First customer--pics!

Beach15

New member
It took me all day, and I mean ALL DAY, but I got the 2000 Buick Century done. All I can say, is thank god it was beige! The owner has never "washed" it since it was new, telling me that she never really liked the car that much, so she didn't want to take any time keeping it up. It was run through a few carwashes each year though (but not anything else).



Luckily, I got just about everything off using Dawn and a lot of elbow grease. The only things I couldn't remove was a few tar spots that just would not come off with anything I used (the wash mixture or some Klasse AIO). What should I have used? The Sand metallic paint was still glossy, but very coarse to the touch. Three coats of AIO and one of Platinum made the shine a lot better and the paint felt smoother, but still wasn't slick. Things easily slid off the paint though.



As you can imagine, a lot of brake dust can accumulate over almost three years! I've never seen water in that many colors when I was rinsing the wheel cleaner off! Yuck! That, and a wheel brush came in handy, and the wheels looked new after I was done. Did the wheels, paint, windows, carpets, seats, dash, etc., etc. All in all, a lot of work, and it took from 8:30 in the morning until a few minutes after 4:00 this afternoon, with no breaks! Am I ever tired!



But, returning the car to her, she couldn't stop smiling, and even paid me more than I had told her it would be--a good thing, because I couldn't have charged her enough for all the work it took!



Now, with it being beige, you can't exactly tell much from pics, but there still is a difference between before and after. Take a look! (before 1-4, after Dawn wash 5, After 6-9):



Detailed Buick
 
Clay. I need some clay. If I had some, the paint would have been a lot better, but I still haven't bought any, because all there is around here is the Mother's kit at Wal*Mart for $13. I'd like to get to an AutoZone and check out the clay-magic, but we never go that way. Hey, I have a question, clay lube can be found just about everywhere cheap, but what about just clay bars themselves? Is there any place you can just buy the clay by itself, whether single or in a pack?
 
Clay Magic can be bought in a 200 g bar by itself. I got one. And the Mother's bars can be bought in a 3 pack directly from Mother's. You can PM forrest for the details.
 
Looks good!! I'm sure the owner was very happy.



Re: clay - use what you can get. The Mother's clay isn't bad and will do the job you need it to. The differences between clay are rather minor; there are only 2-3 mfr's of detailing clay out there so most mfr's use the same stuff.



Or you could always patronize one of Autopia's sponsors and order some. By the time you figure out what clay to buy from what store and when you are going to drive there and get it, you could have some clay shipped to you. It's an easy product to use and something you should have in your inventory.
 
bretfraz said:
Looks good!! I'm sure the owner was very happy.



Re: clay - use what you can get. The Mother's clay isn't bad and will do the job you need it to. The differences between clay are rather minor; there are only 2-3 mfr's of detailing clay out there so most mfr's use the same stuff.



Or you could always patronize one of Autopia's sponsors and order some. By the time you figure out what clay to buy from what store and when you are going to drive there and get it, you could have some clay shipped to you. It's an easy product to use and something you should have in your inventory.



:xyxthumbs
 
Hey Beach, where do you live at? Looks and sounds like Rehobeth/Dewey area. I go down there a few times a year. I love the Rusty Rudder.
 
Nice job....looks much better! As for the Mother's clay...don't hesitate to use it as it really is fine (at least that is my opinion). I've used the Griot's and the Mother's clay and personally I'll take the Mother's clay any day of the week, epecially given the price. My truck's paint is less than a year old so the Mother's clay does a fine job for me.
 
Good to know, I think I'm going to buy the Mother's Clay Kit tonight at Wal*Mart. It's $13 there, so not that expensive. Can't wait to see the results!
 
I swear I just read a reply from Beach to me. Now it has disappeared! Hmmm, strange!



I'll reply to the missing post...



I'm from the Reading, PA area. I usually stay in OCMD, but go up to Dewey if there's a decent band playing there. I've stayed in Rehobeth a few times, as well as Bethany. That's so cool that your family moved there. I'd love to live there. I'm sure the tourists get annoying though during the summer.
 
Yeah, I deleted it and PM'd you instead. Don't ask me why, just a moment of insanity I guess...



We do really enjoy living here, and since we were once tourists, they don't really get on our nerves. Maybe the traffic does, but not much else. But, with us now living at one of our family's most popular vaction destinations, we occasionally offer free room and board to relatives for a day or so when they come down! Oh well, I guess we should have expected it!



Reading? That sounds fairly common, as most people who come here are from the southeastern Pennsylvania area.



Now, back to working on my detailing business...!
 
gah! gee that car looks familiar..... my wife's is 98% identical (hers has painted rims and an all chrome grille instead of the black SE package one with aluminum rims)



and the "before" condition was about what hers was like before we got it (it was my mom's previously - she doesnt understand about car care)...... but lemme tell ya - by the end of the week those rims are gonna be just as nasty as they were when you started. Buick brake pads are THE WORST hands down for brake dust...... I've never in my life seen any quite that bad. Also those tires will "grey out" rather quick - the General Ameri-* G4S don't like tire dressing, holds about a week max thoroughly, then it fades all at once.



Nice job with it - I'll be surprised if the car beads water well when it rains - Lord knows ours won't to save its ungodly life! (cant ya tell I don't like buicks?) :xyxthumbs :wavey
 
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