How long does a 'detail' usually take you?

[Coderedpl]

First let me say, yes yes I know there have been topics like this in the past but from my searching it seems like all of them refer to the old system Adams had. Severed swirl and haze and etc. And since we now have a 2 step process, aswell as microfiber pads, it should essentially save time.

 

I'm actually in the middle of doing my car and this something that came across my mind while claying. I gave myself a 'day' to do the detail portions as I had the car strip washed the day before.

 

So how long on average does it take for you to do the average size car?

[Chris@Adams]

There are a lot of variables as you know....but I would say on a mid size car in average condition 3 to 5 hours.

[FrozenWS6]

Like said before. Depends on how bad it is.

I spent 16 hours. From starting with the wax and tar remover wash until I finished with wax. On my girlfriends Pontiac Solstice.

Edited July 12, 2015 by FrozenWS6

[Ricky Bobby]

For a Golf R thats less than 2 years old?  Assuming not too hammered, I could probably knock it out in 4-5 hours including wash, clay, decon, polishing, and application of LSP.

 

Blowdry the car and/or the seams so that you don't get residual water running out of cracks and crevices when you are polishing, will save you a lot of cleanup while you are working.

[PT3]

For a Golf R thats less than 2 years old?  Assuming not too hammered, I could probably knock it out in 4-5 hours including wash, clay, decon, polishing, and application of LSP.

 

Blowdry the car and/or the seams so that you don't get residual water running out of cracks and crevices when you are polishing, will save you a lot of cleanup while you are working.

Wow! You are impressive...and fast!

[BoCRon]

From a hobby detailer here, I can do one of my MINIs in about 4 hours (exterior only). I don't even want to think about how long it takes to do our Nissan Titan, last time I had both kids help and it took at least 6 hours for 3 of us! My kids at the time were 15 and 20, so they were actually working at it.

 

Also, what does LSP mean? I have done a search and no results and it's not in the abbreviations sticky.

 

Annette

[Team Adam's]

Depends on the condition of the car, size of the car, and what the level of detail is expected (not everything justifies or needs to be perfect) but as a range I can do a pretty serious detail on an average size/condition car in as little as 6 hours start to finish. I've also spent as much as a solid week of 8+ hour days on one car... just depends.

[Ricky Bobby]

^with you D it's all about results needed, condition and size of car. A 15 year old black Mercedes SL500 that's seen nothing but automatic washes, owner wants greater than 95% correction, even though it's a small car could take a few days.

 

Annette LSP means last step product like a traditional wax or polymer sealant, etc.

[BoCRon]

Annette LSP means last step product like a traditional wax or polymer sealant, etc.

Thanks! I was close, I was guessing Last Stage Process or Product  .

[pirahnah3]

I just actually did a full run on my 2015 F250 crew cab.....yeah big truck. Took me the better part of 7 hours to do in total. I didnt vac the interior yet as my good shopvac is currently at work as I was cleaning the truck out there the other week. 

[BrianT]

I finished the wife's Durango in 6 hrs.

 

Wash

Clay

Wash

Fmp

IPA wipe down

Machine sealant

Vacuumed interior

Spray detailer

Windows

Next day,

2 coats of Americana

[imcrazy]

I clayed just the hood and fenders as I had clayed the truck a few weeks back and sealed it up proplerly so the rest of the truck was still smooth as glass. With unboxing my adam's order and a little brain fart with claying causing me to have to use MORE detailing spray with my nanoskin setup, I spent about 6 hours I'd say to do the two step polish to everything but the roof and seal it all up with meguiars ultimate liquid wax. It's only my 2nd time using the porter cable DA and my first time with adams stuff, I think I did a few too many passes after the polish flashed a few times but, I'm a newb! I did the same process a few weeks back but, add in wash, clay the whole truck and I think I had about 12 hours into it. I used meguiars ultimate compound that time with hex logic pads, the polish dried very quickly and honestly I should have done more homework and more so I should have just gone with Adams products from the get go! I wasted a lot of time with the other setup and got subpar results also I can't believe how crappy the microfiber towels you get at the local big box autoparts store are compared to Adams towels, I wonder how much damage I did to the paint with crappy towels the first time around!

Edited August 10, 2015 by imcrazy

[ADL]

Today I did a 6 month paint tune-up on my '87 Mustang (shown below.) I spent right at 5 hours working at a pretty steady pace (about as fast as I care to go, even if it were a paying job) and only stopping here and there to hydrate. This car is not typical because it has the titanium lower accent paint which is a satin finish, not exactly flat but not exactly shiny. The car also has a lot of weird angles and shapes that require multiple forms of attack to get everything covered.

 

In 5 hours I did:

 

- Two bucket wash with 50/50 mix of Adams soap and dawn to strip the existing LSP's.

- Clay bar on white top half and glass.

- *No correction/polish needed*

- Detail spray wipe down to remove clay spray residue.

- Machine applied Liquid Paint Sealer to white half only.

- Hand applied Liquid Paint Sealer to titanium lower half.

- Machine applied Buttery Wax to white top half.

- Headlight set polished by hand with correcting polish then sealed with 2 coats Liquid Paint Sealer

- Wheels tires washed and sealed with Quick Sealant.

- Tires and trim dressed with VRT.

- Glass sealed and wiped down.

- Carpet, mats and seats vacuumed.

- Full interior plastic and vinyl wiped down with Total Interior Detailer.

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

[imcrazy]

Cool Mustang, I love those wheels and the two tone paint!