Some questions..

[Jacob Perry]

Hi this is my first post on the site after lurking around for a few weeks and ive found that this forum is a good place to call home. Ive been detailing at a car dealership for about 6 years and i know alot but still dont know alot at the same time. We focus more on quanity then quality. Therefore im going to start doing sidework at home for paint correction and other stuff. Here are some questions i have.

What makes the car needed to be wetsanded before a polish?

After wetsand would you use a cutting dressing or just a glaze?

With a really dirty paint i probably shouldnt use a waterless wash right?

Does wetsanding cure swirls also? Or should that be left to a cutting dressing and buffing?

Also working out of my garage would it be cheaper to get a air compressor and a hose or a handheld blower to blow out interior?

Starting off i dont want to purchase a steam extractor do to the high cost. What methods do you use to clean carpet without it?

Do you guys reccomend buffing and or water washing in sunlight?

What products can you live without when starting to reduce overhead costs?

[SonOfOC]

First welcome! From your description and questions, I highly doubt that what you did at the dealership is considered "detailing" in any sense of the word. It was probably more of "extra clean car wash".

I not discounting your knowledge or experience so please don't take it that way.

There is plethora of information on this forum. Use the search to look up keywords like wet sanding, glaze, compound, ect. Many of the well written articles come from the expert members on AG with decades of experience.

[Jacob Perry]

O no we are a detail shop but we dont focus on swirl removel and other paint correction due to inflicting with the body shop and taking money out of their pockets. We do full interior shampoo's with steam extraction and everything i just dont have to funds to buy one.

[Vegas Transplant]

O no we are a detail shop but we dont focus on swirl removel and other paint correction due to inflicting with the body shop and taking money out of their pockets. We do full interior shampoo's with steam extraction and everything i just dont have to funds to buy one.
Welcome to the forum. Happy trails...

[Gurge]

welcome to the site

based on all of your questions, I recommend doing yourself a HUGE favor and just buy the mike phillips art of detailing book from autogeek. for $30 you'll have most if not all of your answers, explained by an expert, in your hand to reference whenever, with color pictures