Customer Needs vs. Customer Wants

[Roman92]

A coworker recently saw a 2 step correction and coating I did and immediately wanted to do his wife's Suburban. That's great! Except he is in the price range for a 1 step correction and this vehicle is heavily neglected. I've seen the vehicle multiple times recently and its dirty, contaminated, and swirled. Knowing that the vehicle will not be maintained what should my approach be? He wants the benefit of a coating but doesn't know the difference in a swirl and a squirrel as Mike Phillip's says. Should I do a 1 step at 75 - 80% correction and coat it?

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[Calendyr]

I would do what the customer wants. It's his money so it's his choice.

Your job is to explain the options to him, and maybe show him by doing a test panel.

Once you have done this, he will have all the info he needs to make a decision that he will be happy with.

Most people don't understand paint conditions. So explain to him why removing the damage will improve how the vehicle looks. If he still chooses to go with a one step, maybe you could do a compound instead of a polish. If you use a good quality compound, they finish very well now a days. Won't have as much reflection has doing a polish, but most of the damage should be gone, and in my book that is more important. Forensic details did a video comparing compounds, and on the gloss scale, the difference between compound alone and compound plus polish was much lower than I was expecting. Out of 100, compounds scored in the 92-94 range...

Trick is to choose a compound that finishes well, in his test M105 finished the best if I remember correctly. I would assume that Ultimate Compound would finish even better since it's not as agressive. And from personnal experience D300 finishes amazing! All those are from Meguiar's because that is what I use, but other compounds will have simillar result as long as you stay with good companies.

[sudsmobile]

At his price range, I would give him the good and bad and let him make the choice. At least when it comes out less than perfect, he can't say you didn't warn him.

I had a similar situation recently, in fact the Tahoe we did is posted on our IG. Heavily neglected is an understatement. Brand new basically 2016 Tahoe LTZ. The guy had champagne dreams and a beer budget. I did the absolute best I could with a 1 step for him. It was far from perfect but much better than when we got there.

[Roman92]

I would do what the customer wants. It's his money so it's his choice.

Your job is to explain the options to him, and maybe show him by doing a test panel.

Once you have done this, he will have all the info he needs to make a decision that he will be happy with.

Most people don't understand paint conditions. So explain to him why removing the damage will improve how the vehicle looks. If he still chooses to go with a one step, maybe you could do a compound instead of a polish. If you use a good quality compound, they finish very well now a days. Won't have as much reflection has doing a polish, but most of the damage should be gone, and in my book that is more important. Forensic details did a video comparing compounds, and on the gloss scale, the difference between compound alone and compound plus polish was much lower than I was expecting. Out of 100, compounds scored in the 92-94 range...

Trick is to choose a compound that finishes well, in his test M105 finished the best if I remember correctly. I would assume that Ultimate Compound would finish even better since it's not as agressive. And from personnal experience D300 finishes amazing! All those are from Meguiar's because that is what I use, but other compounds will have simillar result as long as you stay with good companies.

I will definitely be doing a few test panels to dial in a good one step. I will be eager to try essence on a mf cutting pad being I will be coating with cquartz. That would be a time saver.

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[Roman92]

At his price range, I would give him the good and bad and let him make the choice. At least when it comes out less than perfect, he can't say you didn't warn him.

I had a similar situation recently, in fact the Tahoe we did is posted on our IG. Heavily neglected is an understatement. Brand new basically 2016 Tahoe LTZ. The guy had champagne dreams and a beer budget. I did the absolute best I could with a 1 step for him. It was far from perfect but much better than when we got there.Thanks for the feedback! I don't think people realize the amount of time and focus that goes into a proper correction of anything over 90%. I will certainly give him the options!

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[Calendyr]

If you are gonna use essence, one thing I can suggest is to change the way you use it. Instead of seeing essence as a polish, think of it as a glaze.

So what you could do is compound with what ever product you want, then apply essence after doing an IPA wipedown. Instead of working essence for 5 or 6 passes, just do 2 medium speed passes and 2 quick passes. It will be very fast to do and it will give you the amazing gloss enhancement. What it won't give you is any real correction, hence the compounding first.

That is what I do now on coating jobs. No matter what correction the client ask me to do, I do a quick essence application before coating. I use a finishing pad, not a polishing pad. Takes about 5 mins per panel to do, and it will hide a lot of what the compound was not able to remove. Also if there is any micro-hazing from the compound, it will not be visible. It's not as good as doing a full correction, but it can be done in half the time (or less). So for people on a limited budget, I think it's the best possible option.

[chet31]

80% correction on a neglected vehicle will transform it. Discuss it with him, but I think your coworker would be thrilled with it. Calendyr's method sounds intriguing.

[MikeC78]

If you are gonna use essence, one thing I can suggest is to change the way you use it. Instead of seeing essence as a polish, think of it as a glaze.

So what you could do is compound with what ever product you want, then apply essence after doing an IPA wipedown. Instead of working essence for 5 or 6 passes, just do 2 medium speed passes and 2 quick passes. It will be very fast to do and it will give you the amazing gloss enhancement. What it won't give you is any real correction, hence the compounding first.

That is what I do now on coating jobs. No matter what correction the client ask me to do, I do a quick essence application before coating. I use a finishing pad, not a polishing pad. Takes about 5 mins per panel to do, and it will hide a lot of what the compound was not able to remove. Also if there is any micro-hazing from the compound, it will not be visible. It's not as good as doing a full correction, but it can be done in half the time (or less). So for people on a limited budget, I think it's the best possible option.

Essence Plus is more of a glaze for coated vehicles. Regular Essence does correct as its a polish and Sio2 in a bottle, pretty much an AIO and a foundation for coatings.

[Calendyr]

Ya I was talking about Essence, not Essence plus. I have always found that product finicky as a polish, because I work outside. But when used as a glaze, so basically not trying to use the abrasives to perfect the surface, all the issues with it disapear. You still get the gloss enhancement, and filling ability, it just won't be doing any real correction. Hence the importance of correcting first with a good one step or compound.

[Calendyr]

As a side note I re-watched the video regarding gloss levels with Compounds and polishes and the difference is so minimal!

In the test, the worst compound gave a gloss level of 92. The best he got was with M105 which gave almost 95.

As a comparisson, M205 gave close to 100 (99.8).

In the video comparing glazes, he was getting numbers in the 75 to 80 range. So that goes to show just how good a compound finishes when it give about 20 gloss units more than a glaze.

I wish I could see numbers with Essence, because I have never seen gloss like that from any other polishes. My guess is that it is well over 100.

If someone here owns a gloss meter, maybe you can give us numbers if you measured it.

[Mike Phillips]

I would start by asking him this question,


How are you going to wash car?


Let their answer guide you to what you do. If he's going to run it through a swirl-o-matic car wash, nothing you do is going to last or look good. Some people you can educate about what and how a vehicle is washed affects the appearance over time. But some people you cannot educate.

Me? I always ask this question.

This weekend when I'm teaching my 3-day class, I'll be teaching those attending to ask this question. At least those that are attending that detail for money. About 60% of the people that attend our classes are attending to learn how to work on their own cars, not for profit.


How are you going to wash the car?


:)

[fly07sti]

A lot of very good recommendations here already. One other thing I would do is I would perform one test spot with the 1 step and another test spot with the 2 step. Damn near every time, they go for the 2 step when they see it.

[Roman92]

As a side note I re-watched the video regarding gloss levels with Compounds and polishes and the difference is so minimal!

In the test, the worst compound gave a gloss level of 92. The best he got was with M105 which gave almost 95.

As a comparisson, M205 gave close to 100 (99.8).

In the video comparing glazes, he was getting numbers in the 75 to 80 range. So that goes to show just how good a compound finishes when it give about 20 gloss units more than a glaze.

I wish I could see numbers with Essence, because I have never seen gloss like that from any other polishes. My guess is that it is well over 100.

If someone here owns a gloss meter, maybe you can give us numbers if you measured it.

I would love to see those numbers as well! Essence is one of my favorite products.

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[Roman92]

I would start by asking him this question,


How are you going to wash car?


Let their answer guide you to what you do. If he's going to run it through a swirl-o-matic car wash, nothing you do is going to last or look good. Some people you can educate about what and how a vehicle is washed affects the appearance over time. But some people you cannot educate.

Me? I always ask this question.

This weekend when I'm teaching my 3-day class, I'll be teaching those attending to ask this question. At least those that are attending that detail for money. About 60% of the people that attend our classes are attending to learn how to work on their own cars, not for profit.


How are you going to wash the car?


:)Oh I would love to participate in your 3 day class when my schedule allows!!! But I have a feeling this is going to be one customer I cannot educate. I do this as more of a part time and the full correction and coating jobs are stacking up! I'll ask him the question and make a decision from there. Thank you!

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[Roman92]

A lot of very good recommendations here already. One other thing I would do is I would perform one test spot with the 1 step and another test spot with the 2 step. Damn near every time, they go for the 2 step when they see it.That 1 - 2 combo gets em every time!!

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