The WORST car I have ever detailed - 20 hour "rush job"

**Don M** · 10-15-2023, 02:23 PM

This car belongs to a close friend. He is my polar opposite when it comes to car-care - he doesn`t do it at ALL! This is a black, 2013 Challenger, that`s SUPPOSED to be black, but unfortunately is more of a grey-ish and LOADED with scratches and swirls

**Paul A.** · 10-16-2023, 11:24 AM

Nice work, Don. That paint was hacked. HUGE improvement.

Did he bring diapers?!

**Don M** · 10-16-2023, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Paul A.

Nice work, Don. That paint was hacked. HUGE improvement.

Did he bring diapers?!

LOL - he said he made sure to hit the bathroom BEFORE he came down.

He picked the car up Saturday morning, and stayed, talking to me for about 45 minutes - WITHOUT HIS EYES LEAVING THE CAR - LOL. Less than an hour later, he calls me and said while he was going to get something to eat: "Everyone was checking out my car!" I JUST got off the phone with him, and he's STILL saying how good it looks, even though it's been raining since he picked it up.

On Saturday, I made a deal with him. He agrees to stop doing (whatever it was) that he called "car care," and every month (at minimum), bring it to me for a wash. And every 6 months, bring it to me for a "Mini" version of what I just did, which would be a light polish and complete reseal. And he has "Vowed" to "Never let it get THAT BAD again."

He wouldn't let me take a "reveal" video of his reaction to seeing the results, because: "I don't want to be connected to how it USED to look."

**Paul A.** · 10-16-2023, 04:29 PM

Well, you got the live "reveal" video in your head and that's a huge part of the payoff.

**PaulMys** · 10-17-2023, 04:20 PM

Jesus H Christ! Did he regularly drive through hedgerows of sticker bushes??

Awesome save on that one, Don!

**Optimus Grime** · 10-17-2023, 06:00 PM

Beautiful work. As to your question you absolutely did not cheat using the ceramic polish. Anyone not thrilled with the finished product should be put in a straight jacket.

**Don M** · 10-18-2023, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by PaulMys

Jesus H Christ! Did he regularly drive through hedgerows of sticker bushes??

Awesome save on that one, Don!

No sticker bushes, but he DID used to "wipe it down" after a rain or when it was dirty with a DRY cloth to "clean it."

When I told him what NOT to do to care for it's "new" paint, he just kept looking guiltier and guiltier - seems like he used to do EVERYTHING I was saying NOT to do! So he VERY QUICKLY agreed to a proposal I made him: (at LEAST) once a month, bring it to me for a wash and every 6 months, I will (lightly) re-polish and use a sealant on the paint. He promised that he would, and that he would NEVER let it get that bad again.

Originally Posted by Optimus Grime

Beautiful work. As to your question you absolutely did not cheat using the ceramic polish. Anyone not thrilled with the finished product should be put in a straight jacket.

He was 'over the moon' with the results, and literally COULDN'T SEE the defects (even AFTER I pointed them out), that remained since I had so little time to work on the car. So I just told him, if he stuck to "Our" plan, I could get the car looking even better.

He may be my best friend, but he is my polar OPPOSITE when it comes to car care.