This forum is now open...

[Mike Phillips]

This forum is now open...

Today is July 27th, 2021 and as of today I'm happy to say the forum is now open.

I created this forum to primarily share my personal detailing work and the write-ups I create to share the process used to take a diamond in the rough and turn it into a glistening gemstone.

I don't care if people join or just lurk, that's all up to you. I just want and need a place that displays mass information much better than Facebook or Instagram.

 

[Marc08EX]

Hey Mike!!! Nice to see you and your forum!!!

I think that forum articles are much better than posts in FB.

 

[Mike Phillips]

Hey Mike!!! Nice to see you and your forum!!!

Hi Marc,

Long time no see in person!

You are the first person to join my new forum, appreciate it.

I think that forum articles are much better than posts in FB.

Agree.

I've started a brand new FB page,

Mike Phillips Pro Detail


And I will be active on multiple social media platforms but when it comes to sharing info - these other platforms simply cannot compete with the power of a quality forum.

 

[Mike Lambert]

Nice to see you back! Looking forward to seeing your work

 

[2black1s]

Good to see you again Mike.

This format is going to take a little getting used to.

 

[Jayfro]

It’s great to “see you” online again!!!
I really look forward to some great content and improving my knowledge!!

jay

 

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks guys - can’t type right now - at the Taco Shack for dinner.

 

[Bruno Soares]

I also signed up, even if just to see what Mike has been up to.

 

[JohnU]

Mike. Your website shows plumbing/ remodeling things.....

 

[Mike Phillips]

Mike. Your website shows plumbing/ remodeling things.....

Ha ha.... what you're seeing is a "theme". I liked the layout for the plumbing thing and the light color scheme.

I killed off my old detailing website and it looks like some type of hacker has picked up the domain and now has some other website in it's place.

I strongly recommend to NOT go to the old website and for this reason I've removed the link from your post and my own post.

 

[Mike Phillips]

Here's my OLD website - PLEASE do not go to it. The domain name was purchased by some European hacker company that buys up expired domain names and then uses the traffic they get to send you to other/bad places.

MikePhillipsProDetail dot com

 

[Mike Phillips]

I also signed up, even if just to see what Mike has been up to.

Hi Bruno,

Apologies for delays in replying - we had company from out of state for the last week so my time has been balanced.

Since resigning from my position of Director of Training for Autogeek I've actually just been getting back into top physical condition and working on creating this forum, my website for my detailing business, a few other social media platforms.

I loved my work at Autogeek but after 11 years, I felt I had accomplished everything I could for the Autogeek business model and for myself personally.

I stated this in post #61 in the really nice thread Michael aka The Guz started on AGO

I entered into this industry simply by being a "car guy". At one time I thought about becoming a mechanic, you know turning wrenches on cars. I enjoy turning wrenches on my own car and boat projects but what I like about my own car and boat projects, (in the past, I currently don't have any toys but this will change), was all my stuff was clean and neat and fun to work on.

Here's a set of 1-Ton rear brakes I rebuilt.



BEFORE - what you see is a mixture of mud and SAND!

AFTER - Clean enough to eat off of...

Here's why I never became a professional mechanic. I like and prefer to work on cars, trucks and boats that look like the second picture. I don't like working on other peoples broken down crap. So I knew I never wanted to become a mechanic. I'm happy to stick with working on my own stuff.



Detailing Cars

While I knew I never wanted to be a mechanic I also knew I liked working in the car industry and I found what I like most was as I always say,

I like taking a diamond in the rough and turning it into a glistening gemstone

That quote I believe is in the introduction of the last two car detailing books I wrote. Like many of you that either enjoy detailing your own cars or detail cars professionally, (for money). for whatever reason, I simply enjoy the satisfaction that comes from restoring the beauty to neglected cars but in most cases it's also making someone else's dream come true. By this I mean, most of the cars I detail tend to be what I always call,

SIVs or Special Interest Vehicles

Of courses I also detail daily drivers, but the bulk of the work I've done for the last 30+ years would fall into the category of SIVs. And these types of cars come with people that have a story. The story is usually pretty simple.

Person has a cool car that just doesn't look right. Could be swirls, could be holograms, maybe antique original paint with extreme oxidation, whatever the case is, it's a person with something that is cool to them and it just doesn't look the way they know it could look. Problem is... they don't know how to fix it or maybe cannot fix it, (it's out of their skill set or ability), and they don't know who to trust that can fix it.

Somehow, through faith or destiny or some other cosmic reason, we connect and I detail their car. They're happy because their toy or dream car now looks how they always knew it could look and I like the reward and satisfaction that comes from helping others in this manner.

So after 11 years at Autogeek, while I loved my job I also knew I needed to move on to something else. Everything I was doing at Autogeek was easy and it would have been easier to simply just stayed there and continued in the same routine - but that wasn't going to make me happy.

So for now I'm simply going back to my roots and doing what I love and that's working on cars and helping others get what they want - a shiny car. Pretty simple in the big picture of life.

I will be returning to teaching the craft of detailing cars and the art of polishing paint including detailing boats, but for now... just wax on, wax off.


Also - this forum is not intended to replace or compete against the AGO forum or any forum or other detailing discussion platform. I personally need a place to share my work because it's what I do.

I know there are a lot of other guys that are 'instructors' in this industry and I don't really ever see them detailing cars and also sharing in-depth write-ups that share the tools, products, pads and techniques for their work. That's them but it's not me.

I like to show other people how to do this type of stuff and I don't mind turning a polisher off to take a few pictures and then later processing the pictures and typing out all the words to share the information.

It's what I do. And in order to own all my future work I've chose to also own my own forum.

People can join if they want or just lurk. But one thing I know for sure, at the end of the day - people WILL go to where they find the best information. So while this forum is just for my personal work - at the same time I happy to provide information to anyone that asks.


For right now I'm just detailing cars. It's always been my passion. It enables me to teach and talk about the subject via first-hand knowledge and real-world experience.


At my core, I just a blue collar working class dog.

 

[Mike Phillips]

It’s great to “see you” online again!!!
I really look forward to some great content and improving my knowledge!!

jay

Thanks Jay.

I'll always remember how we met. The micro-marring issue you were having when you first started out.

I offered to send you a bottle of something I knew used great abrasive technology and you sent me the stuff that uses bad abrasive technology in exchange.

The product you used fixed the micro-marring from the other product and I tested the product you sent me and vindicated what I already knew to be the case.

This primary purpose of this forum is really and simply to share my detailing work. Just because the masses are on Facebook and Instagram that doesn't mean they are "good" at sharing information. They are simple and work well from a phone. That's their claim to fame.

 

[DetailKitty]

Hey Mike!
Good to be here!

 

[VISITOR]

sup mike & everyone else, hope all is well!

 

[opie]

Thanks for thee approval mike....really lovin the new forum layout/color scheme.

Thats awesome how i can drop an image from gallery straight off my phone without going into tapatalk

 

[Burger]

Looking forward to the fun and education of following your work.

 

[Mike Phillips]

Hey Mike!
Good to be here!

Thanks for joining - I always appreciate a positive contributing member.

sup mike & everyone else, hope all is well!

Hi Al, thanks for joining!

Thanks for thee approval mike....really lovin the new forum layout/color scheme.

Thats awesome how i can drop an image from gallery straight off my phone without going into tapatalk

Thanks for joining opie. I'm liking the Dark Theme also. Just to note, you can TOGGLE from the Dark Theme to the Light Theme by doing one of these,

In the upper right hand corner at the top of each page is a LIGHT BULB - click on it. It's just to the left hand side of the SEARCH bar.

On the bottom left hand side of any page are these text buttons.

Style Chooser - Change Style - Change Width

Clicking on Style Chooser or Change Style will switch to a different color theme.

The "Change Width" option stretches the forum or shrinks it - to your liking. I opt for the full meal deal and stretch it out.

Looking forward to the fun and education of following your work.

Thank you. Appreciate the kind words.

 

[The Guz]

Hi Mike. Nice to still see you around and stay in touch. Looking forward to what is next for you.

 

[Diner]

Hi Mike, I’ve enjoyed following your work for the last several years as a forum member at AutoGeek.

I‘ve learned so much from your excellent skills and sincerely appreciate the generosity with which you share them with everyone.

Best of luck in the next steps of your journey, and thank you for the opportunity to continue following your work through this forum.