I have friends who use the sentence "I detailed my car today" all the time. After looking at their cars, my mind often jumps to...



For those of us who both recognize and embrace our extreme OCD, and think spending the majority of the weekend lavishing care on a car is no big deal, this is what "detailing a car" looks like. Enjoy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bigdeal,

To many, washing and drying your car is detailing especially if they vacuum!

To me detailing requires at least one full day.

Having seen pics of your F-150... you can "Detail" my car anytime!
But... the only time I do anything close is when I'm selling a car.

quote:

Originally posted by cruiser68:
To many, washing and drying your car is detailing especially if they vacuum!

Yeah, someone people's idea of "detailing" is "anything beyond just hitting the drive-through automatic car wash".

So hand washing the car plus vacuuming out and wiping down the interior becomes "detailing".

I let a friend of mine who has a detail business do my truck every fall and again in spring. I have a Ford Expedition XL black on black. Looks like showroom when I pick it up. He even puts a microfiber towel wrapped around a popsicle stick to clean the vanes on the dash vents!

When I think of auto detailing - $250 comes to mind.

Detailing? It's when I take it to the touch free wash instead of the one with the rollers.

I always thought detailing was when you sent your kids out to wash your car.

Yes, this is a phrase that is often misused, just as the term "tune-up".

From the professional auto service industry, a "tune-up" is performing any and all activities that return the engine performance of a a vehicle as close as possible to new performance without major engine repairs, refurbishment or remanufacturing. The same is true with "detailing". "Detailing" is returning the vehicle body finish as close as possible to new condition without resorting to autobody repairs or refurbishment such as body repairs and painting.

A detail project on a vehicle in reasonably good condition should take at least a full day. In most cases it will take several days to complete and will entail washing the vehicle, stripping off the old paint/finish protection (i.e. wax), polishing the unprotected paint to a mirror like finish and finally sealing and protecting the finish with a paint/finish protectant (wax, silicone, ceramic). Note that a cleaning and waxing are totally separate processes. Any product that combines the two is not the ideal solution. Detailing can also entail making minor paint repairs such as repairing small paint chips with touchup paint, then buffing and polishing the repair so that it matches the surrounding finish.

In the final analysis, if you are not paying a detailer around $500 minimum...it is not a detailing. A professional with expenses and overhead just can't do it for less.

^^^
Yep.

My classic cars, and Harleys. (No longer Harley due to vertigo)

My "detailing" was after the wash, I would take small nylon "tooth brush/gun brush", pipe cleaners, various plastic tools to clean every nook and cranny, even removing bits and pieces to get to everything, to eliminate all dirt/dust and grime.

Then wax, polish, apply conditioners and if needed, paint, and claybar.

The point was to make it as "new" appearing as possible. "Show quality" effort and finish.

So, I guess when I let the rain wash my car it isn't detailing then. It's easy though.

quote:

Originally posted by cruiser68:
To many, washing and drying your car is detailing especially if they vacuum!

Vacuum? BAH! Open all the doors, roll down all the windows, and blast away with the leaf blower.

Keep the leaf blower handy, no need to hand dry the vehicle after washing. Just fire up the leaf blower again and blast all the water off in a few seconds.

Next step, have a nice ice cold barley pop.
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quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
When I think of auto detailing - $250 comes to mind.

If it makes you feel any better, $250 could be considered the deposit on one of the two Ferrari's I detail for shows occasionally. I have two AR's and a Marlin lever gun that were financed with detail jobs on those two cars.

Many "moons" ago, I was deep into show cars and it was nothing to spend 12 hours just on the underside of the vehicle. The judges look at EVERYTHING, and it best be it's best. I couldn't start to do a "show detail" these days.....too old with arthritis!!

Detailing, When you think your done you have to finish the next day. Then your still not done

I use a CR spotless DI water system with a small, dedicated pressure washer. No water spots. Can wash in sun w/out worry.

I have a tackle box of detail brushes…all shapes and sizes.

A few totes of various towels and applicators.

And mucho products…

It’s a sickness…

it's what you do the day after you buy a used truck to make everything as close new as you can then never touch it again other then the standard wash and vacuum.

quote:

Originally posted by yanici:
So, I guess when I let the rain wash my car it isn't detailing then. It's easy though.

But what if I run out in the rain and throw a bucket of soapy car wash on it and let the rain finish? Is that almost detailing?