What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[DFB5.0]

Forgive my 2c...I'll wager it might drive you nuts if it's sausage-machine cursory washing and vacuuming filthy cars using big box store products to essentially a sub par standard due to the realities of the business model, including working to push-pull service department and customer timeframes. That would fracture any self respecting OCD person's sense of humour. I'm sure they'd be very happy to have you because you'd do a brilliant job and probably pay half what it's really worth. An option might be to establish a business that works with the dealership for those folks who want a detail you'd be happy to do but then they're taking a cut for use of the premises when you could be doing it from home with all the gear to hand.

What you can bring deserves commensurate reward. FWIW there might be a balance to be found between reducing hours with the current stuff and doing more paid detailing from home to see how it goes.

Not telling you how to suck eggs but there's a potential pitfall to making your distractions your work along the lines of 'never make your hobbies your work' and 'never meet your heroes'.. Essentially, things that we once looked to as pleasant distractions and yearned to do much more of can sometimes turn out to be less fulfilling than we expected when we can do them to the extent we dreamed. Not true for everyone nor in all cases of course!

All part of life's tapestry...ships are safe in the harbour etc...

I fully understand dealer detailing would not be for me, that would probably be the highest level of detailing drudgery and I know it would kill the magic for me. We sort of joked that they would have to call customers to tell them that the car was serviced, but the detailer won't be finished until the end of the week!

I really don't want to ruin my hobby, savior, the one thing that motivates me. Put it this way, I followed my gardening hobby as a teenager into a career and look where that lead me. I have so much horticultural knowledge and skill in my hands, but I am bored to tears and no prospect of advancing beyond raking leaves and pulling weeds.

Out of all the comments and subtle little "signs" that have come my way over the last couple of weeks, you are the only person who has said to "never make your hobbies your work", everyone else has been along the lines of "do what you love, and you'll never work another day in your life" sort of thing.

I'm so confused at the moment, the "do it" / "don't do it" was on high repeat today. Secure money vs mental relief.

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[FKE SNK]

I think you can if you do it right, if it's from the right angle anyway.

I'm the GM of a large volume dealership. I love rolling my sleeves up and prepping cars if we get overwhelmed and/or understaffed. However that situation comes in moderation and is up to me to prioritize. If I spent 40-50 hours per week in the wash bay I'd likely never want to step foot in my garage.

It sounds like you are getting a lot of signs that you are meant to do more. It's also clear you have a talent in horticulture and detailing. Have you thought about how you can share/train/coach to one of these with others? Inspire the type of work and attention to detail you possess. Imagine a team of DFB's! Just a reminder you already do this on the forums with this thread and others. How do you make it your day job? No seriously, how do you do that - everything I know about Australia comes from your posts and watching Bluey with my kids.

 

[DFB5.0]

I think you can if you do it right, if it's from the right angle anyway.

I'm the GM of a large volume dealership. I love rolling my sleeves up and prepping cars if we get overwhelmed and/or understaffed. However that situation comes in moderation and is up to me to prioritize. If I spent 40-50 hours per week in the wash bay I'd likely never want to step foot in my garage.

It sounds like you are getting a lot of signs that you are meant to do more. It's also clear you have a talent in horticulture and detailing. Have you thought about how you can share/train/coach to one of these with others? Inspire the type of work and attention to detail you possess. Imagine a team of DFB's! Just a reminder you already do this on the forums with this thread and others. How do you make it your day job? No seriously, how do you do that - everything I know about Australia comes from your posts and watching Bluey with my kids.

I love that aspect of you jumping in to lend a hand. As the GM, you have absolutely no obligation to do that, but I can tell you from here on the other side of the world that those employees will respect the hell out of you for that. They see you as a person rather than the guy who sits in the office all day shouting orders without a true understanding on what it takes to get the job done.

As another example, and Ford related, back in the early 2000's, the managing director of Ford Australia would insist on doing a day on the production line once a month. He knew that this gesture would benefit the whole company, making him more relatable to the workers, allowing him to see how the team worked and giving him a better outlook on what the workers needed to make cars efficiently and to a high standard. And it worked! His predecessors never did this, and ultimately, the company went downhill from that point.

I really like the idea of teaching or training, the chance to do so has been very limited over the years. Working in a very small family business, new employees are rare. When I do get the chance, I like to make sure that I show them how to do something.........but also why we are doing it. If you tell someone to do something, and not explain why, then that's the result you get, the job is done with no thought or care for the outcome. Explain the process, explain the importance of the task and what it does for the business, then you have just involved them and made them feel important or valued.

I have a lot to think about, not that I haven't already.

 

[DFB5.0]

Took advantage of a Supercheap Auto club member sale last week on a Bissell Spot Clean -

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p...olstery-cleaner/384355.html?cgid=club#start=1

I had one of these on the "one day" list, with a $81 discount, I thought now was good as any to pick one up.

This wont get much, if any use on my cars. For the occasional paid detail where the carpet mats are beyond what I can achieve with a brush, Tornador and vacuum, this machine will come in handy. Of course, it could also be used inside the house, but I have no interest in doing that. :lol

I'm sure there are better machines, but for what I will be doing, it'll do fine.

 

[DFB5.0]

Two cars in line for a wash today, the Ranger and XR6.

The Ranger needed nothing more than a quick once over inside and out, today I was adamant in using soap instead of rinse less. Don't ask why, I just wanted to play with soap. In the Ranger's case, I used Angelwax Fast Foam. Wheels were cleaned with NV Snow, tyres scrubbed with Wise Guy. Drying aid was Shine Supply Punch It. I wiped the interior over with Nexzett and cleaned the glass with NV Clarity. Tyres were dressing in Turtle Wax Graphene.

Onto the XR6, which did some daily work last week after its service. And no, they didn't wash it! They did ruin my perfectly clean windscreen by testing the wipers though.

I decided to try the Turtle Wax tyre cleaner on these PS3's, as mentioned in the past, these really do resist all attempts at cleaning this side of the harsh Stoner's Tarminator.

I hate this product by the way! While no rubber cleaner is particularly pleasant smelling, this product is horrible and smells not unlike hair removal cream. A disgusting scent that lingers for hours. But did it manage to strip the tyres clean..........no. :doh For me, I still prefer to use P&S Undressed, Brake Buster or Shine Supply Wise Guy for this role.

Cleaning the wheels, I used Koch Chemie GSF teamed with the Ultra Utility Brush. I bought that brush because it was something new and didn't think I would have an actual use for it, but I really like it!

Sticking with GSF for the wash, I'm reminded again what a brilliant product this is. I try different soaps in vain, this is the real deal when it comes to slickness, scent and foam quality. If you don't want to set fire to money like I do trying new or different products, just get some GSF and be done with it!

Drying aid of choice on the XR6 was Bead Maker. I don't know what it is, but Bead Maker just works so well on this paint, offering no excessive buffing or phaffing around with two towels. It just suits the paint and colour so well that I think this is what I will stick with on this car.

The glass was cleaned with Invisible Glass, interior wiped down with Paint Gloss, wheels and engine bay wiped with more Bead Maker and the tyres dressed with the excellent Koch Chemie PSS.

Last product to be used was Bowden's Snow Job.........................:lol

Yep, this is the next bin cleaner. I just didn't love it, nor did I think it warranted continued use. If this is the only soap you ever used, I think you would be more than happy. But, there are so many better soaps out there for the same or less money. I still maintain that Gyeon Bathe is the best soap available from a big box retailer. And that's without contemplating excellent choices in the form of Koch Chemie GSF, Carpro Reset, NV Snow, Optimum Car Shampoo, Shine Supply Shift, Adam's Car Shampoo, Angelwax Fast Foam........................................................................................

 

[Bulutt]

Have you used or do you have an opinion on Gtechniq C2V3 spray?

 

[DFB5.0]

Have you used or do you have an opinion on Gtechniq C2V3 spray?

I have not used C2V3, or many Gtechniq products in general.

C2V3 is a silica-based product similar to Carpro Reload and Gyeon Cure, both of which I have used. Longevity can be anywhere between 3 to 8 months depending on preparation and vehicle usage. These products are suitable for all surfaces, including glass and rubber trim.

Speaking for Reload, the application is a simple spray and wipe process. Less is more with these products, over apply or spraying directly onto the panel can lead to a streaky finish. Spraying into the towel will simplify the process.

 

[DFB5.0]

Just following on from the above-mentioned silica spray sealants, Carpro have released a new version of Reload -



Reload 2.0 is said to offer improved gloss and water repellency, increased self-cleaning ability while also offering extended durability, up to 3-months on a daily driver. It can be used across all vehicle surfaces, including wheels and rubber trim. Reload can be a standalone sealant or a maintenance topper for a ceramic coating.

This product has been available elsewhere for a little while now but has only just been released in Australia. I have a bottle on the way for testing, finding a car that I can apply it to might be the problem.

Get CarPro ReLoad Spray Sealant | Waxit – Waxit Car Care

 

[DFB5.0]

These are normally blanked out, I have been stalked in the past so you can understand my reasons for doing so, but just once ok.................

These are my new number plates for the incoming S650 Mustang. I have something similar on the XR8 so it sorts of follows a theme. I now have the itch to put them on the Ranger and XR6 too for a full DFB fleet.

 

[GT 550]

Ok I think I got it...Da Ford Barn? Ahhhh no...ok Detailing For Brilliance...mmmmaybe not...can anyone (@everyone ) help please...

 

[DFB5.0]

Latest decal additions to the garage.................

Once upon a time, you would collect things like this at motor shows. Sadly, those are a thing of the past, at least in Australia. Redbubble to the rescue then.................

https://www.redbubble.com/?irclickid...artnerID=52256

 

[aham23]

I'm only on page 9 of this thread and have a full note pad of things to do and try. What a fantastic resource!

 

[GT 550]

Latest decal additions to the garage.................

PSA: The Coffee and Foam Guns sticker appears slightly skewed. It's just above the one that says 'OCD'.

 

[DFB5.0]

PSA: The Coffee and Foam Guns sticker appears slightly skewed. It's just above the one that says 'OCD'.

I knew you were going to say that!

 

[DFB5.0]

Two rinse-less washes today, giving me a change to use my new big-a.se measuring jug, appropriately decorated of course!

With rinse-less washing, your measurements need to be accurate to allow the chemical to perform as intended. Counting out 7-odd liters of water is both tiresome and potentially adds a layer of miscalculation into the mix if you get distracted. Of course, I could have just put a mark on my bucket, but that would be janky! :lol

So, enter this large 5-liter measuring jug.................

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/112496219138

Today I used N-914 on the Ranger to prep it for an application of a new product that I have been looking forward to for a while.

Carpro Reload was one of the original spray ceramic sealants and offered ceramic coating-like gloss, slickness and water behavior. Reload was designed as a protective layer for freshly applied coatings and as a maintenance product to extend the life of an existing coating. Over the years, despite a few minor updates, it's application and durability did come into question as newer and improved rivals emerged.

I used Reload as a stand-alone coating for a number of years, enjoying it's qualities and easy application. Keep in mind, my use of LSP's to that point had centered around paste or liquid waxes and sealants that really needed a certain degree of effort to apply. Durability was never an issue for me, mainly because of how my cars are used and stored, but also how simply reapplication was.

But, as the competition exploded, Carpro needed to update Reload to keep it relevant..............Reload 2.0 is the result, which was released in Australia mid February.

Get CarPro ReLoad Spray Sealant | Waxit – Waxit Car Care (AUS)
CARPRO Reload 2.0 500ml (17oz) *New* - Skys The Limit Car Care (carpro-us.com) (USA)

The main improvements centered around improving the application process and durability. Quoted longevity is up to 3-months on a daily driver, expect much longer on cars that are regularly topped with a drying aid. It can be applied to dry or damp surfaces, on paint, glass, un-painted plastic, rubber trim and wheels. Versatility is a big selling point then. I especially like the appearance Reload imparts on unpainted black plastic trims, subtle and rich.

Application of Reload 2.0 is simple; using two towels, prime the first towel with product and then apply a small amount directly to the paint, working section by section. Wipe with the damp towel, wait 30 seconds and then buff with the dry second towel. (I will note that I gave the car a wipe down with Eraser beforehand.)

From what I observed applying Reload 2.0 to my white Ranger, the newer version seemed to lack the somewhat streaky nature of the original and required far less buffing to perfect. The "glassy" gloss and slickness are Reloads hallmarks, as is the strong, although not unpleasant, chemical aroma.

Although this is not a final verdict on Reload 2.0, I still need to try it on a less forgiving colour, but I think the new version is sufficiently improved to warrant a second look. With two ceramic coated vehicles in circulation now, for me it's use will be greater than in the past couple of years.

After prioritising some seat time in the Mustang yesterday, clearing out a few cobwebs and burning plenty of 98-ron in the process, I wanted to wash the car before putting it back to sleep. P&S Absolute and Bead Maker to rescue. Even if you don't do rinse-less washing, just get some! The coconut-lime scent is so alluring, making it a great interior detailer, quick detailer or clay lubricant.

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