I've been pondering doing some weekend detailing for some extra cash. I have limited practice with professional detailing but I enjoy doing it in my free time. I have been researching classes and being in Michigan, Esoteric Car Care is very close and they just posted a great deal for some of their 2020 classes. I'm wondering if anyone has taken the Esoteric class and if it was worth it? Also if you took a class from any other large detail companies was it worth it? I had a friend do the DetailKing class and his biggest complaint was that they were trying to sell him their products the whole time. I'm really looking for a good hands on class that is close to Michigan.
Check out Mike P's classes, might be well worth the time.
Mike has the most thorough detailing classes on the planet. Check out his schedule for 2020.
BTW he doesn't try to sell you products, that's Nick, Bobby and Meghan's job.
I have been researching classes and being in Michigan, Esoteric Car Care is very close and they just posted a great deal for some of their 2020 classes. I'm wondering if anyone has taken the Esoteric class and if it was worth it?
I've known Todd at Esoteric for years. He has a stellar reputation. I have people that have attended his classes, Detail King classes and others attend my classes and they say 2 things,
1: Todd's classes are good. A good mix of classroom time and hands-on time.
2: My classes are the most hands-on classes.
It seems like every week there's a someone new claiming to be an instructor and now offering detailing classes. God bless them and go for it. My recommendation is to look for pictures showing real people doing real hands-on and when it comes to documenting classes, no one does it better than me.
Here's just a few examples, and keep in mind, it takes an entirely different skill set to make all these pictures magically show up on a vBulletin discussion forum and endure over time. A monkey can be taught how to put a picture on Facebook.
Boat Classes
I never seem to get to the pictures for the boat classes, it's so time intensive. I did get over 200 pictures from the 2018 class. You won't find 1/10 the number of pictures in this thread anywhere else on the Internet showing you what you get to do at a boat detailing class.
The one thing all of the above documented classes have in common are...
You see people on their feet, tools in their hands working on cars and boats. No chairs. No sitting. Not time for chairs and sitting as our classes cover so many tools, products and techniques.
That said, I think Todd teaches a great class. It's a good value for your money. I've never been to Todd's class nor have I been to any Renny Doyle classes but I respect these two names in our industry to provide a great hands-on experience.
I took a class with Mike just over two years ago and recently(August 2019) stopped by a class for a few hours to help out. I absolutely recommend taking one, don’t know about Esoterics classes, I can only assume they will feature specific brands and most of them boutique(see expensive) and not cover the full array of detailing machines and products like Mikes classes.
He will teach you how to use every type of polisher out there, 8mm, long throw, forced rotation, cordless options and usually has some nano and rotary polishers on hand. You get to learn with 1k’s of dollars worth of polishers, pads and detailing products(chemicals, towels etc). That alone was/is worth it to me, I can have a hard time pulling the trigger on a $300+ polisher, getting to use a few of the higher end ones I was able to make a decision.
Also, since you’re looking to do this on the side, Mike will give you a lot of tips and tricks that save time and keep you moving forward, in business time=money!! The class will pay for itself in just a couple details.
Alumni Autogeek's first ever Roadshow Detailing Class Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Thanks for the insight and all the pictures Mike, it definitely looks like you run a top notch class! Now I just have to decide if I want to travel to FL or OH for a class. I have all the equipment and chemicals now I just need a little bit more knowledge to make me feel comfortable taking on other peoples cars.
I cover a lot of tools, here's a quick video of just the tools available for mechanical decontamination.
I'm teaching a class on these tools at Mobile Tech Expo on Thursday, January 30th at 1:00pm. My first class starts at 8:00am and I'm teaching a total of 7 classes that day.
Check out the video though, not perfect but something is better than nothing....
I have taken 2-Roadshow classes and also his boot camp held in the AG facility, that being a 3-day ordeal.
I am a DIY by nature and had three cars at home plus my adult kids cars when they visit. So I do this purely for satisfaction that I am doing my best to protect and maintain my investments.
If you want to learn the easiest way, just watch videos at home.
Mike’s approach involves you showing up early for the class and expects you are ready to learn and share experiences with your classmates. You will cover all the basics of detailing and then deep dive into methods to be efficient and yes how to build your skills for those doing this for profit.
Now for the next 10-hours you are trying out tools, products, and learning how much paint changes with each car. You leave the day tired and looking forward to doing it again the next day.
Next morning you are excited to arrive early and now asking more questions. You do more cars and try out more products and tools. Somehow I remember sitting down 3-times that second day.
Each class gives you a chance to touch many different vehicles and Mike’s experiences keep you informed on how to minimize mistakes.
If you learn best by listening then skip Mike’s classes as you miss out on the hands-on approach. You could still listen in class, recommended, but jumping in gives lasting satisfaction.
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