Have a Question on Possible Upcoming Detail

[vanev]

I might be detailing this Mini Cooper in the near future.



- Brake Light Tinting.
The customer tinted the brake lights himself.


He did so in three stages.
Initial sanding of the brake light lens with 2000 grit sandpaper.
Then, VHT followed by Clear Coat, three times over.
The end result looks good, but there is a sandpaper texture to the lens.
The customer expressed wanting the sandpaper feel to be removed, and having a smooth surface finish.

I was thinking that a simple 3M Headlight restoration kit would do the job.
This is what I traditionally use for restoring headlights.
Other than that, maybe some simple light polish would do the job.
What do you guys think?
What would you do?

[AnthonyGXP]

I wouldn't recommend using ANY type of abrasives on these lights, whether it be sandpaper or compound/polish, as you could potentially remove the tint coat/ clear coat that has been applied....especially if they were done with spray cans.


If anything, I would recommend sanding the lights completely down to bare plastic and start the process over, or just restore the lights back to the factory appearance.

[AutowerxDetailing]

If the clear that was applied is thick enough you could probably lightly polish with 3000g and polish back to a shine and eliminate the rough texture. I would have the client sign a waiver though...

[custmsprty]

I wouldn't touch those lights, that's his home done job, let him deal with it. it can only spell problems for you.

[heckhole]

I would work these by hand, only if you are confident there is clear coat on them. Rattle can clear is soft and can't handle much work from any machine in my experience. I have re-cleared my own headlights and tails, along with several customers and have hand polished them smooth.

I don't like to work on anything a customer has done - but have them sign a waiver, present a quote to re-tint & clear and polish to a smooth finish. Let them know if their work begins to fail, they are obligated to have it repaired by you. The last thing you want to do is attempt to be their hero and they end up bad mouthing you. If they aren't interested in having you repair their work to YOUR high quality standard, kindly pass on the job and tell them why.

I have been asked to 'fix' clients work before, only to learn it's unfixable and later have to hear through the rumor mill that I messed up.

[Avgguy]

X 100

I wouldn't touch those lights, that's his home done job, let him deal with it. it can only spell problems for you.

[heckhole]

Not everyone is in a position to just turn away work.

When you have a client that wants questionable work done, you can present your services in another way. I can't afford to turn away work, so I will do my best to work with the client on questionable work, while presenting a quote for proper repairs should the initial attempt fail.

Often if you just say NO, it's easy for the client to turn around and bad mouth you to others. They are willing to pay you money, and you won't accept it. Many find that insulting. All it takes is one bad apple to hurt your reputation. Doesn't matter how many great referrals you have.

Depending on his skill set, he has an opportunity to make easy money polishing these by hand and satisfying a paying customer who will offer referrals, or he has a client who will spend even MORE money, have a potentially better end result and really appreciate the honesty, options, and high quality work. Don't just flat out turn them away.

[AnthonyGXP]

Not everyone is in a position to just turn away work.

When you have a client that wants questionable work done, you can present your services in another way. I can't afford to turn away work, so I will do my best to work with the client on questionable work, while presenting a quote for proper repairs should the initial attempt fail.

Often if you just say NO, it's easy for the client to turn around and bad mouth you to others. They are willing to pay you money, and you won't accept it. Many find that insulting. All it takes is one bad apple to hurt your reputation. Doesn't matter how many great referrals you have.

Depending on his skill set, he has an opportunity to make easy money polishing these by hand and satisfying a paying customer who will offer referrals, or he has a client who will spend even MORE money, have a potentially better end result and really appreciate the honesty, options, and high quality work. Don't just flat out turn them away.

When the RISK outweighs the REWARD.....you MUST WALK AWAY!

You said it best, "QUESTIONABLE WORK"

[parttimer]

You can always say no, how much is he paying for you to fix them? This isn't a headlight restore, this is you fixing someones mess up.

[vanev]

The price to be paid is undetermined at this time.
The car belongs to a coworker.
It is a compact car, and most likely will be a detailed wash and clean inside and out, followed by clay bar, followed by spray wax.
Normally I would charge $100 - $150 for such job, with the scale depending on various factors.
I may offer a sizeable discount in order to earn his business and do something nice for a coworker.

The owner is not looking to spend much money.
The car also has some paint issues, as well as some clear coat peeling on the wheels.
The owner is undecided at this time as to what direction, and when, he wants to address this.
So, I thought a thorough professional detail without paint correction would be a great choice for his car at this time.