2003 SL500 Interior

Please don't take offense

Beemerboy said:
What happened to the extractos lines in the carpet:
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Clean Dean, I'm a bit confused, and please don't take offense, but, you purposely leave extractor lines in the carpet for the customer to see? Or did I misunderstand the posts?

Personally, I prefer to have no lines visible in the carpet. IMHO it gives a more professional appearance than leaving lines, which to me gives the impression of the job not being quite finished.

As always, you did an amazing job, I'm just kinda surprised that people want to see the extractor lines.

Respectfully, - Biff
 
I have found that many customers like the extractor lines. It makes the care feel cleaner to them.

At the very least, I will atleast brush the carpet to imitate the lines. Some of us are too poor to afford an extractor.
 
biff...

Extractor lines ... I agree with you and the extractor lines are not left behind in my personal vehicles or in vintage or show quality cars that I detail... I do not believe that extractor lines look "unprofessional", however I only started leaving them behind in customer's car due to positive responses from customers. If a customer is unhappy with this look, they will be removed immediately. I sell my services on my biz card by stating on the card "satisfaction guaranteed", and I stand behind that. I refuse to leave a customers residence or place of business without them inspecting the vehicle and stating that they are completely happy with the work performed.

I remember the first time I left extractor marks behind in a vehicle. I was detailing a 1996 LS 400 and the customer told me that the carpets looked really clean and he could tell that every inch of the vehicle was clean by the extractor marks being evident everywhere. It is definitely a cosmetic touch and I am with you in regards to preferences, however there is a famous business saying I heard a while ago, " don't give the people what they need, however give them what they want."

Here is a typical example of how an older non- daily driver vehicle is extracted... P.S. I plan on giving my 93 SEL a full int. detail later this week and I will send you a couple of pics...

Excellent observation biff ...

BTW ... Frozen I hope that you had the opportunity to drive each of those vehicles ... HEAVEN !!!!!:D
 
The diference there Dean is that that carper can be brushed to look very clean. Extractor lines there would not work.

I need to have you detail my interior, its in bad shape right now.
 
In the second pic you posted there were two things that really cought my eye. First was that big white mark on the center concole. The second was where the black dash inbetween the glovebox and nav system looks kind of hazy. Like it was dry in some places. Probably just shadows though. How may aplications of dressing do you put on a dash? I usualy go over it twice to avoid any missed spots and keep it all looking perfectly even.
 
Koop...

hazing was most likely an area where more product should have been applied and or the product could have been buffed into the area a little better. The white spot is a tear in center console area. I do not make these repairs, however I am looking for an interior repair (leather/vinyl) person in the NJ area to address this problem for the customer... If anyone knows of a good person in North/Central NJ please let me know.

Dash... I usually go over the dash with 2 passes and I give a 15-20 complete walk around (Int & Ext) when the car is complete.

Koop, I hope I caught this prior to leaving that Saturday... I was under the gun to finish on time (10:30 AM) . No matter any way, I am returning to this customers residence tomorrow for his 03 S500 and his 03 Toyota Sienna ( not looking forward to the mini-van) and will give his SL a once over again. :D

Thanks.
 
Re: biff...

Clean Dean said:
I do not believe that extractor lines look "unprofessional", however I only started leaving them behind in customer's car due to positive responses from customers.
Click to expand...

Excellent points Dean, giving the customer what they want is the ultimate guidline, and if I had a customer that I knew wanted to see them then I would leave them for him as well.

With a new customer though, I would go with my philosophy of making the vehicle as clean as possible without adding any thing that wasn't there when it was new, ie; lines on the carpet.

As a matter of personal preference only, I would rather not have any evidence that the car was just detailed. To me, seeing the lines is like seeing wax residue on the paint. It lets me know that the car was detailed but leaves me thinking the job wasn't quite finished.

I would rather have someone ask me if my car is new or how I keep it in such great shape rather than if I just had it cleaned.

I certainly see your point now though. Give 'em what they want. (Same goes for glossy vinyl. I hate it, but if that's what they want...)
 
Biff

Point well taken... I am also not a fan of wet solvent based dressings, but they last much longer and some customers absolutely love that look.

P.S. Here is an example of a LS 430 I recently completed... The customer went bananas over the extractor lines... You know the old saying "to each his/her own"...
 
I love extractor lines, to an extent. If I can comb the carpet to where all the fibers are up, and even your finger pressing would make it look different, now THAT is cool.
 
I didnt Detail those cars lol those are just pictures to show comparsions of Interiors. I have gotten a Chance to Drive both the Sl55 and Porsche Turbo. I also love the extractor lines the straight and triangle shaped depends on the mood of the car.Some carpets are just hard to get those extractors lines on them they just dont have that pattern.
 
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