The Journey of a Car Detailer: Trevor Spedden

[CriticalDetails]

Car Detailing Enlightenment

If you’re like me, your passion for all things automotive started at an early age. Long before getting a driver’s license or owning my first vehicle, I was intrigued by every aspect of cars. Whenever I thought about purchasing a new car, I spent numerous hours looking at everything from the car’s interior and exterior styling to its engine and drivetrain specifications. Since discovering Autogeek, I now consider the color of the paint when shopping for a car. After owning a black Jeep Grand Cherokee for ten years I will most likely never buy a black SUV ever again.

The Fast and Furious had come out and every teenager wanted a Japanese sports car. Whether it was a Honda Prelude, Acura Integra or a Mitsubishi Eclipse I had my mind set on a high-revving 4-cylinder car. My first venture into car detailing was in 2003 when I got my first car which was a 2G Mitsubishi Eclipse. After taking a trip to the local auto parts store and buying some Meguiar’s and 3M car care products, it was time to attempt detailing a car for the first time. Armed with a basic knowledge of how to wash and wax a car I went to work. Once I finished painstakingly cleaning the wheels with a toothbrush, it was time to start the hand wash. Using a foam sponge and a single bucket I worked from top to bottom cleaning each panel of the car. Then it was time to dry the paint using an Absorber chamois and use old cotton bath towels on the wheels. After drying the paint a layer of paste wax was applied to boost the shine and fill in minor defects. In all the process took about two hours and was something that I would perform every few months.

Sadly I knew little about the horrific car detailing sins that I was committing on my beloved first car. Using only one bucket to wash a car and waxing a car without claying are certainly at the top of the list. You probably already guessed it but that single bucket wasn’t equipped with a Grit Guard either. After discovering Autogeek, I was shocked at how many steps were involved in performing proper car detailing. Suddenly a 4-step two hour exterior detail turned into a 10+-step all day or multiple-day detail. Exterior detailing consists of three categories (Decontamination, Correction, Protection) that all work in harmony to deliver professional results every time.


The Autogeek Way of Detailing

Decontamination – There are many ways to decontaminate a car’s paint and the most common of them is washing. Whenever performing a hand wash it’s imperative that two buckets equipped with Grit Guards are being used. In addition to using multiple buckets the use of two or three pieces of wash media is recommended. One wash mitt for the upper panels, another wash mitt for the bumpers and rocker panels and a bug sponge for high-impact areas if necessary.

If the paint isn’t smooth after washing then chemical cleansing or mechanical cleansing is in order. Always chemically decontaminate the paint prior to using a clay bar to not only extend its lifespan but reduce the chance of marring the paint. Detailing clay will not scratch the paint but the iron particles and road tar that it’s removing certainly will. A detailing clay substitute such as a decontamination towel or decontamination sponge can also be used to help speed up the process. Clay substitutes don’t need to be molded to reveal a clean surface through the detail but they tend to be a little more aggressive on the paint. Once the paint is free of environmental and industrial contamination it’s safe to start correcting the paint.

Correction – The most important step to safely correcting a car’s paint is to perform a test spot. Every manufacturer and color of paint has a different hardness which makes it very hard to guess which polish and pad combination will get the job done. There is a finite layer of clear coat and the goal is to just enough to level the paint defects. Always start with the least aggressive buffing pad and finishing polish that you believe will get the job done. There certainly isn’t a reason to try a no-cut buffing pad and a jeweling polish when you know the car is going to probably need a multiple-step paint correction.

Halogen or LED work lights are an essential to achieving the best results when compounding and polishing the paint. With recent advances in LED lighting it has become a more affordable lighting solution that almost makes halogens obsolete. If you’ve ever used a halogen light you know that the bulbs are temperamental and generate a lot of heat. I found myself replacing the halogen bulbs constantly to the point that replacement bulbs exceeded the cost of the lamp after a few years. For anyone who is new to car detailing it’s worth it to spend the money up front and invest in LED lights.

Protection – Just about everyone has heard of car wax even if they aren’t a detailing enthusiast. Many people know about paint sealants as well since they’ve been on the market for a long time. However not a lot of people know about paint coatings. While car waxes and paint sealants will provide anywhere from 2 – 6 months of protection a paint coating will provide 2+ years of protection. The durability of any wax, sealant, or coating is going to depend on driving conditions and how it’s maintained between applications.

Paint coatings are the most expensive form of paint protection but they offer the strongest protection. Coatings form a semi-permanent layer of protection over the clear coat that helps replenish paint thickness that was removed during the correction process. Unlike carnauba waxes and polymer sealants a paint coating cannot be removed with the use of strong cleaners. It’s actually encouraged that an annual application of an iron removal product be used to restore the paint coating’s hydrophobic properties.


Becoming a Professional Car Detailer

When I first discovered Autogeek it was purely to learn more about car detailing and how-to remove paint scratches. After spending a year or two practicing car detailing techniques on my personal car and those of friends and family, it was time to officially start a business. In 2009 I started Critical Details and have been operating my small business part-time for the past seven years. Two of the biggest advancements in car care that have happened in my time as a car detailer would have to be long-throw polishers and paint coatings. This past year I set a new record for the number of paint coating applications and attribute a lot of this success to the growing popularity of car detailing forums such as Autogeek.

It’s very hard to convince someone to pay hundreds of dollars for a paint coating application when the general perception of car detailing is that it should cost a few hundred dollars. Regardless of how good of a sales person you are it’s always tough sell to convince someone to pay two or three times what they expected to initially pay. Sticker shock can be hard to overcome but one of the best ways to educate clients is to have a high-quality detailing portfolio. Having a strong Instagram and YouTube presence can do wonders for anyone looking to generate high-end car detailing. Thorough documentation of the detailing process helps establish trust with potential clients and justifies the cost of labor involved. We all know how scary it is whenever we have to take our car into the dealership for service or hand the key over to a valet driver.

When I started Critical Details I was still in college and it was important to me to grow my business organically. There was no money for paid advertising on Google or premium business listings on one of the many directory sites. At the start, I was using an Iphone5 for Instagram pictures and an 8MP Sony camera to film YouTube videos. Now I am currently using an Iphone 6+ and a GoPro Hero3 Black for media creation. The biggest step that I took to improving the quality of my YouTube videos was a mechanical camera stabilizer and eventually and electric camera stabilizer. Being able to walk around the car without having the camera having it look like Bigfoot is stomping around really helps improve production quality.

This video was filmed on an IPhone 5 with no camera stabilization.


This video was filmed on a GoPro Hero3 Black using a mechanical camera stabilizer.


This video was filmed on a GoPro Hero3 Black using an electric camera stabilizer.

One of the biggest advantages of the electric camera stabilizer is that it allows for one handed operation. Some of the shots in the Audi A4 video would not have been possible to film without the assistance of another person. An electric camera stabilizer is more expensive but typically has a shorter learning period and allows for more opportunities when it comes to filming in different angles. A GoPro Camera and a FeyuTech 3-axis gimbal are a great option for someone with a budget around $1,000 dollars. With a much larger budget a DSLR camera, heavy-duty gimbal and even a drone could be incorporated into the filming process to create an even bigger dramatic effect.


The Best Car Care Community

Without the generosity of Autogeek and its forum members, I doubt that I would be detailing cars at the level I am today. I have participated in many car detailing forums over the years but have always considered Autogeek home. Some of the main reasons that I prefer Autogeek is how accepting the forum is of new members, there is no cost to advertise, and it’s well moderated.

There is nothing more disheartening than joining a new forum and seeing that hundreds of people have viewed your post but no one has replied. Whether you’re seeking car care advice from senior forum members or sharing a detailing write-up it’s always nice to know you’re not getting the cold shoulder. Even the most basic of car detailing questions are happily answered on Autogeek while other forums might offer the less helpful response of ‘there’s already a post for that’. It’s nice to see that forum members not only care about their own cars but want to make sure that other members aren’t accidently breaking the detailing commandments on their own cars as well.

The fact that Autogeek allows detailers to freely post their write-ups is greatly appreciated. Some sites will let members join for free but they can’t post articles under their business name or they have to pay a subscription fee to gain access to post in certain categories. In addition to having no barriers to entry, Autogeek does a great job of keeping the general forum tone to that of one that is happy and helpful. Thank you for creating and continue to grow what I consider to be the greatest car care forum around!

[DetailedByPrecision]

Thanks for sharing your story to help inspire others as well.

[Sicoupe]

Great write up Trevor! And thanks for sharing your work my friend.

[wing commander]

Nice filming work showing that you can do some nice work on cars also.

[KS_Detailing]

Thanks for sharing, Info on the stabilizer for the GoPro? Just got one and would like to improve my filming.


Sent from my iPhone using Autogeekonline mobile app

[GSKR]

Great story.my van has been coated like 10 times I use that mobile van as a demo on coatings.When selling a coating job or try to I will fire up the pressure washer and rinse the side so they see the benefits right in front of there eyes.usually 70 percent will buy into that.The last thing you want to do is be pushy or overly aggressive on selling a complete polish and coating.my next batch of new business cards I will have a additional supplement card to describe what a coating is and how it benefits them.from there if they need more info the internet is full of info.

[Sizzle Chest]

Good read! Thanks for posting!

[ShineDoc]

Trevor, thanks for your post. I have been study photography since Zach wrote an article on it. I think learning to show off our work is just as important as learning how to do our work. Using a camera stabilizer is something I have not thought about buying for awhile. However after reading this I think I will have to make that sooner.

BTW one of the best post I have seen. Thanks again.

[coles_paint_correction]

Fantastic post trevor and i certainly agree with autogeek being ''home'' as it is nice to learn and post
while having fun and getting replies from fellow people and friends.

[CriticalDetails]

Thanks for sharing your story to help inspire others as well.

You’re welcome. I hope my post encourages more people to join Autogeek and possibly venture into being a small business owner.

Great write up Trevor! And thanks for sharing your work my friend.

Thank you for reading. I am glad that you enjoyed the videos as well.

Nice filming work showing that you can do some nice work on cars also.

Thanks for the compliment. I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the past few years honing my filming and editing skills to better showcase my detailing work. Eventually I’d like to get a DSLR camera to enhance the quality of my photography as well.

Thanks for sharing, Info on the stabilizer for the GoPro? Just got one and would like to improve my filming.

If you bought a Feyutech stabilizer I can offer a few tips. I prefer the panning mode that is enabled after quickly pressing the power button twice. A slight turn of the wrist will help make the direction change smoother and keep more of the car in the frame. Also you can tilt the stabilizer forwards or backwards and the camera will slowly move up or down.

The camera stabilizer claims 360 degree rotation but the motors start to get a little jittery at extreme angles. Battery life is pretty long and the ability to charge your GoPro while filming is very convenient. I had to realign the gimbals before the first use since they were slightly off center. It was fairly easy and don’t miss the hassle of continuously readjusting a manual stabilizer.

Great story.my van has been coated like 10 times I use that mobile van as a demo on coatings.When selling a coating job or try to I will fire up the pressure washer and rinse the side so they see the benefits right in front of there eyes.usually 70 percent will buy into that.The last thing you want to do is be pushy or overly aggressive on selling a complete polish and coating.my next batch of new business cards I will have a additional supplement card to describe what a coating is and how it benefits them.from there if they need more info the internet is full of info.

Using your work vehicle as a hands-on demonstration is a great idea. I like to have the client rub a microfiber towel on their car’s window and then on my car’s window. The difference of friction between coated and uncoated glass is considerable. After feeling the difference almost everyone chooses to have a glass coating applied to their car.

Does anyone else have a successful method for promoting paint, glass, or wheel coatings that they would like to share?

Good read! Thanks for posting!

I am glad you enjoyed the post. I’ve been working on my copywriting skills and hope to create more works like this in the future.

Trevor, thanks for your post. I have been study photography since Zach wrote an article on it. I think learning to show off our work is just as important as learning how to do our work. Using a camera stabilizer is something I have not thought about buying for awhile. However after reading this I think I will have to make that sooner.

BTW one of the best post I have seen. Thanks again.

Thank you for the support. It means a lot to hear that my post has inspired you to add further production value to your content. I’ve wanted to purchase an electric camera stabilizer for a few years but didn’t due to the higher cost. The price gap between camera stabilizers has decreased and it’s hard not to spring for the more sophisticated electric models.

Glidecam XR-1000 - https://www.amazon.com/Glidecam-XR-1...idecam+xr+1000

Feyutech G4 - https://www.amazon.com/3-Axis-Handhe...rds=feiyu+tech

Zach Writes some great posts and I built the LED tripod light that he shared a few years ago.

Fantastic post trevor and i certainly agree with autogeek being ''home'' as it is nice to learn and post
while having fun and getting replies from fellow people and friends.

There are a lot of great detailing minds on the Autogeek forum. I often pick up new tips or tricks that I may not have otherwise learned otherwise on my own. Thanks for giving my lengthy post a read.