Bodyshop guys and bodyshop detailers

S

SoCalB6

New member
I've been offered a "tryout" tomorrow at a bodyshop, lol. They seem to have a pretty nice shop going. Very clean, right equipment and a good volume of higher end cars that I saw from the quick tour I was given. From what I was told, they are looking for a dedicated, in house detailer instead of using their bodymen as 'detailers'.



From the very brief interview I had with the shop foreman, it seems all they are concerned about is production (yea, weird for a bodyshop eh?:D). Why hire a steady detailer, especially at the $rate$ they are willing to pay (its about 2.5x times what the going rate out here is for bodyshops)? Another thing... when I first showed interest in the job, I was asked if I had my own tools. Then when offered the tryout, I was told not to bring anything but myself. I just hope they are not expecting perfection from 4 ply twisted wool, 3M compound and 15 min per car, LOL. I really don't know what to expect or to think. At this point I am starting to think its going to be a nightmare of a day.:buffing:



Since I have never worked in a bodyshop environment or even on super fresh paint (waterbased), is there anything you guys could give me a 'heads up' on? TIA!!!!
 
Detailer... From the sound of it, they have never had a dedicated detailer before. They just had their bodymen "detail" the cars before they handed them over to their customers.



I really dunno what to think; however, I think my 'Autopian' standards will hinder my performance in their eyes.



Yea, I dunno where I'll be tomorrow exactly, lol. But what I don't want to happen is me going in there just itching for an excuse to bounce. The money and steady schedule is really the only reason I am even considering this. Otherwise I would still be content with fixing their damage :)
 
get ready for some to be yelling "hurry up with that car, the customer is waiting". sucks that body shops charge as much as they and dont even finish the job. if i owned a body shop i would include at least half day just for finishing work. but i guess most insurance companies baulk at even the slightest non necessary thing as it is. sucks that for years they made billions cheating people out of money.
 
Bring your tools with you just in case the stuff they have does not allow you to successfully demonstrate your skills.
 
Ahhh yes, the yelling or even having someone on my butt the whole time...Wow, I don't miss that, lol. Yea, for the most part bodyshops suck in general for the most part. I guess they are trying to one up the others. About the insurance thing...yea, im guessing that is going to play a HUGE part with "detailing".
 
rm1mty said:
Bring your tools with you just in case the stuff they have does not allow you to successfully demonstrate your skills.
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+1. Thought about it already... Packing my car tonight. :2thumbs:
 
I detail part time in the spring/summer/fall at a used car dealership, and I also detail on my own at my house, there are 2 different modes that I get in, I know at the dealership it’s all volume (get them looking good) and while at home (make them look awesome) I take my time. Also at the dealership I get paid per car, they want them done fast and out of there, so that's what I do, while at home I take my time and my customers are aware I am anal retentive when it comes to detailing so they leave the car with me till it's done.



Moral of the story……go and do what you do, have fun…….also as you have already done, pack your stuff in the car. Gook luck
 
Like others have stated bring your own equipment, pads polish everything and see what they have. I have been volunteering at a paint/body shop recently and the painter is absolutely amazing but he knows very little about buffing cars. He stated he would wrather spray another coat of clear than buff a car! ha..ha..! They have 1 blue 3m pad and some 3m rubbing compound. That is it. They wet sand the orange peel a little and then compound it and give it back to the customer. They never heard of using a finishing polish. Oh and they never cleaned the pad either. It was insane... I told him I would teach him how to buff in exchange for him teaching me how to paint and do body work.



Let us know how it turns out!
 
SoCalB6 said:
I've been offered a "tryout" tomorrow at a bodyshop, lol. They seem to have a pretty nice shop going. Very clean, right equipment and a good volume of higher end cars that I saw from the quick tour I was given. From what I was told, they are looking for a dedicated, in house detailer instead of using their bodymen as 'detailers'.



From the very brief interview I had with the shop foreman, it seems all they are concerned about is production (yea, weird for a bodyshop eh?:D). Why hire a steady detailer, especially at the $rate$ they are willing to pay (its about 2.5x times what the going rate out here is for bodyshops)? Another thing... when I first showed interest in the job, I was asked if I had my own tools. Then when offered the tryout, I was told not to bring anything but myself. I just hope they are not expecting perfection from 4 ply twisted wool, 3M compound and 15 min per car, LOL. I really don't know what to expect or to think. At this point I am starting to think its going to be a nightmare of a day.:buffing:



Since I have never worked in a bodyshop environment or even on super fresh paint (waterbased), is there anything you guys could give me a 'heads up' on? TIA!!!!
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Be ready for anything and expected the unexpected, lol. I've been a detailer at a semi collision shop for years and that paragraph pretty much sums it up. We get 55 gallon drums full of wool pads and then black foam pads. Granted when I'm done with a pad it goes in another 55 gallon drum for them to come and get when its full, but still.



From the very brief interview I had with the shop foreman, it seems all they are concerned about is production
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lol, exact same thing I got from the shop foreman, even saying we are more worried about quantity then quality. Granted this is a HUGE shop that works along side with Kentworth, Peterbuilt, Mac, etc and they still turn out awesome work. But for a autopia detailer it would not be close to any standards. I may have just started compounding a truck and the boss tells the shop foreman that the owner is on its way and will be here in 30 minutes and its got to be done and washed by then...:getdown



Guess you really can't tell till your a worker in the shop as even my first walk about around the shop a long time ago I thought it was a clean/perfect shop....
 
I know its too late. But i would have laid down your own rules. Let them know that your standards may not be what they would want due to time constraints. Maybe do a half-n-half job on a car. half what your standard is with your tools. And the other half what their standards are with thier tools
 
If you are detailing an insurance job, they will only pay for you to wetsand and buff a car in an hour and a half. The insurance companys go by a time study that tells them how to write the job. Unless it is different state to state(but I'm not thinking so). Unfourtunetly, as we all know, it takes more than an hour and a half to get the car perfect to our standards. Sometimes when I detail at my friends shop, he says the same as the car dealerships,"just make it look good".
 
One more thing to find out is, if you have to use autobody approved products. So it doesn't cause any painting problems.
 
Thanks everyone!



Yea, I AM expecting to expect the unexpected! I am taking some extras with me to hopefully get a chance to show what I really can do, but I doubt it since *most* if not all the work, is insurance jobs and will most likely need to bang out cars. I'll try not to hack 'em that bad! Maybe then if I see the owners around I can give them my card! LOL



I will post tomorrow evening how it went, lol! I am looking forward to the experience of simply learning and seeing first hand how bodyshops operate from the inside, kinda like a paid hands-on tour.



In regards to JavierC, I was thinking I should have done something remotely along those lines, but not nearly as bold. *If* I do get hired, then we'll talk chop.



Even if I don't get the gig, no biggie as this was sort of a bonus...just kinda landed in my hands (but in no way do I just want to throw it away). I still have my regulars and the occasional perfection job.
 
salty said:
One more thing to find out is, if you have to use autobody approved products. So it doesn't cause any painting problems.
Click to expand...



They are providing me with *everything* I will need tomorrow; however, I am also taking a light chest consisting of 2 rotaries (always), PC, pads, M105,M85, SIP & 106FF. As far as I know the compounds and polishes are approved for bodyshops.
 
I know if they are painting you can not use any spray wax or QD. Otherwise it will effect the paint while they are painting and they will not be real happy with you.
 
LOL... I would think so. I do know that the spray booth is completely across the the street and that is all they do there. I thought ultra-mega fresh paint like that can not take a wax or sealant...at most a glaze?
 
I would take M86 FOR SURE. It's great for body shops because it is A.) Meant for fresh paint, B.) Adaptable as a "compound" or polish based on pad, and C.) Will be quick and give easily good enough results for a body shop.



I use M86 as a replacement for SIP myself and love it. M86 + single stage paint = stuff dreams are made of.
 
Damn, I don't have any M86 nor can I get my hands on any before showtime. If I do get on, I will make sure to mention it.



Aside from the body shop talk... Really? I was looking for some really good stuff to use on SS paint. I'll probably pick some up anyway. Thanks for the heads up!
 
You are right about the glaze. When I said spray wax or QD I meant for other details or the other parts of the car that has not been painted.



You could also use M85 diamond cut compund. That is good for fresh paint and leaves minimal swirls also. That is what I use at my friends bodyshop, The M85 and a new compund called Tru-grit from Malco that he found. It's almost like a M105 to my knowledge.
 
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