Getting scrutinized

Adam's Polishes

Adam's Polishes

New member
I'm sure most of us here are known to friends, family, neighbors, casual acquaintances, etc. as "the clean car guy" or the "anal perfectionist" but sometimes don't you guys feel this just paints a target on your back??



Let me explain... being busy with the last big push of the season my TBSS hasn't seen any love in about 3 weeks. The weather here has been kind of erratic with dew at night, spots of rain, wind, sun... a perfect storm of crap to make my black paint look pretty nasty. As the saying goes the cobblers kids are the last to get shoes.



Well now I find that people are scrutinizing my car and commenting on "wow... your car is so dirty". Now of course it may be parked next to 100 other cars that are far dirtier, swirled up, and grimey, than mine... but b/c its MINE its an object of criticism.



Do you guys feel that sometimes we're held to an unfair standard as far as keeping our cars spotless?? I've always said "never trust a detailer whos personal cars are always spotless" Isn't it unreasonable to expect any of us who detail for dollars to ALWAYS have a 100% flawless car??
 
My explorer is always trashed. The interior is in shambles the outside needs correcting. I keep the exterior clean and waxed but I don't bother with anything else. After detailing all day the very last thing I want to do is detail my own car.
 
I couldn't agree with you more.

My friend the other day got into my car and said "ya know for someone who details cars you'd think your car would be a bit cleaner." At first I was like he's right and then I thought about it. I replied to him later on that night "If my car was spotless that means I didn't have enough work this week."

Don't get me wrong everynow and then I will set aside two nights back to back to get my car looking good but if it looks like every othe car out there, hey I must be busy and doing a good job on my clients cars.
 
I get that a lot LoL. I just end up telling the people that my car is the way that it currently is because i have been busy cleaning up everyone elses vehicles.
 
Dylan@Adams said:
As the saying goes the cobblers kids are the last to get shoes.
Click to expand...



Jakerooni said:
After detailing all day the very last thing I want to do is detail my own car.
Click to expand...



+1



If I'm busy, my work van isn't going to be spotless. After a long day or full week of detailing other vehicles the absolute last thing I want to do is another one- especially when I won't be getting paid for it.



That's not to say I don't wash it once in a while and keep a good coat of wax on it, or that the interior is gag worthy.
 
you can only are what others think to a point, most say things out of jealousy in which i pay no attention to...
 
my cars never get the love they deserve. when i was at the body shop the detailers cars were always dirty, the painters cars paint failed and was destroyed. the body guys cars had dents. no one wanted to go hom and do more "work".
 
I agree! My wife is always like "my car is so dirty". I tell her to go wash it then...haha.I try to keep mine washed once a week but the inside of my work truck is a little less than perfect. Now that I have corrected the paint and there are no swirls...washing the car is a little more enjoyable since I know that there are no swirls under the dirt.
 
My car is dirty on occasion and when somebody mentions this to me or my bride [her car is always clean] we have formed a great comeback over the years.



This is a test for – pick your favorite – dirt, debris, tree sap or pollen. I am testing one of the following – ease for next car wash, wax or sealant durability.



Further explaining that all tests are done on my car only this way I can provide the best and proper process using correct techniques for my client’s cars. We look at these discussions as an opportunity to inform others of what we do and yes, we ask for their business.



Without being nasty [we are attempting to make them feel guilty and get their business] we do ask if they believe their detailer or the corner tunnel car wash tests products, techniques or correct processes for their particular car. Or do they just use products that are the cheapest for them to buy on all cars including theirs?
 
I'm always too busy detailing other peoples cars to clean my own car. I'll correct it every 6 months or so, and just keep the front wheels clean of brake dust by just going over it quick with a MF and some QD or something.
 
I gave up on the family mobile. it gets washed and interiors every 4 months or so. LOL last time I told my wife just run it up to the swirl and shine for 20 dollars.
 
another thing that people do it "You wash cars?" NO, I DETAIL them. There IS a difference! My extended family is the worst. While they are criticizing me for what I do for a living, I thinking about how much more I am making compared to them. I get over their criticism very quickly. :-)
 
LOL i just had the same conversation with a friend yesterday. i do do just washes, hey i need the money right now. but anyway, i showed up to my regular customers business, where we do anything from washes to full blown details every friday, after a full day of working my friend who works there comes out and says, dude why is your car dirty!! i was like damn just spent all day working and you want me to work some more?? but my suburban was really dirty from my wife driving it to our ranch property, on a dirt road. so i was like youre right and i told my partner(read son) to fire up the PW and i washed the sub right there, on the spot lol
 
Dylan@Adams said:
I'm sure most of us here are known to friends, family, neighbors, casual acquaintances, etc. as "the clean car guy" or the "anal perfectionist" but sometimes don't you guys feel this just paints a target on your back??



.....



....



...
Click to expand...



You read my mind, lol. I feel like this slaps a target on me for a different reason. I'm one of the only people in the neighborhood who regularly details their vehicles. I like to keep my vehicles looking good and shiny. Unfortunately there are a lot of delinquents in the area, and for some reason it seems like a lot of people who don't like to take care of their own properties, don't like it when other people do. As if by you keeping your vehicles or homes looking good, that it makes them look bad, or that you are showing off, and it either angers them or makes them jealous. Not once, but twice have I had vehicles of mine egged. One time when one of my vehicles was parked on the street, and another time when my GTO was parked in my driveway. No one else I know on this street has had this happen to them. My GTO stays locked away in my garage ever since, and the Durango, doesn't get parked on the street anymore.



:furious:Not only can you not have nice things because some assholes like to ruin what you have, but you can't even keep what you have looking nice, either apparently. :faint:
 
My van gets (scheduled for) details quarterly and washed just as frequent... small maintenance procedures are busy work while waiting for clients. You have to at least clean the wheels and windows every week to give a semi-decent impression. Beyond that, it's the inside and the choreography of the detail operation that wins the client.



My wife hates her dirty car - I have yet to find a detailer with the time to clean it proficiently.
 

Attachments

  • SprinterAvatar.jpg
    SprinterAvatar.jpg
    18.6 KB · Views: 17
My interior and engine bay are always spotless, I always get comments. But somehow I have managed to still not having finished polishing my exterior in the last 5 months. I got about 30% done now. I just never feel like spending a day off on my exterior. In germany they have the same saying like in the first post - the shoemaker always has the worst shoes.
 
I think it's unfair that you, a Detailer, think that it's unfair that you are held to a strict standard for car care and appearance of your own vehicle. Honestly, what do you expect :p!?



It's like...if I was the CEO of Lamborghini. It's perfectly reasonable for people to expect me to drive a Lamborghini. Also acceptable for them to be surprised if I drove a Mustang to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



If my neighbor says to me in jest: "Hey Mr. Detailer; your car's pretty dirty..."

I'd say "Sure is! Doesn't take away from the fact that I do great work, though ;).

Ain't nothing left to say or explain. If your car's dirty and that's what a prospective assumes is representative of your work, that's fine! That's what first impressions are about :sosad.
 
Apples and oranges IMO.



It doesn't take effort and time to drive a Lamborghini if you work at Lamborghini. Driving a lambo is not a skill.



Now if you were to say "I'm a race car driver" is it expected that you drive a race car all the time? Is anyone in the Andretti family chastised if they're caught driving an SUV? Do comedians ALWAYS have to be funny even when they're not on stage? Should a butcher always be expected to eat steak or can he have a salad instead? Does a custom painter always have to drive a car with an outrageous paint job?



I guess the point of the thread was really just to complain that despite the fact i have the ABILITY to drive a 100% flawless car all the time is it necessarily fair to expect me to do so??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top