Local Car Wash Creating A Lot Of Business

[bsmith0404]

I'll admit that most of my detailing has been on motorcycles, garage/trailer queens, and my own vehicles. Lately I've been getting a lot of work/requests to remove scratches caused by a local car wash that has become popular. One time through this car wash has left many vehicles with a haze of scratches and the horizontal surfaces are getting the worse/deepest scratches. The cars that people are bringing to me are daily drivers, most of which sit outside in the New Mexico sun that will burn through clear coats in just a few years if not cared for. I know clear coat is thin. What I've been recommending to these customers is that I polish their car with a one step to remove most of the haze/swirls. On the worst scratches, I've been compounding and polishing to remove as much as I can, and round over the edges to make the scratch more difficult to see. I don't think going more aggressive or doing wet sanding for a car that is driven daily and sits outside is a good idea, I want to leave as much clear coat as I can. I explain that the clear coat is very thin. Most people understand and are ok with what I say, but some believe the commercials that show scratches magically disappearing with a wonder product. Just wondering what other detailers are doing/would do if faced with the same scenario? Am I taking the right approach, or would you recommend getting more aggressive to remove more defects?

[vettemn86]

I explain that the clear coat is very thin.

Please tell me you hold up a post it note when you tell them this

[2black1s]

You are handling the situation perfectly in my opinion.

[PaulMys]

I'll admit that most of my detailing has been on motorcycles, garage/trailer queens, and my own vehicles. Lately I've been getting a lot of work/requests to remove scratches caused by a local car wash that
has become popular. One time through this car wash has left many vehicles with a haze of scratches and the horizontal surfaces are getting the worse/deepest scratches.

The cars that people are bringing to me are daily drivers, most of which sit outside in the New Mexico sun that will burn through clear coats in just a few years if not cared for. I know clear coat is thin. What I've been recommending to these customers is that I polish their car with a one step to remove most of the haze/swirls.

On the worst scratches, I've been compounding and polishing to remove as much as I can, and round over the edges to make the scratch more difficult to see. I don't think going more aggressive or doing wet sanding for a car that is driven daily and sits outside is a good idea, I want to leave as much clear coat as I can.

I explain that the clear coat is very thin. Most people understand and are ok with what I say, but some believe the commercials that show scratches magically disappearing with a wonder product. Just wondering what other detailers are doing/would do if faced with the same scenario? Am I taking the right approach, or would you recommend getting more aggressive to remove more defects?

The "ones who believe the scratches disappear with a wonder product" are hopeless. And, more than likely cheapskates. Don't waste time trying to fill a 2-ounce brain with a quart of information.

Just perform your AIO service. It's a great plan for the Daily Drivers.

JMO

[bsmith0404]

I don't hold up a post it note, but I do tell them their clear coat is thinner than a post it note/piece of paper.

Thanks for the replies, I felt I was taking the right approach, but it's always nice to get other opinions.

[briarpatch]

Make sure you tell them that the scratches will be back if they insist on using the local car wash....a.k.a. The Scratch-O-Matic. Start setting up maintenance washes, and for those who do not want that, try and school them in the proper way to wash a vehicle. Remind them that scratches do not get 'removed'.....clearcoat does....and there's only so much of that to work with.

[bsmith0404]

I definitely spend time educating them. Even go as far as to tell them I'm wasting my time and their money if they keep going back to that carwash. I use it as an opportunity to upsell paint sealer/ceramic coating and tell them to use touchless washes only until they can wash it properly.