Did a very long detail today on a customer's 2004 Infiniti M45, was doing a one-step for him. I used Menz. IP w/an Uber Green pad and I barely got rid of any swirl marks on his car. After I dropped the car off to him he even paid me extra. I told him that I wasn't pleased with my work and that I couldn't charge him the price for a one-step but he refused. I feel awful and I want to call him tomorrow to ask if he'll take some of his money back but I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone been in a similar situation? I thought my combo would work, hell, I was told it should work, so clearly I did something wrong and need to fix my technique.
Those Infiniti's have some hard ass paint now. What should work and does work are obiously different in this case. Get a more agressive polish or pad and try again. Though I wouldn't count on a one step polish to do the job with getting more agressive.
Yup, I learned that the hard way today. I didn't want to do a two-step because I told him I'd have it done for him today. I really want to make it up to him and give him his money's worth but he said he's happy with the job I did. The thing is I KNOW that I didn't do a job that was worth the amount he gave me, it's absolutely driving me nuts right now.
Well if he ends up a repeat customer just comp him some services next time you do his car. Rather than argue about it just do more work on it next time without charging him for the time you spent "comping" him.
I really hope he becomes a repeat customer, I really want to show him that I am capable of doing a good job. Hell, I did my WRX a few weeks ago, did a solid two-step on it and got rid of almost every swirl mark/scratch on the car.
what machine did you use. reason i ask is because if that particular model has the "self healing" clear coat it will be hard to correct the paint with a rotary. the rotary would create heat and that would affect the self healing clear coat in a way that would show no signs of correction. If you used an orbital and there was no correction it could be that the paint was simply hard and you would need more pressure and work time to correct the imperfections. theres many different things that could affect the outcome of the polishing job.
why don't use just do a better job next time? And use something more aggressive, like SIP with Uber Yellow pad...
I don't think that car has the hard, self-healing clearcoat. From what I understand, Infiniti introduced their new clearcoat in 2008 models.
I never do one-steps. The car will be done properly or not by me. I've done a 2003 M45, I don't remember the clear being all that hard. My 2004 FX35 is not. Get yourself a wool pad and the M105/205 combo and you will be invincible for the most part. Remember, we are usually much more picky than our customers are. We see things they don't or don't care about.
If he paid for a one step (and would not have paid if you quoted a two step) and he is happy, then I think you have nothing to really be upset about. If you are lucky enough to pick choose your work that is great but if you need the hours to earn the money, there is nothing wrong in doing less than perfect work.
Don't feel bad, one step correction does not = perfection, you done what you could for the time and money. One step work will always leave space for criticism.
This is what I was going to suggest. A good detail wash in a couple of weeks would be nice. No need in beating yourself down. I beleive you were expecting to much out of a 1 stepper :cig: Another thing, I tend not to offer to many gaurantees. You can get yourself in trouble quick this way :tiptoe: Regards, 3 cents :hmph:
What kind of machine were you using? I use my PC for all one steps and rarely get less than 80% correction. At 80%, the flaws that will be visible under the the lights in my shop will pretty much disappear in sunlight. You just need to learn what pad/polish combos work. Here is a pic of a hammered Avalanche I did this week. This was one stepped with Menz Power Finish and GI white pad.
im in almost same boat. i cant do half ass job and feel right taking money, this is why i dont do 1 step (even though 105 and wool pad does great work with removing everything and finishing ok on most colors other then black) this is why you have to do test panel and see what works and not take advice from somebody on what you should use on the car, each car is different and needs different approach so its hard to tell what will work. i do most of the work with PC (ceramic paints does need rotary unless you have week to do the car). there are some ppl on this forum that can finish with rotary, and some cant ( i know from experience) take this job as lesson, what worked for somebody on one car probably will not work good for other, just too many factors involved. if you wanted one step why not try 203 and orange pad?
Don't feel bad, I believe you have make a differences to his car. 1 step correction has limitation and it takes tons of experience to optimise it everytime. You need to have a precise understanding with the defects, buffer, pad, compound and clearcoat (test it). Maybe you like to have a habit of doing test spot and inspect with the most unforgiving lighting and proper wipedown everytime you do paint correction. You will become more and more flexible with experience.
