# Had my car Detailed today......



## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Hi

Had my car detailed today.......he gave me a good price and applied Silver Seal....i wasn't sure if it was applied correctly though.....he sprayed from the tin onto a sponge and rubbed it in and then hand polished off....is that correct? I would have thought that as it comes in an aerosol it should be sprayed on? Whats the correct way of applying silver seal?

Also, can machune buffing damage the car? I have a black car and after the detail i'm sure there are more scratches and paint chips than before?

Any comments would be most helpful.

Thanks


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## S-X-I (Sep 6, 2006)

Sounds like its not been done properly to me.

I have never heard to a quality detailing product that come in an aerosol.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

How much did you pay?

When you say 'detailed', do you mean 'valeted'? (Was it about £40?)


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

A machine polisher can inflict damage if not used correctly... it wont add chips, it may just make more apparent by making the surrounding paint shiny so the chips stand out.

However, if the machine is not used correctly it will inflict its own scracthes and what is known as hologramming with is like clouds on the paint which move with the light source... if the finish looks worse than it did before the detail, contact the detailer and discuss your concerns


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Ihad a full valet, inside and out....he macheined the car with a cutting compound, then laquered, then used autoglym hd wax then applied the silver seal as i described....took them (3 people) 5 hours....paid £150......


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

baba said:


> Ihad a full valet, inside and out....he macheined the car with a cutting compound, then laquered, then used autoglym hd wax then applied the silver seal as i described....took them (3 people) 5 hours....paid £150......


Lacquered? As in applied paint?

If they machined only with a cutting compound then this may have inflicted its own marring which should have been refined using a finishing polish.

Cannot comment on the Silver Seal, no experience of that particular LSP.

Any pics of the marks in the finish that are causing concern? If you can get the finish in direct sunlight, its the best way to assess the paint


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Dave KG said:


> A machine polisher can inflict damage if not used correctly... it wont add chips, it may just make more apparent by making the surrounding paint shiny so the chips stand out.
> 
> However, if the machine is not used correctly it will inflict its own scracthes and what is known as hologramming with is like clouds on the paint which move with the light source... if the finish looks worse than it did before the detail, contact the detailer and discuss your concerns


I don't think there is hologramming....would it be very obvious?


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Silver Seal for anyone wondering:

http://www.autosmart.co.uk/Silver Seal Video.html


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## shredder1uk (Oct 5, 2008)

Sounds like they didnt do a good job to me.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Jumping to all kinds of assumptions here, but it sounds like some cowboys cashing in on the 'detailing bandwagon'. £10 p/h each... not exactly pro rates!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

This is what hologramming looks like:


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Dave KG said:


> Lacquered? As in applied paint?
> 
> If they machined only with a cutting compound then this may have inflicted its own marring which should have been refined using a finishing polish.
> 
> ...


I was quite pleased with the final result....the car was gleaming....was just concerned as before the valet, i did not notice hardly any stone chips on the bonnet edge, but after the valet, there wer quite a few......its a nissan pathfinder, so a 'high' car.....funny thing is that there are hardly any stone chips lower down, on the bumper....just on the edge of front edge of the bonnet.

Also, i had touched up the car before hand, and the machine buffing took some of the touch up pain off in areas...normal?


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

What service did you pay for? Did it include corrective work?

It sounds from your description as if some form of protection detail has been offered and what they have done is to seal your paintwork to give it some protection, but appears they haven't done the correction work if your saying it looks the same or worse.


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## spitfire (Feb 10, 2007)

baba said:


> Ihad a full valet, inside and out....he macheined the car with a cutting compound, then laquered, then used autoglym hd wax then applied the silver seal as i described....took them (3 people) 5 hours....paid £150......


The polishing can often make chips more apparent as the surrounding paint is so shiney. I don't understand why they would put a sealant over AG HDW though. Also, they've made £50 each for 5 hrs work not including the cost of products to come off that. Doesn't sound particularly professional TBH.


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Well he said he would be able to get some of the scratches out and the swirl marks, but didn't...he only machined for about 20 mins on the whole car!!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Aggressive machine polishing can flick out stone chip repairs, yes... A Pathfinder is a big car for 5 hours work if it included any form of machine polishing, this stage takes a lot of time to complete to a high standard owing to the requirement to fully work abrasives...

But as Neil suggests, was it perhaps just a protection detail?

I imagine you'll notice marks a lot more on a shiny car as imperfections will stand out a lot more.


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

I think i may have been done! Thought i was getting a good deal....!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

baba said:


> Well he said he would be able to get some of the scratches out and the swirl marks, but didn't...he only machined for about 20 mins on the whole car!!


Ummmm..... three of them, thats an hour of machining on a Pathfinder... you'd be as well pissing into the wind, especially if using a cutting compound as the abrasives will never be fully worked.


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## tonz (Sep 21, 2008)

All easily said after the fact 

But if you were going to pay £150 , would of been worth looking on here for one of the pro's in your area and paying a bit extra .

At least you have the chance to check out their reputation 

Lesson learnt :thumb:


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Im well pissed off......how much would it have cost to get the car properly machined?


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

baba said:


> Im well pissed off......how much would it have cost to get the car properly machined?


That depends on the detailer, but a vehicle the size of a Pathfinder you'd be looking at two days work and probably upwards of at least £300, if not a lot more.


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

baba said:


> Well he said he would be able to get some of the scratches out and the swirl marks, but didn't...he only machined for about 20 mins on the whole car!!


20 minutes? that's correcting and finishing down half a door :doublesho

//edit - Dave KG beat me to it!


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Is there any point in contacting the guys?? Don't know what good it would do as i don't think they would come to correct it, certainly wouldn't get any money back!


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## baba (Jun 7, 2009)

Dave KG said:


> This is what hologramming looks like:


can you post pics of a finish that does not have hologramming so i can compare

thanks


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

Baba before you jump the gun. As Spitfire has already mentioned they have applied a sealant over a wax finish. There will be no bonding to the cars paint work or cross bonding of the polymers. So you should have a claim with regards the guarantee. As the sealant has not been applied properly. Look into this first and try and get some compensation.
After this then look at getting your car detailed ans paint work corrected properly.

I do not know what area you are in but there is a section with Pros in your are if you have a look.
Hope this helps.
Gordon.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Sure, same car and same panel:

1/2 and 1/2 Pics:




After:


And that car in the sun after the detail...











Detail by me from a long time ago that one.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

baba said:


> Is there any point in contacting the guys?? Don't know what good it would do as i don't think they would come to correct it, certainly wouldn't get any money back!


Ummm... well, really depends on what service was offered and whether or not you feel it has been delivered... but there's no real "standard" thats official to describe what is corrected and what is not, other than the obvious in look... but as there's nothing really official that regulates the detailing industry, there's not really much comeback unless actual damage (strikethrough, scratches, scuffs) has been done.


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## DE 1981 (Aug 17, 2007)

Mate im finding it hard to be sympathetic here, you paid £150 which is peanuts for a correction job, i realise were are in testing economic times but £150 to get your car corrected and defect free is a joke, that wouldnt even get you a protection detail from most of the guys on here never mind a full correction on a vehicle that size.

I hope you get is sorted but take this as a lesson and dont get burnt again.

Gav


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Detail Ecosse said:


> Mate im finding it hard to be sympathetic here, you paid £150 which is peanuts for a correction job, i realise were are in testing economic times but £150 to get your car corrected and defect free is a joke, that wouldnt even get you a protection detail from most of the guys on here never mind a full correction on a vehicle that size.
> 
> I hope you get is sorted but take this as a lesson and dont get burnt again.
> 
> Gav


As above.

And if you paid them cash then you are up the swamp without a paddle.

To give you an idea of price for a full correction detail you are looking at upwards of £500.00 for one of those Pathfinders.

But you did email every pro on here as well, and yes we speak.

I do have sympathy for you as I hate the cheapo merchants but I do feel you let your self be fleeced.


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## Teabag (Dec 17, 2008)

umm sounds like a detailers gold or platinum..with a free "machine polish" where they use a rotary to hologram your paint up

i worked with a cowboy valeter who now calls himself a detailer..funny enough he asked me not long ago to "detail" his car

if he was competent in detailing wouldnt he do it himself? lol!


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## Gleammachine (Sep 8, 2007)

Mirror Finish said:


> As above.
> To give you an idea of price for a full correction detail you are looking at upwards of £500.00 for one of those Pathfinders.
> 
> But you did email every pro on here as well, and yes we speak.
> ...


Indeed, I would imagine that the quotes were pretty consistently priced from the pro's on here, alarm bells would have rung to me if someone was offering to do it for 1/4 of the other prices. 
Prices aren't just plucked out of the sky, if broken down they indicate time required, products and experience to complete the job professionally, it would appear the OP went for the cheapest option and got exactly that, hard to feel any pity when the advice given was ignored.


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## Refined Detail (Nov 27, 2006)

Can't comment on all of it without seeing photo's of the job etc.

As said though, chips will stand out more because of the surrounding paint having more gloss to it but not have been inflicted by their work.

Silverseal is correctly applied by spraying on to a sponge, working into the paintwork, leaving to haze then buffing off, but applied wrongly by putting over the wax. TBH, Autosmart say it won't need wax afterwards, as it's their version of Supaguard, Lifeshine etc.


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## Finerdetails (Apr 30, 2006)

Lets start at the beginning

£150.00 for 5 hour by three guys. Thats under £10.00 per hour for each man after costs.

5 hours to work the interior, full machine polish and detail the car - no chance. I could just turn a paint protection around in that time, but would be flat out for all 5 hours hours and showing visual signs of the pace too - sweating everywhere lol

Sealant over wax - not recommended. this can be done but the lifetime of the sealant is compromised as its cannot fully bond due to the oils in the wax.

Its a sad story, but you took the cheap option to save money, and I see you got what you paid for.

Buy cheap, buy twice. There are enough posts on this forum showing people paying cheap, then paying right to have the job down they wanted in the first place.

If customers ask my to cut a budget I ask them what part of the job they would like me to compromise/not do. Its that simple, the costs relate to the time required to undertake and delivery what you are asking for.

I hope you get this sorted, best of luck.


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## Justa (Oct 23, 2008)

what about if you are paying someone thats just starting off ? Everyone has too start somewhere and it must be difficult starting off by charging £500 + ?

especially if its a weekend job..


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## Mucky (May 25, 2006)

iirc after a conversation with autosmart a while back the silver seal can be applyed OVER the top of wax,so the car can be prepped and waxed then silver sealed on top


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## Frothey (Apr 30, 2007)

Justa said:


> what about if you are paying someone thats just starting off ? Everyone has too start somewhere and it must be difficult starting off by charging £500 + ?
> 
> especially if its a weekend job..


1 person, protection detail for £150 you could get your head around.

3 people, £150 for a correction, sealant, wax...... no.

lets face it, there's 15 man hours - there aren't many trades that will work for £10 per hour including travel and materials!


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## Paul-T (Nov 2, 2006)

Justa said:


> what about if you are paying someone thats just starting off ? Everyone has too start somewhere and it must be difficult starting off by charging £500 + ?
> 
> especially if its a weekend job..


I see what you're saying, but just because someone is new to the game, doesn't excuse a poor job - cheap or expensive. Same as 'cash' jobs, if someone is working weekends and is swerving cash rather than paying tax (and I'm not suggesting anyone specifically here, just making a point), it still doesn't defend a poor job.

You can either do the job properly you're commissioned to do, or you can't. If you can't, you shouldn't be charging for it at all.


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## RRobert (Aug 10, 2007)

baba said:


> Im well pissed off......how much would it have cost to get the car properly machined?


as far as i can tell you have had plenty advice on how much this would have cost you already. like already said, pay cheap, pay twice. lesson learned am sure.
:thumb:

am sure the people that have worked on your car would be happy to step-up to the plate here and have their say ?


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## dominic84 (Jan 27, 2007)

Did you actually see them apply the wax etc as they said they would? It sounds like they didn't have a clue what they where offering/what you wanted and as a result you are left disappointed.


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## lee. (Jan 16, 2008)

Back to the chips on the paint.

Are they on the very edge of the panel?

If so then these are likely not to be stone chips. They are prob from the machine polishing. It sounds to me that they have let the polisher bite into the panel edge and that can almost certainly cause chips in the paint if aggresive enough.

Lee.


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## dw0510 (Oct 22, 2006)

RussZS said:


> Silver Seal for anyone wondering:
> 
> http://www.autosmart.co.uk/Silver Seal Video.html


What a gay video lol!


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## Justa (Oct 23, 2008)

Shine On said:


> I see what you're saying, but just because someone is new to the game, doesn't excuse a poor job - cheap or expensive. Same as 'cash' jobs, if someone is working weekends and is swerving cash rather than paying tax (and I'm not suggesting anyone specifically here, just making a point), it still doesn't defend a poor job.
> 
> You can either do the job properly you're commissioned to do, or you can't. If you can't, you shouldn't be charging for it at all.


true...


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

tmlvaleting said:


> What a gay video lol!


Glad someone else thought this. Never mind reading from cue cards. :lol:


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

tmlvaleting said:


> What a gay video lol!


Everything nowadays was used or inspired by NASA isn't it?!


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

tmlvaleting said:


> What a gay video lol!


comparing silver seal to chain mail used by knights :thumb:

now thats marketing


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## -tom- (Jan 27, 2009)

sounds a bit suspicious to me i have been quoted that by some people but had thoughts to chane my mind and get one of the pros on here do it lol


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## HAWKEY_SKYLINE (Mar 23, 2008)

tmlvaleting said:


> What a gay video lol!


init lol i have finally found a video to send me to sleep from now on :lol::lol:


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