This is what passes for detailing in FL - Bit of a rant and thread inside 2010 Taurus

**Lotuseffect** · 09-05-2011, 02:16 PM

So, this car is the daily driver for the customer whos wife I cleaned up the Escalade ESV. He was very pleased so he agreed to a 1 step polish. The interior was well maintained. I immediately notice the vehicle is just covered with tree sap. He says, "I know you cant do much about that." I didnt understand what he meant but I kept inspecting the car. There was wax in every door seam, light seams, keyholes, basically everywhere, product sling from polish on the trim, you name it. I politely asked him who he was using, and he told me. I wont repeat it because I dont like to bash other detailers in the area. I told him I would return the car much improved. I will simply quote what my customer said about the parts as we went over the pre-detail inspection. Some of these things will make you laugh, and some will make you cry.

I don`t know how it is in other states, but in Florida, there are so many hacks calling themselves detailers it is just horrible. Thats the only negative thing ill say. Here we go.

Upon arrival:

PIne tree sap - Last detailer said "It sat too long, I would damage your clearcoat to remove it"

Sap on headlight and just ridiculous product sling on car

Wax and polish in trim seam

More wax

More sap and wax on upper trim

Sap and wax in door handle seam

really...I mean.....really

The best line of all he told my customer is this one about the wheels "Someone made the mistake of waxing your wheels so now the brake dust is baked in. I got off what I could" Seriously...:frusty:

Really old tree sap

Now for the turnaround and finished pics. I was very impressed with the color of this Taurus. Ford really did make this color and flake nice.

Qtip after 1 DOOR SEAM, took me 25 mins to clean out every seam on the car with qtips.

HD Metal product shot in the drivers keyhole

Somehow through alchemy I managed to perform the miracle of removing brake dust from previously waxed wheels....:LOLOL

Cleaned up door with the really old sap run

Door handle sap and wax in seam cleaned up

Mirror sap removed and wax cleaned up

Headlight sap removed and polish sling removed

Front end cleaned up

And some parting shots

Process was:

1Zw99 for wash

P21S wheel gel

91% IPA to remove sap with lint free wipes

1step - UNO on Megs MF, followed by KAIO wipedown

Trim sealed with 303

WHeels waxed with FK 1000

Tires dressed with CarPro Perl (this is absolutely my favorite tire dressing)

LSP - HD Poxy - topped with FK 1000 for more protection from future tree sap.

Rant on

I know we all have different skill levels and different abilities. Honestly though to flat out lie to someone and tell them this kind of horse&$%^ passes for detailing is just disgusting. The customer was thrilled and I took my time explaining why all the things the other "detailer" told him were not true. I did my best to not bash him because I think thats a turn off for customers. However, I wanted to make it clear to him he was basically robbed. This kind of haphazard "detailing" is the norm around here. Although, this was one of the worst cases I had seen in about a year or so.

Rant off

I suppose I should thank the hack, I got a long term couple of cars for this husband and wife to take care of now.

**Bill D** · 09-05-2011, 02:31 PM

Doesn`t surprise me one bit. Quality work in so many areas is so hard to find here

**Johnny 5** · 09-05-2011, 03:43 PM

Lotuseffect, may I ask you what you think of the HD metal polish? Specifically, how does it compare to anything else you`ve tried? I like my Mother`s fine enough for most things, but the keyholes I`m working on now aren`t coming out 100% yet- they are much improved, but not as nice as your work pictured here. Thank you. (Any tips are welcome too!)

**Lotuseffect** · 09-05-2011, 04:20 PM

I like hd metal a lot. I just used it today on a 06 accord on the tailpipes. It`s a little runny and you have to use a lint free rag or towel to wipe it off.

I haven`t tried mothers. However, hd metal hasn`t let me down yet. It`s replaced my neverdull.

**Johnny 5** · 09-05-2011, 04:23 PM

Thanks, I appreciate the response and the warning about its "runniness". (Mother`s is the opposite, btw, like a pretty firm cream.) I will make sure to choose HD over neverdull in the future. Congrats on the good work, and thanks for sharing.

**MirandaDetailin** · 09-05-2011, 06:06 PM

Beautiful Job!! So ISP on the side mirrors worked well. That mirror looks perfect. I am always careful when sap hits the rubber or plastic trims. I need to get some more ISP now. Is it safe to use on all rubber and plastic?

**mikenap** · 09-05-2011, 06:06 PM

I kind of enjoyed the rant! Horrible work from the previous detailer, but hopefully you`ve got a customer for life. Awesome improvement!

**autoaesthetica** · 09-05-2011, 06:40 PM

Its like WNY "detailing" with palm trees.... Nice work. I would definitely say you have some life customers there. Sick pop to that flakeness too.

**TLMitchell** · 09-05-2011, 06:40 PM

Nice turnaround. You`ve gotta hand it to some of the hacks, they make the truly "detail" oriented stand out by comparison.

Originally Posted by Lotuseffect

WHeels waxed with FK 1000

Oh man! You didn`t learn anything, did you? Brake dust is just going to get baked on again and impossible to remove!

TL

**Lotuseffect** · 09-05-2011, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by MirandaDetailin

Beautiful Job!! So ISP on the side mirrors worked well. That mirror looks perfect. I am always careful when sap hits the rubber or plastic trims. I need to get some more ISP now. Is it safe to use on all rubber and plastic?

I have used ipa on plastics and rubber trim before without I`ll effects. It will tend to dry out the trim especially rubber. I usually hit it with either 303 or 1z gummi phlege after to restore the color and moisture.

**Brad B** · 09-05-2011, 09:53 PM

I see more of this than I do real quality work in my area. When people ask me to recommend a local detailer I have a real hard time. I choose not to detail professionally, but I bet I could `clean up` if I did. Pun intended.

**kingofsorrow** · 09-05-2011, 11:33 PM

there are alot of hacks in the tampa area. everyday i see cars that get butchered by parking lot wax guru`s.

**usdm** · 09-06-2011, 01:19 AM

More often than not, Ive found that its either laziness or ignorance that comes up in these situations. Upside, this means more work for you, Lotus.

Great job.

**E300Diesel** · 09-06-2011, 01:23 PM

Nice job! Thanks for posting!

**Junebug** · 09-06-2011, 03:15 PM

Reminds me of a Honda Accord I did a few years back. The owners were friends of ours and their daughter and mine were tight, they took her to many area hocky games. So, to repay their kindness, I did the Accord. It was hacked, swirled and full of crap in the seems. They said they had paid $300 to a "professional" detailer a few months before and were not too impressed with his work. I know the guy, runs a detail shop along with a autospa, another turn em, burn em and glop on the glaze.