Just Because I Can!

Beemerboy

Beemerboy

Just One More Coat
Doesn't mean I want to detail / clean all the families cars. I know has been discussed here before. Just a rant I have today.

This weekend my SIL is coming up for a couple of nights and my wife asked me if I would clean her new SUV...I told her that's like us going to stay at her house, and me asking you to clean her house while there.

I certainly don't mind the work but some think that just because I can doesn't mean I want to.
 
I totally understand and know what your talking about. I have done a few family details under the same basic premis.


My sister wants her car detailed and I said you could do it for her quick....
 
Hand her a rate sheet and tell her you'll will happily give her a 15% discount. :lol:

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Merlin - 2003 Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary
 
It has happen to me also Dave with my SIL, I just take the keys from her and drive over to a the local car wash, have them do it and then go home and park it. Saves my back and time I need for other things to do.
 
zoomzoom mazda5 said:
It has happen to me also Dave with my SIL, I just take the keys from her and drive over to a the local car wash, have them do it and then go home and park it. Saves my back and time I need for other things to do.
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I hate to admit this but I too have done this. It's not that I'm not willing to do things for family, the truth is they HONESTLY don't see or appreciate the difference between what I do and what a drive through does. This does not mean my work falls to a drive through's level it simply means, they have no idea what they are looking for. They wouldn't know a swirl if it bit them in the butt and could care less if the area behind the gas door is clean, let alone appreciate a well cleaned and dressed tire or an engine bay that sparkles.

This started some time ago with an in-law on whose car I did a top notch detail. I had spent about six hours cleaning their car and it looked spectacular. Mind you, I wasn't expecting to be paid and they thanked me but that's all it was just a simple thank you. I'm sure I got my feelings hurt because I had expected a that looks great or something to that effect but rather received just a "thank you".

Some time later they got a new SUV and I offered to get it started out on the right foot with a good sealer. I would of course have done the whole nine yards certainly with an initial claying in mind. I was told that they had paid to have the dealer permanently treat the paint. I tried to explain what they had spent six hundred dollars on. They curtly told me that all they needed to do was run it through the tunnel when it was dirty. I took the response as kind of a slam. They made me feel like they believed I didn't know what I was talking about.

As one would expect this new vehicle started to earn it's daily driver stripes and looked well used after about a year. Then they ask if I could help. My wifes employees had given her a detail book for Christmas. It had 5 tunnel washes a deep interior clean and a wax coupon. Of course she didn't use it. I took the car and the coupons over to the car wash and let them do their thing. 45 minutes later I tipped them and drove the vehicle home and let it sit in the driveway until they came back that afternoon. It of course looked considerably better than it did when I drove it over, certainly not up to any AFer's standards. As expected they said "thanks" when they picked it up. I was never so glad to have short sheeted a project in my life. They just can't see the difference. Truth is most people either don't have an eye for what we do or simply don't care enough to keep their vehicles in a first rate state.
 
GearHead said:
...I was told that they had paid to have the dealer permanently treat the paint. I tried to explain what they had spent six hundred dollars on. They curtly told me that all they needed to do was run it through the tunnel when it was dirty. I took the response as kind of a slam. They made me feel like they believed I didn't know what I was talking about.

As one would expect this new vehicle started to earn it's daily driver stripes and looked well used after about a year. Then they ask if I could help. My wifes employees had given her a detail book for Christmas. It had 5 tunnel washes a deep interior clean and a wax coupon. Of course she didn't use it.

I took the car and the coupons over to the car wash and let them do their thing. 45 minutes later I tipped them and drove the vehicle home and let it sit in the driveway until they came back that afternoon. It of course looked considerably better than it did when I drove it over, certainly not up to any AFer's standards. As expected they said "thanks" when they picked it up.

I was never so glad to have short sheeted a project in my life. They just can't see the difference. Truth is most people either don't have an eye for what we do or simply don't care enough to keep their vehicles in a first rate state.
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^ AGREED

When they know they know...some people will never know and some people get taken by a $tealership peddler so they take their word as gospel.
They do NOT listen to you & bought a $500 "Snake-Oil" paint treatment. In that case they deserve getting ripped-off by the slick willy salesman.

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I watched another "detailer" finish a ladies white car with a rotary & apply a cheap wax. When he was done it was covered in swirls & scratches.
She thought it looked "very shiny" and gave him a $40 tip! I couldn't believe she didn't even notice how bad it was. All she saw was "Oooh Shiny"!

Do you remember the old saying..."and the wisdom to know the difference". An educated client that knows the difference is my best customer.
If that's how they feel and they do NOT want to know any better accept the fact they don't care what you say and you can not educate them.
 
Merlin said:
^ AGREED

She thought it looked "very shiny" and gave him a $40 tip! I couldn't believe she didn't even notice how bad it was. All she saw was "Oooh Shiny"!
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Even if temporary, some appreciate the shiny. For some they religiously go to the drive through and pay $20 for a machine wash and some shiny stuff.

I have a friend who has premium brand foreign car. His car is always clean. It has some swirls. I once noticed how well his wheel barrels were and said he pays $5 extra to get them clean...I said...oh. The place was a local chain that has a name similar to my username.
 
HAHA!!

It's amazing how many "just stop by to say hi" I've had through the years...

Last summer my mother-in-law drove down for a visit and before she even was fully out of her car she asked if I could clean her interior....and the hood seems to have a scratch on it....and can you make the tires look nice and shinny...

5 hours later it was finished.....:surrender

Just because I can..............:passout:
 
BobbyG said:
HAHA!!

It's amazing how many "just stop by to say hi" I've had through the years...

Last summer my mother-in-law drove down for a visit and before she even was fully out of her car she asked if I could clean her interior....and the hood seems to have a scratch on it....and can you make the tires look nice and shinny...

5 hours later it was finished.....:surrender

Just because I can..............:passout:
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Care to send me your address so I can stop by next time I'm in MA? :lol2:
 
Im right there with you Dave. I get to the point that I dont even mess with my own vehicles for long periods of time, let alone freebies for family. The way I see it, when I detail or do body work all day long, the last thing I want to do when I get home is start detailing again unless its for a paying client.
 
These are sad stories!

I used to clay/wax a womans friends car for free .One time she told me she paid 10 dollars extra at the gas station for a wax and it looked just as good as when I did it.

That was and will be the last time I ever do her car!

She even tried to pay me to do her car after that and I refused.:)

Dont let yourself get taken advantage in any area of your life!

Sure ,be nice and do people favors but dont break your back all day for just a thanks!:bigups

Learn to say no!Just say"Im sorry , Im not up to it. I have other more important things to get done"...or whatever,or you could tell the truth and say" I really dont think you appreciate all the hours and effort I put into your car for free"
 
Asking a detailer to "just give it a quick cleaning" is like telling a doctor to "just give me a prescription" after having a heart attack.

I am often embarrassed to let people see my car because it is so dirty sometimes. I never seem to have the time, energy or desire to clean my own car after detailing other people's cars. I even make my wife clean her own.
 
Nth Degree said:
... I never seem to have the time, energy or desire to clean my own car after detailing other people's cars. I even make my wife clean her own.
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I made a deal with my wife...I have a 4 door HD truck, two bikes (one's hers) & two daily drivers.
It's a job keeping up with all five. So here's the deal...I do the vehicles and she does the house.

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