Bentley detail

L

LDPaul

New member
Hello everyone,



I have a new customer that has his Bentley detailed 2/3 times a year by someone from California who comes to Texas for his car and his fathers cars. I washed his car the other day and what a nightmare of swirl marks, scratches and buffer burns. I think this detailer hides everything with polishes and wax. Any thoughts? He asked me if I could get them all out. So this brings me to ask a few questions since I have never seen such a mess on a car in my many years of experience. I wonder how much clear coat is left with this guys detailing. I am sorry that I do not have any photos, but my camera is at the bottom of a lake - another story later.



Does anyone know how soft or hard the paint is on a Bentley? I did not try with a PC since he was in a hurry.



I did not try a high speed buffer (DW849), but I feel this is why he has so much damage. Any thoughts on a action plan. I was thinking megs 85, 83, then 80, and some good wax with a PC.



I know it is hard to answer without photos, but I would like some opinions. Just imagine the worst possible damage on a car and you will be close to the swirl marks, scratches, and buffer burns.



Thanks for the assistance.



Rick Springer

Details3
 
From my last Bently detail, i would say its medium on the softness level. Granted, the one I did was pretty close to flawless when I did it, so my recommendation to you...you have no real idea on how much clearcoat is left...so use that rule of thumb, use your less abrasive polish first...do a couple test spots on different panels first. This will give you an idea if the polish is good enough and it will give you an idea on long it will take to correct. Don't use a Rotary unless you absolutly need it. Start with a PC. I dont use megs products, so I can't help you there.



Take your time...and If he doesn't have it, tell him you need it...if he really wants it done right, he'll give you all the time you need!



Hope it helps...
 
us a paint thickness gauge. See how much hes taken off in some places and if theres a huge differance btween the paint in some spots and in other refuse the job. thats what ide do.
 
baseballlover1 said:
us a paint thickness gauge. See how much hes taken off in some places and if theres a huge differance btween the paint in some spots and in other refuse the job. thats what ide do.
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Then again, not everyone has access to a thickness guage and if he did, I would think that would be his first step. I think hes asking what to do besides using a guage...
 
You might want to try a less aggressive product and more passes - e.g. M83 on an orange pad 2-3 times per panel. I would hesitate to use M85 on a car in that condition.



Get him to sign a waiver too and make it clear that the damage is pre-existing and liability rests on the previous "detailer".
 
I'd have to say it's probably some of the softest paint available! Black is evil and can easily be scratched if washed improperly, let alone swirled if cut too hard.
 
Problem with soft black paint and a DA buffer is the hazing you sometimes get.



#83 and a yellow polishing pad at 1000-1200 rpm should correct the paint without leaving too much behind itself. #80 with a yellow pad, then #3 with a finishing pad, or see if anyone (like English Color) had the 3M Ultrafina and pad and finish out with that.
 
I agree on the softer side. You should have a paint thickness gauge. If not then take the conservative route with it.



B1.jpg
 
I know that Astons have 11 layers of paint so I would assume that this car should also have a healthy layer to play with. BTW- swirling up the paint with a rotary doesn't mean that you are removing any clear. As DF was saying it maybe caused by improper washing. m2c
 
I have a future customer who is a white GT owner and I was thinking if the paint wasnt horrible that I would start correcting with SIP and a green LC ccs pad with my Flex. I have only used white,orange and gray before and I understand the green is a middle ground between orange and white.
 
I would like to thank everyone for their input. I do not have access to a paint gauge, but it is on my wish list. I will use the less aggressive approach, and my pc with a yellow pad on an area like the bumper for testing. I use megs stuff and poorboys 2.5. 2.0 etc.



Scott, when you stated a yellow pad at 1000/1200 were you refering to a DA or PC?



Superior Shine - that Bentley is the same one I will be working on, but looks a whole lot worse.



My customer says I could have the car for a day or two if needed and I think I will need it!



Thanks again guys and I will keep you updated. I will try and borrow my wifes camera and get some photos.
 
I would personally do a small test spot for the customer, maybe behind the rear tire in an unnoticable area and show him what you can accomplish with a low aggressive approach Let me know you taking the side of precaution due to previous hack jobs (maybe not those words exactly). If he wants more defects than that removed then he has to understand that he is responsible.
 
Rick,



The first question you may want to ask your self is; why in the world would this customer have someone fly in from California to detail his cars and then accept a low level quality job containing swirl marks, scratches and buffer burns? Is this customer blind? or are they just used to getting an inferior job? Either way, it has to tell you something about your new prospect.



Also, why get so overly aggressive the first time out? Since it looks like you may possibly be detailing this car 2 to 3 times a year, why not explain to the customer that you would much rather see what you can do improve the overall appearance of his Bentley in order to bring it back up to speed. Let's face it, a Bentley is not a car to experiment with.



Also, have you given any thought to doing all of the work by hand? After all, both Bentley and Rolls-Royce are motor cars that have a reputation of being built by hand. Think about it. Everyone has given their opinion that the Bentley paint is a soft paint, if it is that soft why would you need a machine to correct the defects? And imagine the look on your customers face when you tell him that you have decided to polish and wax the car by hand, just to insure you do not induce any more swirl marks, scratches and buffer burns.



If you need a reference of my point of view, you can contact either Joe or John Palma of Palma's Classic Cars. I am the person they call on when they have a special request for having everything done by hand. They are a couple of good guys. Give them a call and you will understand what I am talking about.

Palma Automotive Rolls Royce and Bentley repair and service
 
mirrorfinishman said:
Also, have you given any thought to doing all of the work by hand? After all, both Bentley and Rolls-Royce are motor cars that have a reputation of being built by hand. Think about it. Everyone has given their opinion that the Bentley paint is a soft paint, if it is that soft why would you need a machine to correct the defects? And imagine the look on your customers face when you tell him that you have decided to polish and wax the car by hand, just to insure you do not induce any more swirl marks, scratches and buffer burns.
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You cannot polish the paint as deeply and evenly by hand. As someone who detailed cars for the first several years by hand (and I was able to do some decent corrections) I was in business, I can tell you without a doubt you get SUPERIOR results with proper machine polishing. Rick has a lot of machine polishing experience so it isn't like he is experimenting, he just wants the best starting point to work from.
 
I think some "professionals" might need to be brought up to speed on detailing. It's not the 80's any more and there's no way correction should or really can be performed by hand properly. Most reserve their hands for applying wax(and maybe working in very tight areas) and that's about it. I'm amazed (and entertained) with how pre-madonna some people really might be. :bigups Just because parts of a vehicle are made by hand doesn't mean that machines aren't being used in doing it??



Frank, I'm curious to know if you market yourself as doing detailing "by hand" because that's the niche you seek, or is it because you don't have experience using machines? Just wondering and giving this subject the benefit of a doubt before I pass possible judgement.
 
Also, why get so overly aggressive the first time out? Since it looks like you may possibly be detailing this car 2 to 3 times a year, why not explain to the customer that you would much rather see what you can do improve the overall appearance of his Bentley in order to bring it back up to speed. Let's face it, a Bentley is not a car to experiment with.



Also, have you given any thought to doing all of the work by hand? quote::



does this sound like a justification, an excuse for mediocrity?
 
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