What has been your toughest detail job?

trader4less

New member
I have a blog and I would like to give detailers credit for their hard work keeping autos looking sharp.

Please post any stories you have here so we can all read them...thanks!






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an older chevy minivan that looked like it was never cared for in its life. it was owned by a family of four. the two kids must have had contest to see who could stain the interior the most and it seem liked the mom joined in on the contest and won. a buddy and i spent 8 hours on this van. it turned out pretty well. the owners were very pleased, but i doubt they are caring for it much better. i cant remember exactly which products we used on this detail, but whatever they were, they were used in large quantities...lol. here is a pic of the finished product.

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***EDIT***

My Mom's Honda CRV is the toughest one to date. It took me two days to complete. Sorry, I don't have any pictures, but it was rediculously dirty.
 
Looks like the van is new! Awesome job... I always think about a car in terrible condition compared to a message therapist having to rub down an overweight person that doesnt take care of themselves.... :ticked
 
I was approached by a the wife of a friend who wanted to give her parents a gift certificate to have one of their cars detailed for an anniversary gift. I made up a certificate on my computer, she paid me for the detail and then gave it to her parents. They called me the next day to set up an appointment. They live two towns over, and were spending the day at their daugher's house. I was working the night before (I am a firefighter) and they said they would drop the car off at my house in early in the morning.

I got home from the firehouse to see a Volvo that literally had no paint on the horizontal surfaces, the sides weren't too much better, and the inside was loaded with trash, empty soda cans and coffee cups had enough dog hair to make two or three dogs! :hurl

I called them and said that there was nothing I could do except give it a wash, empty the trash out.= and vacuum the dog hair ( the seats were horrible stained and probably would nit come clean)

They declined... :dunno :wow

I gave their daughter her money back.

PS: that was their good car! I would hate to see what the other one looked like! :eek
 
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Unbelievable! I can't believe people actually drive cars like that. I mean, I wasn't always so diligent in keeping my car up, but I never let it get "that bad". Like the opposite of our mental disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Pigs. It's almost like they wait for the day when someone will give them a "deal" and then BAM! They spring it on you. Then they wonder why you won't detail it. Amazing.
 
My first bad detail was this weekend! First we had to bomb the van three times for roaches. Unfortunatley it still didn't kill them all but the van was sold so we had to get it done. I feel so bad for the people that bought it.
 
unique said:
My first bad detail was this weekend! First we had to bomb the van three times for roaches. Unfortunatley it still didn't kill them all but the van was sold so we had to get it done. I feel so bad for the people that bought it.

That's the first time I've heard of a vehicle having an insect problem, sounds lovely.
 
Gonzo0903 said:
I called them and said that there was nothing I could do except give it a wash, empty the trash out.= and vacuum the dog hair ( the seats were horrible stained and probably would nit come clean)

I would have done the same thing...In fact, I would have done the same thing to most of the nightmare details listed above. Call me snooty or whatever....My service almost exclusively deals with high end MB's BMW's and other luxo or sport vehicles.

I just don't see the value in spending 6-8 hours cleaning a minivan when (for the same money) I can detail a MB G500 or an SL...and move on to the next appt after 3 hours.

SC~
 
I liked this thread so i'll bring it back from the dead. My toughest detail was a late 80's jeep cherekee that was a trade in and was going to auction. The jeep was a redneck mudpit truck if that tells you anything, i wish i had photos of it. My boss at that time the same person who showed me alot of what i know today. Gave me the keys and said here ya go john take your time and show me what you've learned. It took me 3 days of buffing,dying,painting,sanding,scrubbin etc. but i had that truck looking like million dollars after. I went from the student to the teacher after i was done with that jeep.
 
My first truck an '81 Chevy K-10 my dad bought it new and I think he quit washing it in the early '90s. He used it for construction, hunting, and fishing ECT. looked good with a lot of work a some NU-Finish two weeks later, I took it down to the frame.
 
It has to be this minivan I did 3 or 4 weeks ago. It had the filthiest interior I have ever seen, and the exterior was completely covered in swirls and scratches. This lady has 6 kids and she needs to learn how to drive. She must have brushed by about 10 bushes judging by the scratches across the sides of the car. But see for yourself the pics :jump The first 6 are the befores, and the last 4 are afters.....
 
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