Black '04 Expedition

mose · 03-19-07, 10:58

Did another SUV this weekend. It seems like I am on a run of them lately. Not complaining by any means!! I has picked it up Friday night and told them how good of shape it was in. This is exactely why you don't but a car at night and exactley why you don't settle for whatever chick is left at the bar at 2AM.

I woke up the next day and saw this thing under the light of day.....started to chew my arm off so I wouldn't wake her up.....wait....scratch that...different time in life...but you get the idea.

This thing was very swirled and there was a ton of scratched all over the hood. Not just the normal car wash scratches.....these were pretty deep.

So I finish it up on Sunday, go to pull it out of the garage to take the "after' pics and....NOTHING....no engine cranking, no radio....NOTHING. Unbelievable. The first ting I think of was that I had sprayed Hyper Dressing into some electrical plug and I fried something. I instantly go into panic mode....trying to figure out what I did. Then it hits me to check the voltage on the battery...8 volts. Hmmm.......dead battery. Try to jump start it...NOTHING.

So I call the customer and tell them that the battery in their SUV is dead and that I am totally responsible and I want to pay to replace it. They tell me that they appreciate the offer but that it probably would have done dead anyway and they will take care of it. I tell them at least let me get it fixed and they can pay me when I drop the car off. They agree to that and I head to Sears to get a new battery. Get it back to the house, replace it and drop the car off. The customer was ecstatic with the way it turned out. So here's the best part! The wife ask show much and I tell her "The detail was $250, the battery was $108 so $358 should cover it. She rights me a check for $400 and hands me a tray of chocolate covered strawberries that she had made cuz she felt bad about the battery...I love my customers!!

So here's how it went:

Wash
Clay entire vehicle including glass and chrome
Ended up doing a three step polish:
OP with CCS yellow
OP with CCS white
KAIO with CCS white
1 coat of DG #601 PBA
2 coats of DG #105
Interior vacuumed
Leather seats cleaned and conditioned w/DG leather conditioner
All glass cleaned with Stoners IG
Engine degreased w/Megs Degreaser
Engine dressed w/Hyper Dressing

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john1c · 03-19-07, 11:20

those were some really bad swirls!! great improvement!!

artikxscout · 03-19-07, 11:33

black cars and swirl city.

awesome. 108 for batteris wow!

mr.ikon · 03-20-07, 12:09

chocolate covered strawberries. lucky you. really though, 108 for a battery? hmmm.

Brandon1 · 03-20-07, 05:50

mose you are much better than I am at removing swirls. I may have to take some tips from you!

Great job man, looks killer

touchofdetail · 03-20-07, 07:50

80 bux at pep boys or autozone.

gmblack3a · 03-20-07, 08:20

Great work and dream client. A client like this you can never do enough for so if you do maintance washes for them, hit it with some AW or whatever spray sealant you have next time.

mose · 03-20-07, 08:59

Thanks for the comments guys!!

The customer asked if I would put a DieHard battery in it so I had to go to Sears. Of course anytime you put the letters SUV on it it's gonna jack up the price cuz it's a "specialty" battery...

gmblack3a: You are so right.....I already made plans to go over this Sunday to do a follow up wash and hit it with another coat of AW.

03Ltd.Windstar · 03-20-07, 05:23

that leather looked awfully dirty before....cleaned up really nicely though. Just wow on those swirls too!!!!

Scottwax · 03-20-07, 10:32

Outstanding job on the paint!

Slickery · 03-20-07, 10:36

Looks great moose

vdubbya · 03-20-07, 11:41

Great job......how were the strawberries? Any left?