Any suggestions for good car detailers in the Pasadena/Glendale/Burbank area? Willing to go a little farther into the “valley” but preferably not past the 405.
How did everything turn out? Pics?
That has to be one of the most intimidating sites ever.
I don’t even know where to start.
Do you all really spend this much money detailing your cars and putting ceramic coats on them if they’re leased?
I usually go for a midrange approach with some of the paint sealants I can apply myself (opticoat/optiseal). More expensive/effort than just a quick wash, but I personally wouldn’t spend the money on a lease to do a full color correction and them ceramic coating.
If you take your car to a carwash tell them to not put tire shine on the tires. It helps to keep the wheels clean. Also certain type of brake pads reduce the brake dust.
1 Like
Still on the to-do list.
Ya know, you can invest about ~$200 and get yourself a nice DA polisher, some cutting pads and a few products like polish and coating (ceramic coating or carnauba wax) . Very easy to do that all yourself and that initial investment will pay dividends forever .
I won’t go into it but plenty of YouTube videos showing how to properly wash a car, clay it and machine polish your car. I think you would need to be brain dead to not be able to add a final topping like wax to your car .
Good luck 
I’ve accepted the shiny tire/clean wheel tradeoff on other vehicles.
I guess I’ve never had a car that produces (or at least accumulates) this much dust.
I’ll file away the brake pad idea for when those need to be replaced. Thank you.
1 Like
It’s prime day and I see sales on kits from chemical guys. Would that be ok too? Anything I should make sure the kit has?
For example this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1MGNGC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_4KN78DSZ7VHZ2DJ422KS
Chemical guys makes solid stuff. The honeydew wash smells great and is super foamy.
You will want at least another bucket and grit guard and a second wash mitt (can get cheaper extra buckets from Home Depot).
And a big drying towel. Something like this:
Deal of the day for Prime Members: Chemical Guys MIC_1995 Woolly Mammoth Microfiber Dryer Towel (25 in. x 36 in.),Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042Z0LEO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XD168C0BSHS15BAQFDNM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I ended up getting a one bucket kit with onr. Researched online and lots of folks agreed you don’t need two buckets for it and it’ll save time.
Pretty excited to try it. I don’t have a wax or sealant or anything for wheels but I figured I’d start with this or I’d never move forward if I had to buy everything at once.
I’d always do a two bucket, especially because buckets are cheap.
One for clean one for dirty, otherwise you are putting the dirt back on the car. And risking scratches.
Watch guys like ammo nyc, chemical guys and a few others. They have excellent YouTube videos showing detailing and while they have products and services to shill, they still also offer sound advice that normal people can do at home. Ive yet to see one detailer suggest a one bucket method is better, or that there isn’t a benefit to the two bucket one, especially considering it can be done for like ten bucks. Or less.
1 Like
Is there a specific reason for going with ONR ie no rinse? Clearly it’s not freezing cold weather. Do you park in an urban garage with no access to water to rinse the car off after washing it?
Onr is super easy, works really well, and is much faster that using a hose.
A few reasons:
- The Bay Area of CA has a drought right now. They already sent some notices out about reducing water usage. People up here also are…judgy. I’d love to do a foam gun and have a big old water party but I am scared of the looks I’d get.
- I wanted simplicity. I was having anxiety reading all the different options. When you sent that link I still couldn’t figure out which to go with. Then I saw onr on that page and was like ok this could be an easy way to start.
- I wanted to save time. A lot of the pros talked about how much time they saved with onr and one bucket and how it pulled dirt away. I’ve got young kids and a dog who needs walking and coworkers who don’t respect wlb and email on weekends and thought hey that’s not bad.
- the reviews on onr were really really good. Without spending a ton of cash you get great results.
I figured I would do onr and maybe once a year or however often pay for $130 for someone to claybar, do iron decontam etc too. I don’t know if I need a wax or if I can do optiseal but maybe i get that next.
Honestly I just wanted to start somewhere and this didn’t seem bad?
1 Like
I’ve been an optimum product user for years. I’m a big fan.
Good to know!
Today I did another wash. Assuming no bird poop or tar, I can be done in 15 minutes now. The results are fantastic, no swirls, quick dry, no residue etc. Then I spend another 10 minutes cleaning up whatever my kids threw in the back and it looks socially acceptable again.
Three caveats:
- not sure what to do with wheels. I really just want the rims clean fast and without too much effort/cost.
- i haven’t applied wax, just a wash. Considering doing hyperseal to dry it with.
- not sure what to do when there is tar or poop. I don’t know if a regular soap is just better at that. It takes significantly longer once that happens.
In sum I recommend onr to save time. I just need to figure out those last three questions and then I’m solid.
1 Like
How much crap do you want to buy?
A pressure washer and a brush will help a lot with the rims. Air dry it and some tire shine or rubber cleaner will finish that.
Wax is a personal thing. I think any spray wax is good enough for a casual car washer. It will help with water spots.
. Spot treat with dish washing soap in a spray bottle. Then pressure wash (don’t go crazy). The proper way is to clay bar but that’s time consuming lol.
Hyperseal is my go to. Spritz it on while you’re drying.
There also is an all in one onr with wax.