Car detailing courses/qualifications

Dano649

I'm interested in becoming a professional car detailer.. Does anyone know if there are courses you can do or where you can get training/qualified? Any info would be appreciated

Curran

AutoGlym do one, but it would be more geared towards Valet work.
There is nothing that carries any sort of weight in Ireland, you'd have to go to the UK, and even then, there is very little in the way of an accredited qualification. There would be plenty of places that would do tuition days, but no certification afterwards. Training with the 'known' names in the business would be as worth while, but your customers would have to research you, and then your trainer, to get an understanding of how well you might be qualified....if that makes sense?

Dano649

Thanks for the info.. it's a shame that there's no real pathway here. Do you know where I would get information on the autoglym one?

CharlieCroker

PM Foxhole Norman on here, he's a serious detailer who'se done a fair few cars on Boards to get some advice from him.

eddiem74

I believe Padraic from Flawless detailing got some master detailing training here:
http://www.kdskeltec.co.uk/training

Foxhole Norman

Dano649 wrote: »

I'm interested in becoming a professional car detailer.. Does anyone know if there are courses you can do or where you can get training/qualified? Any info would be appreciated

I did an AutoSmart Valeting course with a certificate to prove once finished. They came over from the UK to train a few of us, I think it was about €100 a head.

Curran

In this post, I dont want to sound like an a$$, or belittle Padraic at Flawless, Kelly at KDS, nor anyone who is a detailer (as I have the t-shirt), but rather want to ensure that the OP is fully aware of the advantages / disadvantages of attending any training.

I suppose the best way I can put it, is if you compare detailing to driving.....
You can go and do 12 lessons and get proof that you've done those 12 lessons. Does that make you a fully licensed driver? No!
Does it mean that you can drive a car? Well, you'll likely be a better driver than before your 12 lessons
What do you need to prove you are a fully licensed driver? To pass a driving test with the RSA
Is there a similar test to assess the standard of your detailing work? No
If you show a customer that you've done a 'x' amount of hours training with a best in the business detailer, is that likely to ease their minds? Absolutely
Does it mean you are a very good detailer? No, it just means you've attended training.


Kelly Harris, at KDS, offers a superb training course, and if I were you, I would definitely consider doing it; if you feel that the detailing business is the one for you! But I wouldnt go rushing out to do it, just because you feel its something you think you'd be good at. Detailing isnt exactly 'easy' work, and you have to keep up very high standards. If you've been doing detailing work and you want to take it to another level, then, its worth while.

What makes a professional detailer? Well, if you are making a living from the work you do as a detailer, then you are a professional....does that make you a good detailer? Thats debatable.....I mean Paul Pogba is a professional footballer, and one of the most expensive players in the world.....is he any good??
Well, Ill leave it there! :P

I personally attended a day long training with an ex-detailer, started working on my own car, which extended to family's car, the odd person who requested I do a job, to doing a lot of jobs for guys in the car club, to a point where we (as I worked with another guy) were booked for any free time for at least two weeks. Do very good quality work, and word of mouth is the best advertising.

edburg

That 100e autosmart one sounds like a cowboy course when you see the 2.5k euro kds course.


Think that kds place one is where the autogeek guys do there UK courses to.

Foxhole Norman

edburg wrote: »

That 100e autosmart one sounds like a cowboy course when you see the 2.5k euro kds course.


Think that kds place one is where the autogeek guys do there UK courses to.

Yeah the Autosmart one is just a general valeting course so stuff like Wet Vacing, Claying odd bit of machine polishing but those KDS courses are more paint correction and deeper detailing.

MetzgerMeister

Autosmart = Dacia....KDS = Bugatti

Foxhole Norman

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Autosmart = Dacia....KDS = Bugatti

Basically :pac: can't complain with some of their products though Red7 and G101 are fantastic.

Theboinkmaster

Rather than attending a course would your best bet be to offer someone already in the business like Foxhole Norman your free time and shadow him for a few weeks - nothing like on the job training.

Would only work if not directly competing against that person obviously but think that's how I would do it, rather than wasting money on a course.

Curran

That would be a good way to do it, but Detailers tend not to like extra bodies around.

While it might seem great to have an extra body around, why wouldnt a detailer want some extra help for free??
They wont just let anybody work on a customers car....so at best, they might let them wash it, do the wheels, etc....but wont let them do the more critical stuff. Most dont like to be distracted while working. And most dont like to be watched either.

If they were to part out some of the work....
- they'd be forever having to check back on the work the person has done, to ensure its up to standard (doubles the work)
- detailers are a funny bunch; and even if the work is to a good standard, they tend to be of the opinion, it can be better!

But hey, no harm in asking about, and if you get someone to agree, then happy days!

MetzgerMeister

The last thing I would ever want while doing a paint correction is to have someone watching from over my shoulder. I always have the music on and earphones in to get rid of the noise of the polishing machine so all my attention is on the surface on which I'm working.

Curran

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

The last thing I would ever want while ^^^^^^ is to have someone watching from over my shoulder. I always have the music on and earphones in to get rid of the noise of the ******* so all my attention is on the surface on which I'm working.

Competition!!
Replace the ^^^^^ and the *****

The best one to fill the blanks is not worth thinking about! :P

MetzgerMeister

Curran...you're a filthy bastard

Curran

Scared for life I tell ye!!

*Sits in the corner, rocking back and forth, shaking head*