The Trunk: How Much is Expected?

V

vanev

New member
When you are paid to professionally detail a vehicle, how far do you choose to go with the trunk?


- Do you stop after the upper trunk compartment is finished?
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- Do you go so far as to take everything out?
Spare tire, tools, even car battery when that applies?
Do you clean the underside of the trunk carpet?
Do you clean the spare tire, jack, and attachments?
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A really dirty trunk can get you trapped timwise.
It can take an hour or two depending on the condition.
Just wanted to hear your thoughts on this?
 
I only do the basics for trunks, vacuum everything and most important clean the outer drain vents of the trunk with a brush, apc an rinse. Anything else is upon request and extra $. I'm pretty comprehensive but stuff like going into the spare wheel well should NOT be a freebee.
 
Well, Im just the opposite - I pull the liner/carpet out, pull the spare out, vacuum everything really good, look at the tire and wheel and if its trashed, lightly get it back to normal, check the air pressure in the tire, adjust if needed, and put it all back...

I Never - take the Battery out unless its requested, as this may cause all their things in memory to be lost, and the computer will have to reset it self and re learn its former settings..
All Bimmers have the battery in the passenger side rear fenderwell in the trunk so I am so familiar with this part.. All Bimmers have a Battery vent tube that gets the gasses out and I have never see one in hundreds that had an issue in that compartment, they are always clean, dry, and happy looking..

I never take the jack and tools out unless they are already out and then I just put them back the way they are supposed to be..

This is also a great time to look for leaks and/or rust in the trunk compartment/floor, so you can tell the Client if they have an issue that needs their attention...

Since I have such a nice Extractor, I will spray the entire trunk carpet lightly with Meguiars APC+, not necessarily brush unless it has some spots, (carpets in most but not all trunks are not very good quality and will be "grabby" with any type of brush, so you have to be careful here), and go over it quickly, 1 - pass -, and it all looks so much better to have all the dirt out of it, and let it dry..
Besides, trunks need to smell Clean too, right ?

All around the trunk Jambs, and the underside of the trunk lid are perfect, not perfectly Polished, unless its asked for and charged extra for..
Steam from my VX5000 really helps get these areas clean fast, and I get all the embedded gunk out from around the back of the tail lights, etc...

If its Detailing, are not we taking care of the Details here too ?

Besides, it all has to Match, right ? Super clean paintwork, interior, dirty engine and compartment, dirty trunk = no match...

Couple of times, I have been caught with a trunk carpet that had some spilled laundry soap in it, so that had to be rinsed quick with a pressure washer (because you will never vacuum or extract all that concentrate out quickly), and then, extract as much dirt out of the rest of it quickly, let it all dry outside, and then put it back..
Always try to use just enough water to do the job, and not just flood everything because this causes you more work...

This should NOT take 2 hours - what are you doing correcting the paint 3x or something ? :)
Dan F
 
I usually vacuum it out and wipe things up real quick as needed, but usually don't tear into it too much unless requested by the client. I do let them know my prices include vacuuming out the trunk but most people are happy with that. I have on occasion had them request a more thorough cleaning. Which is charged extra for.
 
The Driver said:
I only do the basics for trunks, vacuum everything and most important clean the outer drain vents of the trunk with a brush, apc an rinse. Anything else is upon request and extra $. I'm pretty comprehensive but stuff like going into the spare wheel well should NOT be a freebee.
Click to expand...

I do what Driver says....
since I only do a limited amount of cars though......
Many times I have used the trunk as my dumping ground for all the stuff family and friends don't take outta the car. I'll vacuum and wipe the gutter out with a quick detailer or apc...that's it.
 
ShawnF350 said:
I do what Driver says....
since I only do a limited amount of cars though......
Many times I have used the trunk as my dumping ground for all the stuff family and friends don't take outta the car. I'll vacuum and wipe the gutter out with a quick detailer or apc...that's it.
Click to expand...

I put all the stuff they Leave in the car and all the things I Find in the car under the seats, etc., into these giant clear 3-mil at least, plastic bags that close shut, (from ULine). and leave them on the passenger seat when its all done...
Its not just thrown in these bags, its kind of put in them neatly so it again, matches... :)
Some cars have enough stuff that it takes 2-3 bags but now its all out from everywhere and the Client is happy to find all kinds of things they thought they lost...

Once I had an MDX that had over 10lbs yes, 10lbs, of loose change in every conceivable place and under the seats, it was everywhere...

Sometimes, we have to gently help our Clients get organized again in their vehicles and I have never had anyone get mad at what I left on their seat for them to sort through...
DanF
 
Stokdgs said:
I put all the stuff they Leave in the car and all the things I Find in the car under the seats, etc., into these giant clear 3-mil at least, plastic bags that close shut, (from ULine). and leave them on the passenger seat when its all done...
Its not just thrown in these bags, its kind of put in them neatly so it again, matches... :)
Some cars have enough stuff that it takes 2-3 bags but now its all out from everywhere and the Client is happy to find all kinds of things they thought they lost...

Once I had an MDX that had over 10lbs yes, 10lbs, of loose change in every conceivable place and under the seats, it was everywhere...

Sometimes, we have to gently help our Clients get organized again in their vehicles and I have never had anyone get mad at what I left on their seat for them to sort through...
DanF
Click to expand...

That is really great advice.
I actually use the bags you speak of.
We have boxes of them at my place of work, a facilities management company.
I use them for all kinds of things auto detail related.
They are a must have for any auto detailer.
 
The Driver said:
I only do the basics for trunks, vacuum everything and most important clean the outer drain vents of the trunk with a brush, apc an rinse. Anything else is upon request and extra $. I'm pretty comprehensive but stuff like going into the spare wheel well should NOT be a freebee.
Click to expand...
This is what I do as well. If I find anything loose in the car it goes into a plastic zip lock bag in the trunk.
 
Stokdgs said:
Well, Im just the opposite - I pull the liner/carpet out, pull the spare out, vacuum everything really good, look at the tire and wheel and if its trashed, lightly get it back to normal, check the air pressure in the tire, adjust if needed, and put it all back...

I Never - take the Battery out unless its requested, as this may cause all their things in memory to be lost, and the computer will have to reset it self and re learn its former settings..
All Bimmers have the battery in the passenger side rear fenderwell in the trunk so I am so familiar with this part.. All Bimmers have a Battery vent tube that gets the gasses out and I have never see one in hundreds that had an issue in that compartment, they are always clean, dry, and happy looking..

I never take the jack and tools out unless they are already out and then I just put them back the way they are supposed to be..

This is also a great time to look for leaks and/or rust in the trunk compartment/floor, so you can tell the Client if they have an issue that needs their attention...

Since I have such a nice Extractor, I will spray the entire trunk carpet lightly with Meguiars APC+, not necessarily brush unless it has some spots, (carpets in most but not all trunks are not very good quality and will be "grabby" with any type of brush, so you have to be careful here), and go over it quickly, 1 - pass -, and it all looks so much better to have all the dirt out of it, and let it dry..
Besides, trunks need to smell Clean too, right ?

All around the trunk Jambs, and the underside of the trunk lid are perfect, not perfectly Polished, unless its asked for and charged extra for..
Steam from my VX5000 really helps get these areas clean fast, and I get all the embedded gunk out from around the back of the tail lights, etc...

If its Detailing, are not we taking care of the Details here too ?

Besides, it all has to Match, right ? Super clean paintwork, interior, dirty engine and compartment, dirty trunk = no match...

Couple of times, I have been caught with a trunk carpet that had some spilled laundry soap in it, so that had to be rinsed quick with a pressure washer (because you will never vacuum or extract all that concentrate out quickly), and then, extract as much dirt out of the rest of it quickly, let it all dry outside, and then put it back..
Always try to use just enough water to do the job, and not just flood everything because this causes you more work...

This should NOT take 2 hours - what are you doing correcting the paint 3x or something ? :)
Dan F
Click to expand...
Great comments I follow almost to the letter.
 
You guys who do the trunks discuss it with the owners first? I mean...some people might not want you poking around in there without asking permission first.
 
Accumulator said:
You guys who do the trunks discuss it with the owners first? I mean...some people might not want you poking around in there without asking permission first.
Click to expand...

Yes, up front I show the Client what I will be doing, and where I will be working and ask them to please remove anything they want to remove before dropping the car off...
No one has ever said - dont go into the trunk unless you want to see dead bodies or something... :) :) :)

And the paradox is that most Clients leave Everything in the car, but always the most stuff comes out from between the front seats and the console, the back seat and floor, and sometimes unbelievable amounts of stuff from under the 2 front seats..

I always have to empty the cloth bag on my metro vac before and then right after to return all the little things my crevice tool picks up that I cant even see when its down there working...
So yeah, it takes another minute to wipe off their stuff with a small, clean damp white towel, dry it with same, and deposit it in their personal Detailing Deposit Bag..
Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
Yes, up front I show the Client what I will be doing, and where I will be working and ask them to please remove anything they want to remove before dropping the car off...
Click to expand...

Heh heh, I kinda figured that *you* did things that way...but I wanted to put the topic out there for consideration...thinking of the stuff I've found in cars when I bought them and things that've caused my pals go "oops, gotta go back and get [whatever] out of the car I just dropped off, and right now!" ;)
 
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