Claybarred

[Focus_On_This07]

You think i'm a hack??? some see my work live and in person before u call someone a hack. lol

[Redlight]

Originally Posted by Focus_On_This07

You think i'm a hack??? some see my work live and in person before u call someone a hack. lol

No one needs to see your work. You came on here and claimed someone elses work as your own. Hacks do that.

You're work isn't good enough to post. Hell, you can't even afford a good camera to post pics of your work.

You're a hack and a tool.

dave.

[CaysE]

This thread went on for FIVE years before it was finally destroyed. Sad to see it go like this.

And what's up with the content disappearing? Dave, I think something you quoted is messing up the vB.

[Focus_On_This07]

lol thanks for your kind words dave. Don't worry baby i will always have tons of work because people that see my work come back but anyways i'm finished talking about this all. My only reason for posting those pictures weren't becuase my work isn't good enouigh but just simply to show u that your not the only one that has detailed high end cars before. Pictures are simply pictures alot of cars can look great in pictures but when they are in your face it looks alot different.
Now lets try to get back on topic!! and if you can't do that then guess what i already said my feelings on claying a vehicle.

[Redlight]

Originally Posted by Focus_On_This07

lol thanks for your kind words dave. Don't worry baby i will always have tons of work because people that see my work come back but anyways i'm finished talking about this all. My only reason for posting those pictures weren't becuase my work isn't good enouigh but just simply to show u that your not the only one that has detailed high end cars before. Pictures are simply pictures alot of cars can look great in pictures but when they are in your face it looks alot different.
Now lets try to get back on topic!! and if you can't do that then guess what i already said my feelings on claying a vehicle.

I just laugh at this because all this time you will not admit that you did something wrong and you won't apologize for misleading everyone here.

You are using pictures and claiming it as your work. That is really ****ty on your part.

Your excuse of showing me that I'm not the only one who's detailed high end cars is lame and makes you look even more unprofessional.

There are a lot of high end detailers out there. A lot of them have really paid their dues to get to where they are. You are the opposite. You lie. You have ruined your credibility as a detailer and as a member on this forum.

I would say that you should be ashamed of yourself, but I know it wouldn't do any good anyway.

All that said, I'll make sure to copy all of this and repost it on a few detailing forums that I frequent. You'll reach fame...just not in the manner you probably want.

dave.

[Focus_On_This07]

lol go for it. I don't need to go on forums to get my jobs. Don't you get that by now?? i have tons of work for myself as it is already. Not only do i not care but i have great rep to customers that i detail for already.

[Redlight]

Originally Posted by Focus_On_This07

lol go for it. I don't need to go on forums to get my jobs. Don't you get that by now?? i have tons of work for myself as it is already. Not only do i not care but i have great rep to customers that i detail for already.

You were sure as hell trying to get business off of Focaljet.

Originally Posted by Focus_On_This07

Let me start off my saying i own a Detailing shop located in South Jersey. C&P Detailing......

.....By the way on a side note anyone in South Jersey can get a 10% off if you tell me you are on focaljet.

I'm just saying. Kiddo, you've got a lot to learn about business, integrity, and the internet.

You should see all the PM's I'm getting over this. Seriously, you're just digging that hole deeper each time you post.

dave.

[Redlight]

All I know is that yesterday evening this thread had only 6,638 views...and look at it now.



dave.

[Jibberish18]

Originally Posted by Focus_On_This07
lol go for it. I don't need to go on forums to get my jobs. Don't you get that by now?? i have tons of work for myself as it is already. Not only do i not care but i have great rep to customers that i detail for already.

You sound like you're lying out your ass. That's why you just couldn't wait to figure out what product ZetecGT was using as an all-in-one polish. He lured you in because he sensed a fake and you took the bait because you were dumb and thought no one would look into the fact that you were lying about your work. And here you are now posting your "lol's". LOL indeed guy. At you. Simply ignoring the fact that you were caught in the act and trying to play it cool because, you know, you're just overflowing with business.

IF you are a detailer and your work is good, then congratulations. It's a dying business and any honest person who knows his stuff and cares about the quality of his work, gets my full respect. But no matter how good you are, if you're a dishonest businessman then there is no way I or anyone that I know for that matter, would ever go to you for anything. No one likes trying to be made a fool of. Either way, I hope you learned your lesson.

And NO this whole thing wasn't about the fact that ZetecGT or you had to prove that either of you have detailed fancy cars. It was about detailing knowledge. You could've posted up pictures of a newly detailed 97 Camaro Z28 with factory chameleon paint and I would've been stunned. You don't need a limited edition Ferrari to impress everyone.

[Focus_On_This07]

Originally Posted by Jibberish18

You sound like you're lying out your ass. That's why you just couldn't wait to figure out what product ZetecGT was using as an all-in-one polish. He lured you in because he sensed a fake and you took the bait because you were dumb and thought no one would look into the fact that you were lying about your work. And here you are now posting your "lol's". LOL indeed guy. At you. Simply ignoring the fact that you were caught in the act and trying to play it cool because, you know, you're just overflowing with business.

IF you are a detailer and your work is good, then congratulations. It's a dying business and any honest person who knows his stuff and cares about the quality of his work, gets my full respect. But no matter how good you are, if you're a dishonest businessman then there is no way I or anyone that I know for that matter, would ever go to you for anything. No one likes trying to be made a fool of. Either way, I hope you learned your lesson.

And NO this whole thing wasn't about the fact that ZetecGT or you had to prove that either of you have detailed fancy cars. It was about detailing knowledge. You could've posted up pictures of a newly detailed 97 Camaro Z28 with factory chameleon paint and I would've been stunned. You don't need a limited edition Ferrari to impress everyone.

My friend you got this alll wrong. Let me explain alittle about myself. I'm a honest person and my honest asnwer is it had and was not done for ANY AT ALL!!! biss. Gain. You have no reason to believe that and i understand that. But i don't care it you want to believe it or not. I am very very good at what i do and that's why i have tons of work. Also i get tons of ref. customers. I understand that there are tons of detailers out there. Some good, most bad! I'm only on this site for 1 reason and i'm sure it is the same reason as everyone else. For the love of the ford focus!! I have nothing agaisnt anyone on here and not even zetecgt. Anyone hat loves the focus like me is cool in my book.

[Redlight]

Originally Posted by Focus_On_This07

My friend you got this alll wrong. Let me explain alittle about myself. I'm a honest person and my honest asnwer is it had and was not done for ANY AT ALL!!! biss. Gain. You have no reason to believe that and i understand that. But i don't care it you want to believe it or not. I am very very good at what i do and that's why i have tons of work. Also i get tons of ref. customers. I understand that there are tons of detailers out there. Some good, most bad! I'm only on this site for 1 reason and i'm sure it is the same reason as everyone else. For the love of the ford focus!! I have nothing agaisnt anyone on here and not even zetecgt. Anyone hat loves the focus like me is cool in my book.

Whatever. Say what you want. Anyone with half a brain can see you're a lying toolbag.

You are a disgrace to the detailing world. Stealing another detailers pics and claiming as YOUR own work.

Anyone else ever see an "Honest" Liar?



dave.

[PnkRckr121]

Hey Dave I love detailing my car but I really don't have the cash to buy the 5 stage kits or whatever they are. I was wondering if you could give a nice "how to" style post with products that can be purchased locally or relatively cheap via the internet. How I do it now is:
Wash (meguirres car wash)
Clay bar (maguirres smooth car kit)
Wash again
Dry (shammy)
Wax (NXT 2.0 paste) How long should I leave on before I buff?
Rain x
Then all the tire shine and rubber dressing
All is done by hand
Also what product is good for the tires? And what product is good for the rubber around the window, I use back to black.

Thank!
Tom

[Redlight]

Tom, your products and steps look great for a DIY weekend warrior.

I've used Meguiar's Gold Class Wash and love it. That's actually what I use if I'm not using OPT No Rinse. I've got a gallon of it on me at all times.

Out of all the soaps I've used, Gold Class has been my soap of choice for the past 7 years if I have an extremely dirty car. It gives the car a nice clean surface to start with.

Even if you don't plan on doing a "detail", the Gold Class gives the car a nice reflection as well.

Afterward, claying is great....as this whole thread is about anyway. Some people use the Quick Detailer Spray, some people use just plain water.

It's good to have some lubrication in it and I prefer using a little Gold Class or some Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo. Just a little teaspoon of soap will do you just fine, but if you plan on using soap, you should definitely rewash the vehicle. You are doing that anyway, so keep that step in there. You can also Quick Detail the car instead of washing it if you're working in a small time frame.

Like I've said in this thread already, I believe wholeheartedly in a machine polish after the clay, but I know that most of the time, we have time constraints and lack of equipment, so if you're finding it hard to polish the car by hand, you can use a glaze such as Meg's Speed Glaze or Show Car Glaze to fill any swirls and marring.

If you decide to polish the vehicle, you can use Meg's Hand Polish (#81) if you don't have the means to do it by hand. Doing it by hand will take a long time and your shoulder will be sore the next day, but the ends will justify the means.

Using a Chamois or Absorber will be fine, just be sure to keep it clean. Dirt sticks to the Absorber and Chamois and will scratch the surface if you continually use it while it's dirty.

I, personally have 4 different Absorbers that I can use if I have to wash a vehicle the conventional way. They are all different colors so I can keep them seperated.

I don't know if you can find them, but the Waffle Weave microfibers are wonderful tools to use to dry a car as well. They are less likely to mar the surface since they are so soft, but then again, if you're looking for products and equipment that you can get at your local auto store, I don't think you'll find them there.....

NXT is a great Over The Counter Sealant. When I used NXT, I would do the pinky test to see if it's dry. What I mean by that is, I'll leave it on for about 10-15 minutes and take my pinky finger and do a little swipe on a small corner of a panel.

If you still see "oily" residue on the surface under the swipe, then it's not dry yet.

You may have to move back and forth to see what I mean, you just give it a try, you'll see the oil.

When you don't see that oil anymore, then the wax is dry and is ready to take off.

Always do that with a clean microfiber.


RainX is a great OTC product as well. I suggest prepping the glass first though.
Much like your paint, the glass can get contaminated and I love to lube the window and use a razor blade or a white Scotchbrite pad to clean the window first. #0000 Grade Steel wool will work too, but be sure to keep the steel wool far away from your microfibers.

The microfibers will pick up small metal particles from the steel wool and you'll be getting mysterious swirls and marring that will bug you to no end.

IMO you get better results if you prep the windows before the RainX application.


Applying Tire Dressing should be done last, but for the sake of this post, I'll use it in the order that you asked about.

Tire Shines have always been a topic of debate. The best OTC SILICONE product I've found and still use to this day is Meguiar's Gold Class Tire Gel.

I have thrown away every other silicone dressing I have and only use the Meg's Gel.

I've always had a problem with slinging with every other dressing I've ever used.

The gel has never slung on my paint and that is a bonus IMO.

I always suggest trying to find a good water based dressing as well, as the silicones will dry out the natural oils in plastics, leather, vinyl, and rubber. Water based dressings tend to condition the surfaces better, but the downside is less longevity.

If you are experiencing good results with Back to Black, by all means, continue to use it.

I like to also clean the fender wells as good as possible too. A good All purpose cleaner and a brush do wonders. When I'm done with that, I'll generally spray or apply a little silicone to them to give them a little "bling".

If I'm getting my car ready for a show, I'll generally put it up on jackstands and clean the hell out of EVERYTHING, all the way down to the suspension components, but most people won't be that anal about their Focus.


The interior shouldn't be a problem as it's a quick job, comparatively speaking.

Vaccum as you normally do. Use the crevice tool or brush attachment to clean your seat also.

I have a 4 gallon/ 5HP Rigid Vac that has brush attachments for auto detailing and that is a blast to use.

If you have stains, go ahead and tackle them with some All Purpose cleaner, a brush, and some water.

You can use a microfiber to help to soak up the excess water or you can use the Fabric attachment on your vacuum if you have one.

You can use your vaccum like an Extractor to help lift up any stains.

I suggest cleaning the carpet a few times as stains that are imbedded will do what we call (verb) "Wicking". This simply means that the stain on the bottom will float to the top of the fabric through the water, just like oil does in a Oil Lamp on the wick.

Leave the doors open and the carpets out to let them dry.

If you have lots of stains on the carpets, I would suggest doing them before starting on the outside of the car just to give them a longer drying time.


Cleaning the dash is easy. I will not use anything with silicones in it.

If you want a product that does great and leaves a good smell, try Meguiar's Interior Cleaner. Spray it on a towel and apply it to the dash, any plastics, and leather.

If I don't have any Meg's, I'll make my own interior cleaner which simply consists of a mixture of Woolite and Water. The ratio is important so if you decide to use that, just shoot me over a PM and I'll let you know about that.

Next, most people will move on to the windows.

Everyone has their own window cleaner that they love. Some love Stoners, Some love Windex, and Some love just plain water.

I use my own mixture most of the time (depending on how dirty the windows are) consisting of Water, Baby Shampoo, and Rubbing Alcohol. My formula is posted Axon's site, WWW.FOCUSHACKS.COM

If your windows are just dusty, plain water will work fine also.

I've found the best results when using the two towel method. One towel is wet and another is dry.

Wash the window with the wet one and buff with the dry towel afterward.

I don't get much streaking when I do it this way.

Polishing cloths are also great to use on the windows when using the two towel method.


When you're happy with the interior, you can move on to the engine. Provided it's not greasy...

(In the instance that it is greasy, you should let the engine cool down and use a diluted all purpose cleaner and a towel to wash it. Don't drown the engine with water as you may get water in the plug cylinders...and that's bad...MMMKAY!)

If your engine is clean, you can just do maintenance on it. I just use the interior detailer to clean it up a little and some people like to put tire dressing on the hoses and plastics. That's your choice if you want to do that. It does dress up the engine a little, but it all depends on what you like.

I know most of us have something thats polished aluminum under the hood...whether it be intake or a strut bar...or....THE WHOLE ENGINE...

A good metal polish is a great little tool to have if that's the case. I know I've plugged lots of Meg's stuff, but honestly, the best metal polish I've used has been from Mother's.

Just use a clean microfiber and polish the metal out by hand.

The towel should turn black and that's normal. It's removing all that crud and oxidation off of the surface.

That's pretty much it unless I missed something.

That's probably the best advice I can give to a DIY driveway detailer using over the counter products.

If you have any more questions, just let me know. Me or one of the other guys will definitely give you some help.

dave.

[CaysE]

I've always wondered about a less thought-of aspect of detailing:

What do you do with all the dirty towels and microfiber cloths?

[Redlight]

Originally Posted by CaysE

I've always wondered about a less thought-of aspect of detailing:

What do you do with all the dirty towels and microfiber cloths?

I have two bags in which I keep microfibers. One for clean microfibers and one for dirty microfibers.

When I use a towel, it goes right into the dirty microfiber bag. It doesn't touch anything else on the car.

When I was them, I just use a regular liquid washing soap. I will not wash them with anything else other than other microfibers.

It's always a good idea to inspect the microfibers before and after a wash also. If there are large particles that will not come out with your fingers, that microfiber gets either thrown away.

If microfibers get dropped on the ground, they do not get used also.

When I buy microfibers, I try to get a whole assortment of colors. Certain colors will be used on certain parts of the car.

White Microfibers: Glass
Orange Microfibers: Washing the Exterior
Blue Microfibers: Polish Removal, Wax Removal and Quick Detailer Application
Green Microfibers: Interior Cleaning
Yellow Microfibers, Washing Wheels and Fender Wells

It's easier to keep track of everything that way IMO. I'm not accidentally using a Microfiber on the paint after it's touched the fender wells...

I regularly throw away microfibers as well. I do not get attached to them at all. Once I start seeing dirty spots that won't wash out or seeing particulates in the towel during my inspections, it's retired.

I know some detailers that keep their microfibers in sandwich bags to keep them from getting contaminated. That's fine too. Extra protection is never a bad idea.

In short, Inspect them and Change them often. If they won't wash clean, throw them away.

If you're unsure about a microfiber, toss it. It's best to throw away a questionable microfiber than use a dirty one and scratch your car all to ****.

dave.

[Focusized1976]

Nice write up Zete.

I just detailed my black ST Focus and did it quickly and came out good. I thought about claybarring it, but opted not to do it. I think I should have as my front bumper and hood/roof need it bad. I am going to take your advice next time I have a whole day to myself, lol! Kids and work take a toll on ya!

Peace!

[06ShadowGrey]

The correct way to claybar is to wash the car with dish soap so that it removes all wax and debris from the paint, then clay with either detail spray or use dish soap/ water spray. Then apply one coat of wax and wash the car again with a carnuba was soap. Follow that up with one to two more coats of wax. It is a long process but that way it will last way over 6 months. BUT you want to wax a least every 6 months. I have bee very pleased with Mother's clay bar system.

[CaysE]

I tried the Mothers claybar recently and I found it to be too fine for serious work. The Meguiars bar works much better for me.