Bad detailing job

[melbertbloosfan]

Ok, the wifee knows some guy with a mobile detailing business. She took my truck thursday to her work, he came by and completely detailed it (wash, buff, wax). I had fine scratches from a car wash brush that I really wanted taken care of. It looks like most of these are gone

- but -

now it looks like someone ran an eraser or something all over my paint. That is the best way to describe it. Kinda like swirls but it really looks like an eraser or something (i know its not). They are in random circles and swoops all over every surface. Tried to wipe them with a soft cloth and that didn't do any good.

How do I get rid of these? I have a buffer/polisher (craftsman r/o) but very little time to buff. Will just another wax job do or do I need something special to get these out? The paint is smooth, even where these "marks" are.

 

Wife won't let me go back to this dude to get him to fix it.... :

 

Any suggestions for technique and/or products?

 

(Ya, I know we have an appearance forum, but the traffic is somewhat lite down there...)

[dukbludvl]

oh man, that sounds like trouble... I don't let ANYONE but me wash my truck, and it only gets done by hand and dried with 100% cotton towels... those roving "professional" detailers are the worst.

 

I have used the Zaino system (www.zainobros.com) since I bought my truck 4 years ago. I just used the clay bar on it and re-did the entire zaino polish system 2 weeks ago (it takes about a day to do it all), and I have to say the paint looks better than new and has no swirl marks or anything like that.

 

I know one of the Zaino products is supposed to cover up swirl marks -- I think the product is Z5 or Z6 or something. I'm not sure what could have happened to yours, other than maybe the guy used a chamois to dry it and it scraped the paint or something. Or, the wax he used had some crazy chemical reaction with something else you had on there?

 

The only time I've seen the "eraser" look you described is when I used the clay bar on it and the paint was so hot that it left some clay on there... but, all it took was another wash after that and it got rid of that "eraser" look. Did the guy clay bar your truck, perhaps? If so, maybe he didn't get all the clay residue off it and then put the wax on top of it?

 

Man, I'd be pi$$ed if that were my rig.

[2000 GMC]

I wouldn't care what my wife said. I would take it back to this guy right away and have him fix it.

[atomoverride]

call that dude up and tell him to come by your work to detail your car, when he comes by tell him to fix the s**t he f**ked up.

[DJinCO]

I'm with you guys. I wouldn't let anyone else wash my truck, yet alone pay someone to do it. I wash my truck a couple of times a year. Maybe I should wax it sometime. Does wax take the stuck on bug juice off?

 

Cheers,

[melbertbloosfan]

Ya, I hear ya'll. This is the first (and the very last) time someone else's "details" my truck. Wifee was just trying to be nice so I really don't want to bust on her too bad on this. She was so excited about how great it looked and then when I got home and saw it I kinda went off on her about how crappy it really looked. What a nice guy....

 

Anyway, I am pretty sure that he didn't use a clay bar. I have seen swirl before where it kinda gives that halo or hologram effect when the sun hits it. That isn't really what this is. It is hard to see head-on, but get at an angle in the sun and it is really noticable. He did this outside (i think) and thursday was 93 degrees and scorching sun, so maybe it is just f'ed-up wax streaks or something.

 

Ran to sears at lunch and got bonnets and cloths for my buffer and will do a trial run this weekend on the t-gate (its the worst). If I can fix it, I will. If not.....lesson learned.

 

Thanks for the zaino tip, but I don't think I have the time to spend on it. Which really got me into this in the first place. I hate irony.

[asilverblazer]

I only wash and wax my own truck and I ain't the best at it. I use a Wal-Mart special random orbit buffer and I don't leave any marks on my truck using just plain wax. I wonder if washing it with Dawn dishwashing soap would be able to remove it all. Then you could start over waxing it yourself. Best of luck though because they can make a sharp truck uuuuuuuugggggglieeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[hawghunter]

Dawn dish soap over the area this guy FUBARD then re-wax that area. Use your normal, Mothers\Meguiars car wash from there on out. Sounds like residue build up. If the dish soap doesnt work, then its time to clay it. Or before you do that if you have any detail cleaner and a microfiber it may be "armorall overspray"

 

That will be a nice 6 hour day, Soap, Clay, Polish, and wax.

 

I feel you I had a "professional" deatailer detail my truck ONCE. There was sap on the hood and I told him before he came out to bring whatever to take care of it. I told him again that it is a major issue for me and I want it off, I told him dont dry the car or wax it if you cant get it off after washing.

 

After 3 hours I go out there and dips**t is smilling at how great of a job he did, sap still there and now I got swirl marks all over the hood. Almost kicked his ass across the street.

 

Lessoned Learned, I hand wash my own vehicles, I do my own waxing and preperation. I have been able to mask most of the swirls by clay and polish.

 

Good Luck and keep it clean!

[silveradodude]

I deatail cars on the side for about 20 years now and it sounds to me like it was too hot anad the wax more or less "smeared" instead of setting up like it was supposed to.

Solution, you can take your buffer you said you have and apply a coat of polish first and then put a new coat of wax on. It really defeats the purpose of previously paying somebody to do this. If I were you I would call him up and either get 1/2 of what you spent back or have him fix it.

 

I detail alot of cars and I would NEVER be upset at someone for bringing a vehicle back for something like that, I woul be upset at myself for accepting $$$ for an incomplete job.

You failed to mention what color your truck is but I bet as you walk aroun the truck it look like light flashing steaks as you walk around it. Arghhh!!!!

 

Try this first.

 

Get a bottle of quick detailer, You can get this @ Pep Boys, Autozone ect, Either Mothers , maguiars, turtle wax will do. Get a 100% cotton towel.

Wash the truck completley and dry it with THE ABSORBER(again at an auto parts store)......NOT TERRY TOWELS as these can also promote streaking. after the truck is dry go over it with the quick detailer in a cool shaded spot. Sometimes this will work and prevent you from redoing the whole wax procedure.

 

Sorry for the long post but I realy get upset to see people spend alot of $$$$ and dont get the quality the deserve.

 

Good luck and feeel free to e-mail me with any questions

 

[email protected]

[Blue-2001-Z71]

Step one, brick to his head. I wouldn't care what the wife said, if you paid for his services it NEEDS to be done right. Step two, re-wash, clay-bar, and re-max in the shade to let the wax set up as mentioned above. Step three, another brick to his head.

[mhraracing]

Clay bar it. Then re-wax - No too hard - did my HD last week - came out really nice - "Smooth as a Prom queen thigh"

[intruder217]

Don't let him touch it, but make him pay to have a pro fix it.

[hcvone]

Make sure first that it is not just smeared wax, you can strip off the wax with Dawn dishwashing liquid, or 3M Adhesive Remover on a cotton towel, if they are marks from a buffer, and you do not buff cars on a regular basis find a good detail or body shop and have your truck buffed out, after that if you use a product without abrasives your truck should look good for a long time, and synthetic waxes will last 3 to 5 times longer than carnauba's.

[BigTsBadSS]

Sounds like they ruined your paint I would go back and bust his @ss. Next time do it your self I let NOBODY touch my truck my cousin details cars and I wont let him touch it.

[04Yukon]

Hopefully, it's just swirl marks in the clear coat. That's the likely scenario. Most detailers, no matter how STUPID, know not to polish too deep or they will have trouble. Burn marks (areas of pigmented finish that are burned away) would be another thing.

 

Be upset with the detailer (butcher) but don't fret the finish at all until it's treated again properly. You'll probably come out of this with a perfect shine in no time.

 

To fix the problem yourself, visit the detailers' forum at:

Autopia Detail Forums