Yo-Yo Ma's Cousin

Nice Looking Cars! I tried to give you a bunch of information for you to use. Please feel free to take or leave whatever you want, and youtube is your friend here. Adam's has a bunch of videos on youtube and on their site which are very helpful.
 
Below is a pretty typical process for me when doing a full detail. This was based on a write up I did previously and I have added and subtracted lessons learned. Also some products have changed or come out so I tried to adjust the write up to reflect my updated process.
 
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP!!
 
Exterior Washing, Polishing and Protecting:
 
1. Tires, Wheels, Wheel Wells, and Exhaust Tips - I always start with this step so as to not put water on paint. If I don't put water on the paint, then the water won't dry and it reduces the chances of water spots. I go one wheel at a time rinsing my tools in between. I make sure to have all my tools and chemicals prepared before putting water on the vehicle. What I mean by that is I have a bucket full of water and a little bit of CS, and I put all of my tools in the bucket. I start by spraying water all over the wheel, tire, and wheel well. Then spray some diluted APC into the wheel wells (I use APC because the majority of my wheel wells are carpet not rubber or plastic), then I take my Fender Brush (one of my favorites) and I brush the entirety of the wheel well. Then I rinse the wheel well. I follow that by spraying TRC or WTC onto the tire face and tread block, and use a Tire Brush to clean. In this step, the tires start to turn orange/brown which shows that the tires are dirty. I repeat this step until the chemical no longer turns brown but appears white. WTC is a very powerful cleaner safe for most factory wheels and very good on tires. However, I try to limit my WTC use because it's pretty heavy duty.
 
For Wheels, I spray WC into the wheel barrel, rotors, and wheel face. You'll see the spray starting to turn red/purple, this means the chemical is reacting with and breaking down the iron/metallic particles that contaminate the wheel from brake dust and other grime from the road. I use a wheel brush to agitate the chemical, I actually like to use the Lug Nut brush to agitate the rotors and get in the lug nuts, and I also think it's a good option to use for the face of the wheel - otherwise the Red Wheel Brush is much bigger and makes cleaning the face of the wheels much much quicker. Then I would either use a wheel woolie or a barrel brush to get the wheel barrel and the back of the spokes. Then I would make sure to rinse the tire, wheel, and wheel wells thoroughly. and to avoid scratching the wheels, I try to rinse my tools after I use them, before I put them back in the bucket. Then I repeat for each wheel.
 
For the exhaust tips, I basically just spray APC into the exhaust and use the wheel woolie or barrel brush to agitate, then rinse it all out.
 
Chemicals used 
Wheel Cleaner (WC) Wheel and Tire Cleaner (WTC) - Seems more powerful than TRC, leaves tires fully stripped from all dirt and protection, but not always necessary to use so much cleaning power. Tire and Rubber Cleaner (TRC) All Purpose Cleaner, Diluted 1:1 with water (APC) Car Shampoo (CS)  
Tools used
Tire Brush Fender Brush Wheel Woolie or Wheel Barrel Brush Lug Nut Brush Red Wheel Brush  
 Here's Adams Process:
'   2. Wash Car with Strip Wash - This step is to not only clean the vehicle exterior, the strip wash is also trying to break down any protection (wax, sealant, etc.) you have on your vehicle. This can sound like a bad thing, but just keep in mind, later in this process we will be adding protection back to the paint, and likely a much better protection. We want to remove any existing protection, because we want the paint to be "naked." This will allow whatever protection chosen to be applied directly onto the paint/clear coat, as opposed to being applied to remnants of another wax or sealant.
 
Start by having everything prepared before putting any water on the paint, once again we want to reduce the chance of water spots. Preferably you would use a two bucket wash method, in addition I love to use a pressure washer and foam cannon. If using a pressure washer and foam cannon, put about 2-3 oz of strip wash and 1 oz of Mega Foam in the foam cannon bottle, and I like to use 2-3oz of APC as well, I have seen in the past how APC is such a good degreaser that it will break down sealants and waxes. The problem there is if it dries on the paint, it can cause damage. So I was very careful about using APC. I start by rinsing the vehicle first, with only water, them immediately (since I am prepared) I attach my foam cannon and cover the vehicle in the strip wash/APC solution. I let that dwell for maybe 2 minutes.
 
If you're not using a foam cannon you can start here by having two buckets filled with water and grit guards. One bucket has only clean water and a grit guard, the other has your soap solution of 3-4 oz of strip wash, and here I also like to add 2-3 oz of APC again. My wash mitt(s) go in the soap solution until after I have initially rinsed the vehicle. Once I have rinsed I grab my wash mitt and go from the top of the vehicle to the bottom. I am always aware of what's on my mitt, and if I picked up dirt or sticks or whatever. I make sure to get it off by either picking it out, using the pressure washer to clean it off, and putting my mitt in the bucket with only water and rubbing against the grit guard to clean the mitt before dunking back into the soap bucket. Try to keep the vehicle wet and lubricated by squeezing your mitt to release water/soap, until you finish cleaning the vehicle, and then immediately rinse thoroughly. If you need to take a break or if you aren't prepared for step 3, I would dry. (I wasn't prepared so I dried) if you have the option to dry with air, that's a good option, if not use a microfiber towel with no drying aid, meaning don't use Detail Spray or anything just use the towel. If you can go straight into step 3, do that you will dry the vehicle after that!
 
Chemicals used
Strip Wash All Purpose Cleaner (APC) Mega Foam  
Tools used
2 Buckets Grit Guards Wash Mitt or Sponge, etc Microfiber Drying Towel Here's a video explaining the Two Bucket Wash Method:
 
3. Chemical and Clay Decontamination- Every vehicle has contamination on it, even new ones. In this step you will be removing contamination that has been stuck in the clear coat. This step can look very different depending on who you talk to. Some people like to do this step during the wash, I'm not sure if there's a "right way", but this is one way to do it - by following the wash and dry:
 
If you choose to go with a Ceramic Protection. This step is essential in the preparation for protection. Ceramic Products bond directly to your paint, but by leaving contamination on your paint, you're impeding the ceramic protection form bonding. Even if you're not going the ceramics route, this is a still a great step to include in your process to truly clean and decontaminate your vehicle.
 
I start by spraying down the vehicle (depending on the weather and if you're doing this indoor or out door you may want to go panel by panel) with IR (or you can use a diluted WC), This acts just like WC in that it's reaction with iron and metallic contamination turns red/purple. It may be hard to see on black. If you're using on a dark vehicle, you can see evidence of it dripping purple on the ground below... Anyways spray the vehicle (try to keep it away from plastic and rubber), then let it sit for 2-4 minutes. Then rinse it all off.
 
Then I used a clay lube and used a clay bar to remove other contaminants that are stuck in the clear coat. I normally use very careful, very light pressure (since clay is an abrasive) and never ever do it dry. Always make sure the surface is lubricated. Do this for all the wheels, paint, glass, chrome, or anything that shines, I don't use it for my trim pieces or headlights. You will see and feel your clay bar start to pick up little specs of contamination. Periodically keep an eye on how much contamination is on the clay bar, and you may need to bend/reshape the clay in order to get a clean surface before continuing. Important note: you never want to drop this on the ground. It will pick up rocks and stuff that can drag some nice scratches in your paint. That goes for microfiber towels and wash mitts too. They love to grab stuff so be careful never to put them on the ground. I like to rinse and dry the vehicle once I'm done with the clay, others don't think its a necessary step.
 
Note: Clay is an abrasive, so use gently and carefully.. Make sure the surface is lubricated and you will be fine. You will notice a difference in the slickness of your paint.Try the baggy test as Adam does in the video below.
 
Chemicals used
Iron Remover (IR)  Clay Lube (Diluted Rinseless Wash or Detail Spray)  
Tools Used
Clay Bar of Choice (I like Visco Elastic Clay and Clay Mitt. The most mild clay would be the Fine Clay Bar)  
4. Polishing-
So, to answer your question in short yes, with paint correction you are using abrasives to remove or cut away at the clear coat - or in your case possibly single stage paint which will remove scratches and oxidation and will reveal a new layer of paint. This is probably the most effective and true way to achieve shine. You can add protection on top of corrected paint which will also enhance the shine.
 
If I may say so, I have had great experience with Adams Revive Hand Polish (AMAZON) and a Blue Hex Grip Applicator (I think they are sold out on the site and possibly replacing with an upgraded formula, time will tell - If you need it sooner, I placed the Amazon link to the product above. Or you can ask around and authorized dealers may have it). I mention this one because it makes a difference even when you think your paint is perfect. Somehow it takes your shine to the next level. About the product: It's a very minor abrasive, the least abrasive polish that Adams carries, and it is also acts as a paint cleaner to use prior to applying protection. Since the abrasive is minimal and you're meant to use it by hand, the risk of ruining your paint by burning through it is almost non-existent.
However, if you have the ability and resources to use a machine, whether Adams Swirl Killer, Porter Cable, or any Dual Action Polisher, They will make much quicker work of bringing shine to your paint. Pair with a White Pad and the White Polish  for a the least abrasive combination for machines. If you find that your paint defects are deeper, move on something more abrasive like a Blue Pad and Compound.
 
Get indoors if you can at this point. This step is important to get your paint as perfect as possible. This is highly recommended. Once you apply the protection, any defects your paint may have will now be sealed under wax/sealant/coating. My vehicle was relatively new, and I didn't have many defects to my paint, so I skipped the polishing step. Looking back, I would have done a polish even if just a RHP. Polishing will make a difference. Although I didn't do it, I would recommend you at least do a polish with the polish with the white pad at this step. RHP with a blue hex grip pad (or white pad if using a machine) would be the last thing I would do before moving on. The polishing step is pretty heavily subjective depending on your preferences and your specific paint, so please feel free to ask me any questions you have about this, and I can try to answer them or point you to some help. But since I don't know the specifics, it's hard for me to direct you on here. Looking back, I would have done a polish even if just a RHP. Polishing will make a difference. Although I didn't do it, I would recommend you at least do a polish with the finishing polish with the white pad at this step. Also, The OSP with the One Step Pads look awesome and I'm excited to try them out. RHP with a blue hex grip pad (or white pad if using a machine), and remove with a microfiber towel, would be the last thing I would do before moving on. .
 
Important note: When attempting paint correction, always do a test section around 2' x 2'. Start with the least abrasive and move to more abrasive as you go until you get the results that you're looking for. Paint Correction is a learning process, and is different for every paint. Each paint reacts differently to abrasives so it's important to see what your paint needs by doing a test section and re assessing your results throughout the process. I will post the levels of aggression below. Also note that Adams has a color coordinated system to make it easier for the us regular people to get good results when machine polishing. But don't be afraid to mix and match Pads and Liquids to find a good combination for what your paint needs.
 
Pro Tip from @falcaineer : Dress your rubber and plastic pieces with VRT prior to polishing. If Polish gets on those pieces, it tends to leave ugly white marks. So applying a dressing will protect the pieces and make them easier to clean up if some polish gets on them.
 
Tools 
Polisher (if you don't have one, it looks like Adams in the future may be introducing a rental program for polishers) Blue hex grip pad Single-soft Microfiber Towel, or Double-soft Microfiber Towel  
Machine Polishing Pads
Least Aggressive - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - -- - > Most Aggressive
White Foam Pad - - - - - -  - - - - - - - -- -  Blue Foam Pad - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - Microfiber Pad
 
Polishing Liquids
Least Aggressive - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - -  -- - > Most Aggressive
Revive Hand Polish - - - - Polish (white) - - - -- - One Step (gray/purple) - - - - Compound (blue)
 
5. Surface Prep- This is crucial to the process for Ceramic Coatings to fully clean the surface and remove an polishing oils or leftover wax that may be lingering. Use Adam's SP or a solution of Isopropyl Alcohol to spray down the paint and wipe with a Single-soft Microfiber Towel, or if you prefer, spray on the towel and wipe the surface. Do this for the glass and all the paint and the lights, and chrome and wheels. On the texturized plastic and rubber trim pieces, I would use TRC with a Microfiber Utility Towel to clean those pieces. After you have cleaned the oxidation off your rubber and plastic with TRC, follow up with SP and remove anything that's left prior to applying the Coating.
 
Chemicals used
Surface Prep (SP) or IPA solution Tire and Rubber Cleaner (TRC)  
Tools used
Single-soft Microfiber Towel Microfiber Utility Towel 5. Protection
You mention Ceramic Paste Wax, that is great stand alone protection.
 
My favorite type of protection would be a ceramic coating. That way you can ensure that your paint will remain protected for many years (new UV Ceramic Paint Coating is stated to last 5 years, The new UV ceramic spray coating is stated to last 1 year). If you take the time to do a coating on each vehicle, it will just be a one time coating until you need to recoat in years, depending on which you choose.... The Ceramic Paint Coating is made for Paint and Trim and Metal. The Ceramic Spray Coating can be used on pretty much any exterior surface and some interior surfaces (Paint, Trim, Metal, Glass, Matte Finishes, Carbon Fiber, Rubber Floor Mats...). I love the Ceramic Spray Coating.
If you choose to go with a full coating, then you can still use the Ceramic Paste Wax as a maintenance every 3-6 months or however often you please. Other great products for maintaining ceramic coatings are Ceramic Waterless Wash (Basically use it as a quick detailer, Spray and wipe to get light dust, fingerprints, etc. off.) Wash+Coat (A shampoo car to use in a foam cannon or in a bucket wash, infused with ingredient to help maintain your ceramic protection.) and Ceramic Boost (basically a spray and wipe product that will provide the best build up for your ceramic coating).
 
But for this step, just follow the steps on the package for whichever protection you choose. Also let us know on here so we can better guide you if you need it. We Love to help! 
 
And you're done!
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Like I said take or leave all this info. The important part is to find a process that works for you.
 
There's a big initial investment of time and money especially if you're just starting off, but I found that really enjoy my time detailing my vehicle and others' vehicles. It's therapeutic and Adam's products really enhance the process for me. And once you get those tools and towels, those will last you a while with proper care, so the majority of things you'll need in the future are refills or the occasional new chemical you want to try.
 
Speaking of care... After I finish using a towel, I immediately throw it in a bucket full of water and I'll try to have some APC in the bucket or some detergent if handy. If not, car shampoo will do. But reason for that is to start breaking down whatever the towel may have picked up. If a towel is especially dirty like when I rinseless wash or waterless wash, my towels get real dirty. I put them in a bucket of water and once I'm ready (normally just later in the day, I don't like to leave towels for more than a day) I will spray the dirty towels down with APC and Rinse them with High pressure, whether I have my pressure washer out or I can just use my outdoor spigot, which has a good bit of pressure out of the wall. I let that loosen the dirt, then I take them to the Washing Machine. Also, if I use any SiO2 product, I immediately put those in a bucket of water because even if a product has a low level of SiO2 like the Wash+Coat, Wash and Wax, Ceramic Waterless Wash, and Ceramic Boost, that SiO2 can dry if you give it enough time. So I put those in water and wash those towels as soon as I possibly can. I wash them in Cold Cold water, Adam's has their own detergent which is GREAT. Microfiber Revitalizer. And I add an extra rinse cycle. I dry like in the dryer using Low Heat or No Heat. 
I never ever mix my microfibers with cotton or really anything else, I normally have enough to wash a small load after a wash.
 
Here's a thread for Microfiber Care:
 
 

Thanks, it is a very pragmatic car, but i tried to make it stand out from all the others like it. I feel i succeded. Yea, for some reason (i belive it is because of teh EU) a lot of EU dealers, including the ones in the UK doesn't really ship to Norway. And there are no dealers for any "graphene" brands here, e.g. Adams, Ethos, ArtDeShine etc.
 
So kudos to Adams for actually shipping here, but i believe i paid about 170$ or so (if memory serves) for shipping 2x graphene ceramic coating and 2x Graphen ceramic spray coating as well as a few applicators. That is not cheap, but it was delivered with great haste, which i appreciate  

Hi Pete! Welcome to the forums! That ride looks awesome!

Sorry about shipping to Norway. I'm not sure if it would help, but I know there's a dealer in the UK. I would imagine shipping would be more affordable from there, but I can't know for sure.

Hallo Pete @PetFjuand Velkommen to the Forum and that is about the limit of my Norwegian.   
 
If you are using a true Vehicle Shampoo such as Adam's Car Shampoo, you are good to wash it.  The coating is fully cured in 24 hours, I prefer to wait 48 hours and after 5 days, I treat it as normal.  Post a note in the new member section and we always appreciate pictures of the vehicles.  

👍🏼😃 They do ship here!! Oh, and golf balls travel 1-2 clubs further, so @RayS could join...who's our fourth?! ⛳

I knew they were going to drop something after I made a purchase. Seriously I should just move to Colorado. It would be much more cost effective. Then I could eat Portillo’s with @falcaineer

I wonder if we'll be seeing a graphene detailer here soon. I'd be interested in that...

I just received word a little while ago that one of my best friends was in a car wreck. He's going to be ok, but someone pulled out onto the road directly in front of him. The airbag banged him up but did its job. Things could have been much worse. He hit his head and has a gash in it. They took him in the ambulance with a neck restraint to check him out but he should be ok. 
 
His girlfriend called me and was fairly calm but I could tell she was shooken up. She wasn't with him but they live only a few miles down the road from where the wreck occurred.
 
So if you're the praying type, my bud Jake could use some warm fuzzies right about now. Thanks everyone!

Thank you, sir

The casters are sold out ..I looked also. Yeah the bucket caddy would be a great idea.
Ive been carrying it around. There is enough hose to clean cars but would've been nice with wheels.
I read the same stories about the casters and it being top heavy for them. Only drawback.
You can purchase other casters. Make sure they are the right size or smaller than the ones they offer. They snap right in underneath. There's holes already there for them. no need to drill 

Joe said today on Facebook live, that they are working on maintenance products 

I wonder if we'll be seeing a graphene detailer here soon. I'd be interested in that...

Civic and XD(Scion)👋

Yesterday before work, I came outside to these:

 
Then, when I came home from work, this was my wife’s car:
 

By myself in my garage, or on my driveway I charge $25.00/hour. Usually a $75.00 minimum. A scuff would depend on how bad the scuff is and what would be required to meet the customers expectations. Last fall I took care of a minor scuff on a guys Lexus that goes to the same gym as I do. The scuff removal for $25.00 turned into an entire detail job after he saw my results. His wife's car is scheduled for later this spring, and his for a maintenance job.

Hey Juan,
 
I do have the PF22, I love it for the most part, but the tip over issue is annoying.  I did see that they released a new bottle to fix the issue and am considering that as well.  I also don't like the inability to really mix the contents well, I've got some really viscous soaps I like to use in there and I always feel like no matter how much I shake they do not mix well enough.  Still maybe I will just get the new bottle.  Thanks for that option as well.

Like mentioned always follow up with a clean dry MF towel. All products with si02 will have tendency to streak.
But it is definitely worth the extra effort.

This weekend I did two different methods of Headlight Restoration. 
  One was a 10 Step Restoration on a really yellow really badly oxidized set of lights. (Beat up 2004 White Honda Odyssey)   The other was a 5 Step restoration on a not as badly oxidized set of lights. (2001 Toyota Rav4)   My goal with these headlights were not to make them perfect (although I tried, but just to cut away the oxidation and improve visibility for night time driving. To start with on both, I wiped down the headlights with diluted Rinseless Wash to remove any dirt or dust. Then taped off the paint, the grill and the rubber pieces surrounding the headlight. On each I did a test section to figure out what process I wanted to do.   10 Step Restoration: Step 1: Wet Sand with 600 grit Sand Paper by hand Step 2: Wet Sand with 800 grit Sand Paper by hand Step 3: Wet Sand with 1200 grit Sand Paper by hand Step 4: Wet Sand with 2000 grit Sand Paper by machine with soft foam interface, (after machine use by hand to get into the corners and areas where polisher wouldn't reach. Step 5: Wet Sand with 3000 grit Sand Paper by machine with soft foam interface. Step 6: Heavy Correcting Compound and Microfiber Pad by machine (multiple passes and stops to use conditioning brush and spritz DS or add more HCC)  Step 7: Sprayable Compound and Microfiber Pad by Machine  (multiple passes and stops to use conditioning brush and spritz DS or add more SC)   Step 8: Sprayable Compound and Blue Foam Pad by Machine  (multiple passes and stops to use conditioning brush and spritz DS or add more SC) Step 9: Finishing Polish with White Pad Step 10: Revive Hand Polish with Blue Hex Grip Applicator     (Forgive the Loud Background Noise, I wasn't able to figure out how to turn the audio down)   (Forgive the Loud Background Noise, I wasn't able to figure out how to turn the audio down)   I found this very effective for really cutting away the nastiness and revealing a fully new layer of plastic. Wet sanding is a bit of a scary process. Seeing sanding marks is very unsettling even when you know that if you follow the process it will work.   I found that there were a good number of scratches left in the headlight plastic that I couldn't get out. Im not completely sure, but I imagine that's a matter of spending more time with the 2000 and 3000 grit and the Heavy correcting compound to make sure I properly phase out the previous sanding marks.   Anyways the plastic is very clear after this method, just has some scratches which I should have spent more time getting out.
    Picture above shows headlight on the right has not been restored vs. the one on the left which has been restored.   5 Step Restoration: Step 1: Heavy Correcting compound on a Synthetic Wool Pad by Machine (multiple passes, stopping to use conditioning brush once and spritzing DS) Step 2: Heavy Correcting Compound on One Step Pad by machine  (multiple passes, stopping to use conditioning brush once and spritzing DS) Step 3: Heavy Correcting Compound on Blue Foam Pad  (multiple passes, stopping to use conditioning brush once and spritzing DS) Step 4: Finishing Polish with White Pad Step 5: Revive Hand Polish with Blue Hex Grip Applicator   It's clear to see that this is an immense improvement and definitely will improve visibility. This way left a scratch free surface, but I'm afraid it didn't cut all the way through the oxidation. There's still a very very light haze.
      Protection: After the Revive Hand Polish on both sets of headlights, I then used a surface prep, and applied Ceramic Spray Coating.     Comparison: In conclusion, I'm going to guess that the 10 Step Method was the way to go. I think I successfully cut through all the oxidation,and onto a new layer of plastic. I believe the sanding introduced some scratches along the way and I'll have to get some more practice to figure out how effectively get those scratches out during the process.   With the 5 Step Method, I think It will work for a little while, but I think the clarity will start to disappear. I say that because I don't think I got to a new layer of plastic. I think I just cut away some of the nastiness.   

Lol it’s big enough for him to fly around in at least.

Lol it’s big enough for him to fly around in at least.

Lol it’s big enough for him to fly around in at least.

Yessir, it should be the same
 
“What can I use this on? Can I just spray the whole car with it?”Adam’s Ceramic Spray Coating provides protection to an extreme range of areas on your vehicle. Painted surfaces, Wheels, Glass, Headlights, Plastic trim, Bed liners, Tonneau covers, Canvas tops, Floor mats, Unfinished metal— All are safe to be protected. As much as we want you to spray the entire vehicle at once, we strongly recommend that you go panel by panel to ensure thoroughly application and as much control of overspray as possible. 
 
That came from the product page
 
If the video you watched was the one where it looks like Adam is teaching a class and he sprays directly on the vehicle and does about a door at a time, then I think I've seen that one. Although I fully believe that is a good way to use the product, I've had worse luck (with overspray and high spots) by spraying directly on the vehicle, so I choose to spray into my applicator and run the applicator on the vehicle.

You bring up an interesting point there.  Do we treat clients different from customers?  I do...sometimes.  I have a client who gets a special deal on ceramic coatings.  Between him and his dad, in two years they've spent $18,000 with me.  That doesn't include a referral here and there.  So they get some special pricing for services they receive.  When they refer someone to me, I tend to hook it up at their pricing as well.  It's been a great relationship for us.  That's a special exception.
 
One other thing I do for my guys is I allow them the occasional "hook a buddy up" deal.  If they have someone looking for something, I'll allow them to make it happen and take care of whoever it is provided it's not abused.  I try to keep it to a job or two a year.  I understand we all have people in our lives that are near and dear to us and we want to take care of for whatever reason.  Could be family.  Could be a friend who helped when they were in need.  The why doesn't matter to me.  What does is that that practice isn't abused.  
 
Those are some exceptions to the rules for us.  
 
You also hit on provide the service that's being paid for.  Does it need two steps but they're paying for one?  They get one and it is what it is.  We are guilty of sometimes spot correcting a scratch on us or something similar.  But it's a quick thing and at your discretion.  We try to manage our clients expectations.  
 
Managing expectations brings up yet another point.  I always try to paint the worst case scenario.  If we find it's not as bad as we think or what we were told, I adjust the bill down.  We look honest (which we are), and the client gets a nice surprise.  It's easier to tell someone they're paying less than that they're going to have to pay more.  
 
One other topic that could become open for discussion is how do you pick what products you use?  

I'll be honest, I have a distinct advantage over some small business owners when it comes to pricing my work.  Detailed Reflections is a side business for me.  I'm a full time firefighter.  I maintain the business because I enjoy it (mostly), but more importantly than that I have two guys who work with me who somewhat depend on the money it brings them.  They both have full time jobs, but I know the money they earn from the business helps them significantly.  For me as an owner, that's no less important of a factor in making business decisions than anything else.  Marquis and Justin have been very good to me over the years, stepping up considerably when my family situation changed literally overnight.  I'll never be able to repay their hustle, but I can help make sure they have the opportunity to make the extra money the need or want.
 
With that being said, Justin and Marquis aren't "business minds." That component comes more from me.  I've been lucky that I've been able to include them in decisions, but also to help teach them my philosophies in how I run the business operationally.  It helps us to avoid conflict.
 
Being that this wasn't how I pay the bills, we were able to truly take a grass routes approach.  The idea for the business came from me taking care of my truck I owned at the time.  Then it turned into a couple friends asking if I'd do their car for them.  And from there it was their friends and so on.  It got to the point I saw the opportunity to make it a business.  I brought Marquis in at the urging of my wife, and it was the best thing I could have done for my business.  Those of you who have seen his work or know of him, know that he is worth every penny I pay him and more (he's well paid, don't worry about that).  From there we grew and got to the point where we needed more help.  We brought in Justin and taught him the ways and we are a solid team of three.  We aren't looking to expand beyond that.  
 
We have never really advertised other than one ad at a local golf course which I'll never do again given that it returned exactly zero return on investment.  We rely strictly on word of mouth.  This helps us in a few ways.  We tend to get people who are truly interested in us.  It also means they generally have an idea of what they're going to spend before contacting us eliminating sticker shock.  I'm very open with clients that we are not the cheapest around.  With that statement comes that we are one of the best equipped locally to handle given work.  We have seven or eight polishers, an assortment of pads/polishes/compounds, extractor, steamer, blowers, a lift and so on.  Our polishing and coating bay has in excess of 100,000 lumens of light in it.  Some clients take the time to listen and understand the value, some don't.  Honestly, I don't sweat the ones that don't  They were probably customers anyway.  They're looking for the most for less and process doesn't matter to them.  And being honest, in the world of detailing the average consumer doesn't understand the differences or the equipment anyway.  They care about what it looks like when it's done.
 
We are searchable online, so we do get business by way of google and social media but the word of mouth is where it's at for us.  We have clients who travel well over an hour from other states to have us do work for them.  For us, this is a testament to how we do business.  Like anything else, we have peaks and valleys in our workload.  Sometimes we are jamming.  Sometimes we are slower.  It all depends.  Every time I think we are running out of work, something happens and the schedule fills right back up again.  There's worse problems in life that we could have.
 
My advice to someone starting a business if you don't understand the back end of a business is to take a few college classes at your local community college about business basics.  It'll open up your eyes in how you need to set pricing, why you can't deviate a lot and make money...or when you can deviate and make money.  It's great background information that will pay off ten fold in how you shape your business.  
 
If you don't know better and you start offering discounts up front, you're training you customers that they don't have to pay full price for your business.  People will try everything to get the deal from comparing prices at other business to offering to pay cash.  The cash argument is one that's a personal peeve for me.  I record cash transactions even though it means I have to pay tax on the income and here's why.  When we do work, the business incurs expenses.  The guys get paid.  Products consumed.  If I don't record the income from the job, it skews the entire profit and loss of the business.  I'm recording expenses and not income.  At that point, how do I know how my business is truly performing?  The truth is you lose a lot of control and information in making decisions when you start cheating the books like that to save someone a few dollars.  There's more to gain for them than there is for you at that point.
 
One thing we are doing to help with some of that, is we are changing our pricing structure to reflect out the door prices.  The tax is simply built in, so it's not openly visible.  It also helps with things like gift certificates.  We offer those on our website, but people tend to buy based on the pretax price.  We have always honored it and done the work at the cost of the gift certificate because I don't feel it's fair to someone who received a gift to have to pay out because someone didn't read correctly.  We are hoping change pricing to tax included helps to alleviate that issue in the future.  
 
If you're starting out, do yourself the benefit of calculating everything out so you know up front what you need to make.  It'll be easier to train customers that they need to pay "y" for a service than starting them at "x" and going to "y" when you finally figure it out.  It's the "you've always done it for $100, why is it $150 now?" 
 
If anyone is thinking of starting out, I'm happy to have discussion about how we did it, how we do it, and what we learned along the way.  If you take a trip back through my posts, you'll find a decent number of business related posts or we can discuss it again with fresh views.  
 
 
 
 

Yessir, it should be the same
 
“What can I use this on? Can I just spray the whole car with it?”Adam’s Ceramic Spray Coating provides protection to an extreme range of areas on your vehicle. Painted surfaces, Wheels, Glass, Headlights, Plastic trim, Bed liners, Tonneau covers, Canvas tops, Floor mats, Unfinished metal— All are safe to be protected. As much as we want you to spray the entire vehicle at once, we strongly recommend that you go panel by panel to ensure thoroughly application and as much control of overspray as possible. 
 
That came from the product page
 
If the video you watched was the one where it looks like Adam is teaching a class and he sprays directly on the vehicle and does about a door at a time, then I think I've seen that one. Although I fully believe that is a good way to use the product, I've had worse luck (with overspray and high spots) by spraying directly on the vehicle, so I choose to spray into my applicator and run the applicator on the vehicle.