# The annoying side of being into detailing.



## andy198712 (Jan 20, 2018)

Hello,

Just washed my car, and now 98% of the population probably use car washes and dish soap and sponges....

We spend hours washing and polishing ect, basically spending a lot of time looking closely at our cars body work, so:

I notice every microscopic chip and scratch and it drives me insane at times! I guess you need to just accept its a car that is used daily so it will happen.



Does anyone else find this? every few washes you notice a new tiny tiny imperfection, then see it every time you look at the car but no one else would notice it 

today i noticed a small very very light scuff on my rear bump, cheers who ever did that (its in the side so couldn't have been me)
plenty of love marks (can see them no the sun is out) on the rear quarter which are no doubt my fault and will be polished out when its nicer weather.
and finally and most painfully some very minor surface rust (wiped away)at the bottom of the front quarter panel where stones have eroded the paint and left it bare  (cleaned and applied touch up paint for now) annoying on a 2010 bmw....


now i know for a fact my family who fall into the car wash 98% would NEVER notice such things, but we 2% do :wave:



Its not meant to be a rant, and in a way its good to catch these things earlier, especially stone chips. but i can't stop staring at it now :doublesho


Anyone else feel my pain?


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yes it does happen, we are in a community that strives for perfection in our car or to at least raise the bar to a high standard, my car has a couple of minor chips lower down and it will happen to any car regardless if anyone cares for it or not. But as long as the paintwork is in superb condition thanks to the knowledge gained on here then I'm happy with that, stone chips or imperfections can be dealt with. :detailer:


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## M300JDG (Oct 2, 2017)

I feel this pain badly! I spend 5 hours detailing my car until it shines like a mirro, drive to work and it's plastered in mud again and I sit at my desk looking at it feeling demoralised! Can't wait until it's summer again and I can detail spray every hour 

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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

I take some small solace in the fact that, even having been  on by some passing vulture and with some minor spotting because I left the AA Rapidcoat H2O on a bit too long, it was still the cleanest car on my mum's road this evening by a country  mile


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## Jack R (Dec 15, 2014)

I feel your pain, I think I can find at least one imperfection on every panel of mine. 
But having said that I have noticed that people are washing there cars more often at work now! Even convinced one colleague to join up on here although he’s not completely converted yet, his car does appear to be a lot cleaner.


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## Radish293 (Mar 16, 2012)

We moved out of a town in to a village a year or so back. There are loads of farms around the area and the roads are minging. The only place my cars stay clean is on the drive. Two miles down the road and I wonder why I bother. But I will get the buckets out and start again. Thanks for Green Star it makes my life less stressful.


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## Slammedorion (Apr 13, 2014)

I deal with paintwork imperfections daily ( it’s my job ) :wall:
I see faults in everything :lol: not just cars...


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## dan4291 (Dec 7, 2012)

I've just changed cars and I'm positive that I'll find a new issue every time I wash it. Also got my previous car and always found a new stonechip or imperfection after pretty much every wash. Just one of those things I guess. The annoying thing for me though as finding the time to sort the issues out, finding it really difficult at the moment!


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

I gave the chauffeur work horse e-class a wash Sunday. While giving it another coat of C2v3, I noticed a small scuff/chip. Not sure how it happened, whether it’s a door ding scrape. Still annoying, but, at 200k miles, it’s totally ding free.

What annoys me most, my colleagues just see their cars as work horses, and use hand car washes all the time. Their cars look cleaner at times, i hand wash mine, spend hundreds of £ on cleaning products. I do wonder sometimes, why bother when the others don’t give a hoot and their cars still look clean.


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## Mcpx (Mar 15, 2016)

First thing I learnt when I got into Detailing was that there are 6 foot cars and there are 1 foot cars. Most cars look ok from 6 feet away, some that are cleaned regularly, albeit poorly, even look pretty good from that distance. But when you start to get closer they start to look progressively worse, so the object of the exercise when detailing is to have a car that looks as good up close as it does from a distance, a 1 foot car. 

I see this regularly with my neighbor, washes his car every week without fail, single bucket, cheap sponge then plasters it with Demon Shine, and from 6 feet+, it looks clean and shiny, but get any closer and the swirls start to show. I’ve just done a two stage polish and a coat of wax on mine today and I can look out from an upstairs window at my car parked next to his and there is a difference but it’s not a monumental one, definitely not proportionate to the amount of work put in. Of course a 1 foot car will always look better than a 6 foot car at any distance, but the difference in time and effort and investment between the two is massive, so where do you draw the line?


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## rubberducky1957 (Jan 8, 2016)

Finding and repairing minor defects was the primary reason for my subsequent detailing obsession- it was the only way to find and fix them asap. Doesn't make it any less irritating though.


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## youngwangie (Oct 9, 2016)

I find that when I give the car a good, good clean & polish.
The car get's BOMBED by an Albatros, I have no idea where it comes from, I thought they lived on the wing in the South Atlantic. 
But one lives round near me in sunny Salford I'm Bloody sure of it


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## Izzy (Oct 31, 2008)

Are we rare? I never see anybody near me that takes the same time and care. I agree I see plenty of cars that look good 6ft away, what makes us bother (with the time and effort) about the other 5ft!


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Izzy said:


> Are we rare? I never see anybody near me that takes the same time and care. I agree I see plenty of cars that look good 6ft away, what makes us bother (with the time and effort) about the other 5ft!


About as rare as your posts :lol:, but joking aside, we are in a very small minority I'm afraid.


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## wish wash (Aug 25, 2011)

Having to explain yourself to people who think your crazy.


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## hissinsid (Nov 26, 2006)

I believe we all have a thing in us to be obsessional, be it collecting train numbers, keeping fanatically fit, fishing or anything else. We just happen to be it about detailing and it can be annoying because it can interfere if you let it due to all sorts of reasons but its that striving for perfection and pride.

I have learned not to now even though I love it. A family member purchased a new Porsche Macan Turbo not so long ago, amazing machine, awesome paint (volcano grey?). Where does it go - Tesco hand wash.

Could I weep. Oh yes. Could I loose days putting it right. Oh yes.

So for me the most annoying thing could actually be me! In the words regularly used by my missus - its only a car (runs and hides).

S

PS this week I have had purchased: new wash mitt, 3 x different wax, final polish, new DA, trim gel, wheel brush, DA pads..........


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## dazzlers82 (May 8, 2007)

the little scuffs an chips really do get to me and sometimes i wonder why i bother, but yesterday i got in from work and my misses said you need to rewind the camera and watch the next door neighbour drying there car with the pillow cases, she said she must have been watching you as she had some sort of detail spray she was spraying an wiping on as well. I couldnt believe it when i see it lol:lol:


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## DimitriUK (Jan 18, 2017)

I feel you pain mate, in my case I see detailing as a hobby and opportunity to burn some calories. The downside is that makes you developing an eye for details and this is not a good thing when you can now see even the smallest swirl and mark :-(


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## brooklandsracer (Mar 3, 2017)

wish wash said:


> Having to explain yourself to people who think your crazy.


Yes I agree if someone sees you spending time week in and week out they think you are mad or strange for doing it every week but for some reason nothing is said if someone is doing their garden every week.
Then if you take pride keeping your car clean you go out and find some Oink has sprayed a can of drink up it as was my case a few weeks back but thankfully not milkshake or eggs.


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## Fruitcake (May 9, 2011)

My car just spent a couple of days at the dealer having a warranty repair and an MOT... I thought it was only going to be there a few hours and the thought of that was bad enough but due to some **** up they didn’t get the warranty work approved until late yesterday so it had to stay overnight...

I genuinely had nightmares about them washing it despite my DW hanger, signs on the dash and them putting DO NOT WASH on the worksheet. I was ridiculously anxious until I got to pick it up (and thankfully it was unwashed!)


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## lijongtao (Dec 1, 2017)

My neighbour has a mobility car. In the 3 years she's had it she has never washed it. Even though she has family that could do it I offered my help. It was terrible but took me 8 hours to do and she was really pleased with it. I wanted to do so much more.

When we detail we get intimate with the car, we know every mark, new marks we take personally but I feel there is something to be proud of here. I take a great pride in keeping a car nice. We had our last car 16 years and it was cleaner than any new car on the street so it is taking a pride in something for me that's important. 

I do though always want to wrap the car in cling film when washed. Put a bouncy castle over it in car parks (when parked in the corner of it, 2 miles away) and fret over it when we're out which takes a little fun out of it for me. But it's a car that's supposed to be driven and enjoyed. As long as I enjoy cleaning it I will carry on because it is my thing and I love walking up to it when I come back being parked up and I stand and admire the work that's gone into it.


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## youngwangie (Oct 9, 2016)

Look clean but deep down YOU KNOW there not DON'T YOU


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## JAISCOSSIE (Apr 11, 2006)

I gave up trying to have a perfect condition car as a daily, had a 3 month old C63s that was unmarked and as new only done 1k miles.
Too many things out of your control no matter how careful you are. 
For instance I was sat outside my lads school in the car minding my own business when a woman in a brand new rr sport come roaring in and hit the front of my car. Also was driving on a dual carriage way and had no option but to drive past a transit tipper dropping fine shingle/sand out the back at 60mph. 
When I got home and checked it had basically sandblasted the nsf headlight and bumper. ****ed me off so much I sold the car. 
Just have a 6 year old Volvo D5 now done 70k miles and has the odd minor mark but still keep it just as clean and if the odd small thing does happen to it then I don’t feel like I’m going to explode as at the end of the day accidents do happen and other people can be very careless.


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## huxley309 (Apr 8, 2006)

Fruitcake said:


> I genuinely had nightmares about them washing it despite my DW hanger, signs on the dash and them putting DO NOT WASH on the worksheet. I was ridiculously anxious until I got to pick it up (and thankfully it was unwashed!)


The naughty side of me would detail it, only tell you prior to seeing it :devil:


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## m500dpp (Feb 17, 2006)

I have a brand new Merc estate with just 1000 miles on it. Totally pristine, but I'm paranoid where I leave it and have a 06, 325i that I'm not too bothered about and it gets used far more. I'd like new wheels on it but I dont want it to become another car I'm scared of using.

My first Merc was absolutely pristine, and the first time I left it in Tescos an old bag banged her door hard on it denting the door and chipping the paint. I'm convinced it was jealousy and I think that a pristine clean car attracts such behaviour, may be better to leave the car dirty!

I agree us detailers are obsessive about many things, I cannot stand blunt kitchen knives and spend a lot of time seeking the perfect edge......


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## bluechimp (Dec 21, 2017)

m500dpp said:


> I agree us detailers are obsessive about many things, I cannot stand blunt kitchen knives and spend a lot of time seeking the perfect edge......


I hope that doesn't link to the poor dear who thoughtfully pranged your Merc. :lol::devil:


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## andy198712 (Jan 20, 2018)

3 pages, i know i wasn't alone but this makes me feel better 

makes me wonder if i'd enjoy a brand new car now i'm into detailing? (not that i could afford one lol)


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## Kenan (Sep 7, 2015)

Trying to explain to the wife why I watching automatic touchless car washers on youtube


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## Clean-my-sxi (Feb 5, 2008)

Yes it very addictive, though due to buying a house and renovating it over the last few years , ive not had as much time for the car, and ive even managed to sell off some of my products . Stopped using the snow foam lance aswell now.


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## OnTheRob (Jun 30, 2016)

If you enjoy it, nothing else matters.

I spent about 5 hours doing the missus' Golf on Monday, it was snowing whilst I did the wheels. It was supposed to just be a maintenance wash but I ended up going over the whole car with AF Tripple and then AF Glisten just cos I've had them in the cupboard for ages and fancied trying them.

Close up, the paintwork on that car is atrocious (mainly from previous owners). It's scratched, swirled, chipped and has rust spots so I sometimes think 'what's the point of pre-wash and 2BM with this?' but I do it regardless.

Car looked class when I'd finished but the next day it looked like it hadn't been washed for a month.

I do sometimes think 'why bother?' but like I said above, if you enjoy it, f*ck it.

I'm so addicted. I spend far too much time watching stuff on YouTube and buying stuff but I have a mate that's just spent nearly £3k setting up a marine fish tank so that makes me feel better!


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## Stewie1873 (Oct 25, 2014)

Of all my hobbies detailing is my favourite, I used to get really annoyed with the 'you'll make it rain' or 'how much to do mine' comments off the neighbours, all said sarcastically of course and the amount of pain it sometimes caused my bank balance!


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## andy198712 (Jan 20, 2018)

Stewie1873 said:


> Of all my hobbies detailing is my favourite, I used to get really annoyed with the 'you'll make it rain' or 'how much to do mine' comments off the neighbours, all said sarcastically of course and the amount of pain it sometimes caused my bank balance!


i just tell them my rates are to high :thumb:


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## huxley309 (Apr 8, 2006)

Not being able to look at a single car, and not pick out everything that's wrong with it.


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## rubberducky1957 (Jan 8, 2016)

huxley309 said:


> Not being able to look at a single car, and not pick out everything that's wrong with it.


Yep that's OCD for you and hard to avoid with most serious interests as I am sure some of the photographers on here would attest. I took a break from taking "serious" images years ago when I began to only see the world in front of me in terms of light, shadow, composition, framing and perspective. Began to really irritate. Now I just take pictures.


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## voon (Apr 28, 2010)

Depends on the cars age for me. If it's brand new, then I will personally hunt down any insect, that dares sitting on it, kill it, its offspring, basically everything back down to its ancestor and friends. If I owned the car for 3-4 years already it's more of an "Ah, fek, another to add to the collection, ah well".


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## Sam534 (May 10, 2017)

I go through phases, but now the car has been in 2 accidents one my fault and one not and was very minor. I have realised it could be alot worse, and instead finding more pleasure from driving it.

Still trying my upmost best but not sweating the small stuff, it's my daily and for some it may just be a weekend car, in which case I'd be more anal.

Not going to stop me breaking out the polisher in the summer. 

Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

Most annoying thing is my wife EVERYTIME threatening to return any failings I may have made in the home at the car, for example leave a foot print on the kitchen floor, or drop a few crumbs on the carpet. I get “ how would you like me to go throw food at your car, or put footprints all over your paintwork “.


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## voon (Apr 28, 2010)

Hehe, I know that one ... but you can't treat a car like a human. A car needs love and care.


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## Mcpx (Mar 15, 2016)

Just getting set up to wash all the muck off and the forecast has changed from sunny and warm for the afternoon to cold with snow!!!


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## OldskoolRS (May 5, 2011)

I'm just waiting for a 'helpful' neighbour to knock on my door to tell me that my car is on fire....it isn't, but I'm doing an 'Airvidox' treatment to try to get rid of cigarette smell from it (recently bought secondhand). 

Trying to explain that the 'smoke' is to help get rid of the smell of smoke isn't going to be easy if this happens.


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## Mcpx (Mar 15, 2016)

Just managed to selflessly give the lads Punto it’s first wash and a quick squirt of BSD before the heavens opened. That paint needs a lot of work but as it was sunny when I was rinsing it off I got a tantalising glimpse of the purple/red flake in the black paint. Then it p’d it down. Looks like I’ll be doing my own in the rain tomorrow.


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## rubberducky1957 (Jan 8, 2016)

Just experienced a bite my tongue moment with an acquaintance who was asking how best to look after his new car because mine always looks so clean. He then said "I've just been looking at that detailing forum, what a bunch of nutters"! Bl**dy nerve. I think what he meant to say was what bunch of knowledgeable, dedicated, skillful happy nutters. And no I didn't enlighten him.


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## andy198712 (Jan 20, 2018)

OldskoolRS said:


> I'm just waiting for a 'helpful' neighbour to knock on my door to tell me that my car is on fire....it isn't, but I'm doing an 'Airvidox' treatment to try to get rid of cigarette smell from it (recently bought secondhand).
> 
> Trying to explain that the 'smoke' is to help get rid of the smell of smoke isn't going to be easy if this happens.


if that fails follow it up with the meguirs de oderiser spray can thing, it worked well for me when i brought my car that had been smoked in.


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## OldskoolRS (May 5, 2011)

Thanks Andy; so far so good. No neighbours knocked on the door (the 'smoke' cleared after a while anyway). Faint smell of chlorine and a mix of Dr Leather wipes for now as I lowered the roof afterwards to clear the fumes. 

Annoying that we didn't notice the smell when we bought the car; I guess it was because they'd had the roof down when they brought it across from their storage.


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