Flipping out here...need some advice.

[mdbohica]

This is going to be long...so I apologize up front...:biggrin1:



Now, I know some of you that have been doing this for years might just tell me to chill but my mind is doing cartwheels over here.



Now I have detailed more than a few cars but all have pretty much been Joe Blow's accord or minivan. Anyway, I happen to meet this guy next to where my full time job is, he is climbing out of a BiTurbo V12 SL600 AMG.... We talk about the car, since I am a gear head and I just happen to mention I do detailing and paint correction. So, I give him my card and that's that. A few days later he calls me and says I just got a BMW 7 series that he think needs help and could I look at it.



So I go by the guys house yesterday to take a look. The house is IMMENSE, I knew he had money, but not MONEY!! So I try to play it cool and take a look at the car with proper lighting and it needs a full 2 step polish. I give him my estimate which he doesn't even blink at and then we chat for a few minutes. In there he just happens to mention that he is starting a new business buying and selling exotic cars and that this black BMW is my test. Let me tell you how hard a poker face is to hold in this case...I think I was grinning like an idiot the entire rest of the day...and now:evil:



I want to do this full time like many of you and this opportunity may actually get me there. So, I need some advice on my process and any valuable information on the SOFT BMW black paint. I do not rotory and have 2 PC's, one old and one XP. The old one gets the 4" pads and the new gets 5.5".



So, here is my process that I have been using. Please critique and tell me where I may not have the best "efficient workflow"



Interior:

Blow out interior

Brush out interior

Clean dash

Vacuum interior and trunk

Clean Leather

Clean Glass

Condition leather, let dwell

Wipe down door panels

Buff leather



Exterior:

Water Soak

Power Rinse

APC Lower half, let dwell

Power rinse lower half

Wheels, tires and wheel wells

Remove tar

Power rinse

Foam car, let dwell

Power rinse

Foam car, 2 bucket wash

Power rinse

Clay car

Foam car, let dwell

Power rinse

Dry car

Tape off for polish

Compound and Polish

Foam car, let dwell

Power rinse

Dry car

LSP, Tire dressing

Final inspection.



Any help is more than appreciated. I have a week to get whatever else I may need to really WOW this guy. Thanks in advance for all the help.



Josh

 

[Dan]

Everytime I hear the "this is a test" I think, oh smart guy wants me to break my back for my normal price. Not saying that always happens, but I'd keep my eyes and ears open. Do a good job, don't go overboard to get "the account."

 

[Nth Degree]

Something tells me he knows he picked a vehicle that can cause major headaches. You quoted 2 step polish, that's what I would give him. Make sure you have some options for polishes in case you aren't getting the desired results with one. I would do the agreed two step and put any extra effort into the details like exhaust tips, glass, grill, wheels, trim, etc. as those can make or break a "test" vehicle. People understand when paint can only be corrected so much, but if they think you "missed" something it makes you look sloppy.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

In there he just happens to mention that he is starting a new business buying and selling exotic cars and that this black BMW is my test.

Heh... doubt it. I hear stuff like that all the time and rarely does it ever materialize. As in pretty much never. Go in cautiously optimistic, but don't be surprised if the calls don't come in. You might get lucky or you might not, who knows.

I want to do this full time like many of you and this opportunity may actually get me there.

Don't get too caught up in this guy; just do the job you have in front of you, no different than any other. No free extras, just the job you always do. If you set the precedent of going way above and beyond for little money, he'll expect that from you every time on every job you do (if you ever even get another job from him).



I've been there and done that myself in the past, and it simply isn't worth it.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Take Meg's 205 with you to make the black (Assuming it is Jet Black) look good. Do you have micro fiber pads?

 

[mdbohica]

No Microfiber yet. Surbuff, yellow, orange, white, green, blue, black and red Uber and LC pads. I will be ordering MF soon, I have held on the trigger for a while now with now OPT and CG introducing their own...