Meguiars Detail Dissapointment

[herb]

So I've taken my truck to Meguiars Detail for the second time. The first time I went everything looked good. Granted my vehicle was a mere 1 week old when I took it. So it's been detailed again by them and I've got more scratch's than when I took it in to them. Please see the below pictures. These scratches are all over the truck not just the hood, the way the vehicle was parked the hood was the easiest to get a pic of the scratch's.




When I picked up the truck it was overcast so you could not see any scratches and the vehicle looked sweet. I asked what they used as a polish and was told #83 and that's what they use on all the vehicles that come in. I asked because I detailed one of my smaller cars with the Porter Cable and #80 and I have scratch's almost similar to this but my detail had lighter and less scratch's. I haven't re-detailed that smaller car without using the MF bonnet w/yellow pad as I believed that is what put the small scratches similar to the ones that you can see in my above pics. Maybe I was expecting something else? For my hard earned cash I expected no scratches like it's brand new. It's now looking like I'm going to have to bust out my own portercable and attempt to detail it myself. It's a truck so a Porter Cable, no garage on a weekend and about 10 hours of my time. Any suggestions?

[travisdecpn]

Have you washed the vehicle or used QD on it between the time you picked it up and the time you took the picture?

[black240sx]

I'm not sure why they would use #83 on a near new vehicle.

[Aurora40]

What is "Meguiars Detail"? It sounds like a detailing company. Do they actually have any affiliaton with Meguiar's, or do they just use the name as a catch?

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Well my first suggestion is that you do some reading up about process/procedure... as it should not, and does not take 10 hours to detail an exterior with the PC. My thought is that somewhere in your own technique, you're doing something to induce scratches and swirls.

As far as questioning why they would use 83 on your vehicle despite its young age, I again would point to how you're maintaining it between details. If you are somehow inflicting scratches/swirls, it is possible that those were deep enough to require 83.

Especially on a darker color like that carbon metallic you posted, I usually go straight for 83 as well. I've found that due to the diminishing abrasives in the meguiar's polishes, I can get quality results regardless if I'm using 83, or 80. The sole benefit of 83 is that it starts off more agressive, and can handle deeper and/or more plentiful scratches.

Now, it is also possible that they didn't work the 83 down all the way, or perhaps that they had a problem with their toweling. I still would have to say though, that there may have just been scratches which were deeper than you thought there were, and they simply could not be removed. Based on the pictures I doubt it, but it may very well have needed a more agressive polish.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by Aurora40
What is "Meguiars Detail"? It sounds like a detailing company. Do they actually have any affiliaton with Meguiar's, or do they just use the name as a catch?

Meguiar's does have a training/certification program, and issues marketing materials for detail shops who participate in their programs.

http://www.autodetailingsolutions.com/Detail%20Shop%20Signage%20Program.htm

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Herb,

Now if after you received your truck back from the detailers the quality of the workmanship did not meet your expectations or their promise, then you should definitely take it back and show them what your unhappy about and give them a chance to make it right.

If nothing else, your post here will be a reality check for a number of segments of our community, including our customers and their expectations, and the people in charge of our detail center and how the results they promise to deliver.

If your expectations are that a professionally detailed vehicle will never have another swirl I'm sorry to say that's not reality. If I polish out one of my cars to absolute perfection, or a customer's car, as soon as the finish begins to be touched, in any way, the potential exists to start putting swirls and scratches back into the finish. These may be very fine swirls and scratches, but swirls and scratches nonetheless.

That's reality.

Just so you know, I detailed this car out a couple of weeks ago,

Before


Cropped out section from the above photo









After











I guarantee you that as soon as they start washing the car, and wiping the car down and place the car back into service as a daily driver, the finish will fall from the high standard that it is at right now and will begin to go down hill.

It certainly won't get better and better with time and use.

The only way to maintain the crystal clear, high gloss results you see right here,




is if the owner continually applies something after each wash. This could be a pure polish, a spray-on wax, or a normal wax. But it is a given that these kinds of results will not remain like this all on their own.

I'm going to forward the link to this thread that you've started to the manager in charge of our Detail Center so that he is aware of your complaint. I'm sure he will be in contact with you tomorrow.

I will also e-mail you and will ask that you send me your phone number so that I can pass it on to him.

Chances are very good that if you bring the car back down, show them where you're not happy, they will re-evaluate their process, modify it and produce the results you're looking for. Or they will tell you that they cannot meet your expectations and return your money.

But I'll say it again, after they turn the car back over to you, in order to maintain the results, you are going to have to actively do something to the car. There is no such think as a miracle product or an invisible force field.

As long as the car is a daily driver and/or touched in any way as a normal course of using the car, the odds are the finish will go down hill, not get better and better. The most you can hope for is to maintain the results that have previous been achieved, however this requires effort on your part, and the part of any car owner that wants to maintain their finish to very high standards.

The only way to maintain a flawless finish without doing something to the paint, (as a part of a maintenance program), is to put a soft car cover over the car, park the car in a garage an quit driving it. If this were not true, then all new cars would always look good and look good for ever. But even a causal perusal of the cars in any store parking lot will show you that car finishes get worse and worse with time, their appearance certainly doesn't remain the same as they looked when they were driven off the show room floor and they definitely don't get better and better over time.

In the end, we will make this right with you.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Aurora40
What is "Meguiars Detail"? It sounds like a detailing company. Do they actually have any affiliation with Meguiar's, or do they just use the name as a catch?

Hi Aurora40,

We own our own detailing center in Lake Forest, CA It is new idea we are trying out.

[herb]

Just so everyone knows, the truck has not been washed or touched since it was detailed. This was about 5 days ago, I haven't had time to get online to post.


Mike, my truck had nearly no fine scratches anywhere on the truck when I took it in. It had been, I want to say about 3 months, since the previous detail from the meguiars detail center. I Washed every week on Sunday with a QD spray as needed throughout the week.

Washes were with a meg's sponge in gold class wash two bucket brigade dried with megs waffle weave towels and finished up on the plastics and top rail spray in bed liner with hyper dressing to clean up the wax buildup left from the first ever detail at the meguiars detail center.

To add to your comments Mike, that paint on the before pictures of the mercedes are horrid. The pics you see of the finish on my truck are much worse than when I brought my vehicle in for the second detail.

Everyone is super nice at the detail center however I'm dissapointed in the end result.

I don't know if taking it back in again would be a resolve either as it's the same people that are detailing vehicles there. I almost feel it's better to eat my hard earned money and just try to free up some time and redo the vehicle myself.

Shiny Detailer:
I have atteneded the meguiars class on techniques for the PC. The length of time it took me to do a sedan in my complex was 6 1/2 hours. I nitpick stuff till it's right so when I look at my truck I think 10 hours. I like to move slow and not rush things. I also follow the steps Mike has posted when using the PC, which I do not have a link for at the moment.



---
Forgot to mention:
The images that you have posted of the mercedes are great and dissapointing at the same time. Great that the paint was that terrible and that you got it looking new again with what I can see 0 scratches and dissapointing to the fact that my paint was lacking really any fine scratches, swirls what have you paint defects and was in 100% better shape than that mercedes yet the results from the megs detail center are terrible in comparison to your end result.

[travisdecpn]

If you show them the problem areas and tell them your concerns with the outcome, I'm sure they would be more than willing to discuss the issue. I'd take it back and express your concerns in person. It could have been an honest mistake, if the conditions outside were less than perfect, maybe the missed the remaining swirls as well. Give them a chance to correct the issue.

[herb]

The problem areas are the entire truck. The entire truck has these scracths and swirls.


I'm going to try to get to them within this week. I have not had time due to work as our company was bought out and people have been quitting in fear of the merger so I am being overworked due to lack of people, read overtime.


Again, I have nothing but accolades for the megs detail center as everyone over there is extremely nice. I just haven't had time to stop by due to work or even fit in a call to explain my situation. I figured some of their team or at least the meguiars headquarters could be of assistance through the site as this is really my only free breathing time. It also says to post instead of emailing them on this site so I have done so.

[imacarnut]

if there's one thing that megs delivers.... it's your 100% satisfaction guarantee. whatever the problem may be, they will make it right.

[Jbirk]

If it is a mass center that gets lots of customer vehicles, they will charge less than someone like Mike P would charge.

Obviously, the work would have to be done faster and not to the same standards.

Remember, you are bringing them a daily driver not a show car. In addition, most people don't know what a swirl is, so they have no reason to do a 100% perfect job.

If you were unhappy, you should probably let them know immediatly. For example, when you pick up your truck you should let them know at that point in time it isn't okay. I am certain they will get it right how could they not?

I mean, I am assuming they have formal training, all the right products, the G-100..... everything needed and the knowlege to do a perfect job. What do they charge btw?

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by herb
[B]Shiny Detailer:
I have atteneded the meguiars class on techniques for the PC. The length of time it took me to do a sedan in my complex was 6 1/2 hours. I nitpick stuff till it's right so when I look at my truck I think 10 hours. I like to move slow and not rush things. I also follow the steps Mike has posted when using the PC, which I do not have a link for at the moment.

Herb,

I have to still respectfully disagree. I'm just as picky as you are, but it doesn't take me 10 hours to detail a truck. At most, it takes maybe 5. I think part of your problem may be that you're under-estimating the level of agressiveness that you need to complete the job. While you certainly can get it perfect using #80, it may take 2-3 passes, whereas if you bumped up to even #82, you could do it in one pass (or at least, less passes than a less agressive product).

I can certainly understand not wanting to rush things, as I do a few things in "less efficient" ways than I could be. However, I do think (and this is comming from someone who details professionally -- for customers) that maybe your expectations are slightly unrealistic. If, as you said, you don't have a garage (meaning the vehicle is outside 24/7), you won't be able to keep the finish 100% perfect in a realistic sense. Even in the nicest weather conditions, there are still environmental factors which are causing some harm to your paint finish. I can leave my truck out in a parking lot for 5 minutes, and come back to a fine layer of dust and grit on the surface. If/when I remove this using a california duster or an MF with some QD spray, I'm guaranteed to leave some marring in the finish. Unfortunately, that's just the nature of the beast.

So after 5 days of sitting outside, it's possible that if anything had friction against the paint, it could cause some swirls (though not likely as bad as your picture demonstrates).

Just another thought.

[Blr123]

Hello All,

Herb I think you are fortunate that you are dealing with a company that takes pride in what they do and the products they offer for sale, something that is few and far between especially when talking about anything in the auto line, certainly here in the UK anyways.

I thnk from what I have read and heard that not only would the detail centre want you to come back but they would appreciate it...........simply because they take a pride in what they do and if it went wrong in your case them they want to know about it so that they can attempt to ensure it does not happen again.........wether that means modifying thier method or giving more training etc.

They also need to know for one simple reason no matter which company you are talking about........it could be the very best company in the world there will always be one or two customers that do not get what they were expecting first time of asking.........all we can hope is that they try to keep this number to minimum and most imortantly put it rite when it does happen.

Bryan

PS sorry for the long story but it isn't something that can be put over in one sentence!