How I dealt with a picky motorhome customer

[rotts4u]

Unlike a few years ago when most motorhomes were fiberglass/gel coat, today they are almost all 100% full body paint. Which means instead of blasting them with a fairly high abrasive RV type wax and calling it a day, now a careful detailer has to treat them about the same as a car. Just a much bigger and much more expensive car that uses a LOT of product to detail.



So this coach is a brand new 2008 Phaeton so it was in near perfect condition as far as paint goes. The customer is known to be a real pain in the butt so I knew I had to do it right. No introduction of swirls or else I would have to do it again and again until he would be happy. The owner is by far the hardest to please of anyone I have ever dealt with. And as long as it takes to do one of these I cant afford that kind of time for do-overs



So I washed it and sprayed it with the Mr Clean spray to aid spot free drying and hand dried it to perfection. Since it only had 1000 miles on it he just wanted a good sealer wax to protect it. It does get covered when not in use so usually a wax job lasts him a year.



So after trying some of my favorite LSPs such as Klasse, Collonite and Wolfgang. I settled on the Wolfgang Deep gloss paint sealant. It goes on easy using a PC DAO and comes off easily without smearing the dark surface that covers most of this motorhome.



It takes a LONG time to do one of these and this one is only 36` but I think it turned out great. The owner was very pleased with the unit and promises that I can have the job again again and again based on this one. So check out the photos below.



The paint on a coach this size is never as blemish free as a car but overall it looks pretty good. Oh yeah one more thing. The owner is ME. I am the picky one that demands no swirls and I also keep my aluminum wheels polished too.



http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w320/edonsmith/coach1.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w320/edonsmith/coach2.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w320/edonsmith/coach3.jpg

[RTexasF]

I don`t know whether to be impressed more by the look or the stamina required to produce it! Spectacular job.

[03TLS]

Looks great and good story too!

[rotts4u]

Thanks 03tls. I am actually a freelance writer and photographer. So I always have to do something unusual with the words. I think of it as practice.



Don

[BlueLibby04]

I could NOT imagine trying to keep one of those up. I looked at the pics and got alittle scared just thinking about it.

[Scottwax]

Excellent job! :)



I`ve do a 45` Newell about once a year so I know you had a really long day!

[rotts4u]

Excellent job! :)



I`ve do a 45` Newell about once a year so I know you had a really long day!



I could buy 3 of mine with the price of a new 45` Newell. Those are really top notch rigs. They are the one of the top 2-3 brands made in the BUS type motorhomes



Don

[NickelPlated.45]

That`s insane. I would love to see more pics. Does he have you do the interior too?

[Joshua312]

Amazing job, it looks great! My grandpa has one about the same size and is white so he is always washing it and getting up on the roof to avoid any black streaks. I bet he washes it every 2-3 weeks so I always hear how long it takes and what a pain it is :) haha

[rotts4u]

I dont have too many photos as it was near dark when I took those and the dark color is hard to photo anyway. Actually I did half of the coach one day and the other half the next along with my other car.



Yes he does have me do the interior because he is me and I is him, so I am the only one. But lucky for me this time the interior was good. Usually my wife and I clean the interior the last day of a trip so it is nice and fresh when we get home.



I ALWAYS wash it after every use and then cover it until the next time. I still work full time, so I am not yet able to use it as much as I would like. But when I am traveling for races and doing articles and photos it sure makes life on the road real easy.



Here is a link to one just like it with interior photos if anyone really wants to see what it looks like inside.



Tiffin Phaeton Motorhomes - 23 to choose from at Lazydays! (http://www.lazydays.com/rvs/Motorhomes/Tiffin/Tiffin_Phaeton_Diesel_Motorhomes_019.html)



After two days of detailing this one and my wifes car too I am beat. So I am taking it easy reading about the next product I want to try. I went through a half a bottle of Wolfgang on the coach.

[cherryspeed]

$230K...Holly ****, I guess the freelance business is pretty good.



Looks great, nice job.

[David Fermani]

I definately know about picky bus owners. I use to detail Roger Penske`s $1,000,000 Prevost 2-3 times a year. His assistant practically did the white glove treatment on it every time before he`d accept it. I use to love driving it when I picked it up & delivered it. :bounce

[ZoranC]

The customer is known to be a real pain in the butt ... The owner is ME.

Fire the customer! :D

[imported_hooked]

How much did you charge yourself? And did you give yourself a nice tip for a job well done? ;)

[rotts4u]

Fire the customer! :D





That is the best idea yet. The only problem is that the detailer is the only one I know that will work this cheap. Anybody else would likely charge me $500-700 for the job and no way I am going to pay that.