To the Pro Detailers - What's the worst mistake you have made while detailing?

HAHA THIS THREAD IS FREAKEN AUSOME!! Now im starting to feel good :lmfao. Mistake that i remember doing was using meguiars apc diluted 10 to 1 cleaning the leather of a vehicle with a soft bristle brush and for some weirdddd reason the paint looked like it was starting to come off i have no idea why!! Any body know?

This kind of brush 1-inch Round Natural Detail Brush
 
Chemical to harsh for the leather.

Worst mistake I make was using some megs OTC wheel cleaner on polished aluminum wheels. I had a long, long day polishing out all the steaks in the aluminum.
 
Sometimes resurrected threads can be fun... and informative.


paintjobpro22 said:
...drove off w/ keys in my pockets


2. Allowed interior cleaner/degreaser to set on a speedometer bezzel (ended up clouding it up!)
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Have done both of these ^. Now I always hand a towel over the gauge cluster when cleaning steering wheels.


jammerz101 said:
Word to the wise. Never park a clients car underneath the automatic garage door. Either all the way in the garage or all the way out into the driveway.
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Learned this one too. Had a car halfway in and garaged remote in my pocket (had picked up the car and left mine at customer's). At some point while I was squatting down my leg pressed the button. My first thought was ":confused:What's that noise?" When I realized it I tried to press the button on the remote but it was facing in toward my leg and I couldn't get my hand in my pocket fast enough.:yikes: Then I started for the button on the wall but had an obstacle in the way and wouldn't make it. Finally made a run for the beam and managed to stop it just in time. Now I always place something in the way of the beam, whether the car is halfway in or just moving in or out. Better safe than sorry.


I also have had a few incidents of burn through. My worst was on my own car when I tried to sand out a scratch. Picked up a piece of 1000 when I thought I had 2000.:vomit: Needless to say I was confused, at first, how I had hit the color so quickly.


Not my worst oops but have had a few of the sliders on dash vents break off. Those things are so delicate and I think each time they were already partially broken. Most have been a pretty easy fix with a little glue but I had one on a Mercedes GL450 that took me nearly 3 hours to actually get it fixed.:surrender Never been so frustrated with a car.


Another regular issue I run into is dead batteries when doing interior details. I usually make it a point of starting the vehicle periodically. Most of the time the owners say "I've been meaning to get that battery replaced." I always make sure I have cables with me and before starting I make sure the vehicle is in a position that I can get my car within reach, just in case.
 
" Another regular issue I run into is dead batteries when doing interior details. I usually make it a point of starting the vehicle periodically. Most of the time the owners say "I've been meaning to get that battery replaced." I always make sure I have cables with me and before starting I make sure the vehicle is in a position that I can get my car within reach, just in case. "

I solved this years ago by purchasing a Deltran Battery Tender and connecting it to the Battery overnight, or as soon as I was done working in the area where the Battery was located...

It is not a fast battery charger but instead more of a slow charger/conditioner, so it needs more time... But it will help take care of the Battery and allow you to work all day with the doors open, the seats going back and forth and up and down a dozen times, as you work through the entire Interior so it is Perfectly clean in every square inch..

I also have a bigger Schumacher charger that goes to 10Amps and a booster for quick starts if needed... I hardly ever use it... I would rather use the Deltran and not worry about overcharging or cooking a Battery, even though this unit shuts off charging when its done...

Most vehicles - well probably all - have some sort of timer that will turn off all the lights and things after so many minutes, but you still have to help that Battery out if you are using it to move all these motors inside for a few hours and all the lights that turn on too.. I believe the BMW timer is set at 13 minutes before it shuts off all electronics, lights, etc...

You can also wire up your own Batteries with a 2-prong covered sheath cable that will plug into the Deltran, so you can now keep your own vehicle/s charged up when they are not being used and/or it is really, really, cold, which is a killer for car Batteries...

I have one of those cables connected to the Battery of my Grand Cherokee with the other end coming out under the grill in a place that is not seen or in the way... Very easy to just connect there, plug in the Deltran and never have to raise the hood, etc...

Dan F
 
Up here in the NorthWet, believe it or not, some people with nice cars drive around with the windows down in the Rain, and sometimes forget to put the windows back up and the car sits outside, or better still at Long Term Parking at the airport for several days...
Or, it gets towed and left outside with windows, top, etc., down for days in the rain...

The first time I got one of these, I mistakenly thought it would just be a matter of taking the car apart, drying it all out and reassembly...

I didnt know just how MUCH BMW seat foam absorbs all moisture, takes it in really, deep, and then will NOT release the moisture without a lot of persuasion, and water lift..

It took a huge amount of hours to get all the moisture worked out and extracted from the foam - way more than anyone realized at the Shop and of course, the Client could ever stand to have the car in the Shop...

I spent easily a full work day and more using the Mytee HP60, compressed air, heat, fans, and lots of careful squeezing of the foam and working it to get the water back down to the surface so the Extractor could get it out!

It was a hugely laborious process I would rather not ever have to repeat again... Not having any semblance of Sunlight up here, of course, doesnt help, so putting the seat bottoms outside was out of the question...

Heatlamps, lots of airflow and the Extractor and what seemed like a zillion hours finally got the moisture all out so it was safe to reassemble this 7Series and not have to worry about residual moisture causing mold to grow under the seats on the foam later...

Yeah, another reason, why I am so happy to know I am LEAVING this place forever!!! :)
Dan F
 
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