What ever happened to passion?

**jason rawls** · 07-25-2004, 01:36 PM

Here are two quotes from "another" forum:

re:Autopia
"It is a site of "enthusists", and a place where small internet "re-sell" companies utilize to sell products to the enthusists, for the most part. One of things that I have learned, (they banned me), is the people who run it, and have been writting "do it yourself" types of books, promoting products, etc don`t care for the members to be exposed to anything that is of a professional nature, like factory TSB`s, factual information from the paint suppliers, etc. Make`s it hard for them to justify their methods of promotion."

response:

"I back up .... comments 100%. Autopia is like Detail City, enthusiasts who buy boutique products instead of professional products. The enthusiasts have the right idea in mind -- to take the best care of their cars -- but are also being taken advantage of by the product pushers. "
:bsflag :hurl

Now I`m not trying mock the people who wrote these threads, I`m sure they are very intelligent people who know what they`re talking about. However, you`ll notice that this particular site is driven by very business minded and money driven individuals who often use terms such as profit margins, target market, hourly rate, etc.

I think they are more interested in the technical side of detailing rather than the artistic side. Very rarely will you even see a picture of someones work. The person who wrote the latter quote believes that enthusiasts are in a different category than professionals. I consider myself to be a professional enthusiast!

Now of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on maximizing your profits and looking at things from technical and monetary point of view.

However, in my opinion there is more to life than what your bank statements and quarterly profits look like. What about a genuine interest and pride in what you are doing? What about actually enjoying what you do rather than simply looking at it from a business perspective? :dunno

I think that to be truly successful, you have to have a passion for what you are doing.

**rollman** · 07-25-2004, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by jason rawls

I think that to be truly successful, you have to have a passion for what you are doing.

Amen to that ! Well said Jason

**keeotee** · 07-25-2004, 06:29 PM

Well, if opinions were money, there would be no need of charity!

**andriver** · 07-25-2004, 06:38 PM

As an enthusiast, I am not sold by anyone. I, like most people here, research products by reading posts, viewing pics posted, etc., before reaching for my credit card. I have never felt pressured by Dwayne, Steve or anyone to use their products. Not everyone likes every product but everyone likes a clean car.

**bigron62** · 07-25-2004, 09:13 PM

im very thankful for our sponsors here . ive gotten more from them in knowledge and friendship than you can put a price on .. i detail for money but if i was trying to make a quick buck id do something else . detailing is hard work . our community has backed me up all the way as an aspiring detailer and i back them %100 in everything they do .. id bet if someone here got robbed of theyre stuff everyone would send stuff to get them going again .. i know i would .. if you are looking for someone to put down this site it wont be me ..

**Don** · 07-26-2004, 05:22 AM

Originally posted by bigron62
.. if you are looking for someone to put down this site it wont be me ..

Me either. Most of the people on this board use a "mix & match" approach to detailing products, some of which are sold by our sponsors, some of which are not. When someone comes to this site and asks: "Where can I get...." OF COURSE they`ll be pointed towards the sponsors, they`re the ones who pay for this site, and allow all of us to hang around and talk detailing.

Never once have I heard Dwayne or anyone else say "To be a member, you have to buy our stuff." The ONLY requirements here are: "Sign in & be nice." How can you bad mouth a place where everyone from the Shop owning, pro detailer with ten employees, to the kid with a can of Turtle Wax and a rag are welcome and will be treated the same (as long as they follow the two simple rules)?

I`m lower on the detailing totem pole than the guy who runs a one-man detailing outfit, yet everyone here has always been cool to me.

*end of rant*

**freedre** · 07-26-2004, 07:53 AM

Originally posted by Don

I`m lower on the detailing totem pole than the guy who runs a one-man detailing outfit, yet everyone here has always been cool to me.

Me too.

Where are these `other sites`?

Oh, BTW Don - the lowest figure on a totem pole is the MOST important, usually the chief or head of the clan. The highest is the least important, usually a mythical figure like the thunderbird or raven.

I know, I have way too much time on my hands, but what do you expect from a guy who`s street address is "Manyhorses Drive". We do everything upside down.

**Don** · 07-28-2004, 05:53 PM

Originally posted by freedre

I know, I have way too much time on my hands, but what do you expect from a guy who`s street address is "Manyhorses Drive". We do everything upside down.

Now that`s an idea...if I could just get my wife to stand on her head and.......opps, wrong forum

**NattyBumppo** · 07-28-2004, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by jason rawls
Here are two quotes from "another" forum:

re:Autopia
"It is a site of "enthusists", and a place where small internet "re-sell" companies utilize to sell products to the enthusists, for the most part. One of things that I have learned, (they banned me), is the people who run it, and have been writting "do it yourself" types of books, promoting products, etc don`t care for the members to be exposed to anything that is of a professional nature, like factory TSB`s, factual information from the paint suppliers, etc. Make`s it hard for them to justify their methods of promotion."

response:

"I back up .... comments 100%. Autopia is like Detail City, enthusiasts who buy boutique products instead of professional products. The enthusiasts have the right idea in mind -- to take the best care of their cars -- but are also being taken advantage of by the product pushers. "
:bsflag :hurl

Sounds like Ketch is back to posting again. He took things to the Nth degree, technically speaking and had little to no patience for anything that doesn`t have; documented and clear cut procedures, technically measureable gains (not just a "looks great" thing) and auto manufacturer or PPG/Dupont approval.

He never candy coated anything, which was and is still fine by me. I appreciated his knowledge and experience but he certainly did alienate a lot of people with that no pulled punches/know it all attitude.

**Mosca** · 07-30-2004, 12:32 AM

Yep, it sounds like Ron Ketcham. If you don`t believe he has a passion, send him an email asking a question, or call him on the phone. He`ll fill two pages or a half an hour trying to help you, without trying to sell you anything.

His passion is for offering the very best information and product. If he doesn`t care so much about the sensual pleasure of applying Pinnacle Souveran, well, that`s just his nature. To him, it`s paint that needs to be smoothed out and protected, and that`s it.

Think of two people at opposite ends of the spectrum, but with the same beliefs and results; for the sake of discussion, let`s randomly assign them names; maybe, Ron and Mike. Ron arrives at his beliefs and results by research, Mike arrives at his beliefs and results by experience. They both get the same results, but the different personalities take satisfaction in the results in different ways. Ron takes satisfaction that the results have borne out his conclusions, and that the car won`t need to be waxed for another couple months. Mike takes satisfaction in the sweat invested and the beauty of the lines of the car.

People are just wired differently. Each one thinks the other is misguided, but in fact each one is getting the truth that`s right for him. The only thing that would be wrong would be for them to argue over who is right.

Tom

**NattyBumppo** · 07-30-2004, 06:39 AM

Originally posted by Mosca
Yep, it sounds like Ron Ketcham. If you don`t believe he has a passion, send him an email asking a question, or call him on the phone. He`ll fill two pages or a half an hour trying to help you, without trying to sell you anything.

His passion is for offering the very best information and product. If he doesn`t care so much about the sensual pleasure of applying Pinnacle Souveran, well, that`s just his nature. To him, it`s paint that needs to be smoothed out and protected, and that`s it.

Think of two people at opposite ends of the spectrum, but with the same beliefs and results; for the sake of discussion, let`s randomly assign them names; maybe, Ron and Mike. Ron arrives at his beliefs and results by research, Mike arrives at his beliefs and results by experience. They both get the same results, but the different personalities take satisfaction in the results in different ways. Ron takes satisfaction that the results have borne out his conclusions, and that the car won`t need to be waxed for another couple months. Mike takes satisfaction in the sweat invested and the beauty of the lines of the car.

People are just wired differently. Each one thinks the other is misguided, but in fact each one is getting the truth that`s right for him. The only thing that would be wrong would be for them to argue over who is right.

Tom

Wow, very well put Tom! You couldn`t be more right about Ketch. I personally never had a problem with him because of respect I have for his experience and incredible knowledge. Plus I like straight talk with no BS. Working in the "fortune" corporte world straight talk is a HUGE breath of fresh air.

Like you said, he would type you a two page email or talk on the phone for an hour about the most technical aspects of automotive paints/procedures and everything inbetween. I found the conversations we had to be incredibly interesting.

I don`t really know of anyone who thinks he`s mis-guided. Some feel he`s brash, crude and arrogant perhaps, but not mis-guided. As you stated....in the end his goals are common to all of us...great looking, well maintained finishes. :beer

Cheers to you and I`ll also tip my glass to Ketch :beer .

**Mosca** · 07-30-2004, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by NattyBumppo
I don`t really know of anyone who thinks he`s mis-guided. Some feel he`s brash, crude and arrogant perhaps, but not mis-guided. As you stated....in the end his goals are common to all of us...great looking, well maintained finishes. :beer

Cheers to you and I`ll also tip my glass to Ketch :beer . [/B]

LOL, maybe a bad choice of words; I was thinking about jason rawls, the original poster, callin` BS.

It`s like, Mike works on 5 Audis and concludes that Audi paint is really hard. Ron calls Audi and gets the engineering department and finds out that Audi paint is hard. Mike takes pride in figuring it out for himself, Ron takes pride in not having to figure it out for himself.

And all God`s children got rhythm.

Tom

**NattyBumppo** · 07-30-2004, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by Mosca
LOL, maybe a bad choice of words; I was thinking about jason rawls, the original poster, callin` BS.

It`s like, Mike works on 5 Audis and concludes that Audi paint is really hard. Ron calls Audi and gets the engineering department and finds out that Audi paint is hard. Mike takes pride in figuring it out for himself, Ron takes pride in not having to figure it out for himself.

And all God`s children got rhythm.

Tom

Amen brother, amen!:mohawk