This like a Twilight Zone episode. I hav to justify myself to a buch of internet commando's.

Look guys, I'm good at detailng cars, any car. i've done it for money. I've had detailers tell me I'm good. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I don't care whether you believe me or not. None of you put food in my mouth. None of you live with me. You can say whatever you want. Amazing

 

If you don't care about what we have to say why did you even post in this thread?

It's only common sense that you DO actually have to back up your posts with proof since you claim you're good at detailing cars... if you're going to take that approach of not caring about what we have to say, stay out of the thread with remarks such as "I'm good at detailing cars, any car", etc.

Unless you want to be taken as a joke, which your quoted post above proved even more for me, walk the walk. If you're fine with not being taken seriously, keep posting stuff that requires proof... if you post you're a great detailer on a ford website about engine work, yes they'll believe you, but you come into a detailing thread, with many quality detailers posting daily, and make claim of some great detailing work that has on technique, process or documentation, yet works miracles on all of your vehicles and always will... sure, why not

Take your own advice and stop posting, and for the good of that lexus, speak to a high quality detailer who'll make you understand there's a better alternative than your hand and your garage to treat your paint.

 

Don't sweat it Ice...just enjoy what you're doing, your car looks good, and to my understanding, you seem fed up with sub-par detailers so you started doing it yourslef. More power to you, enjoy this site, and don't take ANYTHING personal.

I think everyone has made thier point here and let's move on. This thread has accomplished its original purpose which was to educate consumers here about the true fair market value of a detail, how to better guage what a detail should cost, and the inside perspective of what detailers hear on a daily basis. Mission Accomplished

 

Well why do my services cost what they cost? Well
I am IICRC certified
carpet cleaning tech,
Upholstery cleaning tech
commercial carpet tech
Water damage tech
Fire damage tech
odor control tech
Leather cleaning tech
carpet repair and re-installation.

I attend every training of quality i can find. I will be attending a Repair and restoration class for leather here in a few weeks. This is an augmentation to the leather repair class i took ten years ago. It is taught by Steve poulos who teaches the leather master process for the IICRC, one of 3 product lines recommended by the international leather tanneries.

I have been licensed and insured since day one. I buy the best tools i can, quality products and work out the best practices and procedures for the product and process combo. If a car takes me two days it does, if it takes me longer it does. I have built my business for the educated and discriminating car owner. Those who know what a good detail is, what it should entail, and what it should not. My daily driver detail takes about 8-10 hours, my comprehensive about 18-24, concours work minimum of 3-7 days at 10 hours a day.

When it gets right down two it, the most i can do in a year is 365 customers. Take from that days off, repeat customers and repeat cars. You will see that i work with about 200-250 individual clients a year. I can NOT afford to loose them for any reason other than cheap prices. I simply have to much time, energy, instruction, nurture and technical data invested into each of them for me to loose them as a client over silly problems that would have taken me 15 min to deal with at the time i should of.

My two cents in a world of 20 dollar bills.

 

Wow, your skills and experience sounds impressive. I haven't had to deal with water, fire and odor problems so I don't know much about resolving those issues. If I did have a water damage problem, I would learn though. Since I don't do this for a living, there is no need.
Again, sounds impressive.

PS
I just remembered I did have flooded carpet once. I rented a wet vac to get all the water out. Left the windows cracked over night a few days. Then I shampoed the carpet and it was just like new. I should have removed the seats but the car was my daily driver and I didn't want to take it apart.
I kept that car 4 years after the flood and had no issues from the incident.
Maybe a pro would have done something else but what I did was good enough for me. I tolerate no stains in my car and that says a lot.

 

detailing is one of those fields where the tools are simple but the craft has subtle complexities. the average joe -- me for instance -- can buy the tools and products, and get reasonably good results. with some trial and error, i can get great results sometimes.

but the pros have the benefit of thousands of hours of experience behind them. they don't make rookie mistakes. they're fast and efficient. and, most importantly, they have the wherewithal to handle out-of-the-ordinary situations and consistently produce quality results. that's what they're paid for: predictable, consistently high quality.

everyone should take pride in their work -- pros and joes alike.

 

Well said.

 

Well said and MOSTLY correct.
Everyone makes mistakes and that's why I do it myself.
There was the time a detailer broke my ashtray. Or the one who spayed harsh chemicals all over my 4K wheels. Or the one who lifted the windshield wiper and bent it. Or the ones who spray your car with windex after they wash it. Or the ones who spray on the tire dressing after I've told them to wipe it on. Should I continue.........

I do it right every single time.

 

Windex on your car??? You obviously did not do your homework when you selected your detailers. Did you ever bother to ask them what products they use or what process and techniques they use while detailing?

Sounds like you've had bad luck with detailers cause you keep picking bad detailers.... We're not all like that you know.

 

Sorry to hear you've had such bad experience in the past. Someone once told me "the past does not equal the future" If you want a quality detailer, he/she is out there. But for now, it seems you're happy with the work so more power to you

 

sounds like someone can't follow direction too well. if they can't even get the tire dressing as requested.

 

do your thing man. if you're happy with the results, no reason not to. but the litany of problems you described sounds more like wash-a-rama than the class of detailers that are sponsors here.

 

Here in south florida, there is a detail shop on every corner almost. They make so much money and get so busy that after a while they become complacent. Instead of charging a good fee to do it right, do only a couple cars a day they do 50 a day and charge between $20-$100. Around $50 will get you wash, wax, vacuum and windows. $100 will get the works....but with the hustle mentality, it probably isn't worth it. That's part of the reason I do my own.

The main reason is that I enjoy it. People who have watched me compare it to making love to the car. I have to agree there is some emotion going on because I love cars, especially my own.
Even my wife got smart. She let me mod hers so that I can share more of me with her.......or her car....same thing!

I hope that finally explains things.

 

If you love your car, invest in the proper equipment and do it yourself.

 

Ice, I see why you do it yourself. To be honest though, those $20-$100 places aren't really detailers, they're just car clearners..... there's a difference as you know. You will never get a thorough quality detail job for $100 bucks.

For quality detailing, you have to find a detailer who is passionate about there work and selective with there clients. You'll know he takes his work seriously when he charges $600++ to polish your car.

Josh