have no one to blame but myself. I would love to get the right tools for the job. Having been a C130 Crew Chief and worked on all my cars,trucks, and motorcycles I know the importance of having the right tools to do the job. I did save the link you gave in an earlier post. I do know if you are not careful you can burn through the paint when using any hi speed polisher. Thanks for the help.

 

A rotary polisher yes, a random orbital not so much.

[HS2020]

So in your professional advice what would be the right tools to do the job and not break the bank

[richy]

So in your professional advice what would be the right tools to do the job and not break the bank

 

I don't want to rain on Shane's parade, but I would suggest you register on a few detailing forums. Live2detail (on which I'm a mod) or detailingbliss are 2 very good ones that will probably have detailers or enthusiasts in your area who could help you out hands on. Plus you'll get a ton of ideas and see videos and whatnot of processes, tools, etc. Detailing can be very rewarding if you learn the basics. Duragloss protection and Meguiars polishes (namely 105 and 205) are great, great products.

[HS2020]

Thanks Richy. I will read up on it. I use to read on all the care products and over the years have gotten away from it. I do detail my motorcycle a little more than my truck. Bike does not take as long. Since I live in TN we do not get a lot of snow but when we do they coat the roads with brine and tons of salt. So I really want to put a good protection on the edge.

[CanuckG35]

So in your professional advice what would be the right tools to do the job and not break the bank

 

What you will need if you want to start doing paint correction on your own is the following;

 

Clay bar and lubricant http://www.detailedi...ube-combo-P481/

Random orbital polisher (Porter Cable 7424 is always a good one to start with) and pads http://www.detailedi...XP-65-Kit-P333/

Polish http://www.detailedi...2-P20/16-oz-S1/ http://www.detailedi...1-P19/16-oz-S1/

MF Towels http://www.detailedi...arter-Kit-P351/

 

The above are just examples of products you could purchase. There are more expensive ones out there, but wanted to keep budget in mind for you. You would be looking at about $300

 

If you don't want to spend that much right now, I would definitely at least pick up some good quality MF towels, two wash buckets, two grit guards, and a 100% sheepskin mitt. Using the two bucket system along with quality washing/drying products will drastically reduce the amount of paint imperfections on your Edge and your F-150.

Edited January 3, 2011 by CanuckG35

[wilsons66604]

Hey Hey! No rinse to the rescue again!

Wanting to rinse the white sodium off of my black Edge, I drove past several busy car washes today.

I ended up in my driveway with the No rinse wash. No Rinse wash is some awesome stuff.

Now I can go to the office with a clean car

[CanuckG35]

Bump.

 

For anyone that is looking to do a spring detail of their Edge (or any other vehicle for that matter) feel free to post up your questions here.

 

Akirby, would you mind moving this thread to the detailing section? Thanks.

[richy]

Thanks Richy. I will read up on it. I use to read on all the care products and over the years have gotten away from it. I do detail my motorcycle a little more than my truck. Bike does not take as long. Since I live in TN we do not get a lot of snow but when we do they coat the roads with brine and tons of salt. So I really want to put a good protection on the edge.

 

What do you ride? As you can see from my Avatar, I was a bike cop (for 7 years). I also have a 2000 Intruder 1400 that I've had since new. If you truly want the best protection money can buy, look at Optimum's new consumer version of Opti Coat or CarPro's CQuartz. Both are available at Autogeek.net. Search youtube for videos on these products, they are unreal. I have been using/testing both since the summer when they came out.

[Crstfr]

i've been following this.... we have the Earth Metallic.... ... i want to clay bar........

 

so if i'm right..

 

wash....dry..... clay....polish ...seal??.....5 step?...

 

looking at the CQuartz website now!

[CanuckG35]

i've been following this.... we have the Earth Metallic.... ... i want to clay bar........

 

so if i'm right..

 

wash....dry..... clay....polish ...seal??.....5 step?...

 

looking at the CQuartz website now!

 

Yep, you are correct.

[Crstfr]

Thanks... i'm really thinkin about the Cquartz..........

 

 

let me ask you this... what grain clay bar.. .. the 100?... i just want to make sure i get this right before i order...... and thanks in advance..

and again, any suggestions please~... this will be my first big detail.. normally i just wash and wax. but this one i want to do right!

 

 

wash/dry http://www.detailedimage.com/Einszett-1Z-M46/Perls-Shampoo-P468/500-ml-S1/

 

 

 

claybar/lube http://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Packages-M29/DI-Medium-Grade-Clay-Bar-100g-Clay-Lube-P506/

 

 

 

polish. http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/productdetails.aspx?sku=8026049&source=GoogleBase

 

 

Sealant http://www.autogeek.net/cquartz-kit.html?productid=cquartz-kit&channelid=FROOG

 

 

this sound about right.. or am i on the right track?

 

thanks!

[richy]

Chris, I see you've got few products from different places. I would suggest the following. If you buy from Autogeek, they have a 15% off and free shipping deal if you buy before Friday. Actually DI has a similar deal with $4.99 shipping but no minimum. I think you'll go over the $95 minimum if you follow my advice. Their customer service is great too and they also sell CQuartz. (use the code MEMORIALDAY)

 

To start, make sure your bucket has a grit guard. You should use 2 buckets (one wash and one to rinse out wash media after each panel):

 

http://www.autogeek.net/gg1010.html

 

After that, I would suggest Duragloss 901 soap..it's fantastic stuff. Better deal by the gallon:

 

http://www.autogeek....gloss-wash.html

 

 

Now, for claybar lube, I would suggest you buy the ONR rinseless wash and mix up a spray bottle of it at claylube strength. This gives double duty out of an amazing product that you can use when the car is just dusty or a little dirty and you don't need the whole production of hose/soap/rinse/dry, etc. I have yet to convert anyone to anything but an ONR fanatic when they try it:

 

http://www.autogeek....noriwash12.html

 

 

Here's a whole page of clay bars to choose from:

 

http://www.autogeek.net/clbaandlu.html

Now, for polish, are you looking to use a Random Orbital polisher or do it by hand? If by hand, I suggest Duragloss 501 which is labelled as a Marine polish, but it has great cleaning abilities. Also, if you top this with Collinite 845 wax, you have a killer protection that is only beaten by either CQuartz or Opti Coat. The 501 is a sealant as well as a cleaner. It's a fantastic product. Here's a Corvette I detailed using DG 501 and 845 as the last 2 steps:

 

http://www.live2deta...read.php?t=1758

 

here's the 501 link:

 

http://www.autogeek....olish--501.html

 

Here's Collinite. You won't find a better wax:

 

http://www.autogeek....or-wax-845.html

 

By the way, if you want a great metal polish for chrome, stainless or whatever that has great protection as well, Colli's metal wax rocks:

 

http://www.autogeek....-metal-wax.html

 

Now, if you want to use CQuartz or Opti Coat, you cannot use the 501 or Collinite 845. You would need to polish via random orbital with a polish. I suggest Meguiars 205 if you just need to amp up the shine, or 105 if you need defect removal. If you want to go this way, let me know and I can steer you in the right direction for polishers, etc. I am always on the Live2Detail site as I am a moderator there. It is a great site for detailers that is not sponsored by any manufacturers. A few guys from here have signed up. Either way with the CQ or the 501/Colli combo, your car will have great protection! Hope that helps.

Edited May 18, 2011 by richy

[Crstfr]

Chris, I see you've got few products from different places. I would suggest the following. If you buy from Autogeek, they have a 15% off and free shipping deal if you buy before Friday. Actually DI has a similar deal with $4.99 shipping but no minimum. I think you'll go over the $95 minimum if you follow my advice. Their customer service is great too and they also sell CQuartz. (use the code MEMORIALDAY)

 

To start, make sure your bucket has a grit guard. You should use 2 buckets (one wash and one to rinse out wash media after each panel):

 

http://www.autogeek.net/gg1010.html

 

After that, I would suggest Duragloss 901 soap..it's fantastic stuff. Better deal by the gallon:

 

http://www.autogeek....gloss-wash.html

 

 

Now, for claybar lube, I would suggest you buy the ONR rinseless wash and mix up a spray bottle of it at claylube strength. This gives double duty out of an amazing product that you can use when the car is just dusty or a little dirty and you don't need the whole production of hose/soap/rinse/dry, etc. I have yet to convert anyone to anything but an ONR fanatic when they try it:

 

http://www.autogeek....noriwash12.html

 

 

Here's a whole page of clay bars to choose from:

 

http://www.autogeek.net/clbaandlu.html

Now, for polish, are you looking to use a Random Orbital polisher or do it by hand? If by hand, I suggest Duragloss 501 which is labelled as a Marine polish, but it has great cleaning abilities. Also, if you top this with Collinite 845 wax, you have a killer protection that is only beaten by either CQuartz or Opti Coat. The 501 is a sealant as well as a cleaner. It's a fantastic product. Here's a Corvette I detailed using DG 501 and 845 as the last 2 steps:

 

http://www.live2deta...read.php?t=1758

 

here's the 501 link:

 

http://www.autogeek....olish--501.html

 

Here's Collinite. You won't find a better wax:

 

http://www.autogeek....or-wax-845.html

 

By the way, if you want a great metal polish for chrome, stainless or whatever that has great protection as well, Colli's metal wax rocks:

 

http://www.autogeek....-metal-wax.html

 

Now, if you want to use CQuartz or Opti Coat, you cannot use the 501 or Collinite 845. You would need to polish via random orbital with a polish. I suggest Meguiars 205 if you just need to amp up the shine, or 105 if you need defect removal. If you want to go this way, let me know and I can steer you in the right direction for polishers, etc. I am always on the Live2Detail site as I am a moderator there. It is a great site for detailers that is not sponsored by any manufacturers. A few guys from here have signed up. Either way with the CQ or the 501/Colli combo, your car will have great protection! Hope that helps.

 

 

wow... thanks for your reply man~.. awesome info!!!!... putting a cart together now!!

 

thanks again Richy!!!

[richy]

wow... thanks for your reply man~.. awesome info!!!!... putting a cart together now!!

 

thanks again Richy!!!

 

My pleasure. Let me know what you end up getting. I ordered some more Colli Metal Wax, the CQ kit and 10 extra CQ suede mf's.