Seriously, let's have this out. (Detailing/Valeting)

PardonTheWait · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:12

1) Who the **** decided it was suddenly called detailing?

2) Why do you think it's different to valeting?

3) Why do people pay so much money for it?

4) Why do people think they can tell the difference when they've had microns shaved off the top of their paint?

5) What's wrong with saying 'I polished my car'.. isn't it good enough? Do you feel big and clever when you say detailed?

My mum doesn't detail our house, she cleans it.

I don't detail my nuts in the shower, I wash them.

I don't get up every morning and detail my teeth, even though it involves using specially formulated abrasive compounds and specialist tools.

All of you, shush! You sound stupid!

Seriously, explain yourselves.

Glaucus · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:14

Way to make yourself look stupid, why don't you go read what each involves and there results.

as waxing brings a shine up

Detailing removes defects in the paint work, scratches ect. that make the paint work look dull and lifeless.

Valeting and detailing are completely diffrent.

PardonTheWait · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:17

AcidHell2 said:
Detailing removes defects in the paint work, scratches ect. that make the paint work look dull and lifeless.

polishing removes defects in the paintwork. Even if you use a machine, you're still polishing the car. You're applying polish and rubbing it in. Polishing.

Where did the word detailing start to mean polishing?

It always used to mean.. the details. In a vintage car, the period bits, the pinstriping, the small touches, the DETAILS.

Not polishing.

AcidHell2 said:
Valeting and detailing are completely diffrent.

I contest that statement.

The only difference is the price.

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:17

Mohinder said:
1) Who the **** decided it was suddenly called detailing?

It's always been called detailing.

3) Why do people pay so much money for it?

Becuase, done properly, it can have the same cosmetic effect on a cars performance as a full respray for a fraction of the cost.

4) Why do people think they can tell the difference when they've had microns shaved off the top of their paint?

The paint is measured to tell if its safe to cut back a layer of the paint to remove scratches and defects. Otherwise you might accidently cut back to the metal.

5) What's wrong with saying 'I polished my car'.. isn't it good enough? Do you feel big and clever when you say detailed?

Polishing your car takes an hour. Detailing takes all day, or sometimes several days.

My mum doesn't detail our house, she cleans it.

Thats good.

Glaucus · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:19

Mohinder said:
polishing removes defects in the paintwork. Even if you use a machine, you're still polishing the car. You're applying polish and rubbing it in. Polishing.

Where did the word detailing start to mean polishing?

It always used to mean.. the details. In a vintage car, the period bits, the pinstriping, the small touches, the DETAILS.

Not polishing.

I contest that statement.

The only difference is the price.

look at a normal wax under a large flash camera and it still has loads of marks in the paintwork, detailing actually removes these marks.

Gibbo · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:19

Hi there

A standard valet consist of a monkey washing your car with a bucket and sponge and then hoovering your car. The end result your paint work gets further swirled but for most people they don't notice and don't care by the fact they had it valeted in the first place.

A detail can involve proper paint preparation, paint correction and then a proper sealant/wax applied to not only aid the car in preventing dirt but making it easier to clean too. The end result is swirl free paintwork and an unbeatable lasting shine.

A valet can be done in 30 minutes.
A detail involving paint correction can take 6-12 hours.

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:20

It amazes me how little people care about swirl marks. Brand new cars and approved used cars sitting nice and clean on forecourts, in the sun, covered in swirls.

And nobody seems to mind :confused:

They look awful!

Gibbo · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:22

[TW]Fox said:
It amazes me how little people care about swirl marks. Brand new cars and approved used cars sitting nice and clean on forecourts, in the sun, covered in swirls.

And nobody seems to mind They look awful!

Hi there

Cannot agree more. The Corvette dealer was in shock when I told them the paintwork was in a right state on a Z06. I then showed him my Mustang he was like ah yeah that does look good. Basically it made great bartering because I told him a proper detail cost over £1000 and as such it helped reducing the price by 1k should I buy one. Obviously it does not cost £1000 or not from the guy I use anyway but it still is a good bartering tool when buying a car, especially from a dealer.

Liverpool-Lad · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:22

Try getting this paint correction and shine with some cheap polish and an old t shirt

GT3 · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:22

I really wish I could be arsed to do my car properly. I've bought a shed load of megs kit and I haven't even used any of it. Infact in the 6 months I've had my car I've washed it twice. :rolleyes:

PardonTheWait · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:24

Gibbo said:
Hi there

A standard valet consist of a monkey washing your car with a bucket and sponge and then hoovering your car. The end result your paint work gets further swirled but for most people they don't notice and don't care by the fact they had it valeted in the first place.

A detail can involve proper paint preparation, paint correction and then a proper sealant/wax applied to not only aid the car in preventing dirt but making it easier to clean too. The end result is swirl free paintwork and an unbeatable lasting shine.

A valet can be done in 30 minutes.
A detail involving paint correction can take 6-12 hours.

So by that logic, all the second dude is doing is washing and valeting your car and doing a bloody good job of it.

I really want to know where this word appeared from - nobody used to say it until recently. It just didn't exist, and then suddenly it does exist and everyone's doing it.

What did they do before? Cleaned their cars.... What do they do now? Detail them? No, they're still cleaning them :/

BUT ok I'll give you the 6-12 hours thing, call that what you like.

But there's been several people on this very forum in the recentish past mentioning 'detailing' their cars when all they've actually done is wash and claybar them... I just don't get the whole thing.

It's a rubbish word and when I'm Prime Minister I'm going to ban it unless someone has spent upwards of 27 hours on the car!

nutcase · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:25

Detailing is something Americans have wasted their time with for years, and now for some reason is becoming more popular over here. No idea why.

PardonTheWait · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:26

Liverpool-Lad said:
Try getting this paint correction and shine with some cheap polish and an old t shirt

Ok, what was done to that?

It was polished. I don't care what kit you used, it got polished.

WTF does detailed even mean? IT NEVER HAD A TAIL!

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:26

Why don't you try looking in an English Dictionary, Mohinder? It often helps when one is confused as to the meaning of a word.

I've done it for you:

de·tail

..
A minute or thorough treatment
..

tr.v. (dĭ-tāl') de·tailed, de·tail·ing, de·tails

To clean (a car interior, for example) meticulously.

Liverpool-Lad · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:27

The word probably appeared from the states Im guessing. It seems its getting more public attention too so we are seeing products like clay bars (which probably hardly anyone had heard of until a few years ago) and it seems to be taking off in the UK for many businesses for car owners who want more than a quick wash.

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:27

nutcase_1uk said:
Detailing is something Americans have wasted their time with for years, and now for some reason is becoming more popular over here. No idea why.

Becuase pristine, shiney and immaculate cars look great and tatty swirlmarked sheds look rubbish.

Attention is paid to every last DETAIL. Thus, it's DETAILING.

Liverpool-Lad · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:29

Mohinder said:
Ok, what was done to that?

It was polished. I don't care what kit you used, it got polished.

WTF does detailed even mean? IT NEVER HAD A TAIL!

I didnt do the detail. It was done by a pro company in Scotland and finished with some very expensive wax as a competition prize.

Hopefully this can ilustrate it better - you would not be able to remove these swirl marks by hand, well you could with the right products and applicators however it would take days and days.

Before

After

Glaucus · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:29

[TW]Fox said:
Becuase pristine, shiney and immaculate cars look great and tatty swirlmarked sheds look rubbish.

Attention is paid to every last DETAIL. Thus, it's DETAILING.

exactly, detailing, also includes paint correction and scratch repair (if you have any)

PardonTheWait · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:30

I contest that 'detailing' is just a way to shaft stupid people for money, and a perfect way to waste a day you could have spent driving, to attain a finish that you won't be able to see while you're driving, and that will last only weeks or months.

I think you are all silly sausages.

[TW]Fox · 22 Jul 2007 at 19:31

Mohinder said:
I contest that 'detailing' is just a way to shaft stupid people for money, and a perfect way to waste a day you could have spent driving, to attain a finish that you won't be able to see while you're driving,

But you can see it when its parked up. Some of us admire the way our cars look and ENJOY keeping them in immaculate condition. It's part of the fun of ownership.

If cars were PURELY for driving, why would anyone spend money on styling?

and that will last only weeks or months.

So then we do it again.