# Stagger a detailing session



## desert (Mar 16, 2010)

There's no way I can wash. clay. Polish and wax in a day my car is on the drive in open conditions so normally I tend to wash and wax when there's a cloud cover.or later on in the day So my question is what's the negatives by doing panels at a time when weathers permitting then continue again when conditions permits 

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## chris chappell (Jun 6, 2007)

That’s what I usually do as it’s a mammoth job doing a full car properly. It makes it a lot less of a ball ache when you know you have just got one or two panels to do. You can really get stuck in, spend some time and get every panel mint.&#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57339;&#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57339;


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

My view on this is that it's way better to one or 2 panels "properly" from start to LSP than to rush to try and get the whole thing done. 

If you have the luxury of being able to cocoon the car overnight then it can be done as a whole - if it's not going anywhere in between sesions to mean it needs washing again. 

The negatives are that you'll be doing some of the basics several times as you'll be "washing/claying etc." panels over a number of days and some stuff is bound to make its way onto a finished panel.

The positive is that once a panel is truly finished - that's it. Anything more will be simple and straightforward such as maybe a snow foam, 2BM wash, dry and maybe a finish off with a QD.

Each to their own with how much time folks have on any given day/week etc.

Whichever way you do it - enjoy :thumb:

Andy.


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## desert (Mar 16, 2010)

Cheers guys for the replies you have confirmed the way I was thinking appreciated your input 

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## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

There’s the option of tar, iron, clay on day 1 then do another wash and polish and wax on day 2. Last big detail I did I did all the decon and claying on day 1 then an ONR wipe down on day 2 before polish and coating. 


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Agree - doing a car in a day to any half decent standard is tough work. Minimum with any sort of machine polishing is 2 days if you take any sort of pride in your decon, correction and then coating.

I've had to break my wife's merc up into 5 separate (long days), but there is a fantastic transformation.

Negatives of going panel by panel will be massive inefficiency, if outside potential weather interruptions, re-cleaning of car, staggered product curing (if coating) can make it difficult to use detergents.


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## TeddyRuxpin (Mar 7, 2016)

That's what I did! It's probably 3-4 weeks difference between starting and finishing!

Just finished it yesterday!

It's especially difficult to do if you're hand polishing and have a big car (E-class) and I just figured it isn't worth the stress on my body trying to do it all in one day... it goes past the point of being fun and becomes tiring and a chore. Splitting it up wins!


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## TeddyRuxpin (Mar 7, 2016)

With regards to the negatives - just be sure you don't get your tar remover, panel wipe etc on the panels that are already protected....


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## Walesy. (Oct 1, 2009)

I did the same the last time with my 5 series, again a big bodied car, so not really practical to do it in 2 long days. 
I have a garage, so I can work in there and it just needs a quick QD prior to machining. 

i.e. I did the roof a few weeks back with my new Mille...thinking I will do more panels over the week etc. Still not done it, life just takes priority in many way.


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## stealthwolf (Sep 24, 2008)

I’ve always done this. Especially over a 3- or 4-day weekend. I don’t think I’ve ever fully detailed my car in one single day. Especially as it lives out on the drive.


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