Greetings!
I'm the owner of the Jaguar and the MV Agusta, and I joined this forum to do all I can to help David and the rest of the members of this forum. David's work speaks for itself, but I'd like to add some comments.
As an owner I want to get a professional job at a fair price. Not necessarily the cheapest price, but a fair price. Don't be shy discussing what you recommend for a full detail job, and offer alternatives. In my case when I was trying to buy a Ferrari I told David to do whatever he thought best. Why, because he spent a lot of time getting to know me, built a bond and showed me his work. It was an easy decision for me. But the key is he made it easy with high quality work, fair prices (actually more than fair) and a professional approach to his craft.
When my Ferrari fell through, I didn't hesitate a minute to use David for my other vehicles. I didn't want to do as extensive job on my daily driver as I would on a toy, but I definitely did want his skill to upgrade my car.
The swirl marks he photographed were far worse than the pictures showed. So bad that I thought of selling the car. All it takes is one idiot who calls himself a detail expert to ruin a paint job. I'm sure all of you have seen their work - hard to miss, swirls, burns, hazing and more horrors. David spent hours getting the right tool and the right pads/polish to work. I will sing his praises to every car nut I meet - in all of my clubs/forums/etc. Lots of people need his skill, and it's my mission to help.
And now another topic - sorry to go on, but I do want to try to expand my thoughts for all of the professionals on this forum.
Many car fanatics join car clubs - I am a member of several including Ferrari (no, don't own one), BMW, Alfa Romeo, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta and Harley Davidson, and a few more. In all of those clubs I rarely, if ever, see ads/comments from professional detailers. Why? People with the money to buy toys like to keep them groomed. Help educate us. Join some car clubs/forums and post information/pictures of before and after jobs you've done. Go to the high end dealers, let them know who you are. Show them your work. The Ferrari dealer doesn't need to make a $100 commission on your work, he needs to keep his client happy so that he buys another car. Help the dealer with his inventory. What dealer would balk at spending $300 on an exterior detail that removes ugly swirls and other problems? Compare that cost to a $50,000+ selling price. No contest, educate them.
Much of the "detailer" community, at least for us novices, is just an extension of a hand car wash shop or some other place that gets you in and out in two hours. That's not what I want, or what other owners want. If I have a high end car the investment in a top quality detail is not a big deal at all. Finding a true pro is the problem, and that's why being more visible is a possible answer.
I met David, as he said, through a Ferrarichat.com member post. Most car clubs are very active and have lots of local events. Show up to a few of them. Have your work visible. How hard a sell is it to get a Ferrari owner to spend a few hundred dollars to detail his baby? Not hard at all. But they have to know you, see your work, or be referred to you. Hard to do if you're not visible.
BMW, Porsche, Ferrari are all active clubs, regionally and nationally, and there is a lot of work out there for this community. Good luck, we need you as much as you need us. Working together we all win.
Sorry for the long post, but I am VERY pleased with David's work and I want to let everyone know it. Because of his skill, I'm now a happy owner. And a happy owner wants everyone to know why he's happy.
Good luck to all of you. The recession is easing, we're all ready to get our toys spruced up. Help us get there.
PS: Thanks for all the comments about my vehicles. The Jaguar is a 2007 XJ8L which I bought used a few months ago. If I ordered it new I'd get the same color combo. I agree with another poster - the new XJ doesn't do a thing for me. It's probably a better car in every way, expect for "the look". Anyone with a classic car wants to meet a detail pro - these cars can't be replaced. The pictures don't do justice to David's work. The interior work is exceptional - the leather is like new. The MV Agusta is a special machine. For many it is the Ferrari of motorcycles. Mine is a 2006 Brutale, also bought recently. Both vehicles are in perfect mechanical condition, and now they are in perfect cosmetic condition. Thanks again David. From my perspective the money I spent to detail each vehicle is an investment, not a cost. It increased my appreciation for the car/bike, adds to pride of ownership and frankly makes each look like a concours winner. Compared to the cost of the work, it's a great value. Not only that, but I'll have David continue to maintain them in this condition for as long as I own them. For all of you pros out there that's a great annuity income stream.
