Tell us about your mistakes.

[Underdawg736]

Well since the youtube thread gathered alot of responses about the poor guy using TW rubbing compound, let's hear about some of your detailing mistakes.

I remember when I was a kid, I would do my mom's whole interior with windex.
She had a 1978 Ford Mustang II....well it was my dads before he got an Isuzu Trooper. It was cherry red when it was in his hands and as the years went by it turned more into a burnt orange color with dirt buildup and oxidation, it was also a magnet for drunk drivers. Man I wish we still had that car, ran it 'till the gas tank fell off....literally!

More recently an aquiantance showed me that you could use Stoner's Invisible Glass on your car as a waterless wash. I fell for it and did this many times on my old minivan. Boy I'm glad I don't do that anymore, his car is now primered....Hmmmmm I wonder why!

So what kind of "oopsies" have you done?

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

So far, none. Must mean I'm due

[Bounty]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

So what kind of "oopsies" have you done?

Had to wrap up a detail in a hurry and the last step was to dress the black plastic in the engine bay with Meguiar's Supreme Shine right before a show. It was one of my first mobile excursions and I had done three previous cars so things were disorganized and all over the truck. So instead of grabbing the Supreme Shine I reached for the bottle of Meguiar's Gold Class Leather Conditioner (almost identical bottles as seen below) and didn't realize it until half the engine was done...

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Ummmm, I heard.....from a friend.....yeah a friend! It's a good idea to put the windshield wipers back down before rinsing the soap off with a pressure washer. My......ummmm......friend had a busted windshield because of this. I guess the windshield wiper came down at just the right(or wrong) angle, and cracked the windshield.

Stupid friend

[InfiniteDetail]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Let's see, there's so many to choose from

When I first became interested in detailing I picked up a bottle of M04 and an orbital buffer at sears. I slathered the polish all over the terry cloth bonnet, worked it for a minute, then tried to wipe it off. I wondered why it was so hard to get the polish off after "buffing" LOL

When I was a teenager, my buddy worked in a body shop prepping finished cars for customers. He brought over a rotary buffer and some Zep wax and we proceeded to buff my Datsun B210 without washing it first

[VoicesInMyHead]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Well, I'm sure mine are coming... but Kerrinjeff has been nice enough to help me avoid most potential issues. However, I am getting enough product that I know it's only time before I mix something up.

Jeff has threatened to take a pic and post it of all my stuff... but if the wife sees it, she may actually venture into my man-cave and discover all the money I've been spending!!

BTW Jeff.. I have your new 105 here and your not... guess I'll have to take it back home......

[ColonelCash]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Ummmm, I heard.....from a friend.....yeah a friend! It's a good idea to put the windshield wipers back down before rinsing the soap off with a pressure washer. My......ummmm......friend had a busted windshield because of this. I guess the windshield wiper came down at just the right(or wrong) angle, and cracked the windshield.

Stupid friend

I busted a windshield on my Volvo while changing a wiper blade. Had the wiper arm extended and it came CRASHING down on accident and I had to get a new piece of glass.

[Mike Pennington]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Let's see, there's so many to choose from

OK...I'll admit it...I have picked up and sprayed M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner Conditioner onto a hood thinking it was M34 Final Inspection...

Not the end of the world but definitely an oops....

Mike

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Is this confined to detailing mistakes?

Cuz I could talk about my marriage....

But I would need a separate thread!

[john m.]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Ummmm, I heard.....from a friend.....yeah a friend! It's a good idea to put the windshield wipers back down before rinsing the soap off with a pressure washer. My......ummmm......friend had a busted windshield because of this. I guess the windshield wiper came down at just the right(or wrong) angle, and cracked the windshield.

Stupid friend

Oh man I wish i was there to see that!!

Luckily I havent really had any mistakes besides not using the best stuff (wont name any names) since ive had Nick to help me out and show me the right way before I get a chance to screw anything up

I could show what my car looked like before me and Nick fixed it up but that would be an embarrassment to me, I used to dry it with old bath towels!

[Hemin8r]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

So far, none. Must mean I'm due

Dude, don't say that before you have a Porsche to do.

Well, I also have a friend who was doing a test spot on a customers car using the blue 3M masking tape and after he did the test spot wipe down he pulled the tape back removing some of the paint, DOAH!!!! Not sure why it happened if it was pulled back slowly.

[cardriver]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Spending/Wasting $35 on a generic random-orbit 10'' buffer . It might only be good for wax removal, and even that I'm not sure. I just use a 4-way folded MF cloth by hand.

On one occasion, I was giving a wheelchaired neighbor a ride, and when I let him into the car, I should have laid down a MF along the doorsill, (I didn't) and his wheelchair gouged a chunk out of my 09 Honda "CeramiClear yeah right" paint. Instead of learning how to wetsand and applying touch-up paint and polishing it with 105, 205, #7, and finishing w/ NXT, I just applied some of my sister's "Hard as Nails" fingernail hardener to seal off the stuff because I didn't the paint to flake and rust away! It did not turn out well.

Relating to cracked windshields, I guess anytime one is swapping out wipers, it's a good idea to lay down a few thickly-folded MFs or towels along the base of the windshield to provide some cushioning in case the wipers come crashing down!

[Bert31]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

OK...I'll admit it...I have picked up and sprayed M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner Conditioner onto a hood thinking it was M34 Final Inspection...

Not the end of the world but definitely an oops....

Mike

The bottle I keep my mixture of 50/50 h2O and ISO is the same type of bottle I keep my mixture of Round Up in. I was about a half second from spraying Round Up on my hood. The only thing that stopped me was the smell from some that had dripped down the bottle.

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

I could show what my car looked like before me and Nick fixed it up but that would be an embarrassment to me, I used to dry it with old bath towels!

I'll go ahead and take care of that for you. Pics coming later tonight

[CieraSL]

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

My biggest mistake was not finding Meguiar's sooner.