detailing steps and order

[mdamore419]

What specific steps and order should i do everything in when detailing a car?

[Ricky Bobby]

Have you read any of the posts on this forum and/or watched any of the Adams videos yet?

[Kingsford]

Have you read any of the posts on this forum and/or watched any of the Adams videos yet?

Watch the videos. Follow those steps. They are there to help, instruct and guide from start to finish.

[NG13]

[Performance Auto Detailing]

You posted a topic a couple days ago saying you were wanting to start a detailing business... have you not detailed a car yet?

[KSRegalGS]

Non-Adams cleaners typically 1)wash 2)dry 3)spray wax

 

'Round here, we 1)wash engine bay 2)wash wheels 3)wash car 4)clay entire car 5)VRT plastic trim 6a)revive and hand polish 6b)paint correction 7)paint sealant 8)glaze 9)wax 10)tire shine 11)vrt engine bay 12)in&out spray hard to reach plastic 13)glass cleaner 14)glass sealant 15)grin ear-to-ear 

[Dan@Adams]

Easy there guys, we were all new to detailing at one point. Matt is here to learn

 

I'm currently working on a new and updated Detailing Flow Chart, but it's not yet ready for prime-time yet.

 

Kyle's post above mine gives a nice order of operations for detailing, and our video series provides great information on cleaning and maintaining nearly every aspect of your vehicle:

 

http://adamspolishes.com/video

 

I also made a specific Winter-Preparation write-up in our Detailing Write-ups section a few days ago that you might find useful:

 

http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/29429-in-depth-winter-preparation-on-a-2016-toyota-tundra/

[mdamore419]

Non-Adams cleaners typically 1)wash 2)dry 3)spray wax

 

'Round here, we 1)wash engine bay 2)wash wheels 3)wash car 4)clay entire car 5)VRT plastic trim 6a)revive and hand polish 6b)paint correction 7)paint sealant 8)glaze 9)wax 10)tire shine 11)vrt engine bay 12)in&out spray hard to reach plastic 13)glass cleaner 14)glass sealant 15)grin ear-to-ear 

This is exactly what I was talking about. I know all the general steps and yeah I've detailed cars plenty of times and they've looked great, but I'm looking for a step by step detailed list that Kyle gave. 

[Performance Auto Detailing]

If you're wanting to detail professionally that's not the list you'll typically follow unless it's a rare customer who is paying for those extra steps. That is a list tailored for your personal vehicle typically

Edited November 10, 2015 by lax

[Dan@Adams]

True. For most customers, he could possibly skip steps 8, 9, and 14; and if they didn't want the engine bay cleaned you could skip steps 1, 11, and 12.

[Performance Auto Detailing]

In my experiences detailing professionally for the last 3 years or so, I've had exactly 2 people want their engine bay detailed. 95% of people however want their glass sealed, so that is included as it takes no time at all to throw on some glass sealant. 

[Dan@Adams]

I hear you there. I think I've detailed 5 engine bays in the 50 or so cars I've done over the past few years - and those 5 were show cars - but I just do detailing as a hobby on evenings and weekends. Surprisingly, only about half of the cars I do want their interior cleaned too...their interiors are usually more garbage receptacles rather than nice driving environments

 

I can't stand a dirty engine bay though!

[Sir-Srey]

On 11/9/2015 at 8:01 PM, KSRegalGS said:

Non-Adams cleaners typically 1)wash 2)dry 3)spray wax

 

'Round here, we 1)wash engine bay 2)wash wheels 3)wash car 4)clay entire car 5)VRT plastic trim 6a)revive and hand polish 6b)paint correction 7)paint sealant 8)glaze 9)wax 10)tire shine 11)vrt engine bay 12)in&out spray hard to reach plastic 13)glass cleaner 14)glass sealant 15)grin ear-to-ear 

 

thanks for this lil bit KSR

[Rich]

Several years back, Adam's had this guide available.  I think it's PAST time they do another one!  This should be a staple on the site, updated as needed.  Maybe even one for non ceramic use, and one for Ceramic and Graphene use.  

 

 

[RayS]

I'd like to have both a ceramic and non-ceramic to post as signs in my garage.  It would not only give an explanation for people who don't get it, but also show that using Adam's is a process to ensure you get the desired results.

[tomsch63]

Every time I wash my cars I do a waterless wash or CS3 on the engine bay including everything I can reach including shock towers, around the battery, all hoses, and basically everything I can reach. Doing that only takes about 15mins and keeps the engine bay looking great so there is really no "detailing" needed as it is always clean. The biggest thing for me is how often I take off all the wheels and do a complete detail. That always feels like too much work so it maybe happens once a year at the most. I do have a power washer and foam cannon so they are generally clean but not completely detailed.