what`s the worst mistake you`ve made while detailing?

**MINIack** · 10-21-2007, 11:31 PM

A friend and I took all the tree sap and tar off with SOS pads when I was 16. We thought it was so shiny when it was still wet, so we kept going. Stupid kids!

**ron231** · 10-21-2007, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by themightytimmah

Meg`s hot rims. NICE polished aluminum rims. Summer heat. 10 minutes. That`s all i`m sayin.

Well seeing as megs hot rims is acid... I can see where you are going lol!

**mingraygt** · 10-22-2007, 07:13 AM

Not charging enough for a job.

**zoomzoom3** · 10-22-2007, 11:46 PM

Once on an old car I had serious bugs all over the front bumper, so I went to a coin-op wash to get them off. I used the wand sprayer first & that wasn`t enough to get them off, so then I agressively used the foam brush. Still didn`t completely remove the bugs and it left swirl marks out the wazoo.

**Ralliart16** · 10-23-2007, 12:52 AM

trying to fix a broken antenna rubber boot (roof mounted antenna) without removing the antenna using super glue.

BIG drip of super glue on the hood. and my immediate reaction was to try and wipe it up with a dry towel and ended up smudging it all over

Luckily, i quickly grabbed some fingernail polish remover, and gently wiped it with a cotton ball and it came right up

then i resealed and waxed it

**klumzypinoy** · 10-23-2007, 01:19 AM

My pre boutique product days, and putting too much 106FF on my pad. I was polishing for days :p

**RTexasF** · 10-23-2007, 05:19 AM

Forgetting to ask if any areas had been repainted then proceeding to burn the paint off a crease in the hood. I`ve never forgotton to ask since.

**RedWings** · 10-23-2007, 06:33 AM

This was back around `01. I owned a `96 Olds 88 that was pretty clean. Previous owner was a neat freak. I didn`t know anything about detailing or detailing products.

I was dating a girl that left her BF for me. Well you know what happens when you mess with some other guy`s GF. Her parents were out of town and she asked me to stay the night.....I woke up to my car spray painted.

Went home and used laquer thinner to get it off. It got 99% of the spraypaint off but also dulled my finish. Buddy with a rotary came over and fixed the Olds up.

That was the beginning of the end for that girl and I. Chick from the other side of the tracks + chick being much younger (she was 18 I was 23) + obsessive ex-bf = nothing but drama.

**Stephenwz968** · 10-23-2007, 06:45 AM

Trying to correct Clear Coat Failure on a Cargo Van, and not explaining to the owner that it may not be able to be corrected...

Steve

**todd@bsaw** · 11-05-2007, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by RTexasF

Forgetting to ask if any areas had been repainted then proceeding to burn the paint off a crease in the hood. I`ve never forgotton to ask since.

Same issue with me today!

First time I have ever burnt through paint. The passenger door on a Mazda3 had been repainted and I put a nasty spot on the side mirror. I felt horrible since it was the first time, but when I noticed it had been (horribly) repainted I didn`t feel so bad. The mirror is currently in the body shop next door getting repainted. :sadpace:

**fergnation** · 11-05-2007, 05:24 PM

Easy, easy, easy one to answer. My biggest customer has a washbay on the side of his garage that I use for his cars. One day was sitting on a bucket polishing the front passenge side wheel when over my shoulder I say movement. Before I had a chance to move an 8 foot ladder came crashing down on the fender of a BMW Z8. I guess the cleaning ladies had put it in there the day before and I didn`t even notice it. My hoses from washer and vac must have bumped up against it enough to push it close enough to the wall that it lost it`s angle that was keep it rested up against the wall. DENT, CREASES, SCRATCHES!! still waiting on that new fender to arrive!

Lesson learned---- always be aware of your surroundings.

**eyesack** · 11-08-2007, 01:54 AM

Assuming that adequate PC skills = adequate rotary skills, and getting a crash course on hiding holograms... on a customer`s vehicle! either he`ll be back sooner than the 3 months i told him to, or, I`ll never see him again.

Lesson Learned.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 11-08-2007, 10:28 AM

Well it wasn`t me it was my cousin but we we`re both working for a Dealership and he was going to deliver a yukon. Knot knowingly put the heavy floor mat on the accelerator. Hopped in turn the key next thing you know the yukon is flying out of control takes out most of the detail shop. All the mechanincs lockers and obliterated the front half of a customers jaguar that just came in for a service check right in front of the customer... it took everything I had to not just bust out laughing my arse off in front of the customer. The whole thing happened in less than 5 seconds or so but ten years and change later we still talk about it.

**imported_altez** · 11-08-2007, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by klumzypinoy

My pre boutique product days, and putting too much 106FF on my pad. I was polishing for days :p

Hey it`s a Pacman icon! He`s my favorite fighter I got a chance to see him in San Antonio fight Jorge Solis. I wish I could find more time to box, I competed as an amateur : )

**Badmittn** · 11-08-2007, 04:42 PM

Once this old man told me to use aluminum foil to remove rust spots from the bumper chrome on my 65 GTO. It removed most of the rust and all of the shine from the chrome.

Aluminum on chrome = bad idea.