Bargain-load of Scratches!

[Waxman]

Today I had the pleasure of fixing someone else's mistake (instead of mine; yipee!)

The victim; a newer Ford King Ranch pickup. Cocoa brown over gold/2-tone. Gorgeous truck.

The customer hired a friend who needed money to polish the paint. Looks like they went 'old school' and used some rubbing compound by hand to gouge up the clear coat. The owner was furious, making wild claims about what he intended to do to the fella who did the scratching for a mere $75.

The customer thought the scratches were 'left over compound' and asked me to wax the sides twice, thinking that would solve is problems.

I finished the buffing necessary to correct the scratches today and will go in early tomorrow to wash and wax the truck properly. It's looking great and will surely cost more than the other detailer charged.

These days it seems everyone wants a huge discount or bargain and once in awhile I see a glaring example of why that's not always a wise strategy.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

My brother used some of that old orange compound from the 60's and 70's to rub out tree branch marks from his new black Dodge truck a few years back. After he finished he paid a detailer a couple hundred bucks to repair his &#@k-up.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

sounds like alot of society--Buys the King Ranch to show off and then has to take substandard care of it, to save some $$ --Good for you though.

 

[Waxman]

sounds like alot of society--Buys the King Ranch to show off and then has to take substandard care of it, to save some $$ --Good for you though.

I charged a premium price for the service. I wanted to make it higher but thought that might get the other guy hurt so I kept it at premium.

 

[rph9168]

You should never use an old time compound on a clear coat or even today's single stage paint. You can usually tell an older type compound by it's name. Traditionally they have names that contain colors like Red Compound or White Compound or Orange Compound. Those types contain a grit that does not break down easily causing deep scratches in today's paints. They were really meant for the old enamel based paints and some of of the very early soft acrylics or for body shops when they want to remove a section of paint.

The good news about today's finishes is that they are much more durable than older finishes. The bad news is that if you get scratches or imperfections in them it is very difficult to remove them.

 

[Waxman]

I just completed an interior detail on this same truck, so my buff job/scratch repair was a success in creating repeat business and earning a customer's trust.