Just a rant!

bsdsys

bsdsys

New member
First off sorry if this is in the wrong forum. Well, I work for a Company that offers the cheap car washes, cleaning of the interior etc. etc. You guys know the places. Well, there is a section of the company in a shop which by the way is very nice! Got the yellow, black and white rubber tile.

Not sure if they are the snap together ones but you guys know what I'm talking about. This area is where they do full details, which is where I work. I work with an older guy who is absolutely in love with Auto Magic. I have tried to introduce him to some techniques that I have used and learned from the site and he is just not having it. PERIOD! lol.. Anyways, we did a black Infinity today, the interior was fine but the paint had swirl marks like crazy.

The guy I work with goes straight for a wool pad and some compound, sticks it on the Dewalt, which I prefer the Makita, lighter IMHO, and goes at it. I don't know much about Auto Magic and to be honest I have never used it until now. Well, he goes to buffing away, I check his work and not one single swirl was removed and there was buffer marks all over the paint now.

I have tried to talk to him about it and explain there are ways and products that will remove this without any problems. Would turn out great I told him, he is just not having it. NExt, we have clay bars to use but NEVER use them. He thinks they are pointless, when he compounds the car and I check his work "WITHOUT" telling him about the mistakes he decides it looks good and goes to a "glaze", not a polish, a glaze.

Finally he waxes it with the Auto Magic wax. I am just frustrated to death with this guy. GRRR! Sorry, Just had to rant.
 
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Without much experience in that product line, I'd say it's more this guy's technique than it is product.

The classic wool, compound, and glaze routine used to be OK. Today's finishes are more sensitive and the marks are more obvious.

I can totally appreciate your frustration. Some people don't feel the need to learn anything new. Perhaps they have no incentive to learn.

I am surrounded by people like that at my job (uhoh, rant on) and I get so frustrated. Can't change other people: have to adapt...this is what I try to tell myself daily....hourly...every time some junk pops up and I have to fix it. I don't even work in automotive anything any more. Makes me miss it even more
 
PRB said:
Without much experience in that product line, I'd say it's more this guy's technique than it is product.
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Yep i would say its user error and not the products from auto magic lol. Auto magic actually makes alot of great products, And i use ALOT of them. They're cheap in bulk and they work.

Sounds like the guy is old school and not open to new ways. Don't waste your time trying, if it bothers you that much go find another shop to work at.



Oh and there is nothing wrong with using wool pads and heavy compounds. I use them all the time and have no problems. Its all user prefrence.
 
It's not the products thats he's using it's the process.
If that was the way that he saw shown it may be difficult to change his way of thinking.

What does he think of the work that you turn out?
More importantly what is the bosses opinions of each ones work. If you impress the boss enough with the quality of the cars you work on then maybe he would want you to share your "secret" with your co-worker.

"J"
 
Yea, it's definately him and not the product. Auto magic is ok. You should never go after a clear coat finish with compound and a wool pad. Maybe a foam cutting pad but most of the time you can go with a polish and foam cutting pad. Remember, when unsure, always go with the least agressive first, you can always go up the scale if you need to.
 
I agree with the others. Good point from "J." I've used AM stuff and found that they actually seem to remove/fill in swirls/scratches pretty fast, so if your co-worker isn't making any improvement with them, I would certainly say it's "his fault," not the products.
Along with J's points, what do you think of the products? Are you able to get better results with them, or do you do interiors etc. while he buffs?
Have you gone to the AM web site? Have you checked their training guides etc.? Maybe you could show your co-worker some "tricks" that are actually endorsed by AM, so that he may be more willing to try some change.
 
I totally understand guys. I haven't had the chance to work with the Auto Magic polishes/compounds that he has in the shop. When I first got hired they wanted to "train" me to do the interior... lol. Well, lets just say he doesn't have to talk to me about the interior or go over anything even though he likes to for some reasons and does more damage than good.

Yes, everyone is right about using a compound/wool pad. It's a good thing to use, when necessary, and I'm sure most of you would agree that using the lighter polishes first and then moving up to a more aggressive polish/compound is more appropriate. Any tips on using the Auto Magic would greatly be appreciated.

They think I need "training" so they don't have me using the buffer until next week.. lol. Kinda funny that they seen my car and can't find imperfections that couldn't be removed left on my car. Got many compliments on it from but that's ok. The pay is worth it for the moment.

Another thing that this guy does that drives me crazy and I am 100% positive no one on here would do this. When his pad gets clammed up or whatever you wanna call it with polish/compound to clean it he keeps the buffer running and reaches in his pocket for his trusty "screwdriver" and has at the pad with the buffer running. "Clean as a whistle", he would say.

I have been using alot of the products discussed on here like PB's, 4 Star, and etc. etc. We did a GMC Denali today and he asked me if I knew what to do about the black/smooth surface that is above the tail lights on a Denali. You know what I mean, right? Well, it's on most SUV's like that anyway. To clean it up first I used some Klasse AIO and removed it then applied some VRT and I could tell he was impressed.

I guess he never cleaned and dressed those pieces before I came because he was kinda surprised I could tell and maybe he was just trying to test me and see if I knew how to do it and if I didn't or tried something and failed he probable would have said, "Oh, you can't do too much with that!" Ya, ok.
 
Big Leegr said:
I agree with the others. Good point from "J." I've used AM stuff and found that they actually seem to remove/fill in swirls/scratches pretty fast, so if your co-worker isn't making any improvement with them, I would certainly say it's "his fault," not the products.
Along with J's points, what do you think of the products? Are you able to get better results with them, or do you do interiors etc. while he buffs?
Have you gone to the AM web site? Have you checked their training guides etc.? Maybe you could show your co-worker some "tricks" that are actually endorsed by AM, so that he may be more willing to try some change.
Click to expand...

Correct, he wants me to do the interiors then he buffs. Read my previous post about that. I do know how, somewhat. I have used a PC for the most part but ready to step up. I will deffinately check their website out and read what they have to say about using their products.
 
Sounds like a production detailer -- get 'em in, bang 'em out. Chances are good, that when it comes to buffing, he's probably forgotten more than you've learned. As for changing his methods, you'll have better luck figuring out the String Therom. As for the products, IMO, Auto Magic's line-up is great -- they even private label products so you might be surprised when comparing theirs with others. As for the swirls, if he's receptive, suggesting BC-2 with a foam pad might help, however I'd keep my expetations to a minimum. If it were me, I'd try focusing more on learning his methods then, when the time is right, adapting them with the knowledge you're gaining here :)
 
dr_detail said:
Sounds like a production detailer -- get 'em in, bang 'em out. Chances are good, that when it comes to buffing, he's probably forgotten more than you've learned. As for changing his methods, you'll have better luck figuring out the String Therom. As for the products, IMO, Auto Magic's line-up is great -- they even private label products so you might be surprised when comparing theirs with others. As for the swirls, if he's receptive, suggesting BC-2 with a foam pad might help, however I'd keep my expetations to a minimum. If it were me, I'd try focusing more on learning his methods then, when the time is right, adapting them with the knowledge you're gaining here :)
Click to expand...

Well, I wouldn't say "production" per-say but we only do 2 a day. He's an old guy and I work with him and that's it. I don't expect him to really do too much because he is in his years and I don't want to push him too hard. Not doing that gets hard at times. I just have to set back and try and learn his method and like you say learn somethings about the products here and take my knowledge there.

I'm looking at their website and I'm gonna try and remember and list everything we have in the shop

No. 78 BC-2
No. 73 Banana Magic
No. 22 Wet Wax
No. 50 New Car Glaze

There are others too. Some dressing, a solvent, and some other things. I am going to write them down and will post tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I can get my head full of ideas with these products before hand and when I jump on things myself I can get the job done right and make things look really good. He doesn't like the clay the car neither even though we have clay. One other thing I will be doing to every "full" detail. That's the point right? Make them look goooood!!
 
most detailers by me do a full detail in and out for 125 bucks. i call these quick cheap clean up jobs!!not bad for the money.but there not going to do a great job for 125 bucks .before i started detailing my own trucks i used to go to this one guy who charges 150 per car. everytime i went to him i said can you please remove the scratches.all of them and he said yes i even said ill pay more. so after going to him for about 2 years i got tired of not getting what i wanted. all he wanted to do is cover them up. so now i do it myself the right way
 
It is a shame that the place I work at charges what they charge for a "full" detail and the customers are not getting what they pay for. Very frustrating.
 
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