Ever detail for free? Just as a challenge?

M

MaThGr82

New member
A very good friend of mine just bought a black 98 VW Passat that is swirled and oxidized like crazy. When I found out he got a black car, I was very excited and wanted to go to his garage immediately to check out the paints condition. When I saw the paints condition, I told him immediately that I wanted to detail his car for him and try to see how good I can make it look. He asked me how much I wanted to be paid, and being a good friend to him for a long time, I told him that all I want is 10 hours with the car on a Saturday sometime and some of his help and a case of beer for us to split during the loooooonnnnggg day.



I am in the middle of moving to a new home right now so I won't be able to do his car until April but I am already thinking about how I am going to try to make his car look black again. I really think that this car has the potential to be an extreme detail contest entry.



So, have any of you ever offered to detail a car for literally nothing just because you think it will be a challenge to bring the paint back to life? Or do you all think I am crazy?
 
I have detaild for fun many times, in fact I have only charged one or two people in my life. I have also made some interesting trades...... lets just leave it at that
 
I have three female roommates (no knock to the ladies) who could care less about their car's appearance. I use their sleds as mules for various products because I know there is no chance of testing interference.



That's 30% of it. Mostly, I just can't stand seeing cars nicer than mine in such bad shape.



I also maintain my parents' fleet but when you factor in my undergrad tuition, I'm paid pretty well for those jobs:D
 
I maintain my mom's Concorde, and I've done my neighbor's cars for free, even though they insisted on giving me $40 each for my work on them. :)
 
thinksnow said:
I also maintain my parents' fleet but when you factor in my undergrad tuition, I'm paid pretty well for those jobs:D
Click to expand...



plus a car and insurance payments; i'm indebted to detailing my parent's cars for quite a long time.



I detail family/friend's cars for free or next to nothing. I guess thats what seperates us amateurs from the pros who run businesses.
 
I give away details to people that I know for special occasions to bait them in. It works most of the time that they decide to spoil themselves and kiss the local tunnel wash goodbye.
 
I always did cars for my family for free, and I've done a few for friends too. They're never all that bad though.



But the real "back from the dead" details are the ones I've done for EuroCar Service in Norton, OH. I like the family that runs the place, so a few times I've done an extreme make-over job on Audi loaners that I felt sorry for. They've done right by me, so I figure it's the least I can do.



I did do a real bang-up job on the Cadillac rental we had after Accumulatorette's S4 got rearended. But that was a purely selfish decision, I just wanted to do their White Diamond paint :D
 
I'm doing free and heavily discounted details right now while I'm learning the finer points of the PC.

Even made a trade for an OBDII scan- pretty good deal.
 
The Camaro I posted as my first "click and brag" was for free just to see what I could do with black paint. I tinted a car tonite for some friends at church. The whole time I was tinting, I was thinking about what pads and products to use on their 2002 black Accord, whose paint has been severely neglected. I almost polished the car just so I didn't have to look at the water spots, swirls, light scratches, marring, and otherwise chalkboard-appearance any longer.
 
Friends and family cars are free.... well, not exactly when you factor that they usually feed me and my kids... and I eat a lot! ;) Did I mention they also get the drinks?
 
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