Favorite Wax

[Cammed 05]

To be honest I like laying down collinite 845 for a base because the car sits outside 24/7 is beat on alot and is my DD. But i do top with nattys red, blue, I've put some Jax wax on a time or two. Just what ever i feel like. The paint it in too rough of shape for me to bother with any opti coat or aquartz type of stuff. It's getting resprayed and a little face lift soon so just keeping it looking presentable for now. Still better than alot of show cars here but hey.

On a side note I've applied opti coat 2.0 to the new 5.0 over 6 months ago. Still going strong and it's my mom and step fathers DD as well. But garaged.

 

[Apex Assassin]

I have a stigma with collinite, we have a weekly car show nearby that draws in about 2500+ cars every week, one of the largest on this side of the country thats weekly. Anyway, every time I win a trophy or what not, some toothless redneck always comes up to me and says "She suuuure is purdy... whatcha put on er? I love to put collinite on mah pick up *spits tobacco*, it shines her up guuud, been using it fer years and so has mah brother-daddy!"

lol

No kidding? I figured most people outside of the detailing community (especially rednecks) don't know about Collinite and are the Turtle Wax variety. I'll definitely look into that Lava stuff. Hopefully it's not too out of this world price wise.

 

[Seer]

lol

No kidding? I figured most people outside of the detailing community (especially rednecks) don't know about Collinite and are the Turtle Wax variety. I'll definitely look into that Lava stuff. Hopefully it's not too out of this world price wise.

its $70. its a new product type. This is the year we start to see things other than sealants and waxes.

 

[HitandRunDriver]

I'll vouch for the lava, topped two coats of chemical guys blacklight with it and got something like this:

 

[ford20]

I will be trying Lava soon. I need something that is going to make a silver paint kind of pop

 

[cwhit23]

^^ me too, I'm going to use my p21s 100% up and the next thing I get will be lava. I may decide to give it a go before I'm out. I've heard too many good things about it. I do like my p21s 100% though.

 

[Pumpkinfish]

I just bought Blackfire Wet Diamond and need something good to go over it. I was thinking of doing the "Blackfire Fire and Ice" setup but Lava has me intrigued. Silver is so hard to show off unlike my wifes metallic red minivan, lol!

 

[shad2009]

Just basing that opinion off of my first hand experience with numerous products. What would you recommend that beads better and lasts longer? I wasn't kidding. I want to try something better. $500 or less range of course.

have you tried adams americana? $70 if i'm not mistaken, with a 100% guaratee...if you don't like it, send the un-used protion back and get 110% of your money back

 

[ford20]

I just bought Blackfire Wet Diamond and need something good to go over it. I was thinking of doing the "Blackfire Fire and Ice" setup but Lava has me intrigued. Silver is so hard to show off unlike my wifes metallic red minivan, lol!

You and I are in the same boat lol. So far I haven't really seen one that made me go damn!

 

[NastyStang113]

have you tried adams americana? $70 if i'm not mistaken, with a 100% guaratee...if you don't like it, send the un-used protion back and get 110% of your money back

Americana is a great wax as well. Lava is right up there though.

 

[shad2009]

^ did you notice how i said 100% guarantee and then 110% money back, when it's 110 and 110 haha

i have absolutley NO complaints about Adams...i've been using adams products faithfully for a while...and will be brancching out to chemical guys, swissvax, zymol, and a bunch of others just as faithfully when my detailing business gets big enough to afford all those brands haha

 

[shad2009]

I'll vouch for the lava, topped two coats of chemical guys blacklight with it and got something like this:

great pics...and love the color...but i'm very impartial because i have the same color haha

 

[HitandRunDriver]

Thanks! I originally had my eyes on a Vapor metallic but it sold maybe an hour before I walked into the dealer....This color has definitely grown on me though and I love it.

I believe adams and Chemical guys use the same manufacturer for their products however....I'm sure Seer could clarify this. Not to knock them as they make a good product, but CG is less expensive....

 

[Seer]

Thanks! I originally had my eyes on a Vapor metallic but it sold maybe an hour before I walked into the dealer....This color has definitely grown on me though and I love it.

I believe adams and Chemical guys use the same manufacturer for their products however....I'm sure Seer could clarify this. Not to knock them as they make a good product, but CG is less expensive....

You're half right on this one.

Warner Chemical owns Chemical Guys as they are their retail/boutique arm. Warner Chemical also produces for Adam's and about 15 other larger named companies and hundreds of smaller ones.

 

[Seer]

^ did you notice how i said 100% guarantee and then 110% money back, when it's 110 and 110 haha

i have absolutley NO complaints about Adams...i've been using adams products faithfully for a while...and will be brancching out to chemical guys, swissvax, zymol, and a bunch of others just as faithfully when my detailing business gets big enough to afford all those brands haha

make sure you upcharge if you use higher end products. mainly only your higher end clientel will know the difference. If not stick to things like meguiars detailer brand and always buy in gallons to maximize your profits.

Zymols are never cost affective unless you add a charge

 

[cwhit23]

make sure you upcharge if you use higher end products. mainly only your higher end clientel will know the difference. If not stick to things like meguiars detailer brand and always buy in gallons to maximize your profits.

Zymols are never cost affective unless you add a charge

This is great advice. I am starting to get geared up to try and start taking a few clients as well. Starting with my mechanic's wife's car. My rear pinion seal is leaking , so he's going to redo my rear end for me in return of me detailing his wife's Acura.(Not a fair trade on his part), his job is much harder but He saw my truck and was impressed and worked the deal with me. So I'm stoked.

This being said. What is fair going rates and what all do you all include in a service?

 

[Seer]

This is great advice. I am starting to get geared up to try and start taking a few clients as well. Starting with my mechanic's wife's car. My rear pinion seal is leaking , so he's going to redo my rear end for me in return of me detailing his wife's Acura.(Not a fair trade on his part), his job is much harder but He saw my truck and was impressed and worked the deal with me. So I'm stoked.

This being said. What is fair going rates and what all do you all include in a service?

I know you want to seperate yourself from the $125 wash, buff, wax guys who leave trail marks all over the car.

I'll admit, I'm very overpriced since detailing is not my profession, its how I choose to exchange my free time for money, I work in an engineering field full time.

I also only do show car work, so my minimum is around $750, and average around $1300. I probably turn down 5+ "quick jobs" a weel because I don't want to work on some soccer mom's mini van in my spare time cleaning up 3 month old mcdonalds fries. It doesn't interest me and my full time job pays me a good bit.

I charge $80/hr, $100/hr when buffing. Upcharge for zymols etc. I usually block off 6 hour minimums and if i have to wet sand, its over $1000 total.

 

[ford20]

Can you guys recommend a good wax that might be a good combination with Vapor Silver? So far I havent really found anything that makes me go damn

 

[cwhit23]

I know you want to seperate yourself from the $125 wash, buff, wax guys who leave trail marks all over the car.

I'll admit, I'm very overpriced since detailing is not my profession, its how I choose to exchange my free time for money, I work in an engineering field full time.

I also only do show car work, so my minimum is around $750, and average around $1300. I probably turn down 5+ "quick jobs" a weel because I don't want to work on some soccer mom's mini van in my spare time cleaning up 3 month old mcdonalds fries. It doesn't interest me and my full time job pays me a good bit.

I charge $80/hr, $100/hr when buffing. Upcharge for zymols etc. I usually block off 6 hour minimums and if i have to wet sand, its over $1000 total.

This with given time, I'm not near as good as you are yet. I do want to separate myself from the 125 dollar guys for sure, but you got to start somewhere. I'm hoping to eventually get to where you are, for it would also be my hobby to do for extra cash when I feel like it. So being unknown I don't think showcar guys are going to come to me. I have to win some shows and get my name out there. The McDonald's fries suck.. lol

 

[Torched S197]

This is great advice. I am starting to get geared up to try and start taking a few clients as well. Starting with my mechanic's wife's car. My rear pinion seal is leaking , so he's going to redo my rear end for me in return of me detailing his wife's Acura.(Not a fair trade on his part), his job is much harder but He saw my truck and was impressed and worked the deal with me. So I'm stoked.

This being said. What is fair going rates and what all do you all include in a service?

Like seer said price will vary, I charge anywhere from 600 to 1,200. Since my parents both work at a resort I always have cars to do when I have some free time from spring when people come back to fall when they leave. I did a vette and a range rover last week and made a extra 1,400 dollars between the 2