Worst/Most Ignorant Detailing Mistakes

ricka

ricka

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I remember when first getting in the expensive salt water aquarium obsession making incredibly stupid & costly mistakes. Killed way too many $$$ fish and coral and used wrong chemicals etc. But for some stubborn reason fought thru it. My wife thought I had lost my mind--and she was correct. Easy to laugh at them now but back then...heavy sigh

I learned that message forums and research were invaluable in reducing the mayhem.

Now delving into detailing, forums like this are incredible tools to minimize costly errors--especially with nice rides and paint.

Just wondering what the learned pros in here endured when learning the trade. Yeah, it brings back unfortunate memories but noobs can learn from the boo boos...:p
 
To name a couple:
Purchasing to many products out the gate..
using harsh wheel cleaners

i've learned to get ask questions of those with more experience whos opinion i've trusted..one good thing about these forums is you can always ask a question before you make a costly mistake..take it slow and be aware of your product/process and the rest will follow..
 
I once put DG paint cleaner on leather because the bottle looked like the DG leather conditioner.
I also bit at every hyped product. Now I still buy too much but at least I think about it and get feedback before pulling out the plastic.
 
This pics says it all for me........
97Acura026.jpg
 
Same as you. I learned it was more costly to do it alone.
 
Nothing too major...

Instead of washing, I QD'd my wife's dirty car. Needed to do a full polish afterwards. :(

Was careless with the power cord and wrapped it around the spindle of the PC while polishing. No damage done thankfully. Just bogged down the PC until I shut it off.

Years ago, before I knew anything about detailing, after washing with one bucket using a dirty wash mitt and drying with an old leather chamois, I used Turtle wax on my car. Couldn't understand why I couldn't remove it and it looked like crap.
 
ltoman said:
Ouch, Sparkie, What on earth did you do there?
Click to expand...
Cut the clear a little to much... He got two free details, and I had the damage fix on the house....
 
ricka said:
I remember when first getting in the expensive salt water aquarium obsession making incredibly stupid & costly mistakes. Killed way too many $$$ fish and coral and used wrong chemicals etc. But for some stubborn reason fought thru it. My wife thought I had lost my mind--and she was correct. Easy to laugh at them now but back then...heavy sigh

I learned that message forums and research were invaluable in reducing the mayhem.

Now delving into detailing, forums like this are incredible tools to minimize costly errors--especially with nice rides and paint.

Just wondering what the learned pros in here endured when learning the trade. Yeah, it brings back unfortunate memories but noobs can learn from the boo boos...:p
Click to expand...


I have to show this to my wife when she gets back from vegas tonight.That I was not the only one that was crazy with the saltwater fish game .Tons of money . Yes the forums are a wealth of info but you still have to take care of to whom you listen to .Due to some folk have their no objective opinions about certain products and nothing no matter what is better.Keep an open mind and take it slow .This is a great group of knowledgeable and very helpful bunch on this group.Basically you need to understand the basics of what you want to accomplish and just take it slow .As you learn you can try more and more things.:D :D
 
do not apply Liquid Ebony in direct sunlight !!!
 
A paint film surface is a delicate thin coating; easily dulled and very easily scratched and / or damaged. Choose carefully the advice you listen to and more importantly what advice you act upon.

Process NOT Product - It really does all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application method and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder (A detailer’s skill level is also extremely important)
 
one thing you don't want to do is follow this scenario;
put dp wheel glaze on rims
get call to pick up your daughter,
forget to buff off glaze
drive 50 miles round trip
come home and see the baked on glaze
smack yourself upside the head
take forever to remove (even with qd)
watch your arms hang lifelessly at side from soreness
laugh (sort of) afterwards
 
ricka said:
one thing you don't want to do is follow this scenario;
put dp wheel glaze on rims
get call to pick up your daughter,
forget to buff off glaze
drive 50 miles round trip
come home and see the baked on glaze
smack yourself upside the head
take forever to remove (even with qd)
watch your arms hang lifelessly at side from soreness
laugh (sort of) afterwards
Click to expand...

a Powerball Mini and a paint polish might have been easier to deal with, as the heat likely cured the DP Wheel Sealant.
 
Don't rush and allow enough time to do it right as explicated above. This especially applies to the prep work. Ditto, TOGWT. After about two years of slightly modifying your regimen and products you will get faster and better. Only then should you consider experimenting with trendy high end products, but at that point you will appreciate the differences (if any) immediately and will have a stock of "go to" bottles at hand. Also, don't fret over mistakes. Soot happens and you will learn correction techniques. Good luck.
 
Plastic rain guard on a Prelude Sunroof. Got into a habit of pushing gently on it to lift the front which would release the water when washing. Winter time, cold and old plastic with this technique = crached $135 rain guard.
 
Heat not only cured the wheel glaze, it baked it to nice caked finish...yeah, thought about the power mini but alas don't have one. wheels are in good shape still. my arms? not so much

by the way, used the Invisible Glass for the first time. all i can say is awesome product
 
Wool pad on the rotary did not work for removal of sealer

Letting TW dry some hours gives you the same workout as 3 hours with tennis

Rotary and cutting pad makes plastic melt f-a-s-t

Heavy degreaser all over the car everytime you wash, removes the wax

Its good AG is around to keep us on the right path from now on...
 
if you have to question yourself if it will work or not... DON'T DO IT!!! I haven't done anything stupid yet... knock on wood. If i don't know, i tell the customer i don't know. make sure you know your product, and if your unsure try it on your ride before some one else's. bigger is not always better.
 
Left Simoniz on for an hour on a deck lid, thought I was never going
to get that off. (old yellow tin can simoniz)

Cleaned a gauge cluster with Armor All, turned the plastic cloudy
Armor All was new prouduct just came out.

First time using a buffer burnt the paint right off the rear fenders
of a 74 Nova :D

those were fun times and I know there will be more...

:cheers:
 
Ong~Bak said:
Left Simoniz on for an hour on a deck lid, thought I was never going
to get that off. (old yellow tin can simoniz)

Cleaned a gauge cluster with Armor All, turned the plastic cloudy
Armor All was new prouduct just came out.

First time using a buffer burnt the paint right off the rear fenders
of a 74 Nova :D

those were fun times and I know there will be more...

:cheers:
Click to expand...
The can that I have for my avatar???:D
 
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