For what it's worth, I am a professional detailer, www.wonderdetail.co.uk is my website if you want to know more.
Detailing is car washing, you are absolutely correct. But it's a lot more than that too. Allow me to illustrate. A hotel is a hotel, right? Bed, food, a reception. You book into a hotel because you want somewhere to say. In that sense, all hotels are the same. However, there are huge differences in hotels across the world. Some of them are scummy overnight stops, some of them are luxurious palaces, where you are treated like a prince for the duration of your stay. Which hotel you stay in is entirely your choice. It's based on how important it is to you, how much money you have, etc etc.
Detailing is the luxury hotel of the car cleaning business. If people don't want it, then that's fine, in much the same way that a luxury hotel doesn't mind if people want to stay in a travelodge; entirely their choice.
Why do my customers use me? Well, a lot of them are image conscious. Let's face it, your car says a lot about you. Imagine the scene if you will. You turn up to pitch something to a potential client, and your car is a mess. Scruffy, in poor condition, that kind of thing. Now, the other guy, your competition, he turns up in the cleanest thing you have ever seen in your life. Everything is perfect on the car, the door shuts, the interior, all of it is immaculate. How do you think the person you are pitching to perceives you, with your scruffy car? As a person that pays attention to detail and takes pride in things? Probably not. The other guy though, he's won a big part of the fight before he's even got in the door.
And of course, let us not forget the added value to your car. I did a Porsche a few weeks ago. Valued at 20k, as it looks a bit tired, paint was dull, contamination on a lot of the car. I was called in, cost the guy £330, and he had it revalued. How much was it worth after I'd done the work? £22k. Two grand, 'just for cleaning it.'
By all means, do a simple wash and wax. It's your car and your time after all. But know that there are some people in the world who want more than that. Some who want perfection, to be the best. That's the kind of people who use me, and/or detail themselves.
Edited by wonderdetail on 20/08/2008 at 13:50
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I must admit, I don't understand the hostility.
If it wasn't for "anal" hobbies this world would be a much poorer place.
And if they can make a few bob out of it, fair play to them.
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DETAILING = The pratice of finding something to do at the weekends rather then spend them with 'er in doors
or
justifying to the wife why you spent £150 on car care products in halfords when you only popped in for a wiper blade
Edited by welshlad on 20/08/2008 at 15:20
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True detailers avoid Halfords and aren't henpecked. ;)
Andyfr
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For what it's worth I am a professional detailer www.wonderdetail.co.uk is my website if you want to know more. Detailing is car washing you are absolutely correct. But it's a lot more than that too. Allow me to illustrate. Detailing is the luxury hotel of the car cleaning business. than that. Some who want perfection to be the best. That's the kind of people who use me and/or detail themselves.
Thanks. I have looked at your website "Paul can carry out anything from a basic detail, to full paint correction, paintwork restoration, and scratch removal."
Maybe I'm being utterly stupid here, quite possible and it will be neither the first nor the last time. But I am time and time again being detailed to read pages of the 'net that presuppose a knowledge of detailing, rather than defining detailing... Paul can detail or restore or correct your paint.
So what on earth IS detailing?
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The differing terms used on my website are purely for the benefit of SEO. I'd love to just put, 'I will make your car look really shiny' but it'd be neither professional nor would be any good for search engines!
To put in a nutshell the difference between myself and a valeter (or should I say, the services that I offer) is that what I achieve is perfection and nothing short.
If you're wanting to know what terms mean, then I can give you a brief rundown.
Detail = the whole package. The attention to detail that would otherwise be missed. E.g, I won't just wipe a strong caustic traffic film remover over the car, rinse it off, and then give the car a quick wax. That's what you will get at the local hand car washes. I will spend two hours just on the wash process. Why? Because it all adds to the finish.
Paintwork restoration = making dull, old paint look new again. This is done with a machine polisher, and compound polishes. On average, this will take 8-24 hours, depending on the car and the condition of the paint. Actually, I can illustrate this with a picture! This Aston Martin had been resprayed. The car had then been given to a valeter, and he had 'machine polished it.' Sorry it's a bit of a blurry pic, but left hand side is after I had machine polished it, and the right hand side is the work of the valeter. Swirls, dullness, all made the car looked awful.
i193.photobucket.com/albums/z47/drpellypo/IMG_0197...g
Once I was finished with it, the car looked like this:
i193.photobucket.com/albums/z47/drpellypo/IMG_0221...g
Again, poor quality pics (there are other finished pics on the website.)
Correct = the removal of defects. This can be removal of scratches, scuffs, etching caused by bird droppings, or swirl marks.
If you go to my services page, you can a rough idea of what I do in a detail. It is by no means exhaustive though, although I would be happy to list everything I do to a car on my details.
Edited by wonderdetail on 20/08/2008 at 17:41
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>>The car had then been given to a valeter, and he had 'machine polished it.' Sorry it's a bit of a blurry pic, but left hand side is after I had machine polished it, and the right hand side is the work of the valeter. Swirls, dullness, all made the car looked awful<<
Please dont infer that all valeters do that though. I do not leave swirls ( I was trained properly by a painter at a Rolls-Royce approved bodyshop ) although those who havent been properly trained perhaps do. Not leaving swirls is not exclusive to detailers, its just an example of bad valeting, on account of someone not knowing the science behind what they are doing.
Its just a very anal form of valeting for those with alot more time on their hands than most of us but its as valid as any cleaning profession, everyone has their standards and people to assist them in maintaining them.
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snipquote!
its just an example of bad valeting on account of someone not knowing the science behind what they are doing.
No no, of course, you're right. I never meant to infer that. I was simply stating the fact of that particular car.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 20/08/2008 at 19:28
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So ... now we know what detailing is - valeting.
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>>valeting
That costs £300 for something - the Wonder One Premium - that is guaranteed to last three days. Wowiee! Some people have money to burn; I've been putting off spending less than that on a cambelt change that will last for four years!
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That costs £300 for something - the Wonder One Premium -
snipquote AGAIN!
You've slightly mis-read that ;) When I say lasts three days, I mean, the work takes me three days to complete. Thanks for bringing that up though - I shall change it to better reflect what it means!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 20/08/2008 at 19:28
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Thank you wonderdetail, I have read every word you have posted and now feel fully secure in the knowledge that should I ever need to discuss detailing in a pub, then I now know what it is. ;) (On re-reading, that possibly sounds slightly sarcastic. It's not meant to be. Somewhat bemused, possibly...!)
>>You've slightly mis-read that ;)
Ah. You spend three days cleaning a guy's car? And only charge him £300?
This is a whole new world to me.
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So what's the etymology? It appears to me that it actually refers to the removal of detail from a vehicle? Confusing!
I think the term comes from the emphasis on the details, eg. making sure all the nooks and crannies are clean and sparkling, removing embedded dirt and grit with a claybar, using a variety of waxes and polishes for different surfaces etc.
Frankly I find it pretty frustrating trying to keep a car in pristine condition, faced with the usual everyday attrition like carpark dings, kerbing, rusting, petty vandalism etc!
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Maybe I can help the discussion along a bit - my company supplies detailing and car care products, to the widest possible range of users - from the simple weekly washer to prestige premium detailers.
Detailing is attention to the finer points of the car, which are often only apparent to the critical or anal (sorry DW'ers!) or those who maintain a car to a high standard and notice any deterioration. Its a hobby for many, a relaxation, something that allows folks to enjoy the finer points of their cars when not driving them. You put into it as much as you want to get out - not for all the 'better than showroom' look, others just want their car to look half decent. The point is that correct technique can make a huge time saving for car owners and thats something detailers are always keen to learn about.
Not knocking Halfords, but few detailers buy much from there - specialist suppliers such as us cater for much of their needs.
The Detailing World website is a mine of useful info, on how to deal with car care problems and correct technique - see the Guides. In my experience of dealing with thousands of cars owners, most are grateful to learn about how simple changes to their car care routine can save them time, and as Paul has said, (make) money when selling their car.
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It is quite true of course that there is a real difference between a car that is merely cleaned and polished and one that has been 'detailed', an expression new to me when I first used this website. The difference is immediately apparent to anyone with an eye for horseflesh but the reason for it escapes many. They just see the detailed car as a nicer example than the merely clean and polished one. Could even be misleading, like a carefully-chosen wardrobe masking an ugly carphound.
Unfortunately I haven't had a car worth detailing for some time.
Edited by Lud on 20/08/2008 at 17:49
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M'learned friend above mentioned on another thread that he had found pictures on the 'detailing' website of a couple of blokes examining paint with a magnifying glass and torches (IIRC). If this is the sort of people who 'detail' I think I would be very wary about claiming to produce 'perfection'...
Meanwhile, I am so pleased with my 2.5 euro bottle of polish with instructions in Greek that, now that the rain has stopped, I am going outside to give the car another dose. I'll try not to omit the details.
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I use a specialist inspection lamp (as near to the sun as you can get) and a linen tester, which is essentially a mini magnifying glass. What this does is help me to see any potential problems with the paint that could rear their ugly head and tarnish the finish.
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Wow. I guess perfection and I will never cross paths.
Do these owners ever take their cars out? Mine is usually pretty shiny but I can't stop the effects of rain, dust, suicidal insects and birds menstruating all over it.
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Just cleaning a car adds 5 mph and takes half a second off the 0-60 time. Detailing has to be even better.
Anyway that's why I would do it, if the car looked all right in the first place that is.
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It seems the devil is in the detail...
I'll get me coat.
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