[logansowner]

As some of you might know, the company I worked for all winter has gone out of business. I was a bit concerned about how i would pay for my second year of university now. Luckily, I was offered a job at a detailing shop. It's hard ass work, but the pay is good and I get to spend hours experiencing all type of vehicles.

These vehicles range from a 96' Taurus with duct tape holding the bumper together, that needed to be steamed and polished, to an 02' Viper, to a 2006 Navigator today.

I have never had a close look at a Navigator before, but this was an absolutely gorgeous vehicle. The owner was 19 years old with daddy's money, and no taste. The truck was just off white, absolutely stunning, except where backed into another truck and repainted the tailgate with white SPRAY PAINT. Real bright one.

Besides that, a lot of the really cool features are more useless than anything, but cool nonetheless. The power lift gate is cool, but the power fold 3rd row is even cooler. Unfortunately, both functions are slow to the point of uselessness. Regardless, the engine sounds amazing, and it has the most comfortable seats I could imagine. However, when it comes time to clean it, perforated leather is a SOB.

I only drove it about a mile, but I fell in love with it. Only real negative was that the beige carpet will never come 100% clean, and that's not good in a vehicle that's been registered for 4 months.(left over model, likely at a considerable discount) I did however notice one small questionable item, and that is plastic wood on an SUV that was at an MSRP of $75,800 here in Canada....


Well that kind of stinks...I just checked the American price, and the 08 model starts at 48,000 in the US. Given a near equal dollar, that's a pretty hefty ripoff.

On a side note, I am scheduled to do TWO 2008 Escalades tomorrow, be interesting to compare.
.

 

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

LOL maybe you should head back out to the corner of Creighton and Gerrish in Hfax and start peddling the coke again like other owners of such vehicle

 

[MonteCarloSS86]

I can't even imagine how long it would take to detail a huge SUV like that...

 

[F14CRAZY]

I like the styling of an '06 Navi over an '06 Slade

 

[RoGuE]

I can't even imagine how long it would take to detail a huge SUV like that...

Try detailing a Suburban in a cramped space like this:

 

[BrickTamland]

I soooo wish I could have a job as a detailer. I love detailing. I want to buy an Ultimate Detailing Machine, but am too cheap to do so, considering some of my other recent expenses. Damn that failed O2 sensor!

 

[lio45]

I only drove it about a mile, but I fell in love with it. Only real negative was that the beige carpet will never come 100% clean...

...that, and the $100 fillups that will last you ~350 km.

 

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

...that, and the $100 fillups that will last you ~350 km.

$100 fillup? That sounds like a Jetta come June

 

[EldoFan]

Too bad you aren't down here in one of these midwestern states......my Mark VII could use a decent detailing.


Will look fwd. to hearing about the 'slades though!

 

[91 s-10baja]

I can't even imagine how long it would take to detail a huge SUV like that...

IT takes a LONG TIME, especially dark colors. We did this one at the clients house, had to cut the paint then polish and seal, along w/ the light interior which takes long to clean. Got there in the morning, left after dark.
BOOOOO lol

 

[igor]

I did however notice one small questionable item, and that is plastic wood on an SUV that was at an MSRP of $75,800 here in Canada....


Well that kind of stinks...I just checked the American price, and the 08 model starts at 48,000 in the US. Given a near equal dollar, that's a pretty hefty ripoff.

On a side note, I am scheduled to do TWO 2008 Escalades tomorrow, be interesting to compare.
.

So it was the OLD Navigator or the NEW NAvigator? (the switchover was in 07 model year) - the new one has real wood - the old one has plastic - the old one has the little silver plastic doors covering the stereo and such.

Igor

 

[lio45]

$100 fillup? That sounds like a Jetta come June

$100? Depends on the color of that diesel you're putting in there.

Which reminds me, I got to send you a PM about something.

 

[logansowner]

I can't even imagine how long it would take to detail a huge SUV like that...

Really not too bad, from pulling in to the wash bay to being completed was about 2-2.5 hours. Industrial products make it about 10 times easier than with what you can buy at NAPA or Auto zone. Washing consists of a rinse, then a soak with a special soap, no rubbing, just get it covered, wait 5 minutes and rinse off...done, 100% shiny. Oddly, it's not a harsh soap either, doesn't bother your hands or anything. We have special sprays that clean the interior pretty fast as well. Only part that isn't faster is dressing, with something similar to armor all, still has to be done the old fashion...slow way.

On a side note, boss fired the moron who didn't comprehend anything, so we were a bit slower and didn't get to the Escalades. They will be done first thing tomorrow, right now they are just sitting in the garage, so I haven't had time to check them out yet.

 

[logansowner]

I soooo wish I could have a job as a detailer. I love detailing. I want to buy an Ultimate Detailing Machine, but am too cheap to do so, considering some of my other recent expenses. Damn that failed O2 sensor!

It IS fun, however, it is by far the hardest job I've ever had. Since cars being polished need to be inside, we end up doing a lot of interior work out of the garage (only a wash bay and 2 garage bays) which inside a cramped black mustang in this heat is not really that much fun. Bigger vehicles that aren't black aren't that bad though. I'm passionate about cars, so I deal pretty well. But if you really want to give it a whirl, I don't think you want that machine, I can't see it being up to anything more than home use.

IT takes a LONG TIME, especially dark colors. We did this one at the clients house, had to cut the paint then polish and seal, along w/ the light interior which takes long to clean. Got there in the morning, left after dark.
BOOOOO lol

Yes, polishing is bad, but if you don't have to polish, it saves a TON of time.

So it was the OLD Navigator or the NEW NAvigator? (the switchover was in 07 model year) - the new one has real wood - the old one has plastic - the old one has the little silver plastic doors covering the stereo and such.

Igor

It's the old one. But it's brand new, it had just been sitting on the lot forever.

 

[BrickTamland]

It IS fun, however, it is by far the hardest job I've ever had. Since cars being polished need to be inside, we end up doing a lot of interior work out of the garage (only a wash bay and 2 garage bays) which inside a cramped black mustang in this heat is not really that much fun. Bigger vehicles that aren't black aren't that bad though. I'm passionate about cars, so I deal pretty well. But if you really want to give it a whirl, I don't think you want that machine, I can't see it being up to anything more than home use.

I like the idea of the Ultimate Detailing Machine since it is better than a Porter Cable. I would not want a rotary - those have a big learning curve, lest I want to leave terrible buffer trails and hologramming.

 

[Ach]

So it was the OLD Navigator or the NEW NAvigator? (the switchover was in 07 model year) - the new one has real wood - the old one has plastic - the old one has the little silver plastic doors covering the stereo and such.

Igor

Huh? A brochure for the 2005 Navi represents it as having "American walnut burl wood." http://www.fedrelandsvennen.no/amcar/brochures/lincoln/05navi/bilder/7.jpg

Sounds real to me unless they were lying. I actually like the old interior better- the gorgeous LED gauge cluster, steering wheel and center stack covers all add up to a more elegant and sophisticated interior than the retro-themed new model. IMHO, anyway.

 

[logansowner]

Huh? A brochure for the 2005 Navi represents it as having "American walnut burl wood." http://www.fedrelandsvennen.no/amcar/brochures/lincoln/05navi/bilder/7.jpg

Sounds real to me unless they were lying. I actually like the old interior better- the gorgeous LED gauge cluster, steering wheel and center stack covers all add up to a more elegant and sophisticated interior than the retro-themed new model. IMHO, anyway.

Was the 2005 different from the 2006? If that was real wood, nobody would know it. It was smooth and shiny like plastic, sounded like plastic when you tapped it, and otherwise just looked like any other plastic, save the color. If it was real wood, they could mark it as an unnecessary expense, because if you can't tell, it doesn't matter. I've never ever been confused about whether something was wood or plastic. I've never seen wood that looked like that in my life.

 

[Ach]

Was the 2005 different from the 2006? If that was real wood, nobody would know it. It was smooth and shiny like plastic, sounded like plastic when you tapped it, and otherwise just looked like any other plastic, save the color. If it was real wood, they could mark it as an unnecessary expense, because if you can't tell, it doesn't matter. I've never ever been confused about whether something was wood or plastic. I've never seen wood that looked like that in my life.

You know, I thought the same thing about my old Bimmer 530...the wood was so smooth and shiny, and also sounded like plastic when tapped- it wasn't until I broke a piece of it (by accident) that I was convinced it was real wood. It really can be deceiving sometimes.

 

[AndrewGS]

Escalade > Navigator

Especially the most current models.

 

[69Firebird400]

IT takes a LONG TIME, especially dark colors. We did this one at the clients house, had to cut the paint then polish and seal, along w/ the light interior which takes long to clean. Got there in the morning, left after dark.
BOOOOO lol

What an awesome picture - not only is the paint perfect, but I couldn't help but notice the little red car in the reflection!:bounce:

I wish I had the time/patience/skill to do what you do, 91 s-10baja. I've seen a lot of your photos here over the years and you never fail to impress!