Question about tipping after ceramic coating

[jwyfk]

I dropped my car off to be ceramic coated starting yesterday morning and was told they`d need it overnight for the curing process and that I could pick it up today. This morning I got a call and was told that the hood hadn`t been coated, but the rest of the car was because he had a difficult time with some water spots and needed to buff them out, although I could pick the car up later in the afternoon. I told him he could have as much time as he needs and to keep the car another day, so the ceramic could cure overnight.

The car is brand new, but I noticed the water spots after washing the car a couple of times. I didn`t know they were that bad, but I did see a nasty bird dropping etched into the paint on the roof, as well as a curved scratch. I could also see circular scratches surrounding the bird dropping, where the dealership lot attendant made a weak attempt to get rid of it.

This evening I get another call from him, telling me that he had to bring his body shop guy over from another location to do wet sanding on my car`s hood to remove water spots. He also found a paint defect from the factory on the roof of the car and used 1500, then 3000 grit and that the defect was a lot better, but not 100%. I was told it was probably something I wouldn`t notice and the only way to completely get rid of the defect is to repaint. I don`t think he was suggesting I do this, but just telling me he did everything he could to try and make it perfect. I have to admit, I`m kind of freaked out about all this wet sanding on a brand new car and got a little worried that something went wrong, because wet sanding is the only way to remove ceramic coating and I thought the roof was already done.

Right now, I can only afford the $400/3 year ceramic coating. However, I found out that the prep requires the same amount of work before the coating starts, whether you get the $400, $800 or $1200 package. There are multiple steps involved, including compound and polish. In addition to that, it sounds like he`s aware of how OCD I am and went out of his way to do a good job, because I had typed up a list of things to go over with him before the appointment. He was really patient and also spent a lot of time with me on the phone.

Before I made the appointment, I searched for what people normally get for tips after a full detail. Many times people get nothing, but the figure that came up the most was $20. Although this isn`t a full interior/exterior detail, there`s quite a bit of work involved, even though the car is brand new. I was thinking $40 last night, then $50 after I received the call this morning. Now I don`t know if that`s enough. He`s an employee, not the owner. I know he`s the only one who does the coatings at the shop, but it`s possible he had help from other guys who work there. He said he was going to finish the car this evening and if necessary work after hours off the clock, so that the car could cure overnight. I`m not in the best financial situation right now, but at the same time, I want to give a good tip. What would you consider to be fair, without going overboard?

[TheMeanGreen]

Tough to call since there could be others involved, but for just him, I`d say $40-$50 is right. Also wait until others chime in.

[rlmccarty2000]

Good question. I don’t tip my mechanic and if someone detailed my car I don’t think I would tip them. Back when I used to get my car washed I would tip $5 sometimes but I didn’t feel it was required, but more of reminder to take care of my car next time I brought it in. I hope other will chime in on this topic, as truthfully, I’ve really never thought about it.

[mrclean81]

I’ve found that around 50% of my clients tip. I never expect them to, and I sure never ask or drop hints for them to. I’d say for the cheaper packages, I’ll average a $10 tip. Coating jobs probably average $40 or $50, but a few have given me $100. If it was me doing the job, I wouldn’t expect a dime more than I quoted it for, and would grateful for the gesture even if it was 5 bucks.

[dcjredline]

Ive gotten tips but not this year and I dont remember one in the last part of last year either. For an $800 coating job (that is right correct? $400 for the coating and $400 for the prep if I understood) I doubt a tip is needed. Sounds like he is gonna make a good Chunk from this.

[Stokdgs]

Don`t you want to wait and see how it turned out, and then decide how happy you are to give them extra ?
Dan F

[RaydiantDetail]

Tips are not really required but nice if you feel the person has done a great job and deserves a little extra.
I also never get a tip from my customers and I do not expect it. They are paying me for my services at a good price.
Like Dan suggested you could wait till after the service is performed and you inspect the vehicle and then tip accordingly. I think 5% is more than fair/ adequate for a tip and anybody would be appreciate of it.

[jwyfk]

Ive gotten tips but not this year and I dont remember one in the last part of last year either. For an $800 coating job (that is right correct? $400 for the coating and $400 for the prep if I understood) I doubt a tip is needed. Sounds like he is gonna make a good Chunk from this.

No, the total job is $400. He`s also not the owner of the shop and I`m not sure he gets extra for doing coating jobs.

Don`t you want to wait and see how it turned out, and then decide how happy you are to give them extra ?
Dan F

I`ve thought about this as well, but I don`t want to be a jerk about it. I had a $170 exterior detail done on my last car before I sold it and tipped the guy after looking at it inside his garage. It wasn`t until I took the car to the park in the evening to take pictures for the for sale ad, that I noticed the car covered in swirl marks in the sunlight. I`m sure it will look amazing to me when I see it, but defects and problems usually aren`t noticed until later. Maybe I should tip in stages?

[Accumulator]

jwyfk- I too would wait and see. For some reason the story as you`ve related it rubs me the wrong way...for starters, if it were *my* vehicle I`d be pretty [ticked] off that they wetsanded it without consulting me.

Is it true that wetsanding is required to remove the coating?!? That`s another little something that gives me pause.

I myself would be more likely to tip when there are no, uhm...stories...or delays or unexpected work being done without consulting me first.

I would *NEVER* tip "in stages". Ever. Period. But that`s just me.

[az57chevy]

Assuming that you are happy with the results, I would tip him $50. Remember he is the employee and not the owner. If others were involved it would be on him to distribute it as he sees fair. And I would do it person-to-person and not through the owner.

[Accumulator]

.. I would do it person-to-person and not through the owner.

Yeah, good advice there.

[jwyfk]

jwyfk- I too would wait and see. For some reason the story as you`ve related it rubs me the wrong way...for starters, if it were *my* vehicle I`d be pretty [ticked] off that they wetsanded it without consulting me.

Is it true that wetsanding is required to remove the coating?!? That`s another little something that gives me pause.

I myself would be more likely to tip when there are no, uhm...stories...or delays or unexpected work being done without consulting me first.

I would *NEVER* tip "in stages". Ever. Period. But that`s just me.

I was quite stressed about it when he called me last night and was also concerned that something happened because I was told the entire car had been coated, except for the hood. When I picked the car up, I asked him "how much" of the coating had to be removed from the roof, rather than "if" he had to. He told me that when he was looking at the roof from outside on a ladder, the paint defect was visible and he made the decision to remove the coating and level the defect a bit. They did not use 1500 grit. The body shop guy offered to level it out some more with 1500 grit, but he said no. Since the body shop guy was already there, he had him get rid of a couple of scratches on the roof and water spots on the hood.

Since I had already asked him in advance about wet sanding the edge of a paint chip I had repaired, I guess he assumed I`d be OK with it. I agree with you that a phone call should have been made in advance of this being done, but I would have said yes anyway.

The car looks nearly perfect, but I`m not thrilled with the swirl marks I saw in the hood, in addition to a few left over scratches, either from the wet sanding or compounding. This was in the kind of direct sunlight that would highlight flaws in any car, so it would have been impossible for him to see this when he was finishing up late last night using artificial light. When the light hits the hood at a certain angle, I could see patches of swirls that would move as I moved.

I had some concerns about him rushing to finish things up at the last minute because of all the extra work he put into it. He did offer to re-do the hood if it bothered me, but that would involve wet sanding to remove the coating. When it`s in my garage, it looks amazing, although I not nearly as jaw dropping as a good carnauba waxed car. I`m told that as the ceramic coating cures, the gloss level will increase. I`m just glad the paint is protected and most of the imperfections and etchings have been removed. I ended up giving him $60 because of the time and effort he put into making it perfect. The question is whether it`s worth stripping the coating off to get rid of the swirl marks. I`m not sure.

[rlmccarty2000]

jwyfk- I too would wait and see. For some reason the story as you`ve related it rubs me the wrong way...for starters, if it were *my* vehicle I`d be pretty [ticked] off that they wetsanded it without consulting me.

Is it true that wetsanding is required to remove the coating?!? That`s another little something that gives me pause.

I myself would be more likely to tip when there are no, uhm...stories...or delays or unexpected work being done without consulting me first.

I would *NEVER* tip "in stages". Ever. Period. But that`s just me.

I have heard that some pro grade coatings have to be sanded off, but I’ve never heard of this actually happening. The consumer grade coatings bought here can be removed with a fine polish such as 205.

[Stokdgs]

I am sorry you went through all this and your new car went through worse, and you still have swirls now, under the coating...

If this Detailer is responsible for the swirls, then he needs to really learn how to use a Rotary and NOT swirl paintwork..
You might not want to go to these people again, it appears that they just don`t have the skillset and/or don`t know how to check their work..

I can totally see how the Body shop people can swirl up stuff, and I have corrected many vehicles wrecked by Body Shops for that reason..

Its their fault and not their fault also... These guys have never had anyone other than another ill-informed/trained/etc., person show them how to use the machine badly, and that is how you swirl up paintwork.. They don`t even have good lights! And for sure, they are not going to move it outside in the sun, and back inside a few times, to get it right..

I have seen Body Shop guys using a Rotary with only 1 dirty, well worn, blended wool pad, with who knows how much dirt, dead paint, crap, etc., in it, on newly painted panels..
They get away with this by using products that cuts the paint, and fills in all the defects they are not going to remove, and add, with kaolin clay, that will stick for awhile and then fall off, exposing even more stuff, you did not know about..

And they are doing this work on newly painted panels in between people that are sanding primer, painting primer, perhaps even grinding metal, all around them..
And then blowing off all their work so all that junk gets into the air on your car, and this guy abusing your new paintwork...

These guys, no matter how well meaning they are, and I hope they are, are just not getting the entire Paint Correction Detailing picture - but then again, they are not Detailers anyway...

It IS the fault of the owner of the body shop for letting this kind of result go out the door... But they do it all the time, and the bad habits are very hard to break, if they ever decide to break them...
Dan F

[mrclean81]

Do you know exactly what coating was used? I’m not one to knock another detailers hard work at all, especially without seeing it, but it’s sounding like inexperience and lack of proper equipment and training played a big roll here.