Obsessive Compulsive Detailing

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Lately it has been people with nice cars that just want to keep them looking that way. They come to me three times a year and I maintain the shine. Prior to the last couple years most of my business was people looking to restore their car to showroom shine so they could sell it. Either that or they just bought the car and it didn't look as good as they wanted it to, so I finish the job the previous detailer started. I also do a fair amount of work fixing the mistakes of other detailers. Buffer burns, hazing, polish stains... Some people have no idea what 'quality' means.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. I would make sure that they know what they are doing. Just because they have a website or posting on Thumbtack that says "Have sponge. Will travel." doesn't mean they are the right detailer for you. I will be 36 years old in 2012 and I have been detailing for 15 years and heavily involved in the industry for the past 10 years. I have worked on cars displayed in major automotive events such as SEMA. My client list includes celebrities, industry moguls, soccer moms, and my neighbor. I would never do a job for anyone that I wouldn't be proud of and I have the portfolio to back that claim up. Don't just take the word of some 18 year old whose experience is based on washing his mother's Camry. I'm a grown up with an absolute understanding of what your car means to you and how to care for it best. You should base your search for a detailer on how well they can back those statements up.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. As a customer I would want to know what kind of paint damage can be repaired and what kind cannot. Some paint is beyond repair because it has simply been neglected for too long. I think a lot of people believe their paint is beyond repair when it is not. I've done outstanding work on severely oxidized paint which has made people think the owner finally broke down and gotten a new paint job.

The bottom line is that only someone who really knows the industry can tell you when your paint is beyond recovery and when it is not. I've consulted with some of the biggest names in car care and I can tell you that I do know what is possible with paint care. You can get second opinions if you want, but typically I'm the guy people call when they want to know if the body shop was telling them the truth about whether or not something could be repaired without being repainted.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. You should ask about their experience. I'm sorry, but working at a car wash for a dealership doesn't give you much experience. I fix more damage from those guys than you would believe. I want to know that they have worked with real tools on cars where they have to answer to a customer. Experience is highly important.

I would also ask them about the products they use. If they can't name them or tell you about them, then how can they know enough about how to use them? No-name products in no-name bottles doesn't gain a lot of confidence in my experience. A detailer should be well acquainted with his products. I know the chemist of most of my products personally and have worked with him for years. I absolutely know how to use my tools and what works best for what.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. What I need to know is the make, model, and year of the car as well as the color. It matters a lot. I also need to know if there is any bodywork that you are aware of. Polishing aftermarket paint is different than OEM paint from the factory. The damage each type of paint gets is also unique. I'd also like to know when the last time it was waxed or polished. That makes a difference on my time estimate which makes my estimates more accurate.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. My work typically stands out because I can get the details that others miss. Things like the polish that gets stuck in emblems and seams, polish stains on trim, streaks on glass, cleaning the door jambs, dust in the vents.... These are all things that a majority of detailers will miss or leave behind. My final detail process takes care of all of these things. The products I use are actually designed to avoid many of those problems to begin with, so there is less you have to worry about. I am also very honest with you about what to expect from my work by way of what can be corrected and what will be left. If there is anything else I discover in the process of detailing then I absolutely let you know about that as well.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I get to work on shiny cars! What is not to like about that? Someone takes something to me that is dull and dirty and I get to transform it into something outstanding! There is something truly gratifying about taking a dull and oxidized car and restoring it to showroom shine. I think that is the best part about my job. That and the fact that I get to meet some really incredible people. In fact, my current full time job would never have happened had it not been for connections I have made through detailing cars. I may not detail full time, but I've got more passion for it than anyone else I know in the industry.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. My pricing isn't all that complicated. Most jobs take 3 to 4 hours. The industry average for that kind of work is about $180 dollars. Therefore I bill my time out at around $60 an hour. Believe me, you pay more than that for your lunch at Burger King if you think about it. It takes 5 minutes to make and you pay $8 bucks for it. That's like paying them almost $100 dollars an hour for their time and materials. I just state an hourly rate because that is how I figure my estimates.