Welcome!
» Log In
» Create A New Profile
Home
>
Auto Detailing: Secrets of the Experts
>
Topic
scratches
Posted by Mark Rogers
|
scratches March 26, 2004 01:02PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 36 |
<HTML>Had a situation where our car wash personnel scratched a customer car with their chamois. It's a dark blue colored car. There were already some basic wash scratches on the vehicle (the customer has owned the car for six months, and they say they keep it clean religiously, yet wash it once a month, and I would say if that.) We took a majority of the scatches out, and there were some noticeable ones left, only visible though in the right light. We did a light buff on it once, and we had to redo it. The second time we hit it pretty good, and it looks alot better, though we're removing minor swirl marks at the time. There are still some scratches left though. How do you manager's deal with a situation like this in your areas? This customer states that the vehicle was perfect, yet it wasn't. There are some more factors added dealing with dark colored cars. How can we teach the customer about taking care of dark colored cars and making them understand that more care is needed for their paint, and that some scratches will be associated with constant washing? We want to make the customer happy but at this point, don't know where to go. They wany either a new paint job (bad idea), or a new vehicle. HELP!</HTML>
|
Re: scratches March 26, 2004 05:24PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 49 |
<HTML>wet sand out the crap and rebuff if the scratches arent down to the primer\
most of what you are dealing with is scuffs in the clear coat if you cant feel them with a fingure nail they will come out with wetsanding and buffing
That is why every car that comes throught the door get photographed and documented with the customer. cya</HTML>
most of what you are dealing with is scuffs in the clear coat if you cant feel them with a fingure nail they will come out with wetsanding and buffing
That is why every car that comes throught the door get photographed and documented with the customer. cya</HTML>
|
Re: scratches March 30, 2004 02:05AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 74 |
<HTML>Some people cannot be educated no matter how hard you try. They see a carwash as a place to get something for nothing. Don't let customers take you for a ride. Do your best to fix problems you are sure you are responsible for, but don't be suckered into going beyond what is reasonable. It's not reasonable to expect a dark-colored car to stay in showroom condition if it's a daily driver no matter how you take care of it. If a customer is being completely unreasonable, I think it's better to tell them to hit the road than to give them additional opportunities to take advantage of you.</HTML>
|
Re: scratches March 30, 2004 02:46AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 466 |
<HTML>Mark,
A NEW car or a NEW paint job for some scratches that can't be proven you even introduced them into the paint?? That is just overkill!
These people are trying to get something for nothing and I bet they have done this elsewhere before. I would tell them you did all you can do and are expected to do then send them down the road.
You may want to though in the future use microfiber towels instead of a chamois as a chamois can harbor grit, even if rinsed out inbetween cars.
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
A NEW car or a NEW paint job for some scratches that can't be proven you even introduced them into the paint?? That is just overkill!
These people are trying to get something for nothing and I bet they have done this elsewhere before. I would tell them you did all you can do and are expected to do then send them down the road.
You may want to though in the future use microfiber towels instead of a chamois as a chamois can harbor grit, even if rinsed out inbetween cars.
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
|
Re: scratches March 30, 2004 04:19PM |
<HTML>You can go to www.carwash.com and under the magazine archives section is a two part technical article regarding swirls, etc, very technical, not a scam to sell you some products, that may help in explaining to your customers the why's and why not's of the situation.
The article is also on www.autoint.com under Magazine Articles Section.
Ketch</HTML>
The article is also on www.autoint.com under Magazine Articles Section.
Ketch</HTML>
|
Re: scratches March 30, 2004 04:51PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Mark:
For the record can you tell us exactly what you did the first time you worked on it and the second?
The TOOL - rotary buffer or orbital?
The PADS - wool; poly/wool or foam cutting pads
The CHEMICALS - you must have used a compound, what grit size or was it deemed heavy; medium; light or micro fine?
What did you use after the compound? Tool? Pad? Chemical?
The choices that were made in relation to car have a major impact on the results.
Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
For the record can you tell us exactly what you did the first time you worked on it and the second?
The TOOL - rotary buffer or orbital?
The PADS - wool; poly/wool or foam cutting pads
The CHEMICALS - you must have used a compound, what grit size or was it deemed heavy; medium; light or micro fine?
What did you use after the compound? Tool? Pad? Chemical?
The choices that were made in relation to car have a major impact on the results.
Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
|
Re: scratches March 31, 2004 02:36AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
<HTML>Don't you just hate people like that? Mark, did you give her a receipt or is there a paper trail of any sort? If not, play stupid and act like you've never seen her before. That's what I would do since people like this need to be....</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
|
Re: scratches March 31, 2004 06:32AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 382 |
<HTML>When I worked as an insurance adjuster I handled car wash claims. I almost never paid claims like this as I took the position that it was their word against our policyholer's and there was no proof the damage occurred at the car wash. Of course, if the guy just had the car repainted a month ago, could document it and document his interaction with the car wash, then that was another story. We always had to ask the car wash owner how valuable their time was. Did they want to spend a day or two in court defending a claim that was only worth a few hundred bucks? Usually they didn't, so we'd have the damage appraised by one of our apppraisers, make sure we only paid for the repainting of the damaged parts and that appropriate depreciation was taken. We could make a $3,000 paint job turn into a $400 nuisance claim in the blink of an eye!! And of courser, by the time the claim settled, weeks or months had gone by and once our position was set, we seldom changed it. The vehicle owners didn't want to go to court as they knew if they sued in small claims court, we would hire an attorney to kick it up to district or circuit court, they would have to do the same, so it wasn't worth their time and they just settled.
My advice would be to turn it into your insurance company and let them argue with the guy. Keep yourself from getting into a direct confrontation with him. Don't offer to settle or make any kind of overture in that direction. Just tell him if he wants to get an estimate, you'll be glad to turn it into your insurance company and let them handle it. Once you start trying to negotiate and it goes sour, then turn it over to your insurance carrier, they may not cover the claim as you may have jeopardized any defenses they could have used or a court may take your willingness to negotiate as an admission of responsibility. So, don't offer anything other than you'll turn in a claim and have the carrier contact them.</HTML>
Shine On!
Rod Wesley
Touch Up 'N' Go!
Auto & Marine Appearance Center
We take your car from Rough to Buff!
Visit our website at: www.touchupngo.com
My advice would be to turn it into your insurance company and let them argue with the guy. Keep yourself from getting into a direct confrontation with him. Don't offer to settle or make any kind of overture in that direction. Just tell him if he wants to get an estimate, you'll be glad to turn it into your insurance company and let them handle it. Once you start trying to negotiate and it goes sour, then turn it over to your insurance carrier, they may not cover the claim as you may have jeopardized any defenses they could have used or a court may take your willingness to negotiate as an admission of responsibility. So, don't offer anything other than you'll turn in a claim and have the carrier contact them.</HTML>
Shine On!
Rod Wesley
Touch Up 'N' Go!
Auto & Marine Appearance Center
We take your car from Rough to Buff!
Visit our website at: www.touchupngo.com
|
Re: scratches March 31, 2004 05:12PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 9 |
<HTML>Mark, I had a similar customer and I did the best to get them out. I understand the rest of the guys here when they say it is impossible to keep the car in showroom condition. I have started detailing in a shop and if they want you to sand it sand it just tell him the price.</HTML>
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.