Category Archives: Behind the Detail

Wiping hood with waterless wash
10
Sep
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, How To, Tips

How to Wash a Car Without a Hose (A Science-Based Approach to Avoiding Paint Damage)

Posted on by Jim Lafeber

Washing a car without a hose removes the single biggest safety mechanism in traditional washing: bulk water removal of particulate matter. When you eliminate that step, you are fundamentally changing the system. Instead of relying on water volume to carry contaminants off the surface, you are relying on: If those three conditions are not met, […]

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Inside the American Muscle Car Museum, Mike Phillips and Ed Dedick carefully prepare a rare Porsche 959 SC for display.
17
Apr
Behind the Detail

Inside the American Muscle Car Museum: Getting a RARE Porsche 959 SC Ready for Display

Posted on by Victor Espeland

There’s a saying we use in every detailing class we teach: it’s easy to take a car that’s in rough shape and create a dramatic before-and-after. What actually takes skill — real skill, the kind built from experience and the right products — is taking a car that already looks incredible and getting it that […]

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Why NSPs Make Coatings More Thick
03
Apr
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Featured, Paint Correction

Why Nano Surface Primers Make Coatings More Thick

Posted on by Victor Espeland

This article is part of a series on the new Dr. Beasley’s Nano Surface Primer system, available now. When it comes to protection against outside forces, thickness is an important part of the equation. Whether it’s a knight’s armor or a ceramic coating, a more substantial protective layer generally has more material to wear through. […]

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03
Apr
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction, Professional Detailing

Why Ceramic Coatings Fail (And What Actually Makes Them Last)

Posted on by Jim Lafeber

A lot of people are skeptical of ceramic coatings, and I understand why. They’ve been burned before.  Marketing makes ceramic coatings sound impervious. You hear it over and over: “Years of protection!” “9H Hardness!” “Extreme water beading!” And yet six months later, the gloss is gone, the finish is swirled and there’s no water beading […]

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How to decontaminate matte finish paint on cars
05
Mar
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, How To, Matte Car Care, Matte Car Washing

How to Decontaminate Matte Finish Car Paint

Posted on by Victor Espeland

Your car’s matte finish paint is dirtier than you think. Even after a wash, embedded contaminants will remain inside the paint’s microscopic nooks and crannies.  These embedded contaminants like iron particles and environmental fallout make the paint look dirty over time, cause rust and even prevent ceramic coatings from bonding properly.  Typically detailing professionals will […]

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08
Dec
Auto Detailing Training Classes, Behind the Detail, Videos & Media

278 Pictures – 1-Day November 2025 Car Detailing Class – 3 Cars Detailed! – No Chairs! – ALL Hands-on!

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Awesome People – Amazing Results!All 3 cars came out phenomenal, and I’ll be sharing the before, during and after shots below. But first, here are the 7 people that took this 1-day class. Nelson – Bogota, Columbia Nicolas – Buenos Aires, Argentina Doug – South Carolina Walter – Florida Eugene – Florida Juan – Kentucky […]

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Restoring a Barn Find 1965 Plymouth Valiant
05
Mar
Auto Detailing Training Classes, Behind the Detail

Barn Find — 1965 Plymouth Valiant — RESTORED by Detailing Class at Dr. Beasley’s

Posted on by Mike Phillips

This 1965 Plymouth Valiant was discovered in a Pole Barn in Macon, Georgia. It was purchased by my long-time friend Darrel, who has brought me 2 other Barn Find Cars in the past. Darrel had this car picked up and shipped directly to Dr. Beasley’s in Stuart, Florida and we appreciate his trust. Here she […]

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Why Dr. Beasley's Doesn't Use Graphene
13
Mar
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Exterior Detailing, The Future of Detailing

Why We Don’t Use Graphene in Our Formulas

Posted on by Jim Lafeber

Every few years, the detailing industry finds a new “game changing” feature for ceramic coatings. In the late 2010s, it was all about “9H” hardness. Now the new buzzword is “graphene”.  You see it on labels. You hear it in product launches. You read claims about “heat dissipation”, “anti-static behavior”, increased durability, superior protection.  So […]

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Drying automotive paint with a microfiber towel
27
Feb
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, How To, Professional Detailing, Tips

How to Dry Your Car (Without Scratching the Paint)

Posted on by Jim Lafeber

Drying a vehicle is often perceived as a quick, final step after washing with little risk.  It is not. Drying is actually one of the highest risk steps in the wash process if your goal is maintaining paint clarity and preserving the clear coat long-term.  Although they are often called “wash marks”, most swirl marks, […]

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Swirls in automotive paint
21
Feb
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, How To, Paint Correction, Professional Detailing

How to Avoid Swirls & Scratches in Your Car’s Paint

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Now follow me. It takes hours to buff out a car. For example, this black 1957 Chevy. I have literally hours into perfecting the paint. It takes seconds to put swirls and scratches back in. And the question is, how did the swirls and scratches get back in the paint after you remove them? In […]

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