It all started when...

[runrun411]

I really enjoy this hobby of detailing my cars. I've always liked keeping my cars clean but now it's like on this whole new level. I love getting into the science of this and I learned so much from you guys on the post. It all started when I bought a white car and a few mircofiber towels.

When did it all start for you?

[BobbyG]

When I first started helping my Dad wash our car when I was about 8 or 9....:props:

[Mike Phillips]

When I first started helping my Dad wash our car when I was about 8 or 9....:props:


Kind of the same idea only for me it was helping Dad to wash and wax the boat before Memorial Day Weekend to get her ready to go fishing and water skiing.

I lived to water ski.

My passion for cars came later when I started building model cars and painting them and then reading Hot Rod Magazine and then at the age of 15 I bought my first car after saving money from my job as a Gas Station Attendant. My dad helped me and we literally tied a rope to an old Model T 1/4 mile drag car and pulled it out of a barn, put it on a trailer and mom and dad lost use of their garage forever.


:D

[Finemess]

I always liked going to the car wash with my dad as a kid. But when the guy up the street got a brand new 1971 Opel GT he would wash it almost everyday. Well out riding bikes one day, he asked me to help him. It was on...

[pixelmonkey]

age 4 after being shown what Malco did to the wheels on my big wheel.

age 5 it didnt get any better when i used wesleys tire bleach on the tires of the z50

age 6 when handed something that looked like cotton to polish chrome on the wheels of a pulling truck

age 7 when handed the wand of a pressure washer to clean the dirt bike at the car wash

it's been a life time of OOOOO and AAHHHHH with new products and tools.
chris<pixelmonkey>:D

[JSou]

Helping my Dad and Uncles. We'd always buy new products at our local "Trak-Auto" (now Advance Auto Parts) to try out on the vehicles.

It skyrocketed when I was attending autobody class in high school and working in a shop many summers before I was legal.

[Marc08EX]

I've always liked washing and waxing cars since I could drive at age 11. Although I was doing it improperly. I was using a cloth towel with no fibers to wash the car. Also, I wasn't using any soap. Just running water. I was also applying/removing the wax with cotton. All this was inspired by my Uncle and I always wanted to help him out.

Proper detailing all started with the inception of MOL back in 2004. I saw their extreme makeover of this extremely oxidized red Mercedes Benz SL. It's too bad that the before pictures of that thread aren't loading anymore. (Is there anything you can do about this, Mike Philips?) When I saw that, I was extremely intrigued on how it was done. So that's where all the research and reading began..

[Mike Phillips]

I've always liked washing and waxing cars since I could drive at age 11. Although I was doing it improperly. I was using a cloth towel with no fibers to wash the car. Also, I wasn't using any soap. Just running water. I was also applying/removing the wax with cotton. All this was inspired by my Uncle and I always wanted to help him out.



Cool story... a lot of people started out similar to the above...





Proper detailing all started with the inception of MOL back in 2004. I saw their extreme makeover of this extremely oxidized red Mercedes Benz SL.

It's too bad that the before pictures of that thread aren't loading anymore. (Is there anything you can do about this, Mike Philips?)

When I saw that, I was extremely intrigued on how it was done. So that's where all the research and reading began..



Research and reading... i.e. discussion forums... :xyxthumbs:



Here's the link to that thread Marc, it's been a pleasure knowing you over the years...


Blast from the Past! - Bringing the dead back to life! (http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19372)

Below Photos Courtesy of MeguiarsOnline.com

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/2450MLBefore2.jpg

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/2450SLfinished1.jpg



That car belong to my buddy of mine and we actually brought it back to life twice... Here's the second time....



And now you see that car on the label of Ultimate Compound.


Pictures from Meguiar's Open Garage - April 10th, 2008
(http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?23202-Pictures-from-Meguiar-s-Open-Garage-April-10th-2008)



Before
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/722/1974MB450EM001.jpg



We chose to try something different and taped off a diagonal section to show before and after
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/722/1974MB450EM002.jpg

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/722/1974MB450EM011.jpg

Here's the final results...

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/722/1974MB450EM012.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/828/UltimateCompound.jpg

:dblthumb2:

[01GreyStangGT]

When I was 12, it became a new chore for me to wash and wax the cars. My dad would leave a vehicle on Saturdays for me to clean. I actually didn't mind that chore. Mowing the lawn, on the other hand....not so much.

[cleanmycorolla]

I was in the hospital for two weeks about two years ago for major surgery. When I got home my car was filthy, and i was still not allowed to work for a few more weeks so I had lots of time at home recovering. During that time I googled where the nearest professional detailer was in my area to see if they would come clean my filthy car! Well on my search I wound up here, saw i could do it myself. So while recovering I read the forums a ton, but never joined. I got tons of products, a griots 6", pads, sealants, compunds, polishes, and I researched a ton. When I recovered I finally cleaned my car, and from that moment on I was hooked. I then started doing friends and families cars, and now on the weekends, 2 years later, I'll do washes for some local people for money(JUST STARTED THIS WITHIN THE PAST 3 MONTHS), and nice wash clay and wax only, but what turned out as an adventure for my car, turned into something where now I make a little extra money on weekends and a full blown hobby I enjoy! next thing i know i win an AG contest to join them at SEMA 2012 and now I'm hooked in!

Thanks everyone and thanks AG!

[runrun411]

I was in the hospital for two weeks about two years ago for major surgery. When I got home my car was filthy, and i was still not allowed to work for a few more weeks so I had lots of time at home recovering. During that time I googled where the nearest professional detailer was in my area to see if they would come clean my filthy car! Well on my search I wound up here, saw i could do it myself. So while recovering I read the forums a ton, but never joined. I got tons of products, a griots 6", pads, sealants, compunds, polishes, and I researched a ton. When I recovered I finally cleaned my car, and from that moment on I was hooked. I then started doing friends and families cars, and now on the weekends, 2 years later, I'll do washes for some local people for money(JUST STARTED THIS WITHIN THE PAST 3 MONTHS), and nice wash clay and wax only, but what turned out as an adventure for my car, turned into something where now I make a little extra money on weekends and a full blown hobby I enjoy! next thing i know i win an AG contest to join them at SEMA 2012 and now I'm hooked in!

Thanks everyone and thanks AG!

Whoa!!! Talk about a nice recovery. LOL

[Mike Phillips]

I was in the hospital for two weeks about two years ago for major surgery. When I got home my car was filthy, and i was still not allowed to work for a few more weeks so I had lots of time at home recovering. During that time I googled where the nearest professional detailer was in my area to see if they would come clean my filthy car! Well on my search I wound up here, saw i could do it myself. So while recovering I read the forums a ton, but never joined. I got tons of products, a griots 6", pads, sealants, compunds, polishes, and I researched a ton. When I recovered I finally cleaned my car, and from that moment on I was hooked. I then started doing friends and families cars, and now on the weekends, 2 years later, I'll do washes for some local people for money(JUST STARTED THIS WITHIN THE PAST 3 MONTHS), and nice wash clay and wax only, but what turned out as an adventure for my car, turned into something where now I make a little extra money on weekends and a full blown hobby I enjoy! next thing i know i win an AG contest to join them at SEMA 2012 and now I'm hooked in!

Thanks everyone and thanks AG!


Wow!


Great story... I remember meeting you at SEMA this last year but I don't think I ever heard the story behind the story...


Thanks for sharing...



:xyxthumbs:

[Bill1234]

Found a can of turtle wax in the garage , very young back then. as I am still yound now. I now have a Da, many waxes and polishes ,towels ,product etc. an a great looking car from all the work

[UltimateDetail]

It all started for me when I was I think three years old. I got one of those "big jakes" they called em, they were the same as those ride on big wheels.. I loved the thing, acted like it was my best friend. lol Anyway, I wanted to take care of it, so I went and got some towels and a can of wax my dad had and cleaned it up. Now that I'm looking back at it, that's kinda funny that a three year old had that kinda thought. lol I can still vividly remember doing it too.

[SuperiorAutoLLC]

When I graduated high school several years ago, my neighbors got me a $50 gift card to Amazon.com as a graduation present. I somehow ended up buying some stuff to detail my Jeep and ever since then, the buying hasn't stopped!!