Bodyshop guys and bodyshop detailers

[SoCalB6]

I`ve been offered a "tryout" tomorrow at a bodyshop, lol. They seem to have a pretty nice shop going. Very clean, right equipment and a good volume of higher end cars that I saw from the quick tour I was given. From what I was told, they are looking for a dedicated, in house detailer instead of using their bodymen as `detailers`.



From the very brief interview I had with the shop foreman, it seems all they are concerned about is production (yea, weird for a bodyshop eh?). Why hire a steady detailer, especially at the $rate$ they are willing to pay (its about 2.5x times what the going rate out here is for bodyshops)? Another thing... when I first showed interest in the job, I was asked if I had my own tools. Then when offered the tryout, I was told not to bring anything but myself. I just hope they are not expecting perfection from 4 ply twisted wool, 3M compound and 15 min per car, LOL. I really don`t know what to expect or to think. At this point I am starting to think its going to be a nightmare of a day.:buffing:



Since I have never worked in a bodyshop environment or even on super fresh paint (waterbased), is there anything you guys could give me a `heads up` on? TIA!!!!

[imported_Detailing Technology]

What job in the shop are you going for?



Detailer?- I`d say its going to be a tough job.



See if you can help out in the paint area wet sanding cars.

[SoCalB6]

Detailer... From the sound of it, they have never had a dedicated detailer before. They just had their bodymen "detail" the cars before they handed them over to their customers.



I really dunno what to think; however, I think my `Autopian` standards will hinder my performance in their eyes.



Yea, I dunno where I`ll be tomorrow exactly, lol. But what I don`t want to happen is me going in there just itching for an excuse to bounce. The money and steady schedule is really the only reason I am even considering this. Otherwise I would still be content with fixing their damage

[imported_advs1]

get ready for some to be yelling "hurry up with that car, the customer is waiting". sucks that body shops charge as much as they and dont even finish the job. if i owned a body shop i would include at least half day just for finishing work. but i guess most insurance companies baulk at even the slightest non necessary thing as it is. sucks that for years they made billions cheating people out of money.

[rm1mty]

Bring your tools with you just in case the stuff they have does not allow you to successfully demonstrate your skills.

[SoCalB6]

Ahhh yes, the yelling or even having someone on my butt the whole time...Wow, I don`t miss that, lol. Yea, for the most part bodyshops suck in general for the most part. I guess they are trying to one up the others. About the insurance thing...yea, im guessing that is going to play a HUGE part with "detailing".

[SoCalB6]

Bring your tools with you just in case the stuff they have does not allow you to successfully demonstrate your skills.

+1. Thought about it already... Packing my car tonight. :2thumbs:

[ozzy]

I detail part time in the spring/summer/fall at a used car dealership, and I also detail on my own at my house, there are 2 different modes that I get in, I know at the dealership it’s all volume (get them looking good) and while at home (make them look awesome) I take my time. Also at the dealership I get paid per car, they want them done fast and out of there, so that`s what I do, while at home I take my time and my customers are aware I am anal retentive when it comes to detailing so they leave the car with me till it`s done.



Moral of the story……go and do what you do, have fun…….also as you have already done, pack your stuff in the car. Gook luck

[imported_Conan777]

Like others have stated bring your own equipment, pads polish everything and see what they have. I have been volunteering at a paint/body shop recently and the painter is absolutely amazing but he knows very little about buffing cars. He stated he would wrather spray another coat of clear than buff a car! ha..ha..! They have 1 blue 3m pad and some 3m rubbing compound. That is it. They wet sand the orange peel a little and then compound it and give it back to the customer. They never heard of using a finishing polish. Oh and they never cleaned the pad either. It was insane... I told him I would teach him how to buff in exchange for him teaching me how to paint and do body work.



Let us know how it turns out!

[imported_wagonproject]

I`ve been offered a "tryout" tomorrow at a bodyshop, lol. They seem to have a pretty nice shop going. Very clean, right equipment and a good volume of higher end cars that I saw from the quick tour I was given. From what I was told, they are looking for a dedicated, in house detailer instead of using their bodymen as `detailers`.



From the very brief interview I had with the shop foreman, it seems all they are concerned about is production (yea, weird for a bodyshop eh?). Why hire a steady detailer, especially at the $rate$ they are willing to pay (its about 2.5x times what the going rate out here is for bodyshops)? Another thing... when I first showed interest in the job, I was asked if I had my own tools. Then when offered the tryout, I was told not to bring anything but myself. I just hope they are not expecting perfection from 4 ply twisted wool, 3M compound and 15 min per car, LOL. I really don`t know what to expect or to think. At this point I am starting to think its going to be a nightmare of a day.:buffing:



Since I have never worked in a bodyshop environment or even on super fresh paint (waterbased), is there anything you guys could give me a `heads up` on? TIA!!!!

Be ready for anything and expected the unexpected, lol. I`ve been a detailer at a semi collision shop for years and that paragraph pretty much sums it up. We get 55 gallon drums full of wool pads and then black foam pads. Granted when I`m done with a pad it goes in another 55 gallon drum for them to come and get when its full, but still.

From the very brief interview I had with the shop foreman, it seems all they are concerned about is production

lol, exact same thing I got from the shop foreman, even saying we are more worried about quantity then quality. Granted this is a HUGE shop that works along side with Kentworth, Peterbuilt, Mac, etc and they still turn out awesome work. But for a autopia detailer it would not be close to any standards. I may have just started compounding a truck and the boss tells the shop foreman that the owner is on its way and will be here in 30 minutes and its got to be done and washed by then...:getdown



Guess you really can`t tell till your a worker in the shop as even my first walk about around the shop a long time ago I thought it was a clean/perfect shop....

[JavierC]

I know its too late. But i would have laid down your own rules. Let them know that your standards may not be what they would want due to time constraints. Maybe do a half-n-half job on a car. half what your standard is with your tools. And the other half what their standards are with thier tools

[blkacgsr]

If you are detailing an insurance job, they will only pay for you to wetsand and buff a car in an hour and a half. The insurance companys go by a time study that tells them how to write the job. Unless it is different state to state(but I`m not thinking so). Unfourtunetly, as we all know, it takes more than an hour and a half to get the car perfect to our standards. Sometimes when I detail at my friends shop, he says the same as the car dealerships,"just make it look good".

[salty]

One more thing to find out is, if you have to use autobody approved products. So it doesn`t cause any painting problems.

[SoCalB6]

Thanks everyone!



Yea, I AM expecting to expect the unexpected! I am taking some extras with me to hopefully get a chance to show what I really can do, but I doubt it since *most* if not all the work, is insurance jobs and will most likely need to bang out cars. I`ll try not to hack `em that bad! Maybe then if I see the owners around I can give them my card! LOL



I will post tomorrow evening how it went, lol! I am looking forward to the experience of simply learning and seeing first hand how bodyshops operate from the inside, kinda like a paid hands-on tour.



In regards to JavierC, I was thinking I should have done something remotely along those lines, but not nearly as bold. *If* I do get hired, then we`ll talk chop.



Even if I don`t get the gig, no biggie as this was sort of a bonus...just kinda landed in my hands (but in no way do I just want to throw it away). I still have my regulars and the occasional perfection job.

[SoCalB6]

One more thing to find out is, if you have to use autobody approved products. So it doesn`t cause any painting problems.

They are providing me with *everything* I will need tomorrow; however, I am also taking a light chest consisting of 2 rotaries (always), PC, pads, M105,M85, SIP & 106FF. As far as I know the compounds and polishes are approved for bodyshops.