How Do You Save Time During Your Details?

This only my second post, but I have been perusing this site almost daily for a few months and find it very helpful. My question is to those of you who detail for money (as well as the joy of detailing), and even those that don't: What are some ways you reduce the amount of time you spend on one car? The reason I ask is that it seems to me, and my wife, that it takes me way too long. I am currently in the Navy, but I would like to start doing this on the weekends for a little extra cash since I enjoy it so much, but I need to speed things up a bit if its going to be worth it. So any suggestions you may have that have helped you reduce your time would be helpful.

Thanks,

Brian

 

LOL ... I'm on the same boat here. I love doing it and I have done it several times for money, but I waste so much time.

One thing that has helped me is to have all the necessary products within reach and literally time myself during every step. On average I take 8-10 doing a wash & wax with interior extraction and engine detail. I can't imagine how long polishing is going to take me ... LOL

 

What are you doing specifically? Like are you including machine polishing into your routine?

One thing I do, since the water in my area is pretty soft I just wash the car, then don't dry it but go right on to claying with QD, drying as I go. However, you can't do this if you have hard water.

 

I've been meaning to post a thread like this for weeks now. I'm a slow detailer, and I'd like to find some ways to get a little faster.

 

LOL you know I need to do that, I lose stuff SO much and spend 15 minutes looking for it. A cart or something would be perfect if I didn't live on a steep hill.

BTW OP, I make them pay extra for engine details if they want it. Most people don't care enough to get it detailed. Small thing but it helps cut back on some time.

 

I know Bobby ...

I have 4 milk crates ... exterior, interior, MFs, Rims & Engine. I line them up on my sidewalk when I'm doing my detailing.

ONR saves me a lot of time, but I only use it when cars are fairly clean.

 

Without going into too much detail, my routine has been as follows:

1. Wheelwells, tires, wheels (Approx: 1 hr)
2. Foam Cannon (5-10min)
3. Exterior wash starting from the top then moving around the vehicle. (easily an hour or more if its a larger vehicle like a minivan)
4. Drying (a few minutes)
5. Clay (again about 45min - 1hr)
6. Cleaning paint with PC 7424XP & DG 501 (1-2 hours)
7. Applying DG 105 after waiting 30 min or so after the 501 (30-45 min)

This does not account for any of the details that go into it such as trim restoration, tire dressing, glass, etc. Just a basic outline.

The above is just an example of a basic wash, cleaning, & wax, with no correction. The two correction details I have done so far have taken an eternity. It doesn't seem that I'll be able to save much time during correction polishing because from what I have gathered so far, corection is just very labor intensive and time consuming. I am talking primarily about saving time on the above steps.

Here are a few ideas I have been trying to implement or will be implementing:

Using a written checklist and sticking to it as much as possible for every vehicle
Working my away around the vehicle as few times as possible so I don't have go over the same area twice
Putting together kits for each specific area such as tires and wheels, interior wipedowns, etc.


I welcome your advice and your help. Thank your for your responses so far.

 

Proper tools...

I just got a steamer and all I can say is it speed up interiors immensely... did the entire interior of a trashed Mazda 3 in about 1 hour...

 

how on earth can you clay a car faster than washing it?!
do i suck that bad? or is it just the Michigan roads and the rolling patches everywhere that i go that makes my claying life hell?

even with two buckets and having to rinse multiple times if i'm in the sun it doesn't take me 1hr to wash my 300 or old 4Runner. are you counting the door jams / trunk / hood jams too?

 

1. That takes me about 20 minutes... Don't know how you possibly could take an hour doing wheels unless they are trashed or mesh style. My process is scrub the interior wheel wells with a brush, takes a couple minutes, then move onto the tires, spray Eagle One on, scrub for 45 seconds, hose off. Then I move onto the rim, spray on Meg's Wheel Brightener, agitate for 45 seconds on the inner barrels and stuff, hose that off. Then, just clean up the face and small details with A proline grout sponge, soap, tarminator, P21S, whatever's needed. Takes about 5-7 minutes per wheel and wheel well.

2. That's a good time. Clean the trim and gas cap during this time with brushes(Swisswax)

3. An hour? Again, takes me about 15-20 minutes for your average vehicle, not that soiled, using 2BM and making sure everything is clean.

4. Good time.

5. It usually takes me about 30-45 minutes.

6. Sounds normal, 1 hour for a car, 2 hours for a mini-van or large truck.

7. Good time, while your waiting for it to cure do the exhaust, interior, door jambs, etc.


You're going to have to cut back on those times, because with polishing there really is no way to save time. I've spent over 20 hours on some vehicles and that's just a normal 2-step on a larger car.

 

darkstar anytime you want to clean my audi wheels in 5 minutes i would love to see that. and learn how much i suck.

and i wash them at the least every 2 weeks and they still take for fricking EVER



on the plus side the wheel wells are lined in fabric stuff so they clean fast

(i'm going to time my self next time too)

 

Wheels take some time, I did CLEAN wheels this weekend and they still took 45min...

 

Yea ha I'm talking about your average OEM wheel. I couldn't imagine those taking me more than 10 minutes though.

I use a dedicated Proline Grout sponge for the face, it makes it so much easier than using a Swisswax brush. It's a very soft sponge so it fits in all the corners and stuff, just quick swipes all around the face cleans up everything. Then, just handle the barrels, etc, I can see where your's would be a PITA to get that small spot right behind the spokes. I would say it would still only take me no more than 10 minutes.

 

I would really like to see you clean wheels man...

 

I'll demonstrate at the upcoming DB meet on the 22nd. And btw in my previous post, I meant 10 minutes per wheel.

 

That's a great idea. I've been using brushes, and a triangular shaped, microfiber covered pad thing that I think I got at AutoZone. Your idea is much better, and gives my older sponges a place to go once I take them out of my wash rotation.

I did the wheels of my S2000 tonight with my SW brush, just to try it, by pure coincidence. I hated it. Great on the lugnut holes, but elsewhere, a sponge would have been just the thing.

 

yeah using "demoted" wash sponges for wheels i found is great as well. i dont use my uber wheel brush or SV wheel brush nearly as much anymore, except for in those nooks and crannies on some wheels. the demoted uber sponge gets most of the job done, and covers more area obviously.

 

I tried my Raceglaze XL wheel brush this last weekend... amazing brush for wheels!

 

It depends on so many factors, there really is no set time for a wheel clean, or an exterior wash as all cars are different and the condition in which they are dropped off is different as well.

It's my feeling that if you're needing to speed things up, you'll probably end up cutting corners left and right.

The only thing you can do it start charging by the hour. If a car takes longer than anticipated, you at least are getting paid for it.

 

I know this may be trivial but I have to say experience is how you can save time on your details. After doing details several times over, you become very accustomed to your methods and it becomes natural in your process of steps. Also, you tend to find some minor techniques that help minimize your time in the field.