Working at a dealership

[andy2485]

I just moved to a new dealership, and upon finishing my first week i've come to the conclusion that the guys i'm working with are pretty amateurs. They use dirty wash brushes in dirty water, only have a blue pad and dirty wool pads for buffing, just little things. obviously they do enough to still be there. I was wondering what you would do? im new, i don't want to wrestle any feathers. but i know i know much more about detailing. all opinions welcome!


thanks, andy

[custmsprty]

To me and most likely to others those are "BIG" things. And they are still there because dealerships for the most part either don't really care or are clueless to what proper vehicle detailing/prep really is.

Don't waste your time trying to educate them, most likely being the "new guy" they will resent you. When it becomes too much to deal with, move on. Also, they will push out more vehicles than you because they don't care and if it's based upon production rates, well you get the picture.

Good luck!

[Tlefe091985]

I've worked for a few dealerships, and they are all the same. Except maybe really high end dealerships. I worked for a Cadillac dealership, and they were the same way.
Basically they recon dept of dealerships is the low end of the totem pole, other than the parts drivers, and dealer exchange drivers who are mainly part time retired folks who only do it to get out of the house lol. What I am getting at is, the higher ups don't want to spend what they see as unneeded expenses (although true detailers know it would be needed expenses) on the recon dept. Pretty much the dealership is happy with shiny exteriors, and clean interiors.

[CarolinasFinestDetailing]

^^^^ These 2 responses have summed it up. I have been in your shoes before. Just do your thing and go home and detail your car the correct way.

[VP Mark]

Clean and shiny.. it's all they care about and all they ever will. And only then in the context of moving metal off the lot as fast as possible.

[SATracker]

You work for them; it's their game, it's their rules...and you're the new guy. My opinion, see what you learn about running a business: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Maybe you build your own clientele.

[mswerb]

Just plan on doing cars as fast as you can to get them on the lot. I know I worked on used cars at a dealership for 5 years. As stated above, save your best work for the cars you have at home.

[Pureshine]

Clean and shiny.. it's all they care about and all they ever will. And only then in the context of moving metal off the lot as fast as possible.

:iagree: I lasted 3 days a dealer couldn't take it. They are what you call true hacks and only care about one thing $$$$. If you really want to learn detailing get a job at a good shop.

[Matt@Revive]

i am a tech at a high end dealer and i see Ferraris treated like hondas, i shake my head at the lack of care that our "detailers" take when cleaning and polishing vehicle. almost all dealers are the same, the hacks teach the newbies how to hack, no one wants to change, no one cares because its all about numbers.

[Ballistic]

Whenever i go to my buddies dealership i always try and stay way from the detail section, kills me on the inside watching them..

When ever i order a new car from him, i always tell him if you wash it im not buying it..

[JSFM35x]

In 2008 I purchased a Black Infiniti M35x. I was excited but afraid since I know black is a pita to maintain but I felt up for the challenge. I asked to speak to the dealer prep guy. Still remember his name.

He assured my his team was quite proficient and capable of delivering a swirl free car.

The day I picked it up, it looked great. I felt relief that is was not swirled. Over the next week I washed it w 2bm. Grit guards and all the right stuff. Within 2 weeks it looked horrible. I thought I was doing something wrong? I went to a pro detailer who showed me buffer trails and holograms. He asked if I buffed the car. I said I did not even own a buffer. He told me the car was most likely glazed and sealed and I was washing out the glaze.

I got an estimate, took it to the dealer along with his notes and requested a meeting with the sales manager. He basically told me to get lost as far as paying for the outside paint correction. The bill was for approx 1,ooo bucks. I asked to speak with Paul the detailer and he genuinely was concerned and have me a bottle of black pearl. Still remember the grape smell. He said that will take the swirls away. It was a glaze product.

Dealers are so backward they just don't understand. Never had another dealer prep any car thereafter and decided to start learning how to correct paint myself.

[WAXOFF]

I work at a dealer and have been at the dealer level for 35 years. While I'm in management now it just makes my skin crawl when i see the ways the cars get detailed. The rags and products they use are crap. In my dealer the lot attendants clean the cars. They don't have a clue and it's not always there fault because the salesman is just in a hurry to get the car done. My 2 detailers are in another building and I even shake my head when I see the used cars come back. When a real problem comes up I will bring my Flex in and show them how a real detail is done. The one thing you have to remember is the day the car leaves the dealer is that in 99% of the cases that is the best the car will ever look. The % of people who really know how to clean a car is about .5%. Some of the cars I have to get in you need a Hazmat suit to ride in them.

[hilld]

Some of the cars I have to get in you need a Hazmat suit to ride in them.

Ain't that the truth. I worked as a technician at several dealers for about 5 years and some of the cars I had to drive in from the lot to my lift or even worse go on a test drive, would make your stomach turn inside out.

Combine that with mouse infested blower motors it is enough to make you want to get out of the business.

[Tlefe091985]

I've been asked why I would put a paper floor mat down on the really dirty cars... My response was..."because I don't want to get the bottom of my work shoes dirty"

[SYMAWD]

Ain't that the truth. I worked as a technician at several dealers for about 5 years and some of the cars I had to drive in from the lot to my lift or even worse go on a test drive, would make your stomach turn inside out.

Combine that with mouse infested blower motors it is enough to make you want to get out of the business.

Where I work, someone once brought a car in with vomit in the passenger footwell area. Luckily, I didn't get that car. I've seen everything from 2 heads of broccoli to an open box of "male enhancement" pills. You'd think people would clean out their cars just a little before bringing it in for service.