Cleaning door jams

Thank you! :) Unfortunately I've also experienced what Accumulator has gone through. My wishes have been ignored and/or I've been given grief for expressing them and yes I've had 2 shop owners tell me to get lost. I don't think that it's a coincidence that those particular shops went out of business at a future time. I think I'm very reasonable in that I will pay any price for good work. I'm not one to nickel and dime a shop owner/manager. But I expect that my car be taken care of. The place I go to isn't cheap but they do excellent work and stand behind their work and the needs of the customer. IMO that's worth the price of admission. :xyxthumbs
 
Jinba ittai said:
I think I'm very reasonable in that I will pay any price for good work. I'm not one to nickel and dime a shop owner/manager. But I expect that my car be taken care of...
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Oh yeah, you and I are on the same page :xyxthumbs
 
Accumulator said:
Oh yeah, you and I are on the same page :xyxthumbs
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:chuckle: Yes, I've gotten that distinct impression myself. Great minds think alike! :2thumbs:



That's what I love about this place. I used to think I was alone in my fanaticism and now I know I'm not. As I read the various threads I find myself constantly muttering "It's not just me!" It's very comforting. :)
 
Most of the time they will ignore them probably because you gave a list. Most people at shops will think of a list as a slightly disrespectfully thing and may even think of you as a a**, not to say that you guys are or anything, just that thats what they think. Like I previously stated, I work at a shop and when guys come in demanding things most of the guys at my shop automatically think they are a** holes and dont follow the list of demands. I try not to do this, but I admit that there are some guys that are real a** holes and I find it hard to do as they demand. Im not shure how to get around this, sometimes its just a lose lose situation. Maybe just a reminder that your extremely picky about how clean your car is and ask them to keep that in mind, that would probably go over good. JMHO
 
If I take my car to get repaired and I give them a list of things I don't want done to my car (washed) and they think I am being disrespectful, well I guess they can think what they want :nixweiss. If I go to a restaurant and order a steak I can tell them how I want the steak cooked. My youngest son has severe food allergies, so we can be quite demanding/pain in the rear end when we eat out. I don't usually get the attitude that we are being disrespectful. The staff *usually* understands that we have special needs. If they aren't willing to work with us I'm not willing to go back to them and pay to not get what I want. I guess the point of this is that both the car dealership and the restaurant are service industries and their goals should be the complete satisfaction of the customer.



Edited to add:

After re-reading some of the posts I think a big part of getting what you want from a some one in a service position is presentation. If I go in demanding things from a restaurant then the staff thinks that I am a pain in the rear. If I explain to them my concerns and tell them why I want things done a certain way I get treated very differently.
 
I don't really care about what they think of me, as long as they do as I ask. I have no problem paying for good service and I think that's appreciated when you think of all the people who probably walk in there and grouse and complain about an extra five bucks. I see a lot more of that and I'm sure they find that more aggravating.



In the shop I deal with the owner is always there and constantly on top of things. I think that's a big factor because it directly affects his pocketbook. I think in a place where the owner is largely absent or doesn't seem to care you get a different attitude.



I agree in that a lot if it is in presentation. You get an entirely different reception if you come across as a concerned eccentric, but a nice one rather than a pompous demanding snob. I acknowledge my eccentricities by saying "I know I'm being a PITA but if you could please..." That seems to come across well. :)



Also, my lists usually involve what I do not want done. IMO it's a lot easier not to do something! :D
 
Jinba ittai said:
I don't really care about what they think of me, as long as they do as I ask.

I agree in that a lot if it is in presentation. You get an entirely different reception if you come across as a concerned eccentric, but a nice one rather than a pompous demanding snob. I acknowledge my eccentricities by saying "I know I'm being a PITA but if you could please..." That seems to come across well.
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That's what I was trying to say about presentation :)



Jinba ittai said:
Also, my lists usually involve what I do not want done. IMO it's a lot easier not to do something! :D
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I never thought of it that way. Very good point.
 
Yeah, the whole "presentation" thing really is *SO* important. Going about the same thing, but in different ways, can make all the difference between being a "very discerning customer" and a "raging @$$#*!<".



Consider that I'm truly *popular* with the folks at Stoddard and at EuroCar Service; I can't believe the things they do for me, it's clear that making me happy means more to them than getting my money. My Jag wrench (Paul Cusato, Bridge City British) and I have become good personal friends, even though I'm the most particular person he's ever met in decades in business (and as chief judge of the JCO). It's simply a matter of mutual respect. I find it interesting that the same approach that made me persona non grata at other shops resulted in long lasting friendships at these shops, which, perhaps not coincidentally, are the shops that do the best work ;)
 
I understand what you guys are saying and to tell you the truth I do the same thing as you guys, but what I was trying to point out is the way the employee usually looks at it. Course if they are the same way they will understand (like me). I didn't mean to come off like I thought you guys really were a**es.
 
I didn't think that you thought we were @$*&'s I was just trying to point out a different view. In *my* mind if I am paying for a service then I expect to be treated like I am important, intentionally doing things that I asked them to not do makes me think that they could care less about me.
 
Hello:



Still new here but think I have something to offer. I have had many cars and have had no problems keeping the jams clean.



I light spritz of dilute Simple Green and I hit it with my power washer and it is done. Every so often I get a bit of water in the floorboard (a spray not anything serious). I dry my cars with a Leaf Blower so I run that up and all the water is blown away and the area looks great. I have done this on my Porshe's, BMW's and VW's.



Just my .02
 
I wouldn't go cleaning all the grease off the hinges unless you have some clean greas to re-apply, your going to give them squeaky doors, that greas is there for a reason. I just clean up real good around it with a damp MF after I wash, it always turns out just fine.
 
WaXwOrKs said:
I wouldn't go cleaning all the grease off the hinges unless you have some clean greas to re-apply, your going to give them squeaky doors, that greas is there for a reason. I just clean up real good around it with a damp MF after I wash, it always turns out just fine.
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Not to disagree with you, but I disagree with you. ALL of that grease isn't there for a reason. Once it's clean and dry, all it needs is a small squirt of some white lithium grease (not so much that it overfills) and you won't have squeaking. It doesn't need a grime-infested mess on the hinges.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
Not to disagree with you, but I disagree with you. ALL of that grease isn't there for a reason. Once it's clean and dry, all it needs is a small squirt of some white lithium grease (not so much that it overfills) and you won't have squeaking. It doesn't need a grime-infested mess on the hinges.
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True true true, thats why I said unless you have some clean grease or yes oil to squirt in there because most customers wont think to oil it after your done unless you specifically tell them to. Me I just clean it up real good but not shoot some de-greaser in there, usually thats all thats needed, right well unless you have some serious grime thats been there for the last 15 yrs or so.



For the record I was refering to using chemicals to clean out the hinges by the way.
 
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