A very bad day...

[Ohio Detailing]

You guys are simply THE BEST! I love it here.

I wanted to thank you all for the great encouraging words... I am used to little things going wrong from client to client, or even my own cars, but, this was just an unexpected frenzy of poo.

I was able to, however, FINALLY detail my car a little bit at least. After getting the windows tinted I was really concerns about treating the interior and cleaning/conditioning the leather and cleaning off any adhesive residue. It turned out great, no time for a real detail with wax yet, but all in all the car is seriously in just breathtaking condition!

THANKS FOR ALL THE COMPLIMENTS ON SHELBY TOO GENTS!

Dang... sounds like a crappy day indeed. I saw a thread a while back on spray bottles. Seems like most of them, regardless of brand, are hit or miss. I have a few from Ace and Home Depot. Some of them work fine, and others... well... let's just say they have had a talking to by yours truly a few times.

The nozzle on one of my HD bottles COMPLETELY BROKE OFF while I was claying the hood of a car. Luckily, I have no idea how, I caught the bottle before it could fall onto the paint with my other hand but that caused my clay slide off the hood and onto the ground. Pissed me off. A stupid $.99 spray bottle cost me about $10 worth of clay.

On the flip side: NICE RIDE! rops:

Ha, $1 bottle or $10 clay bar, sometimes the mind just can't keep up fast enough! Good catch though. I'm just going to buy some of the bottles at Sam's Club or something. The only thing I really liked about the HD bottles, was the dilution ratios on the side, wonder if I can find something like that?

Sorry to hear that about your bottles. did u ever try automagic hd bottles. iv'e had them for years, very strong...sweet ride

No, I haven't. I'll have to look into those, thanks! Thanks for the compliment on Shelby too!

Funnyyou mention this about the hd sprayer. I was wiping my car down with some last touch the other day and pop the sprayer on the hd bottle popped right off. Popped it back in to finish the car but annoying regardless.

To the op, maybe it's just one of those days. Everyone has them dont let it keep you down!

This happened to me, slightly difference, but some of the sprayer components on the inside just cracked and fell out, it was hilarious, in a maddening sort of way. I just hope none of this stuff ever happens while a client is watching. Thanks a lot JVS!

If it wasn't making any difference, why keep going? Find something that will work and go from there. SIP isn't as aggressive as one might expect, especially on really hard paints.


BTW, nice car!

Thanks a lot about Shelby, she's the best! I have a lot (and I mean A LOT) of plans for her development

As far as the paint correction, I suppose I just wanted to keep going to see if any improvement would occur. Menzerna's products was all I had, maybe I should switch to Meg's, because although Wolfgang and Blackfire look enticing, they are way too expensive for client paint correction until I begin to build up a clientele of exotics and Ferraris etc.

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong all at once! Happens all the time in this business man. Hang in there - it will all turnaround :dblthumb2:

Thanks so much B&B, I always like reading your posts, I really appreciate the nice words

Sounds like a really irritating day, Rubbermaid spray bottles from Walmart are what I have been using for years and they seem to hold up well and are really heavily made.
Great looking car !!

Rubbermaid? Great call, I'll definitely look for those next time I'm at Wal Mart. That company at Sam's Club that makes the microfibers has spray bottles too, 3 of them for $5 I think. Pro Force. Thanks a lot about Shelby, she's been a blast so far!

These are the best bottles IMHO. Only available at Super Walmart in my area.

Now I really have to look for them, Swanicyouth always has good advice!

I always tell my kids that tough times don't last but tough people do. Relax! When you are calm and clear-headed things seem to work out for the best. Good luck.

Thanks Mbret, awesome advice.

Have you checked for the black cloud that's following you?
M105 and Power Gloss are both more aggressive then SIP.
I use the Spraymaster bottles. If the Spraymaster bottles go bad, just send them back for a replacement.
Sorry you had such a bad day.

I see a lot about the Spraymaster on Auto Geek, you can get them replaced if they malfunction? That's a cool feature, minus the cost and time waiting to ship them back, but at least they stand behind their product.

I'm going to try M105, I just hate having spent over $100 on this trio of Menzerna polishes, and already having to look elsewhere for something with a little more bite.

 

[Ohio Detailing]

Character comes in the face of adversity

I believe that, it wasn't a day that had me crying in a dark corner sobbing uncontrollable cursing the world by any means, but it was just enough that I kind of broke down a little and wanted to come to my FAVORITE FORUM and just kind of let it all go, you know?

:iagree:, Never, Never, Never give up.

I won't! Just getting warmed up! I'm pre-enrolled in a new detail certification academy for August, and this fall the construction will be done on the new facility I'll be working out of!

Sorry about you bad day. I think if you had done a test spot before you did the whole vehicle you might have gotten better results.

"Never give up, never surrender!"

That's a good point, I should have tested first, and then used something like a Brinkman Swirl Finder (which I still need to buy, I think it's worth it from what I understand) to see if there was any improvement. Thanks a lot for the tip, I'll do that next time!

You got that right Flash!!! :xyxthumbs:

I've had days like the OP's on many occasions. Sounds like the pressure washer was cavitating from a kinked supply hose or something. It took me quite a few overall beat downs such as you've experienced with the Ford truck corrections until I quit ignoring the whole test section and working in small work sections advice, that we read about all the time posted by the best detailers on this and other detailing discussion forums. I too have ordered some of the most expensive trigger spray bottles only to be sorely disappointed. In the end I found some tough bottles and that the cheapest sprayers last the longest (even with wheel acid left in the sprayers) I buy them about 50 at a time and pay around $1.50 each for the bottle with the sprayer included. Since this is a marketing forum sponsored by AG I won't reveal my sources but will rather say this, "As Flash has so eloquently stated, you'll get sick and tired of being sick and tired and find your way to the things you need as you grow as a detailer."

Hang in there Bud, If you are really getting into lots of work with big backlogs you'll eventually want to consider the thought of dropping a grand or more for a rebuild-able belt driven pressure washer made in America and leave the throw away washers alone.

There are lots of growing pains in this industry and from day one I have always read that it won't be easy.

Great post, very thoughtful, thank you. Once business started to pick up this year, and I decided to REALLY make a sincere attempt at making this my full time career, I only wanted to spend $3,000 at most on chemicals and supplies for the time being, until the client load and tax write-off potential could justify a solid pressure washer, extractor, etc. I am headed in that direction without a doubt, and am really looking forward with a ton of excitement and optimism about the future.

Bad days suck, but nice car man. I for one love the design of the current Mustangs.

What color is that baby?

It's the titanium - I took color pictures yesterday too, but the black and white looked so nice! I actually met up with a friend this afternoon who also just got a Mustang, but his is a 2013, he ordered it special off the assembly line in Michigan. We took some more photos at a different lake, they turned out great, what a blast!

Is it possible that the vehicle was sealed with something like Opti or Cquarts? Sometimes a dealership will seal the car - the dealer wanted to sell me a sealer package on my Volvo for $500. I told them I could do it myself for $50 and know it was done correctly. His mouth dropped when I handed him my business car. Anyway, if it did have a sealer on it, it would help explain your dilemma.

-Sparty

This is a possibility, I can't say either way. The owner was a professional hair dresser and stylist/colorist, so although it's never good to make assumptions, I would think she wouldn't have any idea what I was talking about if I asked her. The specific vehicle in question was a really pretty black on black Acura TSX, super nice car.

They are using some really hard clear on these newer Ford trucks. I only use the 3401 for removing any holograms left behind by my Makita rotary on these trucks when they get corrections done to them. I have yet to buff off any type of coatings to my knowledge. I'd assume that an abrasive compound/polish would cut through them rather quickly if a good slow arm speed was being used during the buffing process.

I REALLY want to start using my Makita again, but it's been a long time, and I would rather pay the big bucks to attend the paint correction academy this summer, than risk damaging a client's vehicle. I will be buying the 105/205 combo though.

Sounds like a pretty typical bad day. Could've been much worse though. Sounds like you haven't been detailing professionally long, no offense. I could be wrong. There aren't any good spray bottles out there. They all eventually break and leak. You definitely get what you pay for though. Some spray bottles are decent, but most suck. I tried tons of bottles and nozzles.

I haven't tried the meguiar's detailer line of bottles. Has anybody used these? Hows the quality?

I've had bottles break, chemicals spray into my eye, pressure washers and nozzles break, hoses burst, fittings leak, O rings blow with no extras, Water freeze solid on cars, engine's wouldn't start after detailing, it just goes on and on and on. It's just what us detailers have to deal with, but I love it!

I think some other guys already mentioned it, but you have to do a test spot on every car. If you're not seeing enough correction you just have to switch to something more aggressive...if you're getting paid enough.

Some clearcoats are hard as diamonds. I usually come accross this problem with higher end bmw, audi, mercedes.

Sometimes you just have to bust out the old rotary...just no way around it.

I've been detailing since 2002, I fell deeply and madly in love with it right off the bat. It is my personality, like an extension of who I am. I'm the kind of guy that would literally be in my garage all weekend in high school and college, I didn't even party at all, I just would disassemble my car, paint and clear coat the dash and calipers etc, and then spend hours upon hours polishing and jeweling the paint.

I never stopped detailing as a side income, always kept a decent client roster, but for years I worked for a huge fortune-100 company and kept climbing the ladder and couldn't resist the unlimited overtime and the thrill of seeing those paychecks, so I really paused the whole detailing passion for a year or two. As far as paint correction though, therein lies my weakness in experience as a true proficiency. I have watched the Mike P videos over and over and over, and read the forum for years, but I'm still "mimicking" rather than perfecting.

Awesome car by the way! You must be doing very well and it sounds like you are super busy. Good luck to you!

Thanks so much! With the hugely increased focus on growing the business and using a lot of tools other detailers simply aren't (social media, SEO, etc) it's been a really dramatic up swing in customer retention and recruitment.

We just designed our company logo this week, and are refining the last details with the graphic design company we commissioned!

Your bad day sounds like my typical day and I don't have a fancy new Mustang. Be greatfull!

Oh I am, believe me. It's just nice to take a deep breath and vent a little in a place like this where I spend hours and come to the other 99% of the time for help, information, and inspiration with others who understand what it's like.

The dream car isn't much of a result of my detailing venture however, but rather investments over time and the years I spent in a senior position at a large fortune 100 company. The development has already begun on Shelby, soon, she'll be the only one of her kind in the world - literally. I'm beyond excited.

 

[HotWhipT/A]

Sounds like your down on Menzerna products, don't be! I LOVE their stuff. I use their polishes more than any other brand. I have SIP, power finish, Final Finish, and the Mirco finish. I can use these on most cars. If they need a little more aggressive of a product, I'll reach for Meguair's D300 MF compound. That stuff works great on both foam pads and the MF pads and it barely dusts. The most aggressive stuff I have is 105 and it works great when needed. Although, I try to stay away from it as much as I can because I hate the dusting! Menzerna products don't dust!

Oh and I use my Brinkman light ALL the time. Completely worth it.

 

[addysdaddy]

These are the best bottles IMHO. Only available at Super Walmart in my area.

Would u mind sending me pm with a link. I went to the WMT site and couldn't find them.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Well, in a nutshell while I was in the midst of detailing back to back clients (brand new custom F-150 Twin Turbo FX4 followed by a beautiful BMW M5 E60) things went 'awry.'

So you're working on,

Brand new Ford F150
BMW M5

Then you posted this,

Moving on to the actual paint correction, I did a FULL THREE STEP compound, polish, glaze/seal, with almost NO discernible difference in the paint condition.

Which vehicle are you referencing the above about? Both cars? Or just the Ford or the BMW?

It didn't get worse, it didn't get better, it just felt smoother like I clayed it. I even bought the big expensive containers of the Menzerna Super Intensive Polish (1500), regular polish (4000), and super fine polish (4500) at the suggestion of one of the great (and I truly mean great, I don't mean that sarcastically ) employees at Auto Geek.

I was beside myself.

Thank you for the kind words as I do appreciate them and I don't plan on letting you down. I don't have a history of letting people down but just the opposite, helping them to learn this craft and be successful, not always easy with a keyboard and even videos as nothing beats hands-on training no matter what the topic.

I applied very good pressure, and I worked back and forth a MINIMUM OF 6 TIMES like Mike says in his half-an-hour video of the FLEX 3401 buffer.

It would help if you included which vehicle you're referencing and the "before" condition.

Sorry about you bad day. I think if you had done a test spot before you did the whole vehicle you might have gotten better results.

This is the first thing I thought as I started reading through this thread. There's a reason why I personally practice and encourage others to practice the "Best Practice" of doing a Test Spot. I've been teaching others to first do a test spot and dial in a process that works GREAT to one area and then duplicate the process you used to the small section of paint to the rest of the car. By doing this you ensure you're going to get GREAT results from the very start.

The last thing anyone wants to do is spend all day on a car only to make the final wipe to discover the paint only looks marginally better than when they started.

I'm going to try M105, I just hate having spent over $100 on this trio of Menzerna polishes, and already having to look elsewhere for something with a little more bite.

Exactly. You now have 3 awesome polishes in your arsenal and you're going to love these three products and use them all up. It's not money wasted, it's inventory to help you successfully polish out your next cars.

None of these three polishes are TRUE COMPOUNDS, for that you need a product like M105

I worked for Meguiar's when M105 and UC were introduced, in fact the red Mercedes-Benz on the label of the UC is a car from one of my "Extreme Makeover Classes" at Meguiar's.

When Meguiar's introduced SMAT products starting with M86 Cut & Polish Cream in the So1o line in 2006 it was a real game changer. Same thing in 2007 when they introduced M105 Ultra Cut Compound. This new compound set the bar higher for products in this category, (true compounds), and everyone is still trying to catch up by introducing a compound that cuts as well and finishes out as nice.

If you're going to equipped with all the products you need to tackle any car that you're hired to work on you're going to want M105 and the three polishes you've already purchased.

I worked for Meguiar's for a total of 11 years and love their products dearly and fed myself and my family detailing cars with them for over a decade but as fine as their products are Menzerna, in my opinion, makes some of the best polishes on the planet that do something that is very hard to do and that's work great on a wide spectrum of "paint systems".

Sounds like your down on Menzerna products, don't be! I LOVE their stuff. I use their polishes more than any other brand. I have SIP, power finish, Final Finish, and the Mirco finish.

I can use these on most cars.

Exactly.

If they need a little more aggressive of a product, I'll reach for Meguiar's D300 MF compound. That stuff works great on both foam pads and the MF pads and it barely dusts. The most aggressive stuff I have is 105 and it works great when needed.

Anyone that wants to be equipped to tackle whatever pulls into their garage or whatever is parked in their customer's garage is going to need a true compound.

The goal is to always use the least aggressive product to get the job done but sometimes the least aggressive product is still going to be a compound.

Oh and I use my Brinkmann light ALL the time. Completely worth it.

I agree. And to date, no one has found a light that works as well, is hand held, rechargeable and at the same price point. Always see threads with everyone's "opinion" on better lights but none of them match or beat the criteria I just typed out.

 

[HotWhipT/A]

I feel special to be quoted 3 times AND it be Mike agreeing with me!

:dblthumb2:

 

[mbret2004]

I feel special to be quoted 3 times AND it be Mike agreeing with me!

:dblthumb2:

You have obviously succeeded in your detailing endeavors. It's an inspiration to all to work hard and learn from a professional. Mike is willing to help anyone and that's awesome. It's truly a blessing to have someone of his caliber to answer our questions and teach us the auto detailing trade.

God Bless all and thank you Mike for all you do! :dblthumb2:

 

[Klasse Act]

Sorry about your bad luck OP, your dream car is real nice, did it come with "THOSE" wheels though?

 

[pointillistic_practitioner]

Sorry about your bad day They suck. Sometimes though, the negative frame of mind we put ourselves in when things start to snowball & get worse & worse makes things seem worse than they actually are. I try to take a few deep breaths and clear my head when dealing with a situation like you just dealt with. Sometimes it's "just matter" but oftentimes, it's "mind over matter". Plus, if we never had really bad days how would we be grateful for the really mesmerizingly good days? Hang in there, I'm sure you'll love the Menz. I have yet to use it but plan on getting either the combo you have or the Megs MF DA system as my next big purchase (haven't decided which one yet).

 

[pointillistic_practitioner]

ps - test sections DO help! I never really did them b/c I was doing DDs for people who weren't concerned about swirls, or even wax protection, just that their car was shiny & their interior was clean (ok so I was being a bit of a hack detailer which I shake my head at myself for) but anyway, I started doing them and they make SUCH a difference. I still can't seem to control "working in small sections"... I always try but the area always turns out bigger than it was originally lol. But seriously, try out a couple of products first, don't be in too much of a hurry to get the car done. It'll be worth more in the end. (I'm a type A personality so I tend to get impatient when something doesn't work as I expect it to quickly. Detailing has taught me that sometimes I just need to calm down, slow down, and be patient).

 

[shoeless89]

Sounds like it can only get better from here! lol Things will get better man!

 

[dougaross]

ps - test sections DO help! I never really did them b/c I was doing DDs for people who weren't concerned about swirls, or even wax protection, just that their car was shiny & their interior was clean (ok so I was being a bit of a hack detailer which I shake my head at myself for) but anyway, I started doing them and they make SUCH a difference. I still can't seem to control "working in small sections"... I always try but the area always turns out bigger than it was originally lol. But seriously, try out a couple of products first, don't be in too much of a hurry to get the car done. It'll be worth more in the end. (I'm a type A personality so I tend to get impatient when something doesn't work as I expect it to quickly. Detailing has taught me that sometimes I just need to calm down, slow down, and be patient).

To keep from expanding my working area I use small piece(1") of masking tape to mark the area

 

[Ohio Detailing]

Sounds like your down on Menzerna products, don't be! I LOVE their stuff. I use their polishes more than any other brand. I have SIP, power finish, Final Finish, and the Mirco finish. I can use these on most cars. If they need a little more aggressive of a product, I'll reach for Meguair's D300 MF compound. That stuff works great on both foam pads and the MF pads and it barely dusts. The most aggressive stuff I have is 105 and it works great when needed. Although, I try to stay away from it as much as I can because I hate the dusting! Menzerna products don't dust!

Oh and I use my Brinkman light ALL the time. Completely worth it.

I guess I was too intimidated by something as strong as the M105, sometimes forums (MOST of the time) are unbelievably helpful... but other times, just that one lone post can have you running for the hills. For instance, I was dead set on ordering the well know M105/205 combo with my new FLEX 3401 I got in a couple weeks ago from Auto Geek, but then I remembered someone talking about HOW intense and aggressive it was, and so I went with the Menzerna line up. The only thing I wish was different about Menzerna, at least my products I was referred to, is that I feel the three are too close together in aggressiveness? The 4500 and 4000 seem almost identical, and the Super Intensive (1500 I think?) seems like it would be nothing short of buffing with razor cut sand particles, but it ended up not being that strong at all, even with the orange pad, and pretty intense pressure, not to mentioned a full 7-8 passes.

So, it seems as though I'll be forced, in a good way, to move up the ranks into the M105. I suppose I was also discouraged that the second correction job I was hired to do with the dual action forced rotation buffer ended up a dud. I at least expected to see SOME improvement after doing a three stage polish, and spending so much time on it and ensuring I did the right amount of passes etc. It seriously looked like I was looking at the same exact panel of paint an hour later.

Would u mind sending me pm with a link. I went to the WMT site and couldn't find them.

I went to the Sam's Club site, and read the description. The good news is, they are labeled on the side for dilution ratios, that makes it SO easy. I have officially used up all of my 'heavy duty' bottles and sprayers now, so from here on out anything that breaks will have to be replaced, so I'll give something else a shot.

Something that has me really confused is the comments a lot of people share claiming "there are no good/dependable" spray bottles out there. I really think this is false, only because the bottles actual products come in never... ever break on me during their usage, even bottles like spray detailers or waterless washes that I refill literally 10-15 times over the course of a year. So... that doesn't really hold water. Even bottles that tanning salons use, hold chemicals in them, and I can personally attest to the SAME bottle being used for four YEARS (and I am not exaggerating) to clean hundreds and thousands of client beds from 9am-9am every single day except Sunday. FOUR YEARS! The bottles I paid for last between 1-5 uses, that's just insanity.

So you're working on,

Brand new Ford F150
BMW M5

Which vehicle are you referencing the above about? Both cars? Or just the Ford or the BMW?

The BMW - I heard that they are similar to Acuras in that they have diamond-like hard clear coat.

Thank you for the kind words as I do appreciate them and I don't plan on letting you down. I don't have a history of letting people down but just the opposite, helping them to learn this craft and be successful, not always easy with a keyboard and even videos as nothing beats hands-on training no matter what the topic.

I have always, for years now, had nothing but awesome things to say about you Mike! You're the master of the trade I'm so passionate about.

This is the first thing I thought as I started reading through this thread. There's a reason why I personally practice and encourage others to practice the "Best Practice" of doing a Test Spot. I've been teaching others to first do a test spot and dial in a process that works GREAT to one area and then duplicate the process you used to the small section of paint to the rest of the car. By doing this you ensure you're going to get GREAT results from the very start.

The last thing anyone wants to do is spend all day on a car only to make the final wipe to discover the paint only looks marginally better than when they started.

I know... I have watched all of your videos, and I mean all of them! I must have watched the 30 minute Flex 3401 video online 10 times before pulling out another $400+ on my most recent upgrade purchase from Auto Geek. I need to adopt the test spot methodology, but buffing is new hat to me, as far as actual execution. I feel like I have been buffing for years, because of two things: I originally started out back in 2003 with the Makita, and really enjoyed that, but then detailing dropped off as I pursued and worked in corporate America, and secondly because I absorb all the information and videos out there in internet-land, so it FEELS like second nature.

Exactly. You now have 3 awesome polishes in your arsenal and you're going to love these three products and use them all up. It's not money wasted, it's inventory to help you successfully polish out your next cars.

None of these three polishes are TRUE COMPOUNDS, for that you need a product like M105

I am definitely going to go with bulk M105 next time I make a purchase... maybe there will be on this weekend with the car show on Speed TV with that free shipping offer?

I worked for Meguiar's when M105 and UC were introduced, in fact the red Mercedes-Benz on the label of the UC is a car from one of my "Extreme Makeover Classes" at Meguiar's.

When Meguiar's introduced SMAT products starting with M86 Cut & Polish Cream in the So1o line in 2006 it was a real game changer. Same thing in 2007 when they introduced M105 Ultra Cut Compound. This new compound set the bar higher for products in this category, (true compounds), and everyone is still trying to catch up by introducing a compound that cuts as well and finishes out as nice.

If you're going to equipped with all the products you need to tackle any car that you're hired to work on you're going to want M105 and the three polishes you've already purchased.

I worked for Meguiar's for a total of 11 years and love their products dearly and fed myself and my family detailing cars with them for over a decade but as fine as their products are Menzerna, in my opinion, makes some of the best polishes on the planet that do something that is very hard to do and that's work great on a wide spectrum of "paint systems".

Your time and career at Meg's is what got me started AND HOOKED on this fun industry and career.

Anyone that wants to be equipped to tackle whatever pulls into their garage or whatever is parked in their customer's garage is going to need a true compound.

The goal is to always use the least aggressive product to get the job done but sometimes the least aggressive product is still going to be a compound.

You're so right... some of the cars I've been doing lately are soooo, so neglected.

I agree. And to date, no one has found a light that works as well, is hand held, rechargeable and at the same price point. Always see threads with everyone's "opinion" on better lights but none of them match or beat the criteria I just typed out.

This is something else I will need. Write off time!



THANK YOU MIKE!

Sorry about your bad luck OP, your dream car is real nice, did it come with "THOSE" wheels though?

Ha, oh boy... I catch flak for that everywhere. Some people are gaga over them, and some are 'purists' so-called, and try to give me the wheel radius lecture along with their torque theories etc, like I haven't heard it 999 times and know it by heart.

Actually, I decided with my new order this week on all the wheels and tires to downgrade to a 20 inch wheel from the pictured 22's. I am going to do 20's like all the Super Snakes etc with 7-800 horspower, because I can go wider and taller on the wheel for insane grip and handling. The new forged wheels I chose should be in next week.

Speaking of which... we've been doing a LOT of work to the car lately, got 60rwhp out of the stock GT500 today with one part and a tune. It was insane, the drivability is flawless too.

Sorry about your bad day They suck. Sometimes though, the negative frame of mind we put ourselves in when things start to snowball & get worse & worse makes things seem worse than they actually are. I try to take a few deep breaths and clear my head when dealing with a situation like you just dealt with. Sometimes it's "just matter" but oftentimes, it's "mind over matter". Plus, if we never had really bad days how would we be grateful for the really mesmerizingly good days? Hang in there, I'm sure you'll love the Menz. I have yet to use it but plan on getting either the combo you have or the Megs MF DA system as my next big purchase (haven't decided which one yet).

Thanks a lot, I like your name by the way!

ps - test sections DO help! I never really did them b/c I was doing DDs for people who weren't concerned about swirls, or even wax protection, just that their car was shiny & their interior was clean (ok so I was being a bit of a hack detailer which I shake my head at myself for) but anyway, I started doing them and they make SUCH a difference. I still can't seem to control "working in small sections"... I always try but the area always turns out bigger than it was originally lol. But seriously, try out a couple of products first, don't be in too much of a hurry to get the car done. It'll be worth more in the end. (I'm a type A personality so I tend to get impatient when something doesn't work as I expect it to quickly. Detailing has taught me that sometimes I just need to calm down, slow down, and be patient).

I really take my time, too much time actually... I am a sever... and I mean SEVER perfectionist. I dwell on things, and it can actually alter my entire feeling about the job on a car, when I've spent literally nine hour of labor on it, and when I take it to the client, all I am thinking about is that 1mm hairline scratch that didn't come out that they will never EVER see.

 

[Ohio Detailing]

Sounds like it can only get better from here! lol Things will get better man!

OH YEAH! They already have... I forget when the original post was made, but it was just an off day is all, we all have them. I just felt like taking some time back when I made this thread, to vent a little before bed.

In other news, been very busy! Double stacked clients with about a week in advance scheduling! A 1967 Chevelle, an Audi TT, a new Camaro SS, a new 2013 Mustang GT 5.0, a custom H2 Hummer, and some other trucks and a daily driver are all either next week already or were just completed over the last two days.

 

[pointillistic_practitioner]

To keep from expanding my working area I use small piece(1") of masking tape to mark the area

ahh thats very smart! I have painters tape. I never wanted to tape squares like mike has in some of his intro videos b/c then you have to go over the small area which would drive me nuts but a small piece of tape is a great idea! Thanks for the tip. My details have come out good b/c I've been extra careful to go a bit slower the last few passes bc ik my area has expanded but itll be better to use tape stick to one area.

I guess I was too intimidated by something as strong as the M105, sometimes forums (MOST of the time) are unbelievably helpful... but other times, just that one lone post can have you running for the hills. For instance, I was dead set on ordering the well know M105/205 combo with my new FLEX 3401 I got in a couple weeks ago from Auto Geek, but then I remembered someone talking about HOW intense and aggressive it was, and so I went with the Menzerna line up. The only thing I wish was different about Menzerna, at least my products I was referred to, is that I feel the three are too close together in aggressiveness? The 4500 and 4000 seem almost identical, and the Super Intensive (1500 I think?) seems like it would be nothing short of buffing with razor cut sand particles, but it ended up not being that strong at all, even with the orange pad, and pretty intense pressure, not to mentioned a full 7-8 passes.

So, it seems as though I'll be forced, in a good way, to move up the ranks into the M105. I suppose I was also discouraged that the second correction job I was hired to do with the dual action forced rotation buffer ended up a dud. I at least expected to see SOME improvement after doing a three stage polish, and spending so much time on it and ensuring I did the right amount of passes etc. It seriously looked like I was looking at the same exact panel of paint an hour later.



I went to the Sam's Club site, and read the description. The good news is, they are labeled on the side for dilution ratios, that makes it SO easy. I have officially used up all of my 'heavy duty' bottles and sprayers now, so from here on out anything that breaks will have to be replaced, so I'll give something else a shot.

Something that has me really confused is the comments a lot of people share claiming "there are no good/dependable" spray bottles out there. I really think this is false, only because the bottles actual products come in never... ever break on me during their usage, even bottles like spray detailers or waterless washes that I refill literally 10-15 times over the course of a year. So... that doesn't really hold water. Even bottles that tanning salons use, hold chemicals in them, and I can personally attest to the SAME bottle being used for four YEARS (and I am not exaggerating) to clean hundreds and thousands of client beds from 9am-9am every single day except Sunday. FOUR YEARS! The bottles I paid for last between 1-5 uses, that's just insanity.





Ha, oh boy... I catch flak for that everywhere. Some people are gaga over them, and some are 'purists' so-called, and try to give me the wheel radius lecture along with their torque theories etc, like I haven't heard it 999 times and know it by heart.

Actually, I decided with my new order this week on all the wheels and tires to downgrade to a 20 inch wheel from the pictured 22's. I am going to do 20's like all the Super Snakes etc with 7-800 horspower, because I can go wider and taller on the wheel for insane grip and handling. The new forged wheels I chose should be in next week.

Speaking of which... we've been doing a LOT of work to the car lately, got 60rwhp out of the stock GT500 today with one part and a tune. It was insane, the drivability is flawless too.



Thanks a lot, I like your name by the way!



I really take my time, too much time actually... I am a sever... and I mean SEVER perfectionist. I dwell on things, and it can actually alter my entire feeling about the job on a car, when I've spent literally nine hour of labor on it, and when I take it to the client, all I am thinking about is that 1mm hairline scratch that didn't come out that they will never EVER see.

Your welcome, and thanks! Yeah I hear you... I can be the same way, thinking no one will see my hard work but only the things I missed, but the customers usually come and see a clean, polished, protected car and go IT LOOKS AMAZING lol xD. Us detailers are just too hard on ourselves lol xD Fortunately (or unfortunately, however you look at it) I've only had one really picky customer who was very into perfection and image etc etc who said you put a scratch on my car! I said NO your car was so dirty you didn't SEE the scratch, now it's washed clayed corrected and waxed and the scratch sticks out. Now I do a walkaround first or I tell the client this is what I can/can't get out. You live & you learn I guess

 

[DaveT435]

• !?
• The zipper on my BRAND NEW FLEX 3401 buffer bag just broke and fell right off as I gently unzipped the bag. It tore off like it was made from soggy recycled paper - THIS REALLY annoyed me. The "Mercedes of buffers" from Germany comes with a bag that costs $50, and has the quality of generic a zip-lock baggie.

Well at least it is just the bag that you had problems with being cheaply made...in my case it was the machine!! Meguires g110v2!!

 

[dougaross]

I guess I was too intimidated by something as strong as the M105, sometimes forums (MOST of the time) are unbelievably helpful... but other times, just that one lone post can have you running for the hills. For instance, I was dead set on ordering the well know M105/205 combo with my new FLEX 3401 I got in a couple weeks ago from Auto Geek, but then I remembered someone talking about HOW intense and aggressive it was, and so I went with the Menzerna line up. The only thing I wish was different about Menzerna, at least my products I was referred to, is that I feel the three are too close together in aggressiveness? The 4500 and 4000 seem almost identical, and the Super Intensive (1500 I think?) seems like it would be nothing short of buffing with razor cut sand particles, but it ended up not being that strong at all, even with the orange pad, and pretty intense pressure, not to mentioned a full 7-8 passes.

You have to take all opinions with grain of salt, especially if you don't know the opiner. M105 is an excellent correction product. It does have a learning curve. But most have it in their toolbox.

 

[Tinwhiskers]

Chin up, pal. I hate to say it but that's part of being a business owner. You'll have even worse days then that. However, remember those days and what you did right and wrong as well as how you would handle those situations if they come up again.

It's easy being a business man when things are going well. The truely successful people are the ones who can handle adversity and thrive in it...... Or marry a very rich spouse! :xyxthumbs:

You can learn a lot from every bad day. I own a small/medium size business (not detailing) and know this from my own experiences.

Sorry to sound so much like Dr. Phil........he sucks.

 

[Ohio Detailing]

I love owning businesses, I come from a family of business owners and I've ran two successful businesses since 2002 - just a bad day is all. Oh, my AR Blue 383 broke today.... N-O-T surprised

2 month life span, awesome.

The client was blown away however, and gave me the single biggest tip I've ever received. She shared the car on Face Book which was a great marketing opportunity, she is an influential business owner, and I already scheduled to detail her husbands new GT500, it's gorgeous. We had that in common!

Here's the Audi TT I detailed this morning, Camaro Super Sport (2010) tomorrow and an Acura.

 

[Tinwhiskers]

Wow, owning two businesses is pretty impressive. I can only imagine some of the headaches you have at times.

I own a pretty successful electro-plating business and you can only imagine the problems that nasty chemicals, wet processes, electricity and 60 employees all mixed together brings.

I have to agree with you though, that when it all comes together there is nothing better than owning you own business. Good luck in your future endeavors.