To much for a paint correction?

**onsite** · 07-14-2015, 03:40 PM

Got a call made a base price on a truck that was said to of been painted and a door replaced. Quoted for $400 to do it. I know areas differ but i felt i was right where i should/could be and what my time is worth....

**Billy Baldone** · 07-14-2015, 03:54 PM

I just quoted an F150 extended cab, awful paint at 550. After wash, nanoskin, decontaminate, cut,polish, and seal, I figure 10-14 hours. It's pretty bad. Your price is fine

**zmcgovern45** · 07-14-2015, 04:45 PM

We won't touch a truck for under $600... and that is just for a one-step and sealant or wax application. Your price seems like a deal for that amount of work.

**Kengo123** · 07-14-2015, 05:04 PM

Price sounds right to me. You just have to gauge their expectations... Maybe they were really looking for an AIO service. Even still though, not many people are gonna be hopping in line to spend $400 plus to have their car buffed out

**Evan.J** · 07-14-2015, 05:04 PM

I agree with Zach $400 is a deal I would be much more than that

**zmcgovern45** · 07-14-2015, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Kengo123

...
Even still though, not many people are gonna be hopping in line to spend $400 plus to have their car buffed out

Plenty of us will beg to differ. True paint correction is entirely different than that shop down the street who will "buff and wax" your car for a couple hundred dollars.

I do agree that you need to understand the customer's expectations beforehand though. We are known for our correction work, and only do correction work, so people usually know what they are getting in to. If you do offer more basic services, it is important to explain the differences in service and therefore price in detail before signing a customer up for a particular service.

**Hoytman** · 07-14-2015, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by zmcgovern45

We won't touch a truck for under $600... and that is just for a one-step and sealant or wax application. Your price seems like a deal for that amount of work.

Zach,
That's 2-steps technically. I know you call it a 1-step...as do some others here.

I'm not interested in why you call it that, but rather what you used because your description doesn't tell me that.

Exactly what is your "one-step and sealant or wax application"?

1. Do you top an AIO product?

2. Do you use a light/finish polish, something like M205, then the wax/sealant?

3. Do you use something like FG400 that will cut and finish down nice, then seal?

4. Other

In other words...
Was a true AIO used (I'm guessing an AIO wasn't used knowing how meticulous you are...that's all good) and if not, was that "one-step" a light, medium, or heavy "one-step" process?

Most otc AIO's don't last that long and I'd venture to say that most folks that visit this forum for the first time aren't detailers and understand otc AIO's don't last long, as I'm sure you aware.

Regular forum members and detailers have better AIO alternatives at places like PBMG. Some last longer than their otc counterparts, others don't, and it's probably safe to say that only a handful offer protection of any length of time. Some cut more than their otc counterparts, some don't.

Some people top these AIO's with a wax or sealant, but probably most don't.

These are things forum members know, but I think when we word things we need to be mindful of new members that may not know these products/processes the way we do.

I know you sealed it, but the reason I wrote all of this is that I wanted to know what you used for your cutting step. (Probably said that already.)

Was trying my best not to word this as to make you think I was picking on you as that wasn't my intent and I spent a lot of time choosing my words carefully before posting trying not to come across the wrong way.thoroughly communicating our processes/steps. Expectations 'should' be clear if we've been thorough in communicating

**conman1395** · 07-14-2015, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Hoytman

Zach,
That's 2-steps technically. I know you call it a 1-step...as do some others here.

I'm not interested in why you call it that, but rather what you used because your description doesn't tell me that.

Exactly what is your "one-step and sealant or wax application"?

1. Do you top an AIO product?

2. Do you use a light/finish polish, something like M205, then the wax/sealant?

3. Do you use something like FG400 that will cut and finish down nice, then seal?

4. Other

In other words...
Was a true AIO used (I'm guessing an AIO wasn't used knowing how meticulous you are...that's all good) and if not, was that "one-step" a light, medium, or heavy "one-step" process?

Most otc AIO's don't last that long and I'd venture to say that most folks that visit this forum for the first time aren't detailers and understand otc AIO's don't last long, as I'm sure you aware.

Regular forum members and detailers have better AIO alternatives at places like PBMG. Some last longer than their otc counterparts, others don't, and it's probably safe to say that only a handful offer protection of any length of time. Some cut more than their otc counterparts, some don't.

Some people top these AIO's with a wax or sealant, but probably most don't.

These are things forum members know, but I think when we word things we need to be mindful of new members that may not know these products/processes the way we do.

I know you sealed it, but the reason I wrote all of this is that I wanted to know what you used for your cutting step. (Probably said that already.)

Was trying my best not to word this as to make you think I was picking on you as that wasn't my intent and I spent a lot of time choosing my words carefully before posting trying not to come across the wrong way.thoroughly communicating our processes/steps. Expectations 'should' be clear if we've been thorough in communicating

Just to clear up some terminology:

One-step is one step of correction. Doesn't mean the job is done in one step.

All-in-one means it has the correction step and LSP step all in one step.

**Hoytman** · 07-14-2015, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by conman1395

Just to clear up some terminology:

One-step is one step of correction. Doesn't mean the job is done in one step.

All-in-one means it has the correction step and LSP step all in one step.

Originally Posted by Hoytman

... (I'm guessing an AIO wasn't used knowing how meticulous you are...that's all good) ...

If an AIO wasn't used, as I assumed, then the cut obviously came from something else.
The above infered I knew his "one-step" was indeed "one step of correction", as that's why I put that statement into parenthesis.

**zmcgovern45** · 07-14-2015, 06:46 PM

One-step implies one correction step.

We do not currently use any AIO products on customer cars. Our idea of a one-step correction involves removing as many defects as possible while still finishing without introducing micro-marring/haze into the finish. For some vehicles this may be something as delicate as SF4500 on a finishing pad, while others may be able to take something more aggressive like D300 on a cutting pad... we perform test spots on every vehicle to determine exactly where that boundary lies between cut and finish, then choose a process that will allow us to maximize our defect removal without compromising the finishing abilities.

99% of our work now involves paint coatings, so we haven't used a traditional wax or sealant in 2 years now, but if we were to use a traditional method of protection it would be applied directly after this one-step correction process. Our usual sealant of choice would be either Menzerna Power Lock or Blackfire Wet Diamond, and if we use a wax, I prefer Pinnacle Souveran.

Hope that answers your questions, if not, please let me know and I will do my best to clarify.

-Zach