Pressure Washers for auto detailing...

I'm going to be getting into Auto Detailing and decided that I would need a pressure washer if I'm going to be mobile... However I don't exactly want to blast the paint off of someones car so I was wondering whats a good PSI level for auto detailing? Where can I get a tank to hold enough water to complete the job and connect to a pressure washer? Also how much should I expect to pay for this?

I would suggest getting a good high PSI pressure washer. Nothing like 5,000 psi or anything but get a good one. Getting a good one allows YOU to control things. Meaning, for paint and stuff you can keep the wand at a distance but it will clean the car FAST. If you get a crappy low pressure one it will take you longer and then if you NEED the extra pressure you ain't got it :) By getting a decent one with also a decent volume output it will cut your time down and therefore you'll make more money because you can do more cars :)

I would suggest getting a good high PSI pressure washer. Nothing like 5,000 psi or anything but get a good one. Getting a good one allows YOU to control things. Meaning, for paint and stuff you can keep the wand at a distance but it will clean the car FAST. If you get a crappy low pressure one it will take you longer and then if you NEED the extra pressure you ain't got it :) By getting a decent one with also a decent volume output it will cut your time down and therefore you'll make more money because you can do more cars :)

How's 3,000 PSI?

You would be the last person I would want to detail my car.
Pressure washer for paint. :eek:

You would be the last person I would want to detail my car.
Pressure washer for paint. :eek:

I see it done all the time here, they even have them applicated for cars... as long as you don't run to high a PSI the car will be fine... Infact it's almost nessicary I had one if I'm going to be mobile because it defeats the purpose if I don't bring my own water...

FWIW...anyone washing their own car. NEVER EVER EVER use pressure to wash it. Don't even use a garden hose "gun". You're only pushing dirt into the wax/paint which will eventually pit it. The best way to wash your car is with a standard garden hose with NO ATTACHMENTS.

This will allow the water to lift the contaminents and float them off the car as well as let the water sheet off (causing less water spots)

I know the hard-core profesional detailing guys that use pressure washers all have heated pressure washers, or else they have seperate inline heaters that heats their water tanks before the water even gets to the pressure washer. Just like when you're doing the dishes... the hotter the water, the better it's going to loosen up the dirt and grime.

I got a pretty nice non-heated 2650 PSI prosumer (inbetween profesional and consumer grade) from Karcher. It has a 6 horsepower GV190 Honda motor, a 30 foot kink-free hose, and a variety of attachments and features that make it useful for all sorts of things including washing cars.

They had it at Costco for $349 a while back w/ 50 dollar instant rebate. It's now priced back up to 399, but it's still a good price considering the best price I could find online for that same model was $499 + shipping and retail is $599.

I have found that using the 15 degree attachment at a few feet away or the 25 degree attachment closer up produces about as strong of pressure as I'd be comfortable using on car paint. It cleans off large amounts of dirt, bugs, tar... pretty much any and everything that you would have to scrub off comes right off. Now for the last thin layer of dirt that you might not even notice until the car is dry, you still have to hand wash for sure. But the pressure washer sure does speed things up, especially if you use the suction attachment to mix in car soap for a prerinse.

It's one of those things that I use on my cars about once every couple of months - not every time it gets washed per se... just when the bugs and other stuff build up to make it worthwhile enough to break it out (of course I use it for all sorts of other stuff around the house too)

So I can tell you that with a 2650 psi PW like mine, you won't be getting cars any cleaner with a higher pressure one, but you'll definitely be able to get them clean faster, as you'll be able to use a wider-degree attachment and thus the same pressure can be spread across a broader range of surface without losing effectiveness. Regardless, though, it only takes me about 5 to 6 minutes to pressure wash completely even with mine - then another 10-15 minutes or so to hand wash.

If you plan on using this a LOT, then you may want to go with a heavier duty more expensive model regardless, simply for the added durability and reliability. I can tell you now if you buy one of those cheap little electric ones for 100-150 bucks, and you use it day in and day out, you'll be lucky if it lasts you more than a few months. And dragging the extension cord around is a PITA.

If you were going to get an all in one unit and mount it in the back of a truck or van with the intention of never moving it:
http://www.karchercommercial.us/showProductModels.aspx?areaID=12&typeID=26&seriesID=133

Otherwise for portability:
http://www.karchercommercial.us/showProductModels.aspx?areaID=12&typeID=26&seriesID=129
or
http://www.karchercommercial.us/showProductModels.aspx?areaID=12&typeID=26&seriesID=132

Expect to pay a pretty penny, but something like this is not something you want to cheap out on in the beginning and then have to throw your original one out the window for a decent one later and end up wasting the money.

Why would you need a pressure washer for detailing?? Whats wrong with a hose?

Why would you need a pressure washer for detailing?? Whats wrong with a hose?

If you're in the service industry, then time=money. And a pressure washer will undoubtably save time, especially for cars covered in bugs, tar, mounds of dirt, etc... it makes an excellent prewash.

Try spraying a bumper covered with bugs with a hose, then do the same with a pressure washer. You'll be spraying until you can't hold the hose up anymore to get those bugs off - or more likely you'll resort to scrubbing with a brush or wash mit and possibly something like WD40. Personally I'd rather just point at it with a pressure washer and move on.:)

Or clay off anything that doesnt come off with the wash. This should be done anyways when detailing. (so no extra time is needed)

Or clay off anything that doesnt come off with the wash. This should be done anyways when detailing. (so no extra time is needed)

Claying a car can easily add an hour or two as well as additional material expenses - not all customers are willing to pay the extra money needed to make claying cost justifiable, and cars don't need to be clayed, typically, more than once every year or two - unless you're just obsessed with it. Whereas stubborn bugs and dirt, especially if you live in country areas and/or drive a lot on open country roads at high speeds at night, can be something that need to be removed every time.

Most customers only care about paying for what they can see. Not what they can't.

Next question... When I grab a pressure washer... Can these things contain water or will I need a seperate tank? Can I carry a pressure washer around me with in my Camaro as I don't have access to a reliable truck just yet... I was thinking just fold the backseat down (My car has T-Tops so I can't put much in the trunk) and haul it around whenever I get need to... How does that sound?

Next question... When I grab a pressure washer... Can these things contain water or will I need a seperate tank? Can I carry a pressure washer around me with in my Camaro as I don't have access to a reliable truck just yet... I was thinking just fold the backseat down (My car has T-Tops so I can't put much in the trunk) and haul it around whenever I get need to... How does that sound?

Carrying a pressure washer in your Camaro would be a bitch and a half. Those suckers are heavy for the most part. And you would need access to a standard hose or get a water tank (in a truck). Pressure washers can use anywhere from 2.5 to 4 gallons per minute... if you don't have access to any water anywhere then you'll have to use your PW for rinsing as well. Then I'd say plan on around needing 40 gallons per car at the most. I doubt you'd be detailing anymore than 5 cars a day at the most, so you'd probably only need 200 gallons, though 300 to 400 gallons would be safer. 200 gallons of water weighs about 1600 pounds which is approaching maximum bed capacity in most half ton trucks. So you might have to go with a larger truck or a trailer when it's all said and done.

The finish is all in the process.