is there a site with reviews for detailing products?

Amazon hasn't been much help with this, there is not much variety... the truth is i need a vacuum for the interior that is under $50

enrgy-
There are several sites that carry reviews of waxes and such. Epinions is one. Google search the various detailing forums. This site includes a Latest Product Evaluation thread among others as well as a Shop Vac Vacuum Cleaner thread.
A suitable Shop Vac brand vacuum for any pro detailing costs over $100 and is 5 HP or up to 6.5 HP. Industrial models are easily double that. If money is that tight, use your household vacuum temporarily or buy a small Shop Vac at Lowes or elsewhere. Other brands of vacuum such as Century have gotten good reviews but cost a lot more than $50. Inferior tools are okay for do-it-yourself but cost a pro time he can't afford to lose.
Doug

Energy

Most detail operations are using shop vacuums from Home Depot; Lowe's, etc. They have been the standard in the industry for years. Yes, there are better vacuums, but in reality most detailers and even auto auctions and auto dealers are using shop vacuums from Home Depot, etc.

If you would like to read a comparison of some of the waxes and paint sealants used by detailers across North America contact me buda@detailplus.com and I will send you a copy of the study.

It is not complete, but does cover a number of more popular waxes and sealants.

Regards
Bud Abraham

Energy-
I've noticed that some shop vacuums are now made in China but I believe the Shop Vac brand is still USA-made . Read the labels before you buy. Home Depot sells Rigid, which also makes Craftsman for Sears/K-mart. Lowes sells Shop-Vac . Setting a limit of $50 for a vacuum is about as realistic as setting a limit of $8,000 for a new car. Cut back on the Britney Spears CDs, Dale Earnhardt memorabilia, Chrome accessories for the Harley and so on and live a little. Buy yourself the best vacuum you can find. You deserve it !
Visit past threads for some debate over Bud's wax test. Hint : If Bud ordered up a test of women, Hillary Clinton would beat Madonna. Instead of researching car wax, go to www.zainostore.com and get the best stuff. Run a search on this site if you need to know more. And cut back on the loud exhausts, lift kits, pinstripes, DVDs of Jackass 1 through 5, diet books, pay-per-views, text messaging, tatoos, piercings, MP-3 downloads and scented candles. I'll allow you a pint of Cherry Garcia from Ben & Jerry's, a Gold's Gym membership and a can of Yuban coffee but no other luxuries-You are going to be a businessman !
Okay, this is not completely serious except I really do think Madonna would make a better president than Hillary Clinton. Enjoy.
Doug



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2007 01:34AM by Doug Delmont.

Doug, I really had written you off, but saying that you are not in favor of Hillary Clinton as president indicates that their is some brain-matter there.

What people have to see is that this is only a ploy for Bill Clinton to get back in the White House. For some I suppose that would be good.

You know it is always a good rule, not to tell people what to do but "suggest" what you have done.

However, not being a professional detailer I do not know how you can begin to "suggest" what any detailer should do. If you were talking to consumers or car enthusiasts there would be no problem, in my humble opinion.

Hope you have a Happy New Year.

Bud Abraham

Everbody have a Happy New Year.

Energy

You can buy a top quality Shop Vacuum for over $200, but if I were you, get a vacuum from Home Depot. If it breaks within the warranty period they will give you a new one.

Better yet, if COSTCO sells them buy from them as they usually take back anything that breaks.

You can buy several COSTCO/HOME DEPOT vacuums for the price of the Shop Vacuum.

Of course the more expensive vacuums are less noisy if that is a factor.

However, they all use about the same motor and that is what a vacuum is all about is the motor.

Now on the other hand I would buy an expensive electric buffer because the less expensive buffers do wear out quickly. I bought a couple of lower-cost, name brand electric buffers when our air compressor went out and could not use air tools and I can tell you they wore out within 30 days.



Regards
Bud Abraham

Bud-
I didn't "suggest" what this detailer should do. I ordered him to do it but with tongue firmly in cheek. When have I ever steered anybody wrong ? Never.
If I'm not mistaken, Shop Vac is competitively priced with Ridgid and Craftsman but is USA made.
My overall point is that a businessman can be competitive by lowering his personal cost of living as well as his business expenses. One of my friends is a wealthy business owner who has fewer toys than I do, so the principle appears to hold true.

And Happy New Year to you, too, Larry & Bud.
Doug

Bud-
May I be allowed to give a brief history lesson to explain how we've ended up with such lousy Presidential candidates ?
Years ago, Americans were self-reliant. They hunted, grew food, made goods by hand, built their own houses. They walked and rode horses. There were no government hand-outs, government contracts and there were few laws. People kept guns in their homes and children were taught at an early age to hunt .
That era pretty much ended when the early Americans died off from diseases brought by European settlers. Eventually, England found itself bogged down fighting an insurgency . The insurgents won but soon out-did the British when it came to taxation, standing armies and so on. Still, we had rugged individualists like Daniel Boone. Boone was not able to stop progress though, and thanks to T.V. and laziness, we grew into a dumbed down population.
The country still functioned because there were a few great men left to run the country.
Today, the dumbed down population has reached critical mass. Inevitably, our leaders come from that population and there is no longer a supply of great men.
Like everything else, it started with the baby boomers...
( offered in fun )
Doug

Today, the dumbed down population has reached critical mass. Inevitably, our leaders come from that population and there is no longer a supply of great men.
Like everything else, it started with the baby boomers...
( offered in fun )
Doug

Thanks for the history lesson however, kind way off... I hope you are using the term "great men" in the collective sense

Doug

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and it might be correct. However, I tend to look at things in the positive, with realism, of course.

If one reads the history of the Revolutionary Period and the Constitutional Period in the history of this country, and histories of the Founders of this Republic and examines the system they created you realize that the US Constitution and the system of government, although flawed, as all things are in this world, it is a Great System.

If you read the history of the USA from the official founding of the USA to the present time you find that our governments, local, State and Federal have been filled with incompetent, ignorant and corrupt individuals, but the one thing that stands out is that the "System" survives all of them.

In current times most can recall, we survived the turmoil of the Viet Nam War and the presidents that mishandled that; it survived the Nixon debacle, it survived Clinton and his impeachment (2nd time in the history of the US), and it will survive anyone of the current candidates that is elected president.

In fact, reading the histories of the various presidents we find that it was the "Office of the Presidency" that made the man. Maybe someday the woman.

No candidate is ever perfect. Unfortunately today with television a candidate has to look good and speak well or they have an uphill battle to win.

They say that if Lincoln were to run today for president that he would loose only because he was not particularly goodlooking and some say even, ugly and he had an irritating, high, squeeky voice.

So, do not worry about the US and our population, a good leader will come out of the pack. And, even if a marginal one is elected the "office" will make them better or even great.

Now back to detailing.

Bud Abraham

PS: In my other life I taught US history in a Jr College.

And, even if a marginal one is elected the "office" will make them better or even great.

I hope you jest....If we as individuals would not accept marginal in our lives why we want a Marginal President. It is precisely this kind of mentality that has put us in the mess we are in today



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2008 07:55PM by concoursgarage.

Gina

You are naive to think that the presidents we have had in the past were "great" when they came into office.

The American people, the masses, unfortunately judge their presidential candidates not on their qualifications but on how they look, how well they speak and if they have charisma.

In my years of voting which are extensive considering my age, I have found few presidents that were really qualified in terms of experience, and if they ended up being "great" presidents it was the office that made them so.

In your opinion which of the current "front-runner" presidential candidates are not marginal and which are, and on what basis do you make those judgements.

US historians have always said that it was the American Presdency that made the man in the office great.

Regards
Bud Abraham

Bud and Gina-
I just wanted to liven things up since we have pretty well covered the subject of detailing on this forum. If I ever get around to editing all of the information into Assembled Wisdom posts, we can almost move on to something else.
Your points are well taken. I believe it was General McClellan who referred to Lincoln as an ape and baboon , by the way.
Keep posting new stuff like your news about the detailing events.
Doug

Doug

General McClellan thought he was an ape and baboon but that was an opinion just like Gina's position that the American electoral system selects top quality candidates and elects less than marginal men as our presidents.

Honest Abe might have looked like an ape/baboon, but I guess history says he was a Great President.

Regards
Bud Abraham

Detailplus.com
Autogeek.com
Autopia.com
Detailuniversity.com

This is not about "Presidents", right, after all the "question" was one posted by one who who does not undrstand just what this business is about.

Products, well, they are such or judged by, those who have their perception or perceptions, of what makes "them happy".

In this forum, there are those, who have their "perception", based upon their "limited" use and "perception", not the years and years of operating a profitable detailing operations such as Bud or Gina or myself.

They are attempting to make themselves appear to be "successful", by asking questions, then bringing about answers, which, when one thinks about their posts, are not for the real benefit of those who read them, but in order to "build their posistion, their ego" to those who visit here.

An example is that anyone who reads the posting on this site, can easily find out who Bud, Gina or myself are.

We do not find the need to "hide", for all of the afore mentioned, are on the net, under our actual names, with our real "detailing or supplier" company names.

So, I ask all who read these posts, "Are you going to trust those who have time of being successful and do not hide", or those who just "jack their jaws"?

I don't ask anyone to agree with me, but then, I don't hide from you,"my over 40 years of being in the detailing business", nor does Bud or Gina, or some other dedicated professional, who post here.

This "hiding" of some, well, I leave it up to those of you who read the post.

"Who do you trust?"

Those who come out and be honest or those who just "hide" behind some excuse?

Ketch/Grumpy

Ketch-
I'm sure you aren't referring to me as I use my real name and admit to only doing enthusiast detailing for now. ( In that whole rambling post, you didn't cite one test source, such as Guru Reports or Consumer Reports...)
Who do I trust ? First, I look for someone who isn't in the business of selling products because the profit motive can influence a tester's opinion.
If you want a good example of a thorough test of products ( in this case, gun lubricants/rust preventers), visit this link : [www.thegunzone.com]

Barry Meguiar posted a video on www.meguiars.com on how to conduct your own wax tests.
Sal Zaino uses feedback from his customers out in the real world. I'm one of those customers and I recommend Zaino products . That isn't because I want to impress anyone ; it is because I want to help them. My name is on that recommendation. Is there a problem with that ?
Doug

Doug,

I was not referring to you.

I was referring to what is becoming very common, on internet websites, having to do with detailing and the way so many spam products, in order to create some sales.

The name of this site, I believe, is still "Secrets of the Experts".

We all have our vision of what an "expert" is.

To me, it is one who has spent many years, time, learning not only what the names of their favorite products are, but how the generic used names of products are utilized to attain good results, results which hold up and do not damage the vehicles being used upon.

I have absolutely NO reason to seek out customers for our brand.

After all, we supply 10 of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world, with both "private label" products which have been tested and approved by their toxology groups, but their engineering groups.

Often these vehicle manufacturers chose not to have a product "private labeled" with their brand, but instead chose to issue technical bulletins or advisories, requiring their use.

That is a much larger volume of business than the "enthusist", "boutique" brands may expect.

Since the title of this forum has not changed and we are committed to bringing our knowledge, of close to 40 years corporate wise, plus my in excess of close to 50 years, often gained from the engineering groups of the vehicle manufacturers, to the public, is why I will occassionaly post here.

No other reason.

Ketch

Ketch :
I can't argue with your objection to the guys who pop up on forums pretending to be ordinary participants, but actually joining only to talk up a product. Eventually, you find out that they are dealers for that product.

Your participation is welcome in my book. I see nothing wrong with selling products as long as you are open about it.
The more people we have on here, the more varied the opinions and personalities .
That helps to keep it interesting.
I've run out of new topics to explore so I hope you can contribute some.
Doug

Doug,

I have been around this site for at least 5/6 years, looking in, offering some experienced advice, etc.

After all these years, to be real, the majority of posters, lookers, are either "start up" or "enthusists".

In reality, for the most part, most are attempting to be more than they really all, but the net does make it easy to go for that.

Not that this is bad, however, with my over 40+ years of body work, automotive painting, building customs, and the marketing/sales/technical person of two companies, for over the past 25 years, plus, working directly with 10 of the worlds largest vehicle manufacturering engineers, field service people, port operations, all around the world, etc.(can't show you stamps on Passport here.)

I travel all over the world, to work with these companies, dealing with various paint and trim issues they may be experiencing, and they pay for my time, travel, etc.

I have to apologize, I guess, for not "buying" into a lot of what is presented or posted here.

There is one hell of a lot "I know it all" going around, due to the internet.

Anyone may log in and "make themselves" an "expert".

I do not claim to be an "expert", just a one who is paid to for what I know/do, however, I may state, without reservation, that I have done what I state, that I have a very large of "industry direct" group of resourses, to gain knowledge from.

Be they Ford, GM (not only corporate, but three divisions), Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundia,Mazda, Jaquar, LandRover, etc, I have worked and done "exactly" what I stated above.,

Therefore, when I read some of the "expert" advice, knowing full well, from my years of dealing with the engineers, the "toxology and health safety" departments of the car manufacturers, I find it necessary to step in.

Not attacking you, just letting you know that I have values, which have stood by me for decades, those being "don't lie, don't cheat, don't steal", be knowledgable, be honest, the rest comes to you.

Made a very good living , very well respected in the industry, no enemy's,by following these simple rules.

Ketch