Constantly amazed

[Mr Miyagi]

A few things amaze me every time I see before and after pictures on the forum:

1) How badly some people treat their car's finish.
2) How resilient modern finishes are.
3) How good Meguiar's products are at restoring a finish.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Constantly amazed

No.1: I agree.
No.2: Debatable.
No.3: Your Darn Tootin'

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Constantly amazed

You are correct on all 3 counts. Could not agree with you more.

[02zx9r]

Re: Constantly amazed

think most people just dont think about it or know you are supossed to wash regularly and wax to keep the paint protected.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Constantly amazed

A few things amaze me every time I see before and after pictures on the forum:

1) How badly some people treat their car's finish.

Having recently done a fair amount of used car shopping it is very clear that most people neither know how to properly care for paint, nor do they really care.
2) How resilient modern finishes are.

After spending some time "restoring" these abused finishes on cars just a year or two old, it is pretty remarkable how badly they can be damaged and still brought back to a level you can be proud of.
3) How good Meguiar's products are at restoring a finish.

We like to think so, thanks for noticing!!

[Alex C.]

Re: Constantly amazed

It is amazing how many vehicle owners are "in the dark" when it comes to proper paint care. To most, clean paint means there's no dirt sitting on the paint. But to us it's far more involved than just removing dirt, isn't it.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Constantly amazed

Even worse,have you seen the state of some peoples cars,clear coat gone on the roof and algae growing in it's place! i've even seen a merc like that here! What a waste.

[doh!]

Re: Constantly amazed

I think the problem is one of lack of knowledge and lack on information. I was cleaning up my car on the weekend and the neighbors and their friends were commenting that they never wax their cars. One said that the dealer told them that the paint has a clear coat on it so there is no need to wax.
Dealers don't want to tell people that it takes work (or money) to look after their car's finish as that just becomes another expense that people have to factor into the cost of the car.

[CieraSL]

Re: Constantly amazed

Dealers don't want to tell people that it takes work (or money) to look after their car's finish as that just becomes another expense that people have to factor into the cost of the car.

Taking care of your car really doesn't require all that much. Car crazy nuts would beg to differ, but there isn't a whole lot of work or effort needed in order to keep up on preventative maintenance. It's just a matter of actually doing it. Say that an ordinary someone brought a brand new car. Say that they bought $200 (just thinking basics here guys, don't go into a panic) worth of quality car cleaning supplies. If they could be given some sort of manual or video or something like that (made by Meguiar's, of course ) that showed them how to properly maintain their car (how to clean the wheels and tires, glass, interior, proper washing techniques, how to clay, how to prevent swirl marks, how to wax, etc. etc. etc.), well then they could add thousands of dollars onto the value of their vehicle when they decide to turn around and resell it. Part of the problem is people are just plain lazy. The other part of the problem is that people don't have the slightest idea how to take care of their car and don't even know where to start, so they just let it go, not realizing that they are shooting themselves in the foot regarding their car's resale value. Prevention beats cure any day of the week.

[Blueline]

Re: Constantly amazed

etc.), well then they could add thousands of dollars onto the value of their vehicle when they decide to turn around and resell it. , not realizing that they are shooting themselves in the foot regarding their car's resale value. .

I have to disagree with this part to some degree. Unless the vehicle is badly neglected, no value will be added, particularly if you trade it in at a dealer.
She is only going to give you the book value, maybe with a few bucks up or down considering the condition. Dealers don't give a hoot about swirl marks. Most don't even know what it is.
Selling privately, is almost the same story. Potential buyers haven't a clue about swirl marks either, but only know the reasonable value of a particular model and year. Unless you get a buyer who is familiar with sites like this, it will not add much value, and even then, smart detailers are not going to pay "thousands" more than necessary for a vehicle, when they can get the swirls out themselves.

Sorry to disagree, but I take care of my car for me, not on how much more I think I can make on a trade/resale. It just doesn't happen in my experience.

[CieraSL]

Re: Constantly amazed

I have to disagree with this part to some degree. Unless the vehicle is badly neglected, no value will be added, particularly if you trade it in at a dealer.
She is only going to give you the book value, maybe with a few bucks up or down considering the condition. Dealers don't give a hoot about swirl marks. Most don't even know what it is.
Selling privately, is almost the same story. Potential buyers haven't a clue about swirl marks either, but only know the reasonable value of a particular model and year. Unless you get a buyer who is familiar with sites like this, it will not add much value, and even then, smart detailers are not going to pay "thousands" more than necessary for a vehicle, when they can get the swirls out themselves.

Sorry to disagree, but I take care of my car for me, not on how much more I think I can make on a trade/resale. It just doesn't happen in my experience.

I'm not talking about swirl marks, I'm talking about the whole car in general. I work at a dealership, and I see the way some of these vehicles are when they come in. Example: there was an early 2000's model Chevy Cavalier that was traded in by some lady. I wasn't there to see it originally, but this is what was told to me by the other guys in cleanup and some of the salesmen. Apparently she had lived in this thing for about 2 weeks, and they pulled about 3 trash cans worth of garbage out of this car. They came to the conclusion that it was too bad for us to handle, so they sent it to a "detail shop", which "reconditions" vehicles for our dealership for relatively cheap (though I'm not sure what they charged on this one). When it got back, it didn't look like there had been anything wrong with it, and they stuck it on the lot for about 5 grand, even though they only gave her maybe a grand for the car. Subtract the amount paid to the detail shop, and the dealership turned a nice little profit, even though she made squat. Now, usually older cars or cars that haven't been taken care of at all will go to auction, but if the dealership thinks they can sell them, they'll recondition them for cheap and then turn around and sell them. The buyer won't know the car has been reconditioned, but the seller will take a kick in the butt. Case in point - there was a little Saturn that came back from being "detailed" yesterday. Looked nice enough to sell, but it had swirl marks in the paint. But somebody will come along and buy it. So, yes, it really does matter.

[Blueline]

Re: Constantly amazed

Of course if the vehicle has been neglected, trash in the car, etc, one is not going to even get the book value. As mentioned, a dealer is only going to give you book value, up and down a few bucks, not thousands. I realize you were not talking about swirl marks, but it does seem to be one of the most obsessed about topics. I know someone who just traded a 2000 LeSabre. It was immaculate, but it had 170k on it. He got $1000.00 for it. That vehicle will be sold for at least three grand. My point was that while one person will spend their weekends in the garage, polishing and waxing (me to a small degree) another will simply take reasonable care of their car, and given they both have the same vehicle, would get about the same for a trade, providing they both purchased the same new car.

So while you may see the dealer side, I have seen the seller side. Perhaps we are both right, perhaps we are both wrong.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Constantly amazed

Every one here is into detailing in a big way,so more $ is spent trying out goodies.But for the average owner it doesn't have to be like that....

If i would recommend to someone on a budget,which i have:

1:clay kit
2: shampoo
3:Wax
4:microfibre

Meg's of course!