C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

[philming]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Hi there well that was an interesting thread ! Sorry to hear you're left with that kind of frustration, and I dearly hope the time you'll spend NOT detailing your cool car will let you recharge your batteries, and that you'll come back in a few months, fully loaded, and ready to make things happen with your car !
Kinda happy to have a rather recent Skoda Octavia, its paint is supposed to be a little more workable. But god would I love to own a car like yours !

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Here is the car at the auto show my car club organized. I didn't get a chance to take it during the day when the sun was out since I was busy hosting the event, but needless to say it was quite depressing.

So here's a photo of the car in the shade as the sun was going down. I'm going to wrap this thread up at this point as I am going no further with this project. Going to have to find a way live with the paint as bad as it is until I get the car repainted. I don't think it can be done otherwise unless someone knows a detailer around me that can work miracles. Nobody around here seems competent enough to do it.

Just want to thank everyone once again for the support. See you on the forums.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

You took it back to the same crappy detailer??? Sorry but after he didn't do **** the first time for you I wouldn't have brought it back for him to do nothing again...

As I said previously in this thread, I brought it to a 2nd detailer already. The first detailer wanted to give it another shot, he told me could get it done. The 2nd detailer requested that I give the other guy a second chance as well, since I had money invested in him already and it's good business practice. He said if it happens again, come to him and he will get it done.

I have $300 spent on this guy already, so I decided to give him another chance to get it done before confronting him about getting some of that money back so I can take it to the next guy. Well, time to collect. I don't mind giving a guy a 2nd chance...but that's where it ends.

Probably going to have the 2nd detailer cut/buff the hood/front bumper at this point and call it quits. I'll just save my pennies and get the entire car repainted next spring. Nobody seems to know or be able to recommend a competent detailer around here that can actually get work done.

[fzr confused]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

You took it back to the same crappy detailer??? Sorry but after he didn't do **** the first time for you I wouldn't have brought it back for him to do nothing again...

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Brought it back from the detailer today. Everything I told him I wanted done the first time, and then brought it back because he said he would do it the second time...is all still there. He hasn't touched a dang thing.

1. Swirls/spiderwebbing completely covering front bumper/hood
2. Weather stripping still knocked loose
3. Underside lower part of hood still not even touched/filthy
4. Waterspots under hood
5. Wax buildup still under seals/stripping


As of right now, I'm out of time. Big car show we have spent months prepping for is next Saturday. I just hope to god that the swirls that blanket the hood dont show up in the cloudless bright sunshine we are suppose to be getting next weekend.

I'm at a loss for words here, no idea what to do about this next. I know I'm out $300 bucks though for a fancy waxjob.

Too nervous to try anyone else at this point.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Thanks guys. I'm just a bit stubborn and don't quit easily.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Boy, this thread has legs. Nice to see a new member actually stick a thread out until the end. All too often someone just gets a *little* advice, and then they disappear without the rest of us ever knowing how things turned out. Good luck with the car Demon

We agree.

You comment is very accurate in that often times people join, ask a few questions, get their answers and we never see or hear from them again. That's okay that's how this forum operates, but it is nice to see a member follow-up with their success and even lack of success.

We haven't given up hope yet and will continue to monitor this thread and help where we can.

[Bostonsfavson]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Boy, this thread has legs. Nice to see a new member actually stick a thread out until the end. All too often someone just gets a *little* advice, and then they disappear without the rest of us ever knowing how things turned out. Good luck with the car Demon

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Took it to another detailer today to see if he could just get the hood/front bumper done for me before the 27th since my DA is still out of commission and haven't had a chance to send it back yet.

He was amazed by my work and that this was the first car I've detailed (besides just applying basic wax). He saw the difference between the panels I did and the hood and was just dumbfounded on how big of a difference it was.

It was a pretty good pick-me-up and made me a feel a bit better.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Anybody could spot it from quite a distance in the sunlight. The detailer I brought it too sure did. And then he proceeded to lecture me for 20min on how to properly take care of a car and why it's in the condition it is. Being able to spot it and being able to fix it are two entirely different things, unfortunately.

The problem is, I'm not worried about someone ruining the work I have already done...but trying to get the hood/front bumper actually completed. I couldn't do that section because my DA failed, so now it stands out BIGTIME.

[Desertdawg]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

I wish I was closer to help.
Before you hand it over to the guy, or any other detailer ask them to evaluate your paint for you, then have them tell you thier plan of attack. Don't just point out your problem, see if they are good enough to spot it!

You have enough knowldge now to determine what needs to be done so if you can't find someone locally that can correct your paint then you may want to live with it through the car shows until you have the time to work on it yourself. Park it out in the sun and have some neighbors, or friends walk around it to see what they see, I'm my own worst critic so I only see the worst spots and sometimes I miss the overall picture....

I would hate to see another detailer ruin all the work you have done with a careless rotary buff!

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

I won't have the time to do it myself now or in the future. Maybe over the winter months when the car is permanently garaged again for 5-7months (LOTS of rain here in Portland). I travel for work every week, and that doesn't change. So I only get usually a 3-5hr window on a Saturday or Sunday to really get any work done on it. That's why it took so long for me before deciding to take it somewhere else.

I am still hoping to take it somewhere to get it finished. There is a car show this weekend that we have been planning on attending for quite some time. I highly doubt the detailer that I already took the car to will be competent enough to get it done by that time, or at all. I've been trying to look for someone else to take it in, but time is running short.

Our clubs first huge car show is on the 27th of this month, and I wanted the car DONE by then at the very latest. It's not looking good. We've spent nearly 6months planning out every detail of this show and my car needs to be there and in top condition.

I know with a bit more time and effort I could do it myself. The only problem right now is that I'm in a time crunch to get it completed with the car shows coming up FAST.

[Desertdawg]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

When I read the part about taking it to a shop, then they needed it a second day I cringed, that meant they weren't successful the first time so the heavy artillery was needed. At least they didn't swirl the hell out of it for you... Ask for most of your money back! Then tell them about MOL so they can learn how to become true detailers!!!

So what is the game plan? Are you going to have the time to work on it yourself now?

I would like to see you finish this yourself, that way you will always have the skill to fix any problems that will pop up in the future.

[Demon_C5]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Of all the thousands of threads on this forum, this is the only one that stands out in my memory where we haven't been able to see our forum member through to success...


We appreciate your tenacity and your follow-ups to this thread on your progress.

I definitely would not consider my situation a blemish on that perfect record.

I can expand a bit more on that later, but this entire thread and the current status of my car is squarely on my own shoulders. It is due to my own lack of knowledge, time, and experience. I should have had this figured out by now...

Thanks again for the support. Regardless of my experience on this particular vehicle, I will be a Meguiars customer and fan for life!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: C5 Vette - 1st DA Use

Of all the thousands of threads on this forum, this is the only one that stands out in my memory where we haven't been able to see our forum member through to success...


We appreciate your tenacity and your follow-ups to this thread on your progress.