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]

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]

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]

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

[C. Charles Hahn]

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]

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]

- 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]

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]

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 Phillips]

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]

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. :cry:

[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...