my dad wants to be a detailer...
 

Ok so here's my story...

I went to see my dad just last week in New Brunswick. He was pretty shocked to see me show up at his doorstep after 24 years being apart! It was a very good reunion and I learned a lot from his side of my family. I also got to meet an 18 year-old half brother I had never met before! Pretty cool.

So anyways, my dad has been off of work for quite a while due to some illness. Now he's itching to get back into things. He had expressed interest in doing some auto detailing out of his garage to keep himself busy and make some extra coin. Question is, what kind of products should he use to start out? He's not exactly rich but I want him to invest in simething decent so he can start doing some business with it. He can gradually pick up some better products as he moves along.

Any help is appreciated! I want him to get starting on this new and interesting venture!

Best thing to do is practice on his own car to show what he can do. Detail friend's cars as well to show off his work as well.
I'll let the pro's recommend what to get.

Don't let him get overwhelmed by all the stuff available. Keep it simple. Here is what I would recommend.

soap (by the gallon)
APC (by the gallon) for cleaning tires/wheels/doorjambs
tire dressing
Assorted brushes

glass cleaner (concentrate by the gallon)
interior cleaner (concentrate by the gallon)

clay (optional)
Paint sealant

Assorted microfibre towels. I'd suggest Costco ones for pretty much everything other than the paint. Pick up half a dozen nice ones for sealant removal.

This will allow him to do wash and vacuum packages and have sealant as an upsell. Very simple. Very profitable.

If you want specific brands and /or pricing, feel free to pm me.

Thanks for the tip! He lives in northern New Brunswick so I think I'll send him some stuff from here. Would you recommend staying away from the usual Canadian tire type brands like Mothers and Maguires?

Only because of the cost. Off the shelf stuff isn't bad, but buying gallons will save you tons, even with the cost of shipping them. I can help set you up with whatever you need.

trying not to scratch during clay bar, or buffing is hard. Could be more of a liablity if he doesnt have business insurance. One could easily say I went to him to have the car detailed and he scratched my paint now I need a new paint job.