Car Detailer Recommendation Sought

[Lucky Phil]

Can anyone recommend a good detailer/paint correction specialist based in Melbourne.  I have a guy who does my stone chips and he is the hail damage and door dent removal guru but when I asked him about detailing he suggested for me to get a specialist. 

I have a few swirls and need some minor paint correction done (looks like the previous owner did not use the two bucket wash method), so a cut and polish is on the cards.  Car looks perfect 99% of the time, but in certain sunlight I can see the paint problems so I want to have them sorted.

This guys twin is what I am seeking. https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW25dgHCA2M&feature=youtu.be/QW25dgHCA2M

If the link did not work it is the guy from White Details in the UK (I want someone as good as him).

[hugh]

https://www.facebook.com/All-Class-Detailing-1508782652688325/

Jason has just completed extensive work on my 69. He is your man (Seaford based too!)

[Lucky Phil]

Perfect Hugh, exactly what I am looking for.  I will give Jason a call when I return from my trip to Tassie.  Thanks.

[Fraz]

@Lucky Phil Vid is a bit annoying but not a bad way to do it. Go to super cheap, buy a packet of 20 microfibres cloths and your set.

 

[Mike737]

Otherwise, you would be looking for Dan from Dan's Garage

http://dansgaragedetailing.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DansGarageDetailing/

 

This is the work we did on my car together

http://detailparadise.com.au/forum/pro-detailers-directory/vic/dan-s-garage-detailing/14294-porsche-996-carrera-blue-kamikaze-infinity-wax

 

I'm guessing this is similar to what you are seeing?

[Gavn]

Second Dan from Dan's Garage - great work & great guy.

[Rod C]

Hi Phil, 

went to a demo day for a product called Pompanazzi and was very impressed. Victorian agent/ authorised applicator is in Knox called The Ultimate Detailer you can search ultimatedetailer.com.au  Lots of high end vehicles on display and their whole philosophy in maintaining great paint is not to touch it. Not cheap but super impressive . Might be what your after worth a bit of research.

Ps After feeling and handling their microfibre clothes I'd be very reluctant to use anything else as it was clear not all things are created equal.

[Lucky Phil]

@Fraz you're killing me.  Ok, I already have a packet of 30 micro fibre cloths.  So I get the theory from the video.   Looks like I have been using the wrong method since I used to wash my dads car 50 years ago until yesterday.

I won't use his spray from a bottle method as I like washing and rinsing but I guess you are saying I should pre wash with pressure spray and then wash each panel with a clean cloth from the bucket (which makes sense) then dry with micro fibre cloth

Any other suggestions?

[Fraz]

Yep, you got it Phil.

[hugh]

Perfect Hugh, exactly what I am looking for.  I will give Jason a call when I return from my trip to Tassie.  Thanks.

Definitely talk to Jason. Stay away from Youtube. 

[G5032]

Can anyone recommend a good detailer/paint correction specialist based in Melbourne.  I have a guy who does my stone chips and he is the hail damage and door dent removal guru but when I asked him about detailing he suggested for me to get a specialist. 

I have a few swirls and need some minor paint correction done (looks like the previous owner did not use the two bucket wash method), so a cut and polish is on the cards.  Car looks perfect 99% of the time, but in certain sunlight I can see the paint problems so I want to have them sorted.

This guys twin is what I am seeking. https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW25dgHCA2M&feature=youtu.be/QW25dgHCA2M

If the link did not work it is the guy from White Details in the UK (I want someone as good as him).

who's your guy for stone chips and dent removal?

[KGB]

@Lucky Phil Vid is a bit annoying but not a bad way to do it. Go to super cheap, buy a packet of 20 microfibres cloths and your set.

A lot of baby polyesters have to give up their lives through this method.

..."which should in theory"....  Disclaimer alert!

[Philbee]

who's your guy for stone chips and dent removal?

Hello @Lucky Phil... Wouldn't mind speaking with someone on this too.... The front of my bonnet is a bit speckley

[jakroo]

..... buy a packet of 20 microfibres cloths and your set

In my humble opinion....

WOW, having watched the video and technique I noted it used a lot of distilled water and lots and lots of microfibre. So much energy consumed to create these products let alone the petro-checmicals and other nasties used in the cleaning products.  I presume that the cloths are single use as you'd never get them as clean as from the factory even if you did use copious quantities of distilled water to wash and rinse them for a second/third/fourth use......

Surely one who is so personally concerned about scratches and other issues associated with washing a vehicle would also be concerned about what cost to the environment such 'attention' would require.

I'm gobsmacked.  Take care when washing - sure thing...but to me, this is a whole new level of elevated nonsense, it hurts my brain.

[Fraz]

In my humble opinion....

WOW, having watched the video and technique I noted it used a lot of distilled water and lots and lots of microfibre. So much energy consumed to create these products let alone the petro-checmicals and other nasties used in the cleaning products.  I presume that the cloths are single use as you'd never get them as clean as from the factory even if you did use copious quantities of distilled water to wash and rinse them for a second/third/fourth use......

Surely one who is so personally concerned about scratches and other issues associated with washing a vehicle would also be concerned about what cost to the environment such 'attention' would require.

I'm gobsmacked.  Take care when washing - sure thing...but to me, this is a whole new level of elevated nonsense, it hurts my brain.

You presume wrong, microfibre cloths are most certainly washable. I have had the same pack for over two years. As for distilled water, anyone with a single ounce of common sense knows that's total BS. I like my water full of sodium fluoride and chlorine thanks.

At the risk of posting yet another YouTube vid and exposing myself to more keyboard ridicule I will share this link.

Click at your own risk, may offended or just stay just away for YouTube.

I should have added that I foam my cars first (biodegradable), then pressure wash that off, re-foam and use the multiple towel method, then the cloths are washed in "biodegradable dolphin friendly detergent" and reused to do my bit for our precious environment.

Off now to kiss the five trees I just planted on demand from my council for removing one.

 

[TrevMcRev]

Bloody hell.... I just give the boxrod a hose down once every 3-4 months whether it needs it or not!

Maybe once a year I'll treat her to Carlovers...those foamy brooms are great!   Especially after someone has used em on their 4x4 and dirt bikes.  The extra grit really helps scrub her clean!

[symsy]

Fairy Liquid and a pair of the girls silk undies , always works a treat.

Microfibre seems to create static on the GT3 windows

You can try peeing in a bucket too if you want to keep people away from your cars.. that way you dont have to worry about the dents from nearby parkers

Carlovers  vacuum scent fixers any unpleasant wafting on the inside 

I agree with trev too , if all else fails go the broom brush , great for swirl blending 

[Gavn]

Fwiw I use this routine after a bit of help from detailers (Thanks Dan)

 High Pressure rinse

Foam lance - snow foam

HP rinse.....at this point 80% of the dirt is off the paint before you touch it

Garry Dean type method - QD product in bucket, one pass per side of microfibre cloth, cloth dumped into second bucket for washing....get new cloth

Dry as you go, one panel at a time.

Takes about 25 min each car & they come up nice & shiny with minimal chance of scratching paint.  I used to do the two bucket method (i.e. one suds, one hot water for rinsing) and found it took about 45 min per car.  Much happier with the current technique (& given you're washing with QD product the gloss finish is a nice bonus.  If the car has been just sitting around since the last clean (i.e. not driven), then I'd skip the first three steps...now talking 15 min per car.

 

[jakroo]

You presume wrong, microfibre cloths are most certainly washable. I have had the same pack for over two years. As for distilled water, anyone with a single ounce of common sense knows that's total BS. I like my water full of sodium fluoride and chlorine thanks.

At the risk of posting yet another YouTube vid and exposing myself to more keyboard ridicule I will share this link.

 

I should have added that I foam my cars first (biodegradable), then pressure wash that off, re-foam and use the multiple towel method, then the cloths are washed in "biodegradable dolphin friendly detergent" and reused to do my bit for our precious environment.

Off now to kiss the five trees I just planted on demand from my council for removing one.

 

Fraz, don't sweat the ridicule, most of us have a way to be ridiculed, but in any case, that wasn't my intention, so I'm sorry if that's what has occurred to you by my comment.

I simply watched what some people will do to wash a car (and now how to wash micro fibre cloths), and in my opinion thought it was way over the top.  I also understand that a professional is likely to take a lot of care and pride doing their paid job - this is a natural thing to do.  But to the non professionals, we can use the premise of some of the techniques employed by professionals but not to the same degree.

The bucket full of cloths in distilled water is what got my mind to thinking about the 'cost' of this exercise.  There is no way washing the used cloth will result in it being brought back to brand new (hence the A grade for new and B/C/D for used).  Water distillation is extraordinarily energy hungry.  Regarding the liquid vs granule debate for washing powders - there's only so much one can add to create a detergent and keep it suspended in a solution but by using a dry granule you can do a lot more, and of course you don't have to package and transport the water....making sure it is well dissolved can be done by the consumer at the point of use.  So they'll use distilled water, new micro fibre cloths, separate washing and drying machines but probably don't recycle the water (wash it on a lawn), they'll use a liquid detergent, they'll use lots of energy in the maintenance of the gear, and so on and with out chasing this down the rabbit hole and disappearing up our own arses in analysis, it's the fact that these guys don't think their actions through to the Nth degree is what annoys me.  

Anyway back to this car washing caper.  If you've read my intro post, you'll see that I do a lot of kilometres across a spectrum of vehicles.  I neither have the time or quality of vehicle to take such extreme (to me) measures in washing a vehicle....hell even driving the car opens it to sky fallout from trees, stones being thrown up by passing cars and grit swirling around etc.

My Evo gets washed by the servicing dealer which is every 5,000 kms or approx 8 weeks.  The Jackaroo gets rinsed when it rains or washed when we come back from a holiday trip and I'm sure the Benz gets a wash arranged by my wife on the odd occasion.  I've had my 968 for about 2 weeks and I washed it only to take some photos (and then drove 160m up my dirt driveway to the place to take the photos :-) ).  I used a fluffy cloth, some car detergent and rain water (as that's all the water I have available to me).  The car was sitting on dirt and under a tree when I washed it.  I rinsed the car, sudsed it, rinsed it and dried it.  I took care to ensure the bucket was rinsed before use as it's used for many activites in the household, that the dedicated to car washing cloth I used was cleanish (ie no grit was visible) and the quantity of detergent was sufficient.  I also made sure that the cloth didn't hit the ground or possibly gritty tyres etc while in use.  I have no doubt that this was a lot less than many others would do and I have no issue with that.

As for Symsy and Trev and their use of public broom washing techniques used to blend swirls in car paint, I'll leave this to them - they are clearly unhinged and I don't subscribe to this level of madness at all.

[Lucky Phil]

who's your guy for stone chips and dent removal?

Sorry been away on holiday.  My guy is Anthony Salinas, 10a Simpson Street Moorabbin - 0409395723

+ @Philbee

[GC9911]

You presume wrong, microfibre cloths are most certainly washable. I have had the same pack for over two years. As for distilled water, anyone with a single ounce of common sense knows that's total BS. I like my water full of sodium fluoride and chlorine thanks.

At the risk of posting yet another YouTube vid and exposing myself to more keyboard ridicule I will share this link.

Click at your own risk, may offended or just stay just away for YouTube.

I should have added that I foam my cars first (biodegradable), then pressure wash that off, re-foam and use the multiple towel method, then the cloths are washed in "biodegradable dolphin friendly detergent" and reused to do my bit for our precious environment.

Off now to kiss the five trees I just planted on demand from my council for removing one.

 

you have a dolphin in your washing machine???

[G5032]

Sorry been away on holiday.  My guy is Anthony Salinas, 10a Simpson Street Moorabbin - 0409395723

+ @Philbee

thanks Phil I'll contact him

[wilburforce]

Can anyone recommend a good detailer/paint correction specialist based in Melbourne.  I have a guy who does my stone chips and he is the hail damage and door dent removal guru but when I asked him about detailing he suggested for me to get a specialist. 

I have a few swirls and need some minor paint correction done (looks like the previous owner did not use the two bucket wash method), so a cut and polish is on the cards.  Car looks perfect 99% of the time, but in certain sunlight I can see the paint problems so I want to have them sorted.

This guys twin is what I am seeking. https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW25dgHCA2M&feature=youtu.be/QW25dgHCA2M

If the link did not work it is the guy from White Details in the UK (I want someone as good as him).

Hi Phil - who does your stonechips/touch ups? Keen to get a few bits and pieces looked at on my SC.

[Lucky Phil]

See next post up just let him know I sent you.   He is aware that PFA guys could come his way

Anthony Salinas, 10a Simpson Street Moorabbin - 0409395723

He has a nice blue 993 Turbo in for some paint correction and minor body work at the moment.  Could belong to a PFA person (unsure)

[Russ]

microfibre wash mits have longer 'hooks' so the dirt goes further up them, and it doesn't scratch into your paint

microfibre cloths have short hooks to lift dirt - you're just running it across your paint if you use a cloth in place of a wash mit

anyway there's no real right/wrong with detailing, it's all trail and error - I know someone who owns 20 wash mits and only uses each one for one swipe on a panel