Okay so today's clean was different from expected. 

"Svend" (svend) 03/15/2018 at 10:17 • Filed to: detailing

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When I was asked by our utilities saleswoman to clean her car.

I expected her 2003-4 Audi A4 cabrio.

Opened my bedroom blind this morning to see a 2017 2.0 diesel BMW X5.

But wait for it. It’s had some, er, well decals applied.

First things first.

Walk around.

Started with the engine as the rain was spitting so thought I’d do that and then see what the weather was going to do (needless to say, it’s still spitting).

Before.

Cleaned.

Dressed.

Wheels done, car degreased and then snow foamed.

Washed, pressure rinsed, snow foamed with sealant and pressure rinsed (not been able to dry as the weather, as said, is still spitting).

Exhaust tips polished and loads of nooks and crannies cleaned out.

Interior go a vacuum, mats shampood and all surfaces wiped down.

Finished, or finished as far as can be while it’s still spitting.

The piggy bank with coins decals aren’t my thing, but hey, not my car

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Svend 03/15/2018 at 10:44

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This “utilities salesperson” concept is strange to me. So... they sell you gas/power? And get a commission on it?

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Svend 03/15/2018 at 10:45

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never fails to amaze me how thorough you are whilst doing that as a hobby mate

or is it a bit of a side earner you just really enjoy?

either way... never fails to amaze

Chinny Raccoon > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/15/2018 at 10:49

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We have a lot of different suppliers for electricity/gas (and now water!) for no real good reason. It means moving supplier every couple of years to get the best rates.

Utility Warehouse is a MLM type operation.

Sovande > Svend 03/15/2018 at 10:52

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Wow. What product do you use to clean and dress the engine bay?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Chinny Raccoon 03/15/2018 at 10:53

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Wow. That’s crazy. We have Crown Corp (government owned) Power, Gas is private, but it used to be Crown Corp and everyone still uses that company. Water is municipal and free

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Chinny Raccoon 03/15/2018 at 10:57

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I went to the Utility Warehouse site... they’re offering to give out free lightbulbs, which is fine. But they are offering expert installation... of a lightbulb 

CalzoneGolem > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 03/15/2018 at 11:03

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He does it for free.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > CalzoneGolem 03/15/2018 at 11:04

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thought so... does a hellova job of it :)

Chinny Raccoon > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/15/2018 at 11:30

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I’m moderately tall, maybe it’s time for a career change.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Chinny Raccoon 03/15/2018 at 11:34

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I’m 6'2, I should get out there and start installing lightbulbs too

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Svend 03/15/2018 at 11:36

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How long does a Clean like this take you? I was talking to a kid that details at the local Chevy dealership and he said you get 3-4 hours per car. And bonuses If you can do more than two car per day and meet their standards, which involves the head of the detail department spending 20 minutes inspecting the car.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Svend 03/15/2018 at 11:49

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Man, I wish I could find somebody with your skill to clean my Accent XD

It’s getting a bit messy inside and our ancient shop vac is not the best-working thing in the world...

My engine bay is a mess, but a lot of that is from the waxy anti-rust sealant the shop I go to puts on the undercarriage and strut towers to prevent rust on our super salty winter roads, so I probably shouldn’t get that cleaned off. I do give her a wash once and a while, at least in the winter to get the salt off. She cleans up OK for the exterior, but being an econobox with 135,000kms, you can see the scratches and imperfections more... :(

From the last BIG cleaning I gave her:

chaozbandit > Svend 03/15/2018 at 11:59

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What’s it like washing a car on the street?

fintail > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:04

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2.0, I bet that is a leisurely drive, even with the ///M bric a brac. I had a 30d rental in Germany a couple years ago, the power was adequate.

Svend > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/15/2018 at 12:10

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The actual supply stays the same but you essentially choose who to pay if you know what I mean. Say your with Powergen and they want to increase their prices, you can look around and say, E-on, if they are cheaper, you phone or go on their website, register and they get in touch with your previous supplier and cancel, you cancel your direct-debit with the previous one and sign or agree to a new direct-debit and go from there.

Utilities Warehouse you get one bill for phoneline, phone, broadband, TV, satellite, gas and electricity. It’s all broken down on the bill but it’s just one bill.

Kiltedpadre > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:13

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What’s your method for that beautiful engine bay cleaning?

I really want to deep clean under the hood of my Volt but am a bit leery with all the zappy bits.

Svend > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/15/2018 at 12:13

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For some it’s inconvenience of changing all the lightbulbs, knowing which ones you need, etc... we have screw type, bayonet type, narrow, broad, etc... it’s easier to send a van with loads of bulbs and let the guy do them all for you.

Svend > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 03/15/2018 at 12:15

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I do it for free to relax. She came back just know with her boss and I pointed a few stone chips (small and large) dotted about.

Told them what I did, etc...

Had a brief disagreement because they insisted on giving me something but I refused.

For me it’s not about money, money complicates the issue and makes it ugly.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:18

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fair dee doos mate.. and good point about the money

still.. amazing job as always :)

Svend > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 03/15/2018 at 12:20

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She looks great.

All you need is a good pressure washer, three buckets, a wash mitt, good shampoo, sealant and then work from there.

I bought a Karcher wet’dry vacuum for £30 refurbished from Karcher. The suction is very powerful and a godsend. I’ve had iit four years and it’s more than paid for itself.

Svend > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 03/15/2018 at 12:31

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I can do our car the neighbours car and a friends cars in about half an hour every month or two.

The BMW today took longer as it was spitting with rain, I was taking a leisurely day hoping the rain would stop and I could get her dried and get the glass sorted.

This Clio took two and a half hours. As it was a first clean so I was getting to know the car and assessing what was needed.

This one took four hours as I was showing the owner how to clean a car.

This one took nearly seven hours for interior only.

Generally four hours is a safe bet. But you should always walk the car to point out any damage and ask what they want looked at closer, what needs doing and what you can get done with the time they are giving you or how long it’d take for you to all that’s needed.

Svend > fintail 03/15/2018 at 12:32

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It has sufficient poke to get around.

Svend > chaozbandit 03/15/2018 at 12:35

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Easy enough. Can be annoying with cars passing while your trying to vacuum the side into the road but hey, it is what it is.

Svend > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 03/15/2018 at 12:37

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Thanks mate.

It’s very therapeutic.

chaozbandit > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:42

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I’ll never take a driveway for granted ever again.

Svend > Kiltedpadre 03/15/2018 at 12:43

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I use AutoBrite Jaffa Clean.

((second bottle in from the left))

It’s a degreaser and protectant in one, spray on, (agitate on heavy soiled areas) and rinse off or wipe off with a few microfibres.

But I use 303 Aerospace Protectant over the op to leave a lovely glossy coat on top.

Svend > Sovande 03/15/2018 at 12:45

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I use AutoBrite Jaffa Clean to clean, degrease and protect the engine bay and top the protection with some 303 Aerospace Protectant.

The Jaffa Clean is a U.K. company. You buy it in a half litre bottle and then dilute it down to 5:1 for engines, door shuts and hinges, under bonnets, etc...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:48

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Hmmm, should look into the vacuum. There might be a place I can rent a pressure washer here...

Sovande > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:48

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Cool, thanks for the info!

Svend > chaozbandit 03/15/2018 at 12:50

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I like a driveway, but I’d love a double garage to work in.

chaozbandit > Svend 03/15/2018 at 12:51

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We can’t all be Larry from Ammo NYC.

Svend > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 03/15/2018 at 12:53

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The cost of renting would make buying a pressure washer more conducive to be honest.

Look at pressure washers with metal water pumps. Some smaller ones use plastic which needs a little extra care.

Svend > Sovande 03/15/2018 at 12:53

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No worries.

it’s ruddy good stuff.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Svend 03/15/2018 at 13:14

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Thanks for the tip!

Alex B > Svend 03/15/2018 at 17:39

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How do you go about cleaning the door jambs?

Svend > Alex B 03/15/2018 at 17:50

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I use the same thing for door shuts and door hinges.

AutoBrite Jaffa Clean, spray on area, agitate with a brush and pressure rinse.

I don’t or nor sure if it’s available in the U.S. but it’s a great cleaner, degreaser and protectant in one.

The guy in the video below is using about three times what I would have and he didn’t agitate. He’d of got the same results using a third of what he used and a detailing brush.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Svend 03/15/2018 at 19:00

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It’s interesting to watch your work.

In many cities and towns here in Oz it is either frowned upon or just plain illegal to wash a car in the street. It must be done on a permeable surface so as to prevent all that chemistry and dirty water from getting into the stormwater system and polluting waterways. Detailing shops must have wastewater management systems that divert their wash bays into the sewer.

The other fun thing is that where I live now I can’t even wash my car (unless it is with reclaimed water or captured rain water) due to Level 6 water restrictions - no outside water use. So both cars are rather untidy on the outside!

Svend > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 03/15/2018 at 19:35

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As a ‘regular joe’, doing their own or friends cars there is no restriction for me (there are in some places where the water run off goes directly into the river, etc... ). If I was doing it on the street as a business either at my own house or a customers, then most authorities require a wash mat be put down and the waste water collected (but if it was on there driveway being done as a business or not you can do what you want).

If it was a business at a registered business unit the water should be collected and filtered before being washed away but even then many large businesses don’t even need to do that and can wash a vehicle right outside their unit.

In the U.K. most drains go into a sewer system where it goes for treatment so it’s not a great issue. But you can get eco car washes too.

Svend > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 03/15/2018 at 20:07

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When I was a ‘sponge monkey’ when I first left school (all those years ago).

We used to get 30 minutes for a ‘re-clean’ (car that had been done in the last month that hadn’t left the forecourt other than the couple of test drives),

One hour for a full clean (car that had been out a few times and had visible signs of dirt) and

Two hours for a ‘full valet’ (what we call detailing over here, (the use of the term detailing is used when going further into detail, sort of like the difference between cooking in a cafe to cooking in a four/five star restaurant).

In a seven and a half hour day we were expected to do four full valets a day or seven full cleans.

I hated that place.

I’ve been asked several times to work for dealerships to prestige marque companies such as Amari Supercars in Preston to someone starting up a business on my behalf and me to doing the car stuff and they handle the finances with no money required from me. But I like it just the way it is.

https://www.amarisupercars.com/

The Compromiser > Svend 03/15/2018 at 20:27

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Dammit....I’m putting a snorkel and float kit on the Charger. Should be there in a few weeks with it. Might be a bit damp...

Svend > The Compromiser 03/15/2018 at 20:44

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?

Should be there in a few weeks with it. Might be a bit damp...

The Compromiser > Svend 03/15/2018 at 20:51

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I’m coming to get it cleaned. I live in Canada. Big puddle between.

Svend > The Compromiser 03/15/2018 at 20:55

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Lol. Now I’m with you.

I thought I missed something which would be no surprise, I’m on my last glass of a nice bottle of Sancerre.

Might be easier for me to come to you though.

The Compromiser > Svend 03/15/2018 at 21:40

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Easier? Yes. Excessively complicated, wasteful, and hair brained? Not at all.

Svend > The Compromiser 03/15/2018 at 21:47

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Not at all.

I feel these words mean different things to each of us. ;)