BretFraz

We had the opportunity to do a ceramic coating using Adam's Paint Coatings on a Jeep Wrangler Sahara Limited this past week.  The vehicle came in with low milage at 7,700.  Unfortunately, it had been parked under a tree that dumped some sap on it, it had been through the automatic car wash more than it's share of times and was generally in need of TLC.  The owner also wanted some decals they had installed removed from the hood and sides of the vehicle.  We did a coating on their Ford Raptor previously, so we got the call to give the Jeep the same service.
 
The work flow went something like this:
 
- Pre-soak with foam and high pressure rinse.
- Wash with two-bucket wash
- Decontaminate the paint using Wheel Cleaner
- Clay the entire vehicle
- Once the vehicle was on the lift, the wheels were removed to be cleaned
- Wheels were cleaned with Wheel Cleaner
- Tires were cleaned with Tire & Rubber Cleaner
- The wheels were then prepped for coating after making sure they were completely clean.
- We've actually found that we obtain better results with spraying the wheel coatings on by airbrush.  It allows for a faster application and it's easier to get even coverage in the tight spaces that many wheels present with.  If you spray the coating evenly, the buffing required is minimal.  The caveat to this method is that you WILL go through more coating.  Safety first, so always wear a mask if you employ this method.  We use an inexpensive airbrush from Harbor Freight.  It works great for our use and if we scrap one since it wasn't cleaned well it's an inexpensive fix that's easy to obtain.
- The wheels had a tire dressing from another manufacturer installed that is known to last longer.
- Wheels reinstalled
- The graphics were removed using detail spray, a heat gun and a plastic razor blade (which can't be understated how useful these are).  Any remaining adhesive was removed with the plastic blade and adhesive remover.
- As we do on any job we polish, we took measurements of the paint thickness to see how aggressive we could be.  To get a feel for the thickness of the paint itself, we take measurements in the door jambs or ares that typically aren't covered with as much clear coat.  We then take that average and subtract it from the paint measurements on the exterior of the vehicle.  You can see the difference in values on the photos of the gauge.
- Given the condition of the paint overall, we started with Heavy Correcting Compound and used all of our polishers from the Rupes 15 to the Nano, including using it with the smallest pad.
- Being that the vehicle was white, we were able to skip the correcting polish and jump right to the finishing polish.  This produced a well finished look to the vehicle.
- The interior was vacuumed and cleaned with the hot water extractor.  Under the seats was blown out and all trash removed.
- All interior surfaces were cleaned with Total Interior Detailer then finished with Leather Conditioner.
- Carpets and upholstery were treated for stain resistance with another companies product.
- All glass was cleaned, the windshield was sealed with Glass Sealant and topped with Glass Boost.
- All trim was cleaned with Tire & Rubber Cleaner until it rubbed off clean.
- The entire vehicle was wiped down with coating prep prior to coating.
- Adam's Paint Coating was the next step.  Pretty straight forward in it's application and removal.
- Adam's Trim Coating followed.  Same deal with it's straight forward application.
- The vehicle was left overnight to cure.
- The following morning Ceramic Boost was applied, final looks given and photos taken.
 
I also included a gratuitous photo of the shop boss who was caught sleeping on the job along with some photos of our work space!
 
Enjoy...Sorry for the photo heavy thread!  The photos are in order of work flow.
 
 

Don't buy mystery boxes or buckets if you're going to complain about what you get.    

hmmmmm..... I don't know.......  ...... I don't see anything I really need........yeah, not too much here for me.......  I'll just look around some more although I don't need any of this...
 
 
 
 
I guess I'll grab some detail spray....... maybe a bottle of glass cleaner........ well, I'm almost out of wheel cleaner so I'll get a quart.........I could use a replacement bucket........oh, glass towels!.... gimme a couple of those......A gallon of shampoo will hold me over........some tire shine, too.........I hear the paint sealant is good........hey a new foam gun!............might as well grab another bucket......... and a couple grit guards.........

Haven't tried:
 
Ceramic products
Machine polishes
Strip wash
Wash and Wax
Glass boost
Aerosol glass cleaner
Metal polishes
Liquid paint sealant
Americana and Patriot waxes
Many of the tools and accessories
 
And I thought I had most of the product line......so much more to try.

This is a brilliant overall perspective.
 
It really depends on what you need/want a PW for.   Just washing cars and maybe some minor cleaning?   Electric is fine.   Need a PW to do a variety of tasks?   Gotta go gas.
 
Lots of talk about PW's here and on the web.   Everyone has an opinion and experience.   Let us know if you have a specific question, but honestly, you are on your own with the more general questions.   It's the only way that will work for you.

Heck Ya.  I can truthfully say with pride and unwavering support that I have NEVER paid for Shipping. 
 
Now, I'm not sure if that is a result of my addiction denial, stupidity or a combination of both but I sure sleep well at night with a clear conscience knowing that I save 8 bucks by spending 3 times that on more product. 

Nice!   Good thing you got to that brake dust before it became bonded on there.   

Looks great.  Can't say I've ever seen a BRZ in yellow.   
 
Hope you feel better soon!

Nicely done!  

In a former job, I used to oversee the company's truck fleet; mostly service vans and trucks with utility beds like yours.   Lemme tell ya, it wasn't easy keeping them somewhat clean.   Forget about detailed.
 
Anyway, if it were mine, I'd use a shampoo with some real cleaning ability, like Strip Wash.   Mix in some APC if you have to cut grease and grime.  Once clean, a good coat of paint sealant will provide solid protection.   Regular washing would always end up with H20 G&G.   That combo should maintain the shine and be easy to use.

Thanks for the comments.   I appreciate your perspective on this.
 
Not to turn this into more than it is, but a couple thoughts from me:
 
1.  Certainly, the chemical composition is important.   Car care products have changed dramatically over the past 20-30 years.  Technology and gov't mandates have had a big impact.   I know I've used detailing products that had aggressive acids (hydrofluoric, oxalic, etc) and aggressive solvents (benzene, MEK) in them.  At least for consumer products, those products are mostly gone from the market.
 
2.  I understand why you might think E1 tire cleaner could have dried your Gatorback sidewalls, but I honestly can't imagine that happening.   It's a product that's on your tire maybe a couple of minutes, then rinsed off.   An old school tire dressing could affect sidewalls (and many of them did).   A dressing would sit on your tire for days/weeks at a time.   Many of them had silicones and/or solvents that would react adversely with rubber.
 
Ultimately, we all want our car care products to perform to our expectations and demands.   No reason to spend good money on a poor performing product.   Chemical technology has progressed to a point where risks are minimized, or at least risks are lower than in years past.  
 
There are still many aggressive products on the market.  My local grocery store sells Mean Green, Simple Green, Purple Power, and others.  I have LA's Awesome cleaner at home; $1 at Big Lots.  And there are plenty of "hot" alkaline (high pH) APC's on the market.  
 
 I can easily find a cheaper product that will clean tires.  I'm happy that Adam's has a dedicated product that can perform as well as it does, and provides the results I expect.  I will keep using it and recommending it to others.

I used a lot of that back in the day. I remember buying 10 bottles at a time when it was on sale.

Looks great, Dustin.    I'll bet your helpers were happy to go for a ride in a freshly detailed truck.   

hmmmmm..... I don't know.......  ...... I don't see anything I really need........yeah, not too much here for me.......  I'll just look around some more although I don't need any of this...
 
 
 
 
I guess I'll grab some detail spray....... maybe a bottle of glass cleaner........ well, I'm almost out of wheel cleaner so I'll get a quart.........I could use a replacement bucket........oh, glass towels!.... gimme a couple of those......A gallon of shampoo will hold me over........some tire shine, too.........I hear the paint sealant is good........hey a new foam gun!............might as well grab another bucket......... and a couple grit guards.........

hmmmmm..... I don't know.......  ...... I don't see anything I really need........yeah, not too much here for me.......  I'll just look around some more although I don't need any of this...
 
 
 
 
I guess I'll grab some detail spray....... maybe a bottle of glass cleaner........ well, I'm almost out of wheel cleaner so I'll get a quart.........I could use a replacement bucket........oh, glass towels!.... gimme a couple of those......A gallon of shampoo will hold me over........some tire shine, too.........I hear the paint sealant is good........hey a new foam gun!............might as well grab another bucket......... and a couple grit guards.........

hmmmmm..... I don't know.......  ...... I don't see anything I really need........yeah, not too much here for me.......  I'll just look around some more although I don't need any of this...
 
 
 
 
I guess I'll grab some detail spray....... maybe a bottle of glass cleaner........ well, I'm almost out of wheel cleaner so I'll get a quart.........I could use a replacement bucket........oh, glass towels!.... gimme a couple of those......A gallon of shampoo will hold me over........some tire shine, too.........I hear the paint sealant is good........hey a new foam gun!............might as well grab another bucket......... and a couple grit guards.........

Nice!  I just did something similar, and it was super easy.  
 
I have the cheap 4 ft fluorescent light fixtures hung in my garage.   I upgraded to LED bulbs bought at Costco for $18/pair.   Removed the old fluorescent bulbs, popped in the LED's, and instant brighter garage.   Took all of 10 mins.  No mods needed.  
 
I highly recommend this upgrade if you already have the 4 ft fixtures.

To add to LT1's thoughts.... don't be afraid to experiment with settings and products.  That's half the fun!
 
I'd use a little less product; more like 1 oz max in the mix bottle.   A couple of squirts, really.  Add water first, then shampoo.   Use warm/hot water in the mix bottle for better results when cold outside.
 
3000 psi is almost overkill for car washing.   That will add plenty of air to the cannon and produce a nice thick foam.   
 
Test out a few shampoos to see what you like best.   I have maybe 7-8 shampoos on hand and all perform differently with a foam cannon.  There are snow foams that are formulated for cannons.   Some mild shampoos don't produce a lot of foam, but enough to do a weekly light wash.    Others will stick to the car; some will fall off quickly.   
 
Some users foam the car, let it dwell, rinse off, then do a 2 bucket wash.   Other users foam, then start washing with the shampoo on the car. Try both processes.
 
Most importantly, have fun 

You have got a lot of input from the other threads.   The best thing you can do now is get started.   The more work you can hustle, the sooner your skills and knowledge will grow.
 
Since winter is coming and you don't have a client base to serve, your priority is to educate yourself.   Learn how to become a small business owner.   Learn how car washes and detail shops run their business.  Learn what it takes to create a small business in your state (laws, regulations, licenses, etc).
 
I'd recommend getting a job at a car wash, car dealer, or detail shop.   Find a place that will train you on the basics.  If you can wash cars of your neighbors and friends, that will bring some money and more experience.
 
I started my first detailing business at 16.   Had a business license, bought products from detail supply wholesalers, and did most of my work out of my car at the client's location.   A few years later I partnered with a friend who had access to a shop, and we detailed out of that location while still mobile detailing.   Bottom line, what you want to do can definitely be done.   Plenty of people have done it.   You just got to get started somewhere.

Welcome aboard, fellow Atlantan!    Gwinnettian here.