Quick question for all you detailers out there...

Say i go to the expense of having my car properly detailed by someone, how long does it last? Is it going to be all a waste of time and money the first time i need to wash it to clean off some bird t*rd and remove all the lovely shine? Would love to have mine done (no doubt would have to keep the cost a secret from swmbo!) but fear it not being good value for money - what with these days of uncertain economic global stability and all that!

Ta!

How longs a piece of string. Depends how well you look after it once it as been done ie washing and top up waxing and the way in wich you carry these processes out.

If you pick the right detailer, they should be more than happy to spend time with you to explain what they are doing, and be able to advise on what products and techniques you should use to maintain the finsih they leave you with.

As Mr Pat says, a lot depends on how much effort you are willing to put in yourself.

The 'underlying' protection should last six months.

This all depends on the detailer and products used but as Gilly has said the underlying protection will be there for 6 months plus.

Once I have completed a detail I offer the owner a 'Baker21 Detailing Kit' that saves you £20, if you bought the products elsewhere, providing you with a kit to wash the paintwork safely and protect it for the future.

Had mine done by Tony at Cherished car care at the beginning of the year and I'm pleased to say it still looks perfect. Join a forum such as "clean your car" and you'd be surprised what you can learn about looking after your paint and the products that are available. There are other furums such as detailing world but I found this a little complicated to understand for the beginner.

It's the paint that gives the shine not the waxes as some people think, keep the paint in good nick and the shine will last. (The wax does improve depth and make the finish even nicer)

The detailer should also advise after the job as said by others.

Gave mine a good seeing to the other day and applied some colinite wax. Still looks like the day it was done by Tony thanks to very carefull washing (lambwool wash mits and 2 bucket method washing).

Didn't have time to apply tyreshine, looks much better with that on.

Edited 1 November, 200817 yr by Octavia Vrs!

personally i wouldnt go over board unless you want to become a professional detailer. i use a lambs mitt to wash the car, microfibre for getting in the bits the lambs mitt doesnt, two buckets. a jet wash (nothing special) and products:

Autoglym: shampoo, aqua wax (most weeks) every 6 months or if not longer i use Autoglym: resin, the gloss stuff, dark shine and a different product called collinite (wax) which i probably put on once every3-5 months.

I probably stock up on shampoo every three months and the rest once a year even through im only half way through a tin of collinite.

personally i wouldnt go over board unless you want to become a professional detailer. i use a lambs mitt to wash the car, microfibre for getting in the bits the lambs mitt doesnt, two buckets. a jet wash (nothing special) and products:

Autoglym: shampoo, aqua wax (most weeks) every 6 months or if not longer i use Autoglym: resin, the gloss stuff, dark shine and a different product called collinite (wax) which i probably put on once every3-5 months.

I probably stock up on shampoo every three months and the rest once a year even through im only half way through a tin of collinite.

Its not about going over board mate...........

If you get the surface prepared properly then you can maintain it yourself well but if you don't get it prepared properly then your always working on a poor canvas.........

Cheers for all the info folks. Love looking at the cars in this section that have been done, still a tad worried it wouldn't be worth it for me (although i understand a bit better what it will do for the car!). Worried i'll need to get the million different products that get mentioned in these threads, or is a simple small amount of kit needed. Baker21 you mention you do a 'kit' - what is in this (PM me if you prefer not to give away your trade secrets!!!)

Cheers for all the info folks. Love looking at the cars in this section that have been done, still a tad worried it wouldn't be worth it for me (although i understand a bit better what it will do for the car!). Worried i'll need to get the million different products that get mentioned in these threads, or is a simple small amount of kit needed. Baker21 you mention you do a 'kit' - what is in this (PM me if you prefer not to give away your trade secrets!!!)

It's always worth it mate.........

You have PM........

Its not about going over board mate...........

If you get the surface prepared properly then you can maintain it yourself well but if you don't get it prepared properly then your always working on a poor canvas.........

Hope you don't mind if I use this quote on all my mates who think I'm mental

Hope you don't mind if I use this quote on all my mates who think I'm mental