Hello there, I've been in the greater Chicagoland area for about a year and half now and would like to resume detailing cars on the side once again. I'm very passionate about cars in general and real particular about how they look, its more of a "labor of love" for me than anything. From 2001-2007 I did cars on the side and really enjoyed it but "life happened", got divorced, moved around a bit and now I'm here in Chicago and I'm ready to get back into it. Although I don't have my own place to the work right now I'm more than willing to travel to your location, within reason that is and show you what I can do. I take great pride in my work, period!

Speaking of my work, its accomplished using the Griots Garage random orbital and let me tell you this, this machine produces the results with NO chance of hurting the paint. I tape off what I need to and have quality products at my disposal:

-CLAY BARRING IS A MUST BEFORE DOING ANYTHING, PERIOD!

-Griots machine polish #2 (for those more abused finishes and/or red or black)
-Griots machine polish #3 (their most popular polish, used to follow up #2 in extreme cases)
-Griots caranuba stick (33% caranuba content, longer life)
-Griots Best of Show (23% caranuba content, great results and life)
-Griots One-Step Sealant (polish and protection in one application, great if on a budget or looking to sell a car right away and don't need as much protection, your choice)

-Klasse All in One (kinda like Griots One Step Sealant)
-Klasse Sealant Glaze (the most durable protection I have, acrylic product)

The Klasse SG I prefer to hand apply or could wheel on if you'd like. This product goes on so thin that it doesn't really matter which way you do it to be honest. Its not a stand alone product though, must be applied to finish previous steps. Most cars would more than likely need the following process to achieve great results:

-good hand carwash
-clay bar
-Griots machine polish #3
-Griots Best of Show/caranuba stick or Klasse SG.

The finishing step I give you 3 options depending upon your level of expections, how you use your car, where you keep it (outside or garage kept), etc. I've found that caranuba gives black or red cars a much deeper look and Klasse SG gives it more "pop", aka clarity. I'm not saying Klasse SG is going to look bad on black or red compared to caranuba but because its acrylic its not going to be able to produce the same finish, its comparing apples and oranges.

The above exterior package (4 complete steps) would cost you $125.00. Now, if I need to work the paint with machine polish #2 and follow it up with #3, that would be an extra $25.00 or more, depending on the size of the vehicle. Also, how many times I need to go over it would contribute to the price too. For the hell of it a couple weeks ago, I did my g/f's Dad's weathered 97' Blazer but only the d/s quarter panel. Its red, scratched up and never taken care of. What I did there was clay the section, hit it twice with machine polish #2, then twice with #3, then once with One Step sealant (a bit of polish and protection) and finished with Griots Best of Show. Came out like a mirror except one mark that looks like he drove in the backwoods during fishing season and had a good sized branch just scratch the hell out of it but I couldn't believe how it came out. In the most extreme case it would cost you about $200.00 and yeah, that's not cheap but its also alot of work too. The average exterior refinishing/refurbishing should take me about 4-6 hours, maybe more. Because of the wheel I have its very safe and effective, so I can go over and over a section without hurting the paint but working in the product at the same time. Its said that going up and down and sideways making a box is the method, repeating that twice, I ususally go twice that and if its really bad, well, when I'm done it looks great

Here's that Blazer, sorry no "before and after" pics, just got excited to go out there and give it a go on this particular car but trust me, the red was a mess along with the rest of the section.


I'm 41 years old and have been into keeping my cars up for over half my life and I eat, sleep and drink cars and really care about cars, probably more than most of the other owners do and its their car So, if your lookin' for someone to bring back that finish to your Fit or another car, give me a try, you'll not be disappointed. A final price can be set once I know what I'm up against and how far I have to travel, don't worry, I'm not going to go crazy with the travel expense rolled into the final price, I'm very fair and happy to get the extra side work.

Pics of my own car can be found here on the site and I use my own car as my "calling card" but pics don't do the car justice and on the flip side, pics can be decieving, this I know but I can tell you this, I DO GOOD WORK

Post here or drop me a PM, thanks!

 

41 views and no bites yet

 

not even a single bump... what's wrong with the lurkers on this forum

good luck, dude. detailing is serious business.. an art form, imo lol. do you have any detail threads on this or other forums that you can share?

 

Looks like a great price for the Chicago area.

 

I comment on threads pertaining to detailing and have my own car as my "calling card", IMO its the best proof to show how you are with cars.

Your right about it being serious and an art form and I look at it as being therapy too. I just turn on the cd player with a couple good cd's in there and go to town. I would probably spend about 6 hrs on a Fit persay. Its very relaxing to me, sure its work, alot of work sometimes but the end result and the customer being happy are all worth it

 

Here are a couple pics of car's I've done recently, starting with the most recent, my buddy's wifes CX-7 that has never seen a wheel in the 4+ years she's owned it, just a wax job twice a year and its been garage kept atleast. I clayed, machine polish #2 and hand applied Klasse SG to achieve this glow!
img1306795053035.jpg?t=1307212672

This one is my g/f's Mazda 6, with its new rims and I detailed this one fully about 2 monthes ago. This car took alot more work to make nice, check out my clay bar....THIS IS FROM DOING JUST HALF THE HOOD!


On with the initial results of that detail...




Yes, yes, I know I missed a spot above the tails, I was in a little rush to get the hell out of the garage, its was almost 90 that day




"Weapons of mass reflection"




...oh yeah, a couple monthes later with some new rims, much better than stock, although I had custom decals made for the centercaps to keep it lookin' somewhat stock
img1306802748493.jpg?t=1307212638

I clayed, machine polished #2 and used the wheel to apply Klasse SG. Next time around I'm going to use the Griots One-Step Sealant and follow it up with some caranuba to see how that goes, either way, that cranberry POPS!

 

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When I am in a position to do so, I'll have to have you swing by!

The laser is a lost cause lol but the Fit could use some clay bar love.

 

You should try some other forums too. No offense to fit freak but this Chicago section hasn't really gotten of the ground quite yet.

 

Yeah I know, I'm on JDM Chicago with one post and don't wanna look like I'm some tool just tryin' to make money w/o any cred, you know. I've been on FF for over a year now and it looks like I'm here to stay for a while. I love to detail cars, especially the outside with this new Griots Garage random orbital, its really a great tool that produces the results one would expect.

DSM, I'll be ready when you are but what kind of shape is that soft, black Honda paint in? I'm thinking you'll need the full detal on that paint, hand wash, clay bar, machine polish #2 followed up by #3 and a finishing product TBD by you and I

If you want/need my cellphone number drop me a PM.

As far as this forum taking off, well, we've got some action in here now, don't we

 

You're going to have a lot of competition, there are some great detailers in the Chi. If you can get some good before/afters you may have a chance; but you're going to need to establish yourself

 

A couple years of snow brushes and inconsiderate co-workers have taken a bit of a toll on the poor girl.

It may require the full 9 yards.

 

I'm sure there are and they charge accordingly but your right, before and after pics are key I know this from years on car forums and pics, they don't tell the whole story but do help. IMO what really helps out is the actual customer and what they have to say and show everyone but this forum doesn't get alot of traffic so I'm hoping to impress one customer at a time and get the word out like that. I don't have super bright halogen lights to show detailed "before and after" pics, nor do I have a great photographer to take those "before and after" pics either. I'm kinda "old school" that way and I'll let me work speak for itself. I will say this though, I have NO experience with wet sanding, so if the car's at that point I'm not sure I can help out there but I'll give anything a shot to make you happy.

I haven't spoken about the inside yet and I'm not opposed to doing that either, I have products to do the inside as well. My methods there are old school for sure, no carpet extractor for badly stained carpets and/or mats but I can clean up the interior nicely, especially leather, my Griots leather conditioner is awesome Adding an interior detail will add to the exterior detail ofcoarse and I feel my prices would be competive to a shops for sure. I can get into the interior just like the outside but if looks like a bomb went off, well, I can only do what I can with what I have. Good ol' elblow grease goes a long way when combined with products designed specifically for cleaning carpets.

 

Well may I suggest this then DSM, hand wash, clay bar, machine polish #2 and 3 and either Griots caranuba stick or Klasse sealant glaze depending upon your needs and wants. This would be $125 but I could use caranuba and put a coat of Klasse SG ontop of that for an extra $25.00. Let me know when your ready DSM and we'll set something up for a day of detailing

 

where in Chicago are you? I'm in Wisconsin and have a 2011 crz that needs some love. the paint on these cars is horrible

 

I live in Woodridge, basically the southwestern suburbs of Chicago and I wouldn't mind a roadie up there, how far of a drive is it so I can price this fairly When you say the paint is "HORRIBLE" what do you mean exactly?

WOW! I'm getting bites from out of towners, DSM is the only local guy looking to have his ride done by me but I guess you gotta start out small in a new town. Don't take it that your rides or "small time" to me, whatever I'm working on is the most important thing in the world to me at that time, well, almost but I do have 2 kids

Post here or drop me a PM if your more comfortable with that, thanks!

 

I shouldn't say horrible. just very thin. and being a white pearl you see everything. you could either come here or I could come to you either way. I'm right on the wi/il border.

 

If I hadn't just bought an Adam's detailing kit, I would be knocking on your front door. Started claying my car the other day, and it takes lots of time and patience, but the results are worth it.

 

Here's the 2nd detail of my g/f's 6 but this time I used machine polish #2 and the Griots caranuba stick!

Kinda later in the day last Sat because I was doing my buddy's MS3, a 9 hour detailing day between the 2 cars but well worth it!




The previously mentioned MS3, never been wheeled out!




4th of July weekend back home at my other best friends house I detailed his wife's Saab wagon.








I will be getting my Groit's 3" random orbital machine tomorrow, making bumpers, railing area above the doors and hatches easier to do! I also got new microfibers too, not that the old ones were bad but its time to freshen up a bit, the old ones will be used for use with quick detailer sprays. I ofcoarse ordered a 3 pack of new orange/red pads to go along with the 3" machine as well as 2 new 6" orange pads for the larger machine. I'm ready to go guys/gals

Oh yeah, close up of the Mazda 6, sorry for the lighting but as you can see its one of those yellowish energy saving bulbs and gives the paint a gold-pearl effect as you can see in the above pics as well as the ones on the other page, its cranberry color.


Also, here's my own car, about 2 monthes on the current detail.
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I have now added Zaino to my arsenal:

-Zaino Clear Seal
-Zaino Z-5 pro
-Zaino ZFX

...mainstays:

Klasse Sealant Glaze

Griot's clay bar
Griot's One-Step Sealant
Griot's Best of Show
Griot's caranuba stick

Griot's Garage random orbital machine w/ orange and red pads for superior results. Summer is ending, fall is around the corner so now is the perfect time to get ready for that "white stuff"

4 coats of Zaino Clear Seal, staggering results!!!
















The results produced by the Zaino "topper" is amazing (Z-CS) It can be used as a stand alone product but what your looking at is a combo of older Griots Best of Show, then some Griot's caranuba stick, later a coat of Klasse SG and 4x's Z-CS, a "sandwich" of all of my products. Fall is right around the corner, get that daily driver ready for winter and/or that "toy" treated and put away!