Getting scrutinized - Page 2

advs1 · 10-10-09, 07:41

LOL i just had the same conversation with a friend yesterday. i do do just washes, hey i need the money right now. but anyway, i showed up to my regular customers business, where we do anything from washes to full blown details every friday, after a full day of working my friend who works there comes out and says, dude why is your car dirty!! i was like damn just spent all day working and you want me to work some more?? but my suburban was really dirty from my wife driving it to our ranch property, on a dirt road. so i was like youre right and i told my partner(read son) to fire up the PW and i washed the sub right there, on the spot lol

toyotaguy · 10-10-09, 11:04

"I dont get paid to wash/detail my own car!"

s7n7a7k7e · 10-11-09, 06:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan@Adams

I'm sure most of us here are known to friends, family, neighbors, casual acquaintances, etc. as "the clean car guy" or the "anal perfectionist" but sometimes don't you guys feel this just paints a target on your back??

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You read my mind, lol. I feel like this slaps a target on me for a different reason. I'm one of the only people in the neighborhood who regularly details their vehicles. I like to keep my vehicles looking good and shiny. Unfortunately there are a lot of delinquents in the area, and for some reason it seems like a lot of people who don't like to take care of their own properties, don't like it when other people do. As if by you keeping your vehicles or homes looking good, that it makes them look bad, or that you are showing off, and it either angers them or makes them jealous. Not once, but twice have I had vehicles of mine egged. One time when one of my vehicles was parked on the street, and another time when my GTO was parked in my driveway. No one else I know on this street has had this happen to them. My GTO stays locked away in my garage ever since, and the Durango, doesn't get parked on the street anymore.

Not only can you not have nice things because some assholes like to ruin what you have, but you can't even keep what you have looking nice, either apparently.

smoknfastlegend · 10-11-09, 07:08

IMO a detailer with a very clean personal car means a detailer that doesnt work often enough :P

AMDin93103 · 10-11-09, 09:19

My van gets (scheduled for) details quarterly and washed just as frequent... small maintenance procedures are busy work while waiting for clients. You have to at least clean the wheels and windows every week to give a semi-decent impression. Beyond that, it's the inside and the choreography of the detail operation that wins the client.

My wife hates her dirty car - I have yet to find a detailer with the time to clean it proficiently.

flamewerks · 10-13-09, 10:18

My interior and engine bay are always spotless, I always get comments. But somehow I have managed to still not having finished polishing my exterior in the last 5 months. I got about 30% done now. I just never feel like spending a day off on my exterior. In germany they have the same saying like in the first post - the shoemaker always has the worst shoes.

MichaelSpoots · 10-14-09, 12:47

I think it's unfair that you, a Detailer, think that it's unfair that you are held to a strict standard for car care and appearance of your own vehicle. Honestly, what do you expect

!?

It's like...if I was the CEO of Lamborghini. It's perfectly reasonable for people to expect me to drive a Lamborghini. Also acceptable for them to be surprised if I drove a Mustang to work.
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If my neighbor says to me in jest: "Hey Mr. Detailer; your car's pretty dirty..."
I'd say "Sure is! Doesn't take away from the fact that I do great work, though

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Ain't nothing left to say or explain. If your car's dirty and that's what a prospective assumes is representative of your work, that's fine! That's what first impressions are about

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Dylan@Adams · 10-14-09, 10:55

Apples and oranges IMO.

It doesn't take effort and time to drive a Lamborghini if you work at Lamborghini. Driving a lambo is not a skill.

Now if you were to say "I'm a race car driver" is it expected that you drive a race car all the time? Is anyone in the Andretti family chastised if they're caught driving an SUV? Do comedians ALWAYS have to be funny even when they're not on stage? Should a butcher always be expected to eat steak or can he have a salad instead? Does a custom painter always have to drive a car with an outrageous paint job?

I guess the point of the thread was really just to complain that despite the fact i have the ABILITY to drive a 100% flawless car all the time is it necessarily fair to expect me to do so??

MichaelSpoots · 10-14-09, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan@Adams

Despite the fact i have the ABILITY to drive a 100% flawless car all the time is it necessarily fair to expect me to do so??

Absolutely fair!. That's the nature of the game, and that helps to keep us on our toes

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Scottwax · 10-14-09, 09:31

After I did that hammered 335, we put the halogens on my car and the 335 owner was properly impressed.

My Dad will sometimes joke about my car being dirty but overall, people understand that after detailing all day I really don't want to go home and clean my car too.

WAS · 10-15-09, 01:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan@Adams

Apples and oranges IMO.

Do comedians ALWAYS have to be funny even when they're not on stage? Should a butcher always be expected to eat steak or can he have a salad instead? Does a custom painter always have to drive a car with an outrageous paint job?

This depends. Is a hair stylist expected to have presentable hair all the time ? Is a doctor expected to look clean all the time ? Is the President always expected to be dressed appropriately ?

Different professions and different industries expect and promote different behaviours, "on" as well as "off" the job. In our industry, some people expect to see us driving around in very well kept cars. My opinion is with theirs, I keep mine as clean as possible, which actually doesn't take a lot of effort for me. I've had lots of comments on how nicely my car presents itself, and, in my opinion, it's absolutely made some customers feel more relaxed with giving me the keys to their own vehicle.

vecdran · 10-17-09, 08:27

Maybe it's because you guys do a lot more volume than I, but I always keep my car in tip top shape because it's my best form of advertisement. I've gotten a few jobs just because someone walked up to my car in the middle of our crappy winter and commented on how my car looked shiny clean, to which I add to their surprise that I hadn't washed it in several weeks. I then ask if they'd like theirs to look the same.

It's also helped since I'm not a pro-level detailer to give people confidence in me and my work. They see that if I take this much care of my own vehicle, they know theirs will be pampered as well.