8 hours for a regular detail? I mean... i didn't do any interior detailing on my 300zx, however, i did a FULL paint correction on it in 7 hours, and it wasn't very pretty when i started. I did'nt do my front bumpter though because it needed to be repainted (and ended up getting destroyed while shipping the car anyway) but yea thats kind of excessive for a 'full detail'

I wouldn't bring a car to the dealer for a detail. I will say my 335 is/was swirl free when i picked it up CPO, so the the detailer at their dealership is pretty good. car looks new.

I'm with Jeff. My detailing obsession began with my black 1996 Saab 900. I got into really keeping it clean but the swirls began to get on my nerves as I learned more about detailing. So I decided I would take it to a detailer to see how much they wanted to fully polish the car and it was around $300, which I knew was enough to buy my own equipment and products which I could use whenever I needed and not just once. Polishing is relatively easy, but the most important thing is to learn how to properly wash your car to keep swirls/marring from coming back.

Pictures tell my story, I only had to do go over the car with a finishing polish once a year since I got my washing routine down to the tee but you will be shocked at how easy it is to polish with a random orbital buffer and some good pads/polish.


Before:


http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/u...0detail001.jpg
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/u...etail010-1.jpg
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/u...0detail011.jpg


How it looked until I sold it:


http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/u...DSC_0006-1.jpg
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/u...C_0035_201.jpg

The time that it takes to fully correct a car cannot be dictated. Not every car has the same type of clear on it, the same level of damage nor does everyone use the same tools or equipment. Thus, the time it takes can vary all over the place. I wouldn't do anyone's car but my own and I can take a week or two at the pace I go. I have to be in the mood to rub on my car and if I ain't, it won't get touched.

If a guy told me it took three weeks for him to complete his car, that wouldn't phase me at all. Everyone has a level of what they consider acceptable and that level can vary from person to person so ChuckD05, take as long as it takes. :tup:

As for getting your car painted at Macco Strangler, my God son... back away from the paint fumes. That would be the ultimate disaster that you could do to your car. Take it from someone who knows, and you can tell that I know by looking at this thread. You do NOT want your car painted at Macco!

I totally agree. If someone tells me it takes them a few weeks to do a full paint correction i'm sure they do an awesome job. Just like when someone quotes you 8k for a paint job, you know its not just because they want to rip you off, but because its better quality. My point was, a lot of these people's ideas of a 'full detail' doesnt even involve polishing. So 8 hours for that typical bs dealer detail which is nothing more than crappy wax to hide the swirls, a good interior wash and armor all is a bit excessive IMO.

What is the proper way to wash a car ?

I'd have to agree with you 100% on that. :tiphat:

Take a look here.

AJ hit the nail on the head. Its almost impossible to predict time needed until you start to take polisher to paint to get a feel for what its going to respond to.

I've had details that have been 6 hours start to finish and others that have taken the better part of a week w/ 8-10 hour days each day. It all comes down to the car, the condition, and the level of correction you're aiming for.

this guy is a freaking troll or he needs to have his car taken away from him. Cannot believe this guy purchased a 36k car and has even the slightest thought to repaint his car for 500$.

sorry, i was outraged when i saw the op about MAACO repaint

Put simply,to avoid swirls, you want to be sure all the gear and products you use don't cause more damage instead of cleaning the surface. It all starts with the right wash mit, soap and bucket. Plenty of topics on this so I'll just summarize.

Step 1: Wheels, tires and wheel wells. Spray wheel cleaner, etc... (I use a separate bucket just for cleaning wheels). You don't want any brake dust going back onto your paint.

Step 2: Rinse entire car with water.

Step 3: Wash with a high quality car shampoo using the two bucket method. If you have a foam gun, even better.

Step 4: Dry using a microfiber drying towel. Spray a very light mist of detail spray over the entire car before drying and you won't get water spots. Alternatively, you can use an electric leaf blower/metroVac to dry off the car and finish off drying areas you missed.