Stutopia Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Obviously these guys have a service to sell and they want to show the value they add over cheaper alternatives, so they'll be pointing out potential pitfalls of competitors. I don't really get going to see Mr Hand Job though. For 6 quid, and slightly less time, you could pressure washer on a petrol station forecourt and not drag someone else's dirt over your paint. Even if they rinse out cloths, sponges, mitts, towels in between washes, with those volumes they're not going to be replaced that often and will be full of grit/dirt. I chuck away MF towels after a few uses as they start to pick up all kinds of stuff. Say that constitutes 5 or 6 washes for me, for a volume trader that's maybe an hour or two of business. At those low margins, I'm not sure you could afford to chuck away towels at that frequency Anyway, I'm not saying people who use them are bad or lazy or anything untoward, you can do as you will with your own car, my neighbours no doubt think I'm mental when I rub her all over with a giant towel I just don't get why you'd go to them over a quick pressure wash. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 my neighbours no doubt think I'm mental when I rub her all over with a giant towel I think I took that to a whole new level today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I cannot wash my car in under an hour, fine if you have masses of time and daylight ! (Time is a huge problem - there is me - to do everything !) So, Rinse, wash, rinse, dry, including getting together everything I need to wash and pack away in my hour to be fair. Longer if I polish. :-) I have got into a habit of making Events/Show the places where I spend more time to do the extra's - Exhaust, Trims, Leather polish etc. What are you doing to be able to wash your car in minutes ?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veeg33 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! Same here, I always enjoy washing my zed but absolutely hate it when I start spotting new scratches on it and start cursing like a mad man! Almost every time I wash it! Not impressed but I had to wash it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I was sworn to secrecy .... I'll blame you then if I get caught washing their cars with a woolen mitt full of gravel don't shoot the messenger Ahem! . . . . have I missed something here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 don't worry ....... I wont tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wiltshire Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Walked past one of those guys washing a car in a car park while you shop.. The car was stinking and he was rubbing the sponge straight over the dirt without wetting the dirt or hosing it down!! Painful to watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14N Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 This whole thread started for me after a conversation I'd had with a detailer. I'd taken my diesel daily to have a hand job as SuperStu put it I park it on the road (Z gets the drive) in virtually the same spot. Anyway, as it typically does, it rained shortly after I'd had the hand job. I noticed once the rain had stopped and the road was wet, an oily, shiny, rainbow type film (you get what I mean) around the edge of the car - obvious that the rain had washed 'something' off it. Cue conversation with detailer and this thread. This also prompted a conversation with my mate at work, that has a few cars and uses the hand wash guys virtually weekly. "I've never had an issue with them" was his response and he's continued to use them. Until Last week when I had a text from him. "The f****** slaves (his words) have taken the paint off one of my wheels". #toldyaso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 The majority of the hand car washes here in Gloucester are run and staffed by Polish and Albanian personnel. They run around the car whether you are second or third in the queue, with tfr being traffic film remover, by the time you actually get to the wash position the tfr has baked on, especially if a warm day. The chrome takes a hammering and often ends up pitted, even the cars with plastic chrome ends up streaky in which cannot be removed. Ok if you are one of those people who never washes their own car themselves or only cleans it a handful of times a year then fine, but should your ride be your pride and joy, then you would never entertain these places or give them the time of day. Just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirag1988 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! ^^ Same. It only usually takes me around an hour to do my car inside & out each week, ...occasionally I spend longer prior to winter or if I was going to a show or something like that. Always cleaned my cars myself and also feel like it's a good work out of sorts too so helps keep me fit. How do you manage to do it in an hour mate? Usually takes me a few! I think the longest I've done is 6hrs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djb55 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 With a £6 hand job do you get a happy ending ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Edited April 12, 2015 by spursmaddave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martybhoy Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I'll admit to having took mine to some of these washes. However after giving the car a proper detail, it'll never go back. I'd rather the car sat dirty for an extra week than incorrectly wash it and smash all my hard work with the polisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The zed has n ever been to a hand job place while I have owned it.. it takes me about half hour to wash my car if I'm in a hurry.. I've come back from a days blasting around Wales, washed the car and made it to a static meet in the early evening. if your lucky enough to have everything in a convenient place it shouldn't take too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Oh and Dave.. I don't think you do.. not for 6 quid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! ^^ Same. It only usually takes me around an hour to do my car inside & out each week, ...occasionally I spend longer prior to winter or if I was going to a show or something like that. Always cleaned my cars myself and also feel like it's a good work out of sorts too so helps keep me fit. How do you manage to do it in an hour mate? Usually takes me a few! I think the longest I've done is 6hrs!! Because I work fast and also because it's not got that dirty in a week. Hoover inside (dash, floor mats etc occasionally using 3M leather wipes on seats & 3M wipes on interior). Jet wash, snow foam, jet wash, two bucket shampoo, jet wash, clean alloys & exhaust, dry entire car ~ job done. Maybe takes a shade over an hour when you take into an account getting the equipment out & putting it away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 It took me about 2 hours to clean the inside yesterday, i must be a slow coach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) I prefer to wash and polish myself. Just finished in fact😀 Edited April 12, 2015 by Piranha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 It took me about 2 hours to clean the inside yesterday, i must be a slow coach How dirty was it?! The worst I usually have is a couple of hairs & a twig or two. Think I might time everything next Friday just for fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 It took me about 2 hours to clean the inside yesterday, i must be a slow coach How dirty was it?! The worst I usually have is a couple of hairs & a twig or two. Think I might time everything next Friday just for fun. he's single .................... 'nuff said :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 We should make a championship out of it. The 350Z-UK National Car Cleaning Championships, or summat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 he's single .................... 'nuff said :lol: Whats that, whose this? How dirty was it?! The worst I usually have is a couple of hairs & a twig or two. Think I might time everything next Friday just for fun. It was pretty bad but i also waxed the seats washed door panels and all the windows! Thats my excuse anyway 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Problem is the compound price differential between the £150 for "proper" wash and £5 for the albanian scratching session. Over the course of three or so years it could cover a pre-sale respray with the cash saved in the interim! I think people don't half faff over detailing - 99% of the public couldn't tell and the other 1% probably couldn't give a monkey's. Particularly as the damn things are covered in muck and filth again 50 miles later. Depends what you want done. I charge £20 for a mini valet 'proper wash' which includes interior, £45 for a full valet and £100 for a full detail You certainly wouldn't want a full detail every 2 weeks! You'd have no paint left on a 350 in a month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirag1988 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! ^^ Same. It only usually takes me around an hour to do my car inside & out each week, ...occasionally I spend longer prior to winter or if I was going to a show or something like that. Always cleaned my cars myself and also feel like it's a good work out of sorts too so helps keep me fit. How do you manage to do it in an hour mate? Usually takes me a few! I think the longest I've done is 6hrs!! Because I work fast and also because it's not got that dirty in a week. Hoover inside (dash, floor mats etc occasionally using 3M leather wipes on seats & 3M wipes on interior). Jet wash, snow foam, jet wash, two bucket shampoo, jet wash, clean alloys & exhaust, dry entire car ~ job done. Maybe takes a shade over an hour when you take into an account getting the equipment out & putting it away. Took me 5hrs today! That was just the outside Rinse, snow foam, rinse, shampoo with two buckets, rinse, clay mitt, rinse, alloys, dry, poorboys black hole glaze, buff, autoglym hd wax, buff, polish exhaust tips, dress tyres, rain x windows - finished! Pic whoring time 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Problem is the compound price differential between the £150 for "proper" wash and £5 for the albanian scratching session. Over the course of three or so years it could cover a pre-sale respray with the cash saved in the interim! I think people don't half faff over detailing - 99% of the public couldn't tell and the other 1% probably couldn't give a monkey's. Particularly as the damn things are covered in muck and filth again 50 miles later. Depends what you want done. I charge £20 for a mini valet 'proper wash' which includes interior, £45 for a full valet and £100 for a full detail You certainly wouldn't want a full detail every 2 weeks! You'd have no paint left on a 350 in a month! It also depends on how you view the job. If it's not a chore, but actually something you enjoy, then it would be mad to pay someone else As for the 99%, you'd soon get bored doing it for everyone else to admire, rather than if you do it primarily for the looking after it. Once you're the chap with the clean car, randoms don't pay any attention. If you did it solely for pic whoring, you'd give up after a month. I'm not going to see The Shark for the next two weeks. Last thing I'll do before I go? Wash her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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