A Question of Ethics: Customer Maintenance

Obviously there are many techniques to dealing with ultra soft paint. Any polish that requires a lot of friction to remove has the potential to mar, so lubricating with a QD is best. Removing wax or even some polishes with a MF bonnet can also minimize the marring that can happen. Other times it's about looking at the process and minimizing steps or the potential to mar so that you aren't always going back to correct what you've already corrected. As far as applying wax by hand, if it goes on easily that's usually not much of an issue with ultra soft paint, but if it requires some rubbing to remove...you'll probably have to follow it with some type of spray wax like Prima Hydro that's more like a QD with protective properties, to minimize/conceal marring.

 

Hey Richard - I am a very outspoken person when it comes to JB paint, especially late 2006, early 2007. The one and only thing that works for me is this:

(Regardless what else I would use, it would be the same process.)

HD UNO with wool
HD UNO with cutting pad
HD UNO polishing pad
HD UNO with finishing pad

NO WIPING BETWEEN STEPS.

EZ CREME GLAZE to clean up HD UNO with a finishing pad - at this point, the paint looks good and clean. EZ CREME doesn't need to be wiped off if it is worked in.

Either Zaino's Clear Seal or Optimum's Opti Seal with a finishing pad and I walk away praying that I didn't apply it too thick.

At time off delivery I tell the customer that I am not available to maintain the car for him/her.

However, I refuse to work on 06/07 JB paint nowadays.

I feel your pain.

 

rfinkle2 - have you ever worked on BMW JB paint from 06/07?

As Richard says, you can not wipe the paint. It will swirl up. The newer years are not as bad, but still it should be reformulated.

 

You should offer them a repaint! :thumb:

Hey Richard, how have you been? Long time no see, hope all is well. It's good to see you posting on DB.

 

Doing great Erik! You need to stop by the shop sometimes. A lot has changed from the old days in Placentia. I got my own place and business is fantastic. I like the DB community. Not many forums that I enjoy posting to these days.

Richard

 

No, but my Mazda's front and rear bumper is exactly the same way... I cannot even touch it with my finger, a towel etc. without it marring. It borders on the ridiculous, and feel sorry for the BMW owners if their entire car is that way.


If my car was covered in the paint that is on my bumpers (has to be painted with a different paint or process), I'd actually think about trading it in, because there is no way I could deal with it.

Fwiw, it is only the urethane pieces of my MS3 that are this easily marred. (front and rear bumpers and side skirts)


I've had the car since it had 2 miles on the odo., so I'm 99% confident it is a factory paint process.

TO NOT THREADJACK- RICHARD WANTS OPINIONS ON THE ORIGINAL TOPIC! SORRY RICHARD.

 

This is one of very few businesses where the person performing the work goes far beyond almost ANY customers true needs and or expectations. I have been in your shoes many times and honestly it sucks, no two ways about it. I find it ridiculous that we detailers spend upwards of 15+hrs polishing paint knowing subconsciously that the second the cars leaves our shops they will be back to 80-90% after the first wash, some may even go back down to 70%.... assuming a car leaves your place at 98-100% perfect.

I have only a handful of customers that wash their car using the exact came process and care that I do, and on their cars when the bring them to me, I go for 100% without fail and they know the difference, I love doing that kind of work!

The bottom line is that we have a job to do and as long as we are getting paid for it we should really carry it out to the very best of our ability, regardless of what may come of it later.

Think about how many great Chef's of the world spend hours preparing over the top meals at the finest restaurants, finding the rarest and freshest fish and meats, making sauces or reductions with 50+ ingredients... all for what? They do it because its their potential, they don't really care that most of the hard work that went into a single dish will go unnoticed, even by someone with a sophisticated palate. And furthermore, its FOOD... its meant to be eaten, digested and pooped out! But still, they spend hours or days preparing it.

I think this goes for a lot of the luxury services/items in the world... its all over the top, its all more than any consumer really needs, but in a competitive market, more is good.

 

I think you're okay as long as you're transparent about what you're doing, how long it takes, and that the client understands that.

 

This is also why the majority of the population who seek detailing services they are not paying for full corrections. Most just want a clean car (inside and out) with some shiny paint (what any one step product will usually achieve).