Student Testimony from the New Jersey 2-Day Roadshow Class

I know people wonder...


What is the class like? What do I get for my money....


From John Lee - alumni student from the 2018 Roadshow Class in New Jersey



The Roadshow Detailing Class was absolutely fantastic. I've been waiting for one of these to come to my area, and within 15 minutes of getting the email that it was happening, I signed up for both days without hesitation.

I have been an enthusiast detailer for a number of years, and have learned what I know about the detailing craft through various YouTube videos (many featuring Mike Phillips) and through these very forums (also, through Mike). While my skills have gotten better over time, I've had a great deal of trepidation when it came to abrasive detailing or anything that involved picking up an orbital machine spinning faster than my eye can see. Among my group of friends I am the "resident detailer" - they trust me with their cars, and I knew that I would have to expand my skill set at some point to make all of our cars better than ever.

Before the class even started, I received roughly a half dozen emails from Mike himself about a week in advance, informing the class of everything we would need to be ready the first morning. I was about 5 minutes early on day one, and could already tell this was going to be serious because I was pretty much the last person to arrive. The garage setup was incredible, with beautifully laid out products that looked like a detailer's shop dream (at least my dreams, anyway!)

Mike promised us from the get-go that we would get an incredible amount of hands-on time using tools and chemicals on cars. With approximately 22 hours of class time across both days, I can honestly say - when Mike says you get to be hands-on, he means you will get HANDS-ON!!! I learned more in the 2 days of this class than I have in the last 2 years of scouring the internet. Tips, tricks, methodology, fundamental skills, advanced techniques - Mike shares ALL of it with the class. He is 100% genuine, accessible, and open to any question. If you've seen Mike in his videos on YouTube or on Competition Ready, I can say that the guy you see online and on TV is the SAME guy you'll meet in person. The other class participants are also real enthusiasts - everyone is highly motivated and incredibly careful with the cars that are volunteered for the class. I would absolutely trust everyone with the surface of my car if another class were to come to my area!

Ultimately I came away from the class with a plethora of new skills that I can't wait to try out. Now I feel confident that I know how to detect and identify issues on the surface of a car, the proper way to safely and effectively handle serious tools, how to work on a variety of surfaces and materials, and how to appropriately communicate these skills to perspective clientele.

I was fortunate that Mike selected my friend's 2010 BMW 128i (white with black vinyl graphics) for one of the final 12 cars to be detailed over the weekend. The reception from the owner and his family has been outstanding - the car has gone quite some time since its last wash (much less wax or sealant). The owners and class participants were equally shocked upon seeing the car literally changing color after removing that heavy layer of road film!

Big thanks to Pete, Christy, Axel, and Andre for helping me with literally every question I came up with across both days. Working side by side with these folks is seriously fantastic! I hope anyone who takes these classes in the future has the chance to work with them.

Huge thanks to Autogeek, I'm loving the RUPES detailing belt and the swag from the #AGroadshowNJ contest. These tools are being put to the test this coming weekend!

Finally, special thanks to Rahul at Shield & Sheen for opening the doors to us so we could use (and hopefully not abuse!) his shop for the weekend. It's a great facility and he has a wealth of knowledge.

Looking forward to attending my next class, hopefully a 3-day class next time!

- John Lee


More testimonies from that class here,


Pictures & Comments - 2018 New Jersey Roadshow Detailing Class













John Lee

John belongs to a local BMW club and brought the 2010 MBW M1 which we used as a training car for this class. This car turned out to be a POWERFUL demonstration of the term Road Film as you will see in the pictures to come. The before and after pictures also share why I don't believe in any ceramic coating that lasts over 1 year if the car it's applied to is a daily driver. The picture explains why for any doubters.





Here's the BEFORE shot of the BMW




Here's the AFTER shot of the BMW - notice how bright and vibrant the white paint has become after machine compounding, polishing, which in effect REMOVED THE dirt staining off the paint.