Not everyone has the leg up in life to know what career they want to pursue by age 16, but Detail Manager Dante Jones already had a talent for car detailing as a teenager, long before ONYX Automotive opened its doors in early 2020. A passion for learning new things, combined with having a father who kept his cars clean and tidy, led Jones to the career he now enjoys.
“Growing up, my dad had some cool cars,” Jones revealed. “My dad cleaned his cars every day and once I got my first car, I cleaned it every day after school.” He added that he quickly discovered he liked “keeping things clean.”
The evolution from a teenager keeping his car clean to a detailing professional at a luxury car dealership has been an interesting one. A graduate of Northwest High School in Omaha, he attended college for a semester before quickly realizing that his already-thriving career as a detailer was indeed the path he wanted to pursue.
He continued his career as a detailer at various dealerships and then joined ONYX when it opened. After he set his sights on a manager position within the detailing department, it wasn’t long before he was leading the team. It’s a position he enjoys, with a team he can depend on. “We just flow so well together,” he said.
Jones enjoys working at ONYX Automotive for a variety of reasons, including the people, the culture, and the ample opportunities. “I look forward to coming to work,” he said. “I enjoy the people and my co-workers make it a good overall experience.”
Jones and his team stay busy detailing vehicles, which sometimes includes ceramic coating. The ceramic coating process is designed to provide long-lasting protection to a vehicle’s paint, making it easier to clean and to avoid scratches and other blemishes.
It’s a specialized technique that not all detailers in the industry can do. The long application process is a manual one requiring patience and expertise as specific steps are done in a specific order.
“GROWING UP, MY DAD HAD SOME COOL CARS. MY DAD CLEANED HIS CARS EVERY DAY AND ONCE I GOT MY FIRST CAR, I CLEANED IT EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL.”
-DANTE JONES
Jones doesn’t mind the task at all. In fact, he enjoys the manual aspect of the complicated process.
Jones revealed that there have been many instances of his team detailing a customer’s ONYX vehicle and applying the ceramic coating only to have that customer ask if they can bring their other vehicles in for the same services. He said that it’s encouraging for his team whenever a customer is so impressed by the team’s work that they ask to bring in other vehicles. While Jones and his detailing team stay busy, they enjoy what they do, and they do it well. He’s happy to lead such a passionate group.
Jones is keeping his options open as to what his future holds, but is confident that his future is at ONYX Automotive. “There might be a different opportunity somewhere within the company that I just haven’t found yet,” he said.
He cautions consumers on accepting detailing services from people going door-to-door – particularly those who don’t have their own professional detailing equipment. “That’s a red flag,” he said. “If they’re going to come to your house with a garden hose and a bucket, I would just turn them away. Honestly, because it does more damage than good.” The wrong towel can scratch a car’s paint, he added. It’s better to trust in detailing professionals who have the right equipment and years of experience, like Jones and his team.
When it comes to auto detailing, he said, “You get what you pay for.”
His advice to young car enthusiasts who, like his younger self, enjoy keeping their vehicles clean, is to consider pursuing a career path in automotive detailing. It’s been a good career for Jones, and it’s one he enjoys. “I just say, follow your dreams,” he advised. He added that he hadn’t always dreamt of being a detail manager, but he liked doing the work and was fortunate that people saw the potential in him. “When people see potential in you, you should definitely go for it.”
For more information, visit onyxautomotive.com.