Alleged "Detailing" Shop = epic FAIL

[sportscarhiatus]

Here's a story for you AGers. Knowing how most of you are geekers like me, you'll laugh and cringe at this story.

We went to a town about 90 miles away from us, to visit family. We drove Oprah (Odyssey) to get there, so we had both kids. Baby started to cry so I drove around the area to get him to sleep before dinner. Anyways, I see this BIGGGGGGGGG NEW "Detailing Shop". It had 10 or more wash bays, and a showroom floor in the middle. I thought to myself... I HAVE to check this out. LOL.

Baby started dozing, so I pulled in and told wifey "This will ONLY take a second.". I brought a flashlight with me just in case, but I thought, what better way to see what this shop can do than to check out their "Show" car, right?

I walk up to the car.... it was a gorgeous 65 Stang, flashlight in hand (my Brinkmann was at home of course). Turns out, the sunlight was ample light. I find SWIRLS, SWIRLS, and MORE SWIRLS. Within 30 seconds, I was out the door, before the shop people could say something to me. I shook my head all the way out the door.

I look at the signs and brochures on the way out. "Full Detailing, including wash, wax, interior, engine bay, etc.... and buffing if needed = $400".

I'm like WOW. Are people really this naive? I mean... maybe it's the owners themselves who don't REALLY KNOW HOW to detail... and think swirls are normal? Heck, they probably don't even know what swirls ARE. And it sickens me, that some people/customers walk in there, and think they do a GREAT job, and actually PAY them 400 bucks for this alleged "quality" work. Unbelievable.

Anyways, just had to share this story. Am still shocked. A SHOWroom vehicle to showcase their work..... an iconic pony, covered, no DRENCHED in swirls. Wow.

 

[alko]

SMH!!! I see it all the time man...but the thing is, people will pay the money at these shops rather than pay me that does it out of my garage. I guess they feel comfortable that you have an actual shop to do chitty work in....I dunno.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I'm like WOW. Are people really this naive? I mean... maybe it's the owners themselves who don't REALLY KNOW HOW to detail... and think swirls are normal?

Sounds about right...

Heck, they probably don't even know what swirls ARE.

They need to read this article,


The difference between a swirl and squirrel

For clarification...

This is a Squirrel

These are Swirls

And it sickens me, that some people/customers walk in there, and thing they do a GREAT job, and actually PAY them 400 bucks for this alleged "quality" work. Unbelievable.

Anyways, just had to share this story. Am still shocked. A SHOWroom vehicle to showcase their work..... an iconic pony, covered, no DRENCHED in swirls. Wow.

Thanks for sharing and I feel your pain...

When I wrote this article you can use the word detailer or detail shop in the place of the word dealership for the letters in the acronym DISO.


DISO = The Dealership Installed Swirl Option

 

[sportscarhiatus]

SMH!!! I see it all the time man...but the thing is, people will pay the money at these shops rather than pay me that does it out of my garage. I guess they feel comfortable that you have an actual shop to do chitty work in....I dunno.

Ain't that crazy? I mean... seriously, if I was single or retired, and didn't have kids, I WOULD LOVE to reopen my detailing business full time. But alas... I am limited to side detailing jobs only, but I do get the luxury of choosing which customers to work on But still... I want to open my shop again soooo bad. Show them how to do it right.

Sounds about right...


They need to read this article,


The difference between a swirl and squirrel

For clarification...

This is a Squirrel

These are Swirls

Mike P, I LOVE that squirrel and swirl pic. You have me cracking up. But yes, maybe that's what it takes though... to explain it to some people LOL.

 

[sportscarhiatus]

Might I add that, I had my DSLR kit in the Odyssey, for family pics, and I was honestly THINKING about taking pics of the car to show you guys. Although, I may have been kicked out or arrested if I did do that. Man, I wish you guys could have seen it. You would have thrown up in your mouths.

 

[oldmodman]

Yep.

Same thing near me.

I stopped in to see how a new detailing shop finished cars looked. In a word. Terrible. None of the swirls had been corrected and the car was a showcase of RIDS.

The shop was out of business in a little under a year. And they were very expensive.

I don't know who to feel sorrier for. The guy that poured his life savings into opening up a nice looking shop. Or the customers that paid him around $800.00 to have their cars turn out lousy.

 

[sportscarhiatus]

Yep.

Same thing near me.

I stopped in to see how a new detailing shop finished cars looked. In a word. Terrible. None of the swirls had been corrected and the car was a showcase of RIDS.

The shop was out of business in a little under a year. And they were very expensive.

I don't know who to feel sorrier for. The guy that poured his life savings into opening up a nice looking shop. Or the customers that paid him around $800.00 to have their cars turn out lousy.

Imagine a shop that STAYS in business, or worse, THRIVES despite doing $h*tty work. And naive customers continue to pay them to "succeed". Now THAT, would be a travesty.

 

[craz0boy]

We have a place like that here where I live. Crazy prices, hired help who are kids or people who don't know what they are doing. Using car wash brushes which are for sure putting swirls and then it roles through the "shredder" and is dressed up and hello they are $300+ richer for a crappy job. Amazes me how many people know nothing about true detailing.

 

[VISITOR]

most do not know what a proper high elite Autopian style detail is and are happy with shiny swirls lol...

 

[sportscarhiatus]

We have a place like that here where I live. Crazy prices, hired help who are kids or people who don't know what they are doing. Using car wash brushes which are for sure putting swirls and then it roles through the "shredder" and is dressed up and hello they are $300+ richer for a crappy job. Amazes me how many people know nothing about true detailing.

You remind me of something else I saw in the past. I was at the Honda dealership buying some parts for Oprah... then from my vantage point I could see their "detailing" bay. What do I see? Brand new vehicles being washed with a DECK BROOM BRUSH. Yes, I said it right. DECK BROOM BRUSH. Those hard, stiff, green bristles on a deck brush. They used it on the roof, the hood, everywhere. I think I heard nails on a chalkboard at that moment.

On the plus side, at least they washed from the top down like we're all taught to. LOL.

 

[sportscarhiatus]

most do not know what a proper high elite Autopian style detail is and are happy with shiny swirls lol...

Now THAT is funny stuff right there... "shiny swirls"...

LOL. Im the MAN

 

[tampatopless]

People here in Tampa used to complain about getting their new cars from the dealerships with tons of swirls and holograms. Funny thing was, the cars LOOKED like they had been detailed (tire black, interior, etc.)

I finally figured it out. Like most cities, in Tampa the dealerships tend to congregate along certain thoroughfares. Well, the three biggest dealerships, who happened to be next to each other, decided to chip in and build ONE drive-through car wash that each could access through the rear of their lots. Just about every Ford, Dodge or Chevy that was sold would go through that wash. And man, that wash just chewed those cars up.

On the bright side, prolly created a lot of work for the mobile detailers.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

most do not know what a proper high elite Autopian style detail is and are happy with shiny swirls lol...

I agree, most people don't fully understand what nice looking car will look like when properly and correctly machine polished to perfection. I'm not sure any one person or forum for that matter has a lock on proper, high or elite detail work either.


All of the below cars were polished out by people coming to AutogeekOnline to learn how to detail cars, we take pride in not only providing best of class products but also hands-on training and education.

Many of the guys and a few girls that worked on these cars it was their first time ever using a machine to buff paint...


This was Tyler's first time machine polishing...

This was Brenda and Matt's first time machine polishing paint...

This was Don's first time using a DA Polisher

And here are some pictures of cars all detailed here at Autogeek by a mix of newbies, weekend enthusiasts and pro detailers...

The education and the right products are available to all detail shops, the people running them simply have to care. If the people running the shops care, then a little Googling will bring them all the information they need to turn out pro quality results.

 

[Vegas Transplant]

Now THAT is funny stuff right there... "shiny swirls"...

LOL. Im the MAN

Off topic but..

The funniest "shiny" that I've seen, that was the perpetrator's pride, was an aluminum fuel tank on a big rig that was sanded and polished...highly polished scratches blinging in the sun:laughing:

 

[Cosmin]

This is a Squirrel

i like the squirrel ))

 

[swanicyouth]

Went to BMW dealer a few weeks OK to pick up a gallon of antifreeze. At this dealer, they have a car port like area that's pretty big where they give the new cars the final prep and wipe down before people pick the up. You can choose to walk through this area to Go from the showroom to get to the parts department.
So, I saw out of the corner of my eye, a guy running a Dewalt rotary over a brand new BMW 7 Series, which can cost around 75k. When I came through, he hung the buffer on a hook on the wall. The pad they were using on this new car was nothing like I've ever seen. It looked like he wiped his ass with it prior to using it. It was a white pad (at one time), but the only white on it now was up by the backing plate, the rest was pretty much black with dirt, old product, and pieces of clear coat. Then, I looked a bit closer at the pad and notice a big chunk of foam was missing off the face of the pad. It looked like someone decided to play foam pad frisbee with their dog and the dog chewed a corner of the pad off. What are these people thinking???

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

What are these people thinking???

They're not, they're not thinking that is...


The story of 3 H's - Horrendous, Horror Story and Hack Detailers...



:dunno:

 

[LegacyGT]

Might I add that, I had my DSLR kit in the Odyssey, for family pics, and I was honestly THINKING about taking pics of the car to show you guys. Although, I may have been kicked out or arrested if I did do that. Man, I wish you guys could have seen it. You would have thrown up in your mouths.

Should have done it anyways, if asked, you truthfully were just photographing a cool car (with a terrible detail). Now I am trying to figure out which city you were at

 

[sportscarhiatus]

Should have done it anyways, if asked, you truthfully were just photographing a cool car (with a terrible detail). Now I am trying to figure out which city you were at

I should have, Bill.... you're right. I was so shocked. My wife was laughing as I was "running" from the door of the shop to the van. LOL.

The city was Bettendorf....right by Granite City area. You been there before? You should drive by if you want a laugh. lol.

 

[luv a shine]

i see a swirl on that girls butt. let me polish it.Im the MAN:hungry: