Things you feel while detailing

[stilltipping3]

In the beginning I am anxious to start. By the afternoon I'm in a groove. By night fall I am exhausted. When the pocket is full and the car looks awesome the feeling is uplifting. That's why I do it.

[bsmith0404]

Just relaxed and at peace throughout the entire process. No stress, nobody pressing you to meet some deadline, nobody shooting at you.....just me, my machine, and some good music. What's not to love?

[Darion]

I do cars on the side so for me I'm excited to get started, enjoy the time by myself, love the work that goes into it and seeing the result compared to where I started. Very few things I do make me feel the sense of accomplishment as does making a vehicle look its best and customer compliments are icing on the cake! :dblthumb2:

PC

[jpegs13]

I'm not a pro so it's not about the money. I do it because it relaxes me and gives me great pride in the results.


Plus with 5 kids, 4 of them girls, it gets me out of the house

[bsmith0404]

Plus with 5 kids, 4 of them girls, it gets me out of the house

I think I'd turn pro to get out more often:bolt:

[Mike Phillips]

I look at each car as its own challenge.

Before I start and during the project I feel the pressure for all the responsibility for the work and risk involved. Most, not all but most of the cars I detail are special interest vehicles and they bring with them their own kind of stress. For example I buffed out the below red car about this time last year and not only was the paint completely swirled out it was also,

Soft.
Single stage paint.
Had pre-existing burn-throughs on the hard thin edges of the body panels that showed white primer.

While it was a little stressful doing the machine polishing work I did the job in about 5.5 hours and charged $600.00 so the reward made the stress worth it.


Christmas Detail - Ferrari P4 - Move over Rudolf (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/58698-christmas-detail-ferrari-p4-move-over-rudolf.html)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1668/Ferrari_P4_Detailed_by_Mike_Phillips_009.jpg




First thing I science out the plan of attack and then get started with a Test Spot. I rarely take a break except to drink something cold to stay hydrated.

I try to stay focused on the task at hand, concentrate on the car and try not to think about other things. (paint is thin, don't want to make a mistake).

Strive to get to the last step which is the final wipe (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/19956-final-wipe.html).

Ask someone else to inspect the results, look for any smudges or residues I might have missed. A fresh set of eyes will often see things I miss after looking at the same car all day.

Return the car to the customer. That's its own reward.


It's always a sense of accomplishment to take a diamond in the rough and turn it into a glistening gemstone.


It's also rewarding to meet someone with a cool car that's jacked-up, feel their pain because they can't fix it and then fix it for them.



:)

[Mike Phillips]

I'm not a pro so it's not about the money.

I do it because it relaxes me and gives me great pride in the results.




At this point in my life it's never about the money, it's about helping the owner and fixing their car.

Fixing the paint so

A: It's fixed.

B: The owner doesn't have to risk having it done wrong by another person or having to repaint it because it's to far gone to fix.


That's the part I like, helping someone else with their car project. The money is just the reward for the time invested in someone else's project instead of working on my own project.




In my detailing boot camp classes I start the class by teaching people to first evaluate the customer. Make sure the person has realistic expectations and that you can make them happy. If you can't, turn the work down.


Most classes teach to first evaluate the car. I start with the customer because if the potential customer has unrealistic or out of this world expectations then you'll never please them and they can become your worst nightmare and harm your reputation.


So when I take on a car project it's because,


First, I genuinely like the person.

Second, I genuinely like the car.

In that order and I have to like both, it can't be one or the other and it starts with the person.



:)

[GenesisCoupe]

I actually HATE the interior process as well as wheels..absolutely hate it to the max. I enjoy doing exterior body, especially paint correction.

[bsmith0404]

so when i take on a car project it's because,

first, i genuinely like the person.

Second, i genuinely like the car.
in that order and i have to like both, it can't be one or the other and it starts with the person.



:)

amen!

[FUNX650]

Due to having:
Accumaltive Stress Disorder (ASD); Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS);
Vibration White Finger Syndrome (VWFS); Peripheral Neuropathy; Paresthesia:

I feel tingling, numbness, pins & needles, and burning...accompanied by pain.


When I was younger:
I loved doing work (and play), of any and all sorts, all day and night.

Good thing I'm retired:
Now it takes me all day and night to do it...No matter the work and/or play!!
(Don't get me wrong...Sometimes that's a good thing!)


:)

Bob

[Klasse Act]

I tend to get anxious to finish because I wanna see the finished product (not my own car either) and then see the look on the owners face when they see the car done, well worth it!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online

[Hoytman]

So when I take on a car project it's because,


First, I genuinely like the person.

Second, I genuinely like the car.
In that order and I have to like both, it can't be one or the other and it starts with the person.



:)
Wow!!! That's a mouthful right there.

I'm going to keep this in the back of my mind for future reference for knowing when to walk away from a project. Great rule of thumb!!

[bsmith0404]

I love posts like this (seriously), I find it fascinating to hear what other people think/feel and how life's experiences help form a person's answer. For example; several people say they feel stress. I feel some sense of concern for doing a quality job, but to me there is nothing stressful about detailing a car. To me sitting through a rocket attack not knowing if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time until you hear the boom, or going out on a convoy knowing that at any second an IED could ruin your day is stressful. Just different perspectives. Detailing for me is so relaxing, I just drift away into my own world. I've never used any type of drugs, but I guess this is my form of escape from reality. Please don't be offended, I'm not knocking anyone. As I said, I just find it fascinating how different life experiences form people's thoughts/opinions.

[shortcut11]

I feel like at times I am saving a car and giving it a new lease on life. It's almost like i'm doing my part to keep one more vehicle out of the big auto graveyard. *silly I know*

[Detail_Workx]

It challenges me to use all my skills and knowledge when it comes to detailing a vehicle. But in the end, its my customers satisfaction. Seeing them amaze and happy is priceless.