question for the pros

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Do most of the pro detailers here on AGO have a few people working for you or do you do all the work on a job yourself?

As I start working on my own cars, I find that it's very time consuming and I start withering physically about 75% into it.

Yesterday on my daily driver I
1.) detailed engine and engine compartment
2.) detailed the stainless tail pipes
3.) washed the wheels & tires
4.) washed car
5.) clay-bar car
6.) used HD Speed with DA using the section passes Mike recommends.

I started around 4:30 and finished around 9pm...
I still have a few stains in the carpet to get out and do the interior.

How do you pros get a car done (inside & out) in 4 hours?

[ryance39]

I don't detail professionally anymore, but I still do a couple cars a month. Really it is all about practice and learning the process. Certain tools can help quicken the process as well, pressure washer, air compressor, better vacuum... but the more you do it the faster you get.

It's hard on the body though, there is no doubt about that.

[Don M]

A lot depends on the size and condition of the car to start, then what level of correction are you trying to achieve. Some cars where the owner just wants a "wash and wax" are easily finished within a few hours using a one-step cleaner wax, whereas a large car or truck with moderate to severe defects, which is going to need a 3 or 4-step (clay, compound, polish, wax) is going to take more than a day to do properly.

Your process is correct regarding the order in which you are tackling different areas of the car, but you might want to split them into three 'sessions.' 1) Engine/engine compartment 2) Interior 3) Exterior, each done on a different day. Or if you have the option of an assistant, one of you can work the interior while the other works the exterior. Your "man hours" will be increased, which should reflect in the cost of the detail (if detailing for others), but your "actual time spent" will be less.

Not only will this allow you more time to properly complete each section, it won't be so much as to wear you out by the end.

Even when I worked at a shop and there were two of us on one car, some of them would still take us two days to complete.

[irvsmith]

I know your question was directed at the pros but felt I might be able to add a perspective. I don't detail the engine at the moment. I simply do the 2BM wash, wheel wash, and when time permits I do the interior as well. I can usually do this under 4 hours.

[VP Mark]

You will find that experience speeds you up temendously. However, certain jobs are just time leeches, and there are no ways around them.

I average 6 hours or so for wash, clay, AIO, and interior with steam. That is hustling, too. ONR washing, using steam, being organized helps a ton.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Thanks folks... seems like I need to get my technique up.
I do the 6 section passes in a 16x16 section which takes a lot of time. Side panels are much harder.

I can imagine that the condition and age of someone's car has to be taken into consideration too. My 8 year old "a to b" car has 130K miles of rough NH/MA driving... there isn't much paint left on the bumper cover, and the hood is peppered with rock chips. It wasn't too bad, but it hadn't been detailed in two years. Add a winter where we got nearly 4' of snow and it did a number on the car.

My garage queen on the other hand is nearly flawless, yet I spent several days on it doing paint correction to get the swirls out.

This is all good info, thanks

[Paul A.]

Having done this for a long time now i have succumbed to the physical side of it at my age. I no longer do a full interior and 3 step exterior in one day. It's at least a day and a half and the 3 step exterior alone ranges from 6 - 10 hours. i'll spend up to 2 hours on a trashed interior but knowing i have it the next day it leaves time for that. Then i address some of the little details after the interior is done to make sure it fully represents my standards.

I will say i get into a "flow" or zone and trudge along with very few breaks. I think, at least in my case, you get into a rhythm and move along. And its funny but i now feel my fingers and hand muscles the next day! I'm with you Paul G in that it amazes me how these guys and gals can do what i do in 2 days in maybe 6-8 hours.

[TFTADetail]

Several years ago I had started out just wanting to do a couple of cars a week and stay busy with something. I'm 47, by the way.
Word of mouth spread like wildfire. At the time I had a difficult time saying no to the work.
I ended up purchasing two more trailer and hiring 2 crews of 2 techs. I took on accounts and still handled more of the high end stuff or customer specific projects on my own.

I ended up selling out to a competitor for a decent price and walked away. Physically, I can still handle it even with a 2 level spinal fusion in place.

I just recently started up my third business in this specific industry and have learned to say no. I have a specific target area with regard to my customer base and am content to do the work on my own. I have plans to open 2 stand alone shops within the next 2 years at which point I'll be ready to manage and do 1 or 2 jobs here and there.

Point is don't let yourself become overwhelmed. Keep at your own pace. Stay active, healthy and take things in stride. You'll be able to get 100% before you need a nap ...... eventually.

[Buff-N-Glo]

After a while you start to pick up shortcuts, that make it less time consuming. Like getting the front of the car wet so the bugs come off easier. Little things that make it shorter. You will also learn not to get too picky with lower end details. It's in all of us detailers to be a perfectionist, we want every car to look perfect, but if a customer is not willing to dish out the money, then we can't sacrifice our time and energy into something that they don't care about. The bottom line is, you're there to make money, to keep the customer happy, and to give them the best work you can. It's very hard to find that perfect balance so that everyone wins.

[brondondolon]

As a lot of people said you pick up little short cuts when you start doing it for pay. Also you mentioned doing the engine and I think many detailers will agree that engine details dont come all that often.

Here is my most common detail and im sure its the same for most of us although it may vary a little bit.

Vacuum
windows cleaned
dash wiped and dressed
tires and wheels cleaned
tires dressed
paint washed and waxed

2-4 hours

Products make a difference too. For instance some waxes are harder to remove than others, some glass cleaners work better than others, and some products can be used on tons of different things so theres no looking for the right product or 30 bottles to pick up when you are done.