≈ Strange Audi A3 Encounter Damaged Paint by Paint, VIP Customer, Test Spot & One Day In My Life α

[Shark Politur]

Few days ago I was out with a women for all day & night, that's why didn't took my handy with me, when we came back home I see 8 missed calls from one guy who is the owner of PortoVino it's a cigar & drinks boutique for rich & famous in the Old Port of TLV. Most of the customers come there to taste some whiskey, cognac, cigars & have a talk. I detailed few their customers & my friends now (they came to me alone, no connection to PortoVino) cars they invited me later, must say that something what they ordered for 2 cost 4,000$ a bottle, I don't even know what it was but after one shot I opted for a bottle of Paulaner beer. Why I say it, to explain that the owner of this place would be regarded as a very important customer to most guys & girls in Car Care as near his spot I always see cars that cost 300,000$ minimum & they go there to drink etc, but for me it's just another situation, encounter, something new as I don't work with money...you know.
So, I call back:
Hi.
Hi, Marc, sometimes answer the phone please
I was busy all day, couldn't answer, how are you bro.
#### happened to my car, some assholes painted something in white in the events hall near by where I park my car, it's all covered in white little dot's you must see it.
A-ha.
When can you come & see it.
Tomorrow about 10-11AM.
Then see you.
Bye.
So I arrive, we go to check the car & it looks terrible.

A-ha, one other thing, when he called me day before, he said:
Marc, make a good price to me (& here the problem starts as I don't like to talk about money in this way) I will forward all my customers to you.
I first must see the car, maybe I can't even do it, how can I say the price???
OK, so tomorrow.

I took with me Blue & Red Clay Bar, Clay Lubricant, Nano Polish & Wax to see if it works. As you can see from the pics, it really made the job on the test spot on the hood. So he says:
So when can you do it?
Look, this is what you see is about the final result more or less & I repeat more or less it will look like this, is it fine for you?
It's great, make me the half price what you did to my customers
...I really can't say you the price now as car is all covered in dust so I can't evaluate the full problem, can't see all the white paint overspray everywhere & I am not yet sure I can do it so result will be top.
It's nothing for you, come on...this & that.

So I didn't say the price because I want to make him a very good work & there are no numbers in my head, only the responsibility, to get it done as it should, I already see in my head products I must bring, pads, machine & how to start & finish the project.
So we both leave & agree to meet next day 11AM, to start the work.

Comes 11AM he calls I am still at home almost all packed.
Marc, where are you bro.
I come soon (he already parked the car where we agreed), few things left, can't forget something.
11.30AM calls again.
Where are you bro.
In 5min. I am leaving (for me it's 5min. walk from home as I live near the beach where is Old Port of TLV)
Marc, please also clean the dashboard.
### he said? DASHBOARD? He got a paint damage (this is over 60,000$ price in Israel car) & he is worried about dashboard on 3 months new car!
Here I just leave all the things at home & go for my daily business.

So he calls again.
Marc, where are you bro??
Look, it's not for you, we can't work together, I don't work like this when your car is ###### up & you speak about dashboard.
OK, so let's do it on Friday (today), Sunday (like Monday in Israel).
I say (I am polite person) OK bro we'll be in touch, my last word don't bring your car to any car washes detailers but only to Audi garage, bye.

He inquired about me later with the people know me very good, I detailed their many cars, so one of them calls me..I say I come bro we talk in your office (everything happens around the Port as this is where I spend most of my days & nights).
Marc, look I talked to him, he is sorry he talked about dashboard, go to him, do it for me.
OK.
I go, we meet again with Audi guy (all in 2min. distance) I say look, I took with me products for everything even dashboard, wheels etc. but you have a car ###### up don't you understand it...
Yes, I do.
We go see the car, his left side of the hood he "polished" it alone with some #### the clear coat is full of round swirls, disaster.
This is what it is???
I did it Marc myself & my brothers car also we gave to detail to a car wash, they ###### it up.
So this is my example here on the right, look again, touch it, this are end results plus minus.
OKOKOK.
See you on Sunday.

What do you think about all this? How would you behave in the same situation?













This is Audi condition, clean areas are my test spot.

[Lost Highway]

I don't know the local cultural or legal structure but this seems completely over the top to me.
It seems like the owner of PortoVino ought to be making a claim against the owner(s) of the events hall and let the insurance companies work out payment for correction. It isn't clear to me why he would be paying for this out of pocket.
The badgering you and bargaining for a special price based on the possibility of future referrals is not something I would view kindly but this is U.S. culture taking. I can't speak to what is or is not socially acceptable in TelAviv.
Good luck!

[d33p]

I dont understand why cleaning the dashboard got you so upset. You were already running late and rich people are usually very anal about being prompt so I would have just said "ok".

If it were me Id skip the job as that looks like a lot of work without any promise it will look good once complete.

[psdnuts]

Id say give him your usual price what you would charge any other customers. There has to be a respect to what you do. When they get the car screwed by another car detailing place it will be back to you anyways. So u going to do what you want but be careful with customers like that.
Thats my point of view.
Good luck

[Sizzle Chest]

Shark: That is one big job! There was a ton of overspray on that paint! Good work on getting it off...keep us posted on how it turns out!

[Shark Politur]

I don't know the local cultural or legal structure but this seems completely over the top to me.
It seems like the owner of PortoVino ought to be making a claim against the owner(s) of the events hall and let the insurance companies work out payment for correction. It isn't clear to me why he would be paying for this out of pocket.
The badgering you and bargaining for a special price based on the possibility of future referrals is not something I would view kindly but this is U.S. culture taking. I can't speak to what is or is not socially acceptable in TelAviv.
Good luck!

I know what you speak about, but here people don't like to contact insurance co's or the side that did damage, they look for more simple way out.
In Israel people are more easy going, time is money, he didn't even contact events hall owner & few dozen cars for sure have the same problem, everybody went to their car wash & got there extra damage , then some guy there would tell some nice story to car's owner (like ex. I seen a black Lexus LS 460 all in round swirls very ugly, I asked why it is, the elder guy told me in Lexus Israel they polished it & explained that this oval rounds & cuts is a natural thing left from polishing machine...) like I once seen in the most busy car wash in TLV where detailing guy did the same work I do tomorrow, he scrapped all paint with plastic knife & when owner asked why on the roof so many scratches, he said: There was no other way, it's only pro way, go & buy roof bra in the same colour as your car & it will look even nicer...
People have 0 knowledge about detailing, if they trust you, you can kill the paint & they will be very happy.

Now regarding why he said that he will recommend me everywhere it's childish but I also hear it from many new customers: Marc, if you do a good job & have more cars for you & also my friends etc... I think they say it out of fear, it's like a virgin girl, do me good & I give you more positions
I don't know if it's common in the West, but here probably it's very common, people are afraid, cars here cost cheap ones 100,000$ and then 300,000$ & up easily so they entrust you something expensive & don't want it to be killed.
Tax in Israel 120% on all cars, but on the other side it also says that people here are more relaxed: take my property, do whatever you want with it but please when I come back I want to leave with Mercedes, not sitting on the donkey with Mercedes star on the ass
I was living in Germany for years as my ex-babe was from FFM, must say I met there many people, to my surprise their car care knowledge is also close to 0, when I only went into hobby car care, they regarded me a guru even when they work as chemists, engineers really nice jobs in technical category, I was there in the modelling flight club, they could fix any gas, electro plane, helicopter...but when it came to car care, there like 0 knowledge again.
So more or less this is my answer to you my friend.

[Shark Politur]

I dont understand why cleaning the dashboard got you so upset. You were already running late and rich people are usually very anal about being prompt so I would have just said "ok".

If it were me Id skip the job as that looks like a lot of work without any promise it will look good once complete.

There are people that I come on time exactly, I am more precise than Germans.
It all depends...you are right that rich people in Israel are not like rich in USA or Europe, in the West there are tags, you know already if the guy with a suit & Patek is rich or not but here...you see the guy with shorts, gummi mocasins, white T-shirt who eats hummus with falafel & drinks cola, he is the owner of hotels in Eilat on the Red Sea & biggest local airline, he talks like every other normal person.
The bank throws on them Amex Centurion card & MC World, they opt for cheapest credit card with the lowest commission, buy on discount food, then go to travel for 100,000$ weekly trip to Europe like I go to Eilat from Tel Aviv...with the same shorts, gum shoes & t-shirt.

Also anal in the Middle East means something else than in the West

[Shark Politur]

Id say give him your usual price what you would charge any other customers. There has to be a respect to what you do. When they get the car screwed by another car detailing place it will be back to you anyways. So u going to do what you want but be careful with customers like that.
Thats my point of view.
Good luck

Your point of view in this situation is same as mine 100%.

[Shark Politur]

Shark: That is one big job! There was a ton of overspray on that paint! Good work on getting it off...keep us posted on how it turns out!

Tomorrow I go to kill his car, don't worry.

[Shark Politur]

Cohiba, Coffee & Sweet Cheese Croissant plus some fun, I cross the street & start to work in style









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TEpHTVWXnM