Intresting conversation about Detail shops

I

imported_Jakerooni

New member
I'm sure we all have hack galore near us. But today I was at my local supplier picking up some more Carpet dye and we got into a conversation about all the other local shops around us and what they did day to day as business as normal and man I knew it was bad some of the things that came to light are out there. We have a few shops in the area that have been around for years and tend to have half way decent reputations so you'd think they be ok maybe use some filler products and such but for the most part be a decent low dollar place to take your car. Man was I wrong. One shop called T&M has been around forever it seems like. Apparently they love powerwashing the carpets and dash and leave it out in the sun for a couple hours to dry out before they call the customers LOL. I know a dealer that uses them and said they had a White Jeep come back and you could visably see the swirl marks bright as day on a white Jeep. Another shop opened up not to long ago. The used to own (maybe still does) a tranny shop dosen't know a thing about detailing but in all his ads claims over 40 years in the business. but call the supply shop almost daily asking for advice LOL. And the scary one. The other shop that called themselves B&D (which is the main reason I changed my name) Actually powerwashes the carpeting and then takes a screwdriver and punches hole right through the floor for the water to drain out. Almost every car gets done like this he said. Dosen't matter if it's a new vette or an old classic muscle car... I was like you're friggin kidding me!? man I knew we had hacks but this is down right distructive. So I asked him as far as shops go who is any good. (outside of me of course LOl) we sat there and named off all the shops we both knew in the area and every one of them were really bad for doing something boneheadily stupid. I almost want to hit up a few of these shops and see if I can get them back on track. Alot of them really are barely hanging on by a thread it seems. Now i can see why. What about the hacks near you guys? I mean there's bad product choices and such but anyone know of any doing actual damage as part of their normal business? Blows my mind this is really a common thing around here. (No wonder no one wants to pay to much LOL)
 
We have a few by us. One's been around forever and it's just the typical express detail paying the local drop outs $15 per car. Another one just popped up about a year or so ago and they are a limo business. Whenever I drive by the workers seem to be sitting around more than working so I don't think they are very busy. It's another express style shop I think too. I have not heard of them hacking anything up like what you mentioned though.

Why use a screw driver to poke holes in the floorboard? I use a drill in case any brake or fuel lines get in the way. HAHAHA
 
Talking to distributors and reps can be fun. :)

I have your typical wheel acid/silicone "polish" shops around me.



The one that I actually worked at for a couple months, with the intention of educating the owners and turning the shop around, is one of the worst. Their supplier was actually impressed when I started talking to him and doing the chemical orders because I was first person he's talked to at XXXXX Car Wash that actually knew what they were talking about since he's been distributing there (15 years).



• They used Duz All by hand on anything they didn't know how to remove (from water spots, tar, sap, overspray, scratches, etc.) causing terrible marring.

• Sometimes they would follow up with a high-content silicone "polish" from Auto Magic applied with a finishing pad because they were afraid of damaging the paint.

• They would skip the roof on trucks and SUVs because "they can't see up there anyway".

• The manager would use HCl acid on wheels (marked in a special bottle that only he could use because he was "immune" to the acid).

• They spent over $100 per month on an aerosol orange APC because they "liked how it smelled" that they used on everything.



I left because they refused to change their bad habits (the reason they hired me, mind you) and pay me more than their $11/hr pot-head "detailer". To this day, they are still doing things the same way and have a nice stock of Meguiars supplies in their backroom they have never touched. I like referring the "my dog crapped in my car" clients to them.

:heelclick
 
I know of at least a couple shops in the Dallas area that were busted because the detailing was a front for drug dealing. :nervous2:



The place I buy Ultrafina from has done a demonstration of UF for the local BMW/Cadillac dealer, who acknowledges how well it works but says it is too expensive. Said dealership's body shop and detail departments also do not do overspray removal.
 
Yeah, detail shops and car washes are always getting busted for money laundering and stuff because it's mostly cash money.
 
We don't have hacks quite this bad in my neighborhood, BUT nobody, except for us of course knows how to truly correct paint. It seems like most of the black cars driving around here look like a laser light show.







John
 
Hacks all around me where I am. It really makes it difficult to do business because some people actually fall for the BS they're given.



One of the local hacks is the 50-60 year old wife of a guy who details for our local Chev/Cadillac dealer. They just up and decided one day that they should put walls on their carport and start charging big money for doing complete details. They also advertise that they compound/polish boats?!?! I don't think this lady is laying into gelcoat with a rotary for hours on end. Give me a break. Interesting, though. Anytime I happen to drive down their street, all I see in their garage is their personal vehicle.



I really hate this because I've been detailing for quite a few years now and have always wanted to start doing business for myself and now that I finally have a mobile setup, I have to explain to people why I'm better than these fly-by-night hacks. It really makes it hard to do business.
 
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