For those of you who now expect pictures, there are none !!

I am a keen 'cleaner'...I wouldn't say detailer but like many I use clay bar, snow foam, megs, poorboys etc etc...not the usual turtlewax or halfords own brand stuff...although their snow is pretty nice !

Yesterday I saw what a £300 detail job looked like on a FF at a mates garage. Customer of his bought a 2011 Vogue at auction in November. It's hard a pretty tough life by the looks of it but had full history and all paperwork. Lazy first owner would be a fair comment...once my mate had given it a full service and all over check and had it for a week this customer had a pro detailing firm in to give it a full make over. WOW.....that is not an amateur effort, nor I don't feel could it be achieved without skills, knowledge and correct products.

It looked brand new. The guy who did it says he has a waiting list of customers and mainly does work on more exec cars. Is doing a couple of footballer cars too. Also does work for local BMW, Audi and Merc main dealer.

I was suitably impressed. Is this where I put the car details and a bit about myself ?........

Nothing that an amateur can't achieve with the right gear. But the price reflects the hours of work that go into it TBH. A FFRR takes me 2 full days to machine polish removing all swirls and scratches, seal the paint with something like Werkstat, thoroughly clean the interior which includes wet-vac on the carpets, leather cleaner on all the leather, cotton swab the dust from all the nooks & crannies etc.

The thing is that most people wash the car and sometimes wax the paint. Maybe a go with a hoover and some surface cleaner. So if you add it all that a detailer does (the clue's in the name - attention to details) such as clean the alloys (usually removed to do the job properly), scrub all the wheel arch liners, power wash all the underneath, suspension etc, clean and dress all the surfaces under the bonnet, clean out and polish all the bits you don't see like sunroof channels, door shuts, Jeez I could go on ad-infinitum. There's loads of it, especially on one of these big things.

If you equate that to my day rate at work it'd cost way more than detailers charge. I just like doing it myself as I find it therapeutic.

It's all the small details which add up to a job that's extremely impressive. Nice to know someone can appreciate it like us clean-freaks do.

^ I agree, when I'm in the mood and I do find it hugely therapeutic! I go to town on mine and spend an entire weekend doing bits and pieces.
My only problem is not having an indoor place to keep on top of it during the colder months. Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Detailers are masters indeed. Though 300 pounds sounds quite inexpensive for a full details. was it actually poslished or simply thoroughly cleaned? l=Oo\________/oO=l l:OolΞΞΞΞΞΞΞloO:l

Current
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L SDV8 - 2013 - Indus Silver, on Almond.
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L V8 - 2002 - ex-2003 G4 Challenge Event Vehicle, Stage 3: Australia
RANGE ROVER HSE 4.4L V8 - 2004 - one-of-one Overfinch
RANGE ROVER P38a 4.0L V8 - 1999 - ex-2000 TReK Event Vehicle: South Africa

Previous:
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L TDV8 - 2012 - RANGE ROVER 3.6L TDV8 x3 - RANGE ROVER Td6 x1 - RANGE ROVER Classic 3.5L V8 x1

I'd agree that products, time and skills can sometimes be matched - but I am yet to see it on a car. No offence chaps, I too spend a good 10-12 hours on mine to make her look nice but the finish on this was different....certainly different to what I have seen....though your welcome to convince me over a weekend, I'll provide bacon butties and coffee !!

This guy worked for a firm who did very high end stuff charging £££££'s but he went alone so is building a client base, £300 I understand was 'mates rates'.....he's just quoted me £500 for doing mine  Is this where I put the car details and a bit about myself ?........

Skills can also be matched and it shows on my work. I have silverware to prove it. A mate of mine is into the VW scene and I've detailed more than a few of his restorations which have then gone on to win something or other, usually Concours D'elegance.

And £500 is good. I wouldn't do a FFRR for that, not for someone else anyway.

EDIT. If you want to look at a master check out this thread. You'll need more than a few coffees though.
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=267130

I think many would be looking to have a quality job for them to enjoy on their every day car. If you do the shows then that's different, though as a hobby at that level I'd argue it's more than the every day hobby and to earn trophies on the back of it is superb, well done  Is this where I put the car details and a bit about myself ?........

As you say it's in the detail.

£300 is't a lot to pay for a car the size of a FFRR. It depends on what you get for £300 if it is expensive or not.

A before and after (albeit not final) photo of my engine bay

n1cktdv8 wrote:

I think many would be looking to have a quality job for them to enjoy on their every day car. If you do the shows then that's different, though as a hobby at that level I'd argue it's more than the every day hobby and to earn trophies on the back of it is superb, well done

Cheers. Yeah, believe it or not I started by having to clean up SWMBO's S Type Jag just to get a half decent PX price for it. I read some stuff on DW, watched some on Youtube, bought the gear from Richard at Polished Bliss along with about an hour's chat for advice and here we are some 10 years on, still an amatuer as it's not my profession but I've done OK I think. I even won PB monthly competition back in about 2007.

Still, keen amatuer perhaps, keener than a lot but not a Pro.

Now if you saw my daily drive (work hack) ...... It goes to the local Kosovans once a year whether it needs it or not.

I've always been one for looking after my cars and the finish you get after a nice weekend cleaning it is very rewarding. I'm no detailer but I do go the extra mile. I always start off with charging the air compressor and giving the interior a good blast, air vents, seat stitching, cubby etc - all the places fingers won't fit. Then cotton buds
the vent slots etc before the usual leather clean, moisturise etc.

I discovered snow foam a couple of years ago through detailers world and swear by it. I get all my kit through cleanmycar.com as found their prices to be keen. Clay bar once a year.

I did purchase AG Ultimate wax which was £50 for tub the size of your fist. Now of course its a good product and the restored body work on my old classic was perfect after application but I've stopped using it now as for some reason when washing afterwards its near on impossible to keep a foam going on the sponge / mit etc - it seem to kill the bubbles. Gone back to good old AG resin polish. Turtle wax wet look tyre spray gives a good finish and I've made a 20inch diameter board with a handle to place up against the alloy when spraying - 10 mins making it, a lifetime of easy spraying.

I'm not sure which products were used I'm afraid. When I bought the car the dealer agreed to have the car detailed prior to me collecting it and I got a few before/during/after photo's from the detailer.

Jack

 405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown

@ajac8
Did you mean here? http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk 2003 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 on Gas
1961 88" 2.25 diesel - George
Gone - 1997 3.9 V8i Discovery - Burt

yep sorry clean your car not clean my car..

found them to be reasonable prices. have order quite a lot over the time all in stock and all delivered safe and sound. 405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown