Oh, so you`re a Detailer? You work for a dealership?

**HiMyNameIsSean** · 09-23-2009, 09:46 PM

I just hope you guys don`t just toss every young kid that wants to start a detailing business into the same category. There`s some of us who have a true love for it, and a will to learn.

Just my .02

:thx

**JimmyCutlass** · 09-23-2009, 09:53 PM

I am seventeen, I have only had my license since January and had my own car since April. I have started my own detailing business. Even I know exactly what you guys mean. :grrr I am pretty good with my DA and can do a fair bit of paint correction. I am slowly getting the hang of my new Harbor Freight rotary (taking it one step at a time), I use mostly Meg`s Detailer Line/Mirror Glaze products and do top notch work

When I hand out my business cards and show pictures of my work or my car to others they tell me how they can bring it to the car wash for ~$15 instead of pay me $150. They seriously don`t know the difference between the services they will receive at their typical car wash and what I offer.

When I showed one guy at school the 50/50 of my parents` Saturn hood and trunk lid (intentionally half corrected to showcase my work) after some loving with my rotary, G110, M105/M205 and M16 he assumed that I put a layer of wax on one side and not the other. The lack of swirls and RIDS was a result of a layer of wax. :lol I think we all wish it was that easy.

Everyone thinks they can match the skills of a young detailer and everyone thinks they can get the same job done that I do for under $50. :think: Good luck I tell them, you are better off going to them first so there is more damage for me to fix. :woohoo:

**imported_DJ Mayo** · 09-23-2009, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by lawrencea

I work for a Toyota dealership. I donot detail cars there. Ive seen a lot of detailers work and I have to say that are detailer is one of the best.When he buffs he used megs #151 most of the time with a foam pad. He uses a paste wax and he clays most of the cars . His cars come out swirl free with a lot of depth and gloss.

Ummmm, do what now??

**cgc** · 09-23-2009, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by todd@bsaw

We then got into a discussion on how much I charge for a detail and he replied, "Wow, you`re really ripping people off."

:argue

He walked away laughing and it took all my strength to not throw a wrench at the back of his head.

Now I didn`t read all of these posts....and I`m in the process of starting a small detail business...BUT....I`m not stupid enough to think I know it all or that someone down the block may know more. I do and will continue to consider myself a student in this "art".

That being said....At the point where he made that comment and walked away, "thats probably the best thing you`ve done all day..."

I`m not real patient for anyone coming on my property and being flat out insulting.

**imported_rusty bumper** · 09-23-2009, 10:27 PM

Scottwax...

Do most of those dealership hack jobs require a rotary to fix, or do you use the DA polisher?

**Scottwax** · 09-23-2009, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by rusty bumper

Scottwax...

Do most of those dealership hack jobs require a rotary to fix, or do you use the DA polisher?

Rotary on all of those...although the jet black BMW 550 was a combination of rotary and DA due to the ridiculously soft paint. When doing any real correction, I reach for my rotary first.

**Superior Shine** · 09-23-2009, 10:59 PM

C`mon. Your being too tough on the poor little hack "detailer" I love those guys. They help me make tons of money.

YouTube - Superior Shine Auto Detailing, new client with BMW & buffer trails 1

**RaskyR1** · 09-23-2009, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by todd@bsaw

Hey now!

:bolt

LOL! I live with a few guys from Wisconsin and I just like giving cheese heads a hard time.

All in fun bro.

**bigmackmiller** · 09-23-2009, 11:25 PM

You have to admit though...the more cars these guys screw up, the more cars there is for you pro`s to fix...lol

**Bullitt** · 09-23-2009, 11:58 PM

This client just bought this MB. When he was ready to pick it up, it had a few scratches here and there, so he asked if they could fix them. This is the end result of the dealer`s #1 products and professional staff. Looks like they ran with twisted wool and 8000rpm and then some. But hey, I probably get 50-60% of my business from clients with brand new cars in the wrong hands. And your right Jakerooni, I can`t even look at Craigslist ads without wanting to jump through the screen and throw a wrench at these people. I saw an ad on CL the other day; the guy claims to have been in business for more than 20 years, yet has no website, pictures,logo, etc, etc. All we can do is keep correcting all there mistakes, and I don`t mind, it makes me more money. I just feel bad for the person who paid for a new car, not a swirl/buffer trail package.

They even installed deep RIDS and swirls along with many wetsanding marks all over the car. Here`s a 50/50 of the front fender after 105 and 83. Keep in mind this is before the 205 and UF. I just can`t believe that these swirls were not there before the dealer got his hands on it.

**imported_Devilsown** · 09-24-2009, 12:08 AM

Dude thats bad! The BMW dealership here pays an outside detailer to prep their cars for the show room and lot and let me tell you they all look like that, not that bad but I`ve actually told the Manager whoever works on the paint needs to learn to polish cause they look like crap. I think I`m going to ask to get a part time job there fixing the crap polish jobs this place gives.

Almost forgot, I would have beat him:bat I may have landed myself in jail but if I would have put him in his place it would have been worth it.

**Bullitt** · 09-24-2009, 12:17 AM

C`mon. Your being too tough on the poor little hack "detailer" I love those guys. They help me make tons of money.

Love that video, I need to make a few of those! Nice.

**5150kon** · 09-24-2009, 07:47 AM

yesterday i offered to detail someones car from one of our vendors, she asked how much and i gave her the rundown, she said o i can have my car polished and done for 50 bucks from the guy at the dealership. i just let it go at that point.

**todd@bsaw** · 09-24-2009, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by RaskyR1

LOL! I live with a few guys from Wisconsin and I just like giving cheese heads a hard time.

All in fun bro.

I know.

I lived in Minneapolis for a couple years and if it weren`t for my wife and family I would still be there. It was fun going to Viking parties being the only Packer fan!

All the dealerships in my area are getting bought out by one guy, which is putting the general car buyer on edge. You practically cannot buy a new vehicle within 50 miles without going through this dealership. Parts prices have jumped 20% and all their recon vehicles are `detailed` through his huge used car lot in town.

The sales manager that had me under contract was actually a decent guy and knew that his cars needed a better quality detail than the GM lot down the street, which is why he paid me what he did. He even told me he didn`t want to cut me loose because he didn`t trust the other detail guys. I have since talked to some of the guys working there and they all say they hate doing cars that come from that lot because they are so picky.

Sad thing is, most of the people I have talked to here that need dealership correction details aren`t willing to swallow the fact that they need to pay someone even more money to fix the poor work they already paid for. I personally see a new Charger all the time that called me for a quote to fix the horrible holograms but he never made an appointment because he didn`t want to pay more money to get it fixed.

I`m sure I could get tons of business from correcting dealership hack work, but I`d have to cut my prices in half to get them to even consider it and that`s just not going to happen.