Recommendations for an exterior detailer in Minnesota?
- Thread starter Jkust
- Start date
NeWtIcUs
Member
- Dec 6, 2011
- 67
Jkust said:
I live in the south metro so this may be a haul for you but I've always gone to Jeff Belzers in the winter. They are a dealer south of Apple Valley. They have a body shop there that has fixed a few things for me and I found they could do a full body buff (on the TB of course
) that was pretty reasonably priced. I don't remember the exact dollar amount, but i'm sure if you gave them a call they could help you out. As far as stealer-ships go, they have been pretty good to me through both of my Trailblazers.Good luck!
tricguy007
Member
- Dec 7, 2011
- 131
n0kfb
Member
- Dec 8, 2011
- 104
Perfect 10 Car Wash in Spring Lake Park is a full-service car wash; I've only had them was my truck, but I understand they can do more than that - see their web site [http://www.perfect10carwash.com/]
-- Dan Meyer
-- Dan Meyer
I could be off base. But since he has a SAAB and just purchased it he is looking for a full detail shop. Meaning paint cleaning and the works. Not just a full service clean and buff.
Before I learned how to do a clay bar treatment, I took my car to Ziebart on central. Hole in the wall looking building but they do a full works detail pretty well in my opinion. When there you have a pretty good chance to see either an exotic or a custombuild. They do the detail for many limo's in the cities also.
As for perfect 10. Well last time I was there they left water in my doorsills and trunksills. For a full service wash that is unacceptable in my opinion. They do have good prices though and nice staff.
Before I learned how to do a clay bar treatment, I took my car to Ziebart on central. Hole in the wall looking building but they do a full works detail pretty well in my opinion. When there you have a pretty good chance to see either an exotic or a custombuild. They do the detail for many limo's in the cities also.
As for perfect 10. Well last time I was there they left water in my doorsills and trunksills. For a full service wash that is unacceptable in my opinion. They do have good prices though and nice staff.
walterc4553 said:
I really only need the paint buffed and some wax on it. The interior is no exaderation, like a new car, but the outside looks like they liked to go to the car wash and not the touchless kind. I would almost say they may have buffed it but didn't go fine enough. I called a detail shop and they quote 105$ and out the same day but on the other site, the discussion of buffing and articles, there is no way these guys could get it out the same day if they did it correctly. Maybe I'm overestimating how long it takes for a professional detailer to do his thing well. I wished there were a place here in the northwest metro, maple grove area I could drop it off.
STLtrailbSS
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 1,617
$100 Is probably like a 60%-75% paint correction. If you want a 100% paint correction I would wait winter out unless your going to baby it although 100% is not impossible on a daily driver it is a long process and usually more expensive . The $100 guys are probably going to do a 105-Ultra Cut compound and then m205 to finish it off then some wax. But for 100% you are talking alot of work. Taping off the panels and not moving on till it is absolutely perfect. Honestly it takes time but I know your sabb is black and to keep it fresh, I would say atleast consider the idea of learning it yourself it takes some time but jesus your saving $100s and its for the tb/voy/9-7 so its rewarding. Seriously think about it, Once I got into it I was hooked. Smitty is a detailer with great knowledge and I am not new to it. You have support here just saying think about it.
STLtrailbSS said:
Thanks for the info. I am open to learning. I have a buffer and a couple old 3m liquid compounds from like 20 years ago I practiced on my burgundy minivan last year and it didn't come out too good. It was shiny but it just made the whole hood swirl marked and highlighted all the stone chips in white. Now the issue is it's cold here and getting colder so the water is shut off for the year. I can't stand the idea of driving the 9-7 looking unkept on the outside. It'll be 5 months until the water gets turned back on and I could even think about learning to detail it myself.
STLtrailbSS
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 1,617
Well imo the cheaper correction should be fine for a winter season. Ask if they can use a Polymer Sealant instead of wax it prolongs the protection and is a little more durable of a finish. And 5 months from now I will have a 101 guide up were going to get you set up with some Meguairs Pro product and that things going to be beyond midnight black! 
STLtrailbSS said:
The place I recommended will do exactally what STLtrailbSS has said 60-75%. And their prices are right on those prices. You have to ask them to do a full body and paint restore to get a price quote for more then pretty good.
I would say the range is closer to 60% then 70% of original from my experience for a $100 day job detail.
I would also recommend doing the the $100 job and then waiting. Just not worth it for more then that with the salt we have.
I would also recommend learning yourself. Buy a couple hoods from the junk yard that have good paint and a good portion are in good condition but some of it is curled, bent or damaged. Yards will usually get rid of them as cheap as they could to a metal scrap yard. Learn on those. Then sell to the scrap yard. I did this with Motorcycle tanks. Just as cheap and actually harder to learn on because they are curved.
I still suck at it, I am not going to lie... I am nothing like some of these guys on this board (I assume they moved from the OS); they are really good... you can see it in the pictures.
I figure doing a complete detail even if I only get it looking OK gives me bragging rights in saying I did it myself and I use it as my down time (relax) in life.
walterc4553 said:
The place I recommended will do exactally what STLtrailbSS has said 60-75%. And their prices are right on those prices. You have to ask them to do a full body and paint restore to get a price quote for more then pretty good.
I would say the range is closer to 60% then 70% of original from my experience for a $100 day job detail.
I would also recommend doing the the $100 job and then waiting. Just not worth it for more then that with the salt we have.
I would also recommend learning yourself. Buy a couple hoods from the junk yard that have good paint and a good portion are in good condition but some of it is curled, bent or damaged. Yards will usually get rid of them as cheap as they could to a metal scrap yard. Learn on those. Then sell to the scrap yard. I did this with Motorcycle tanks. Just as cheap and actually harder to learn on because they are curved.
I still suck at it, I am not going to lie... I am nothing like some of these guys on this board (I assume they moved from the OS); they are really good... you can see it in the pictures.
I figure doing a complete detail even if I only get it looking OK gives me bragging rights in saying I did it myself and I use it as my down time (relax) in life.
I'll tell you, as much as I'd love to spend hours on end detailing, I catch so much hell from my wife for spening time on the vehicles. I am crazy, crazy picky about my vehicles and their condition. My Chaparral (boat) is 7 years old now and I baby it but I never hear the end. Even detailing her Rainier to keep it pristine and I catch hell. It is a constant battle between my crazy need to keep my stuff looking new and her thinking vehicles are meant to be used and not admired. I park 50 spots from the closest car and she's right in there next to the handicap spot where they kick their door open to get out. I give her Rainier a quick once over every day for any dings and to be sure the kids didn't hit it with their backpacks as the leave for school and she calls me insane. My point is If I ever so much as brought a hood home and spend a second on it, I would never hear the end of it. The best I could do last summer was practice buffing on our old minivan when she went out. The reality of how long stuff takes to accomplish has never set in with her. Detailing by its very nature is detailed and that doesn't fit with her or her expectation of my time. Bottom line $100 pro buff job for the sake of sanity and of course since it is winter here is a bargain.
n0kfb
Member
- Dec 8, 2011
- 104
walterc4553 said:
All good points, and I'd like to add the following.
I've had fantastic results at Perfect 10. On more than one occasion they have run my truck thru the wash again (without me asking) because it did not get cleaned to their standards. Also, they advertise more services than just car washing; Give them call them and see if they can do what you need.
I've driven by the Ziebart place on old Central many times, but have no first or second hand experience with them. They have been around forever, so they must be doing something right.
-- Dan Meyer
STLtrailbSS said:
Ok so I meant to ask what exactly does 60%-75% paint correction actually mean?
STLtrailbSS
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 1,617
The percentage is a scale of the correction(the process of taking swirls and haze out) so take a front right panel just to make things simple for $100 you are looking at 60-75% of all hazing and swirls to be removed but there will be minor imperfections but nothing major that's an eye sore. So just imagine that that will apply to the whole car so your 9-7 will be at a 75% correction. On that type of job they will probably use a filler wax that will almost make all other perfections invisible until the wax is striped off. 75% on a daily driver is pretty good when you get into the 90s your looking at basically showroom fresh.Jkust said: