Now I know to never take my car to a "bunch of Hacks"

[Tex]

I have just had surgery last Thursday and for the next 3 weeks, will not be able to wash my car myself (let alone detail it). So I call a detailing shop that had been recommended to me by a friend. Their web site showed nice pics of before and after of nice rides (Porsche, BMW, ...). They tell me they will hand wash my car, do tires, wheel wells, vacuum the interior, wipe the dash and do the windows...about $30.

I went there yesterday and...this was not a good experience. I have seen most rookie mistake made, such as:
- stall my (manual transmission) car 5 times to pull it into the wash bay
- they started hosing my car down with...a pressure washer
- then they proceeded to wash my car with a wash mitt. That would have been good, BUT, they only dunked the mitt once at the beginning and once half was through. Worse, they were going around wheel wells and side skirts then back up to do roof and side pannels....I was almost crying
- Of coruse, the rinse was with a pressure washer
- Drying was OK: shammy then blower
- they never brushed ny rims, just sprayed some cleaner (and of course, on a BMW, this means there is plenty of dust left)
- To finish cleaning the rims, the dude took a screwdriver, wrapped it in an MF towel, and went in between the double spokes
- And to top it all of: I had told the guy to go easy on my finish since I had a nice coat of WDGPS on it. Sure enough, what does he do to finish my car: spray it with GLASS CLEANER (fortunately, an alcohol based one), so bye bye sealant.

In the end, I asked him what I should have asked over the phone, which is what brand of products he is using: Automagic. That would have screamed "volume detailer" and not "high end detailer".

In the end, things are not so bad, they did not scratch my rims with the screwdriver, I have not seen any swirls (wonderring how they did that) and my sealant was 3 months old, so I was coming due for a new layer anyway. BUT, that will teach me to check their work BEFORE going there instead of trusting some recommendation.

 

[Streetlife]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

Glass cleaner was used on the paint? Calling himself a detailer, he should have had some SCG Hot Rod detailer spray or some FK #425 for the paint. I tell people/potential customers all the time that most of those shops are just glorified car washes. Your experience proves the point that the term "detailing" is one of the most loosely used terms in our society, the one's using the term have no idea what it takes to classify a job as "detailing" or just don't want to spend the money for high end products, or both.:xyxthumbs:

 

[Tex]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

I take it from your post that you are a pro detailer? If so, where are you at and what is the name of your shop?

 

[Streetlife]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

I'm a mobile detailer in Houston, Texas. I don't have a shop yet.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

Running into one shop full of hacks who don't understand what detailing is isn't even close to enough justification to write off all of us professional detailers. There are plenty of us who know what we're doing and will do a job the right way.

 

[Tex]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

Running into one shop full of hacks who don't understand what detailing is isn't even close to enough justification to write off all of us professional detailers. There are plenty of us who know what we're doing and will do a job the right way.

Hey Shiny,

You are correct, and I do not write off all detailers, far from it. My enthusiasm for detailing has actualy made me grow a lot of respect for the profession because, it just is no easy job. I have put "detailer" in between quotes, but I guess that can be confusing...Let me see if I can edit that title for you

 

[Mike Moore]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

- And to top it all of: I had told the guy to go easy on my finish since I had a nice coat of WDGPS on it. Sure enough, what does he do to finish my car: spray it with GLASS CLEANER...In the end, things are not so bad, they did not scratch my rims with the screwdriver, I have not seen any swirls

Sounds like you were lucky they didn't use Lemon Pledge!

 

[H-D care]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

Say Tex, why did you not stop the "detailer" immediately upon seeing how he was abusing your vehicle? You seem to indicate that you let all of this proceed without saying a word. Just curious....

 

[Tex]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

Say Tex, why did you not stop the "detailer" immediately upon seeing how he was abusing your vehicle? You seem to indicate that you let all of this proceed without saying a word. Just curious....

Good question, and frankly I should have done so.
I thought of doing this, but the process seemed almost unstoppable. If I stopped them during the wash, then it had to be dried while not clean and then swirls would happen. Probably even worse than if I let them finish. So, bad for bad, I did not have that much a choice for the wash.

I did catch the screwdriver on rims trick after 1 wheel and asked the guy to stop, which he did. I do not know if he did that for the 2 minutes I was out for a phone call though. I unfortunately did catch the glass cleaner too late (the front of the car was done) and when I saw it was alcohol based and we were half way through, thought it was just going to eliminate my sealant which I could put.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

I'm just glad to click on this thread and NOT read that you have to undo someone else's damage.

Where's the sigh of relief emoticon?


Feel lucky and thanks for sharing your experience with our forum members to help them to check out any potential detailer before turning over their keys.

One thing I've noticed is that detailers that hang out on detailing discussion forums like this one will tend to be a lot more knowledgeable about this craft and up to date with proven products and procedures as compared to detailers that are not online at all.

 

[Tex]

Re: Now I know to never take my car to a "detailer"

I'm just glad to click on this thread and NOT read that you have to undo someone else's damage.

I am glad of that as well. I will however have to undo some other damage since someone did put 2 cardboard boxes on my trunk lid last Friday and of course drug one over to grab it back. Since my car was dirty, I have some nice little RIDS on the trunk lid. PC7424 to the rescue !

And Mike, do you have any way to edit the title of this thread since It can be read in not so nice a way for pro detailers? Thanks

 

[MirandaAutoSpa]

I have just had surgery last Thursday and for the next 3 weeks, will not be able to wash my car myself (let alone detail it). So I call a detailing shop that had been recommended to me by a friend. Their web site showed nice pics of before and after of nice rides (Porsche, BMW, ...). They tell me they will hand wash my car, do tires, wheel wells, vacuum the interior, wipe the dash and do the windows...about $30.

I went there yesterday and...this was not a good experience. I have seen most rookie mistake made, such as:
- stall my (manual transmission) car 5 times to pull it into the wash bay
- they started hosing my car down with...a pressure washer
- then they proceeded to wash my car with a wash mitt. That would have been good, BUT, they only dunked the mitt once at the beginning and once half was through. Worse, they were going around wheel wells and side skirts then back up to do roof and side pannels....I was almost crying
- Of coruse, the rinse was with a pressure washer
- Drying was OK: shammy then blower
- they never brushed ny rims, just sprayed some cleaner (and of course, on a BMW, this means there is plenty of dust left)
- To finish cleaning the rims, the dude took a screwdriver, wrapped it in an MF towel, and went in between the double spokes
- And to top it all of: I had told the guy to go easy on my finish since I had a nice coat of WDGPS on it. Sure enough, what does he do to finish my car: spray it with GLASS CLEANER (fortunately, an alcohol based one), so bye bye sealant.

In the end, I asked him what I should have asked over the phone, which is what brand of products he is using: Automagic. That would have screamed "volume detailer" and not "high end detailer".

In the end, things are not so bad, they did not scratch my rims with the screwdriver, I have not seen any swirls (wonderring how they did that) and my sealant was 3 months old, so I was coming due for a new layer anyway. BUT, that will teach me to check their work BEFORE going there instead of trusting some recommendation.

Hey come on now...AutoMagic makes some good products. True it's not the "Best" but if you live in an area where they are located (and Rep guys are cool) then I use their products. Of course I question the heck out of them, asking every question I can about what does what, which is better, blah, blah.
I also use Megs Detailer and Mirror Glaze. I would LOVE to use Chemical Guys chemicals but I can't afford to order each time I need it. (Probably if they had better shipping deals I would. ummmm?:idea
I do however believe that knowledge of what your products can do, and how to effectively use them is not just important, but a deal breaker. Don't many detailer's and enthusiast's here do amazing work using consumer products?
Does anyone agree? or am I off base? Just feeling a little hurt.

 

[MirandaAutoSpa]

Just to make clear...hurt about the Automagic comment...not really anything else.

 

[yakky]

What's wrong with a pressure washer? When used correctly, it will flush off almost all of the dirt on the car that can cause swirling. Sure it might drag that grain of sand 1/4 inch before it floats off, but that's better than it getting struck in the wash media and getting rubbed all over the car. After powerwashing, all that is left on my car is oily road grime and tar, neither of which cause swirling.

 

[wicius]

I was about to ask the same question... I always use a pressure washer to pre-rinse my car, and again after washing it to rinse the soap off... I have never heard nor read anything against this method, even on this forum... and I've read plenty, including all of Mike's tutorials, how tos, and more...

 

[RaskyR1]

What's wrong with a pressure washer? When used correctly, it will flush off almost all of the dirt on the car that can cause swirling. Sure it might drag that grain of sand 1/4 inch before it floats off, but that's better than it getting struck in the wash media and getting rubbed all over the car. After powerwashing, all that is left on my car is oily road grime and tar, neither of which cause swirling.

+1


I hate washing a car without a pressure washer to be honest.

 

[MrHandWash]

Tex, the only time to worry about a PW being used on your car is if they're literally hitting the car at 1-2" away. Typically 6" away can't really do any harm. Only time I ever hit a car close and hard with a power washer is if I have bugs stuck on the front grill or bumper and it's a newer car so I can't blast paint off, or newer wheels that I've let sit in a solution and sometimes wheel wells. Just make sure the person sprayed it far away and let a pre-soak before getting closer with the power washer.

Most power washers are pretty nice, I only spray about a foot to a foot-and-a-half away. I've never had any problems with it :xyxthumbs:

One a better note: I do this any time I need to have my car cleaned immediately after I have it serviced (Example: When you get a rotation done and you watch the moron in the shop lean on your car with a mechanics red towel that has oil and composite dust from like thirty other cars just smear it on your finish). I'll always ask to do everything myself if I work on the car at a detailers shop. Bugs the heck out of them, but I'd rather me do it. In your case since you had surgery, you can always watch another car getting done to see how their work pars up to your expectations before you let them touch it.

 

[BobbyG]

Trust me, I feel your pain!! Not to hijack your thread but more evidence to support it!

One of the constants I've learned throughout my life is; If you want it done right do it yourself....Period!!

About 6 months ago I had new tires, shocks, and a 4 wheel alignment done on my truck. When I picked it up from a reputable dealer I drove it out of the shop and around the building then back into the shop it pulled so hard to the right. They did correct the alignment issue the next day but after a few months the whole thing went south again..... and here's the reason why.

Notice the gap with the inadequate bolt on right that was used to replace the stock grade 8 front end bolt. The substitute bolt was a metric bolt smaller than the original so instead of threading into the same hole it merely slipped through. This ruined the upper control arm!!

Brand new replacement

Comparison

Completed by yours truly

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Trust me, I feel your pain!! Not to hijack your thread but more evidence to support it!

One of the constants I've learned throughout my life is;

If you want it done right do it yourself....Period!!

Amen to that...

If you have the skills, ability and tools for the job... if not, join a related forum to your task and get help finding someone you can trust...

Notice the gap with the inadequate bolt on right that was used to replace the stock grade 8 front end bolt. The substitute bolt was a metric bolt smaller than the original so instead of threading into the same hole it merely slipped through. This ruined the upper control arm!!

Good to see you caught the mistake and fixed it the right way the second time...


:xyxthumbs:

 

[BobbyG]

Amen to that...

If you have the skills, ability and tools for the job... if not, join a related forum to your task and get help finding someone you can trust...

Good to see you caught the mistake and fixed it the right way the second time...


:xyxthumbs:

Amen to that brother!!