# Discussion: What "OMG!" detailing moment do you rememeber most?



## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

I thought id start this thread as it may be quite fun and interesting for us to all to share some "Oh My GOD!" moments that weve witnessed in "detailing".

This really can be anything you can think of to do with detailing that literally made you drop your jaw. Good or Bad. Short and sweet.

Il start.

I once watched a friend of mine polish his car....*Whilst it was still DIRTY!!*

He just ground that polish in like no tomorow with not a care in the world lol.

I said wtf are you doing!? He said "this polish is great mate, you dont even need to wash the car its fine". Head in my hands...."omg".


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

There was birdpoo on my brothers car, told him to get it off, so he rubs it off with a leaf :wall:


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

One time my auntie put AG Aqua Wax and water into a bucket to wash the car.

"saves time"

don't think it'd even mix tbh


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## MattDuffy88 (Apr 6, 2009)

I think the best 'oh my god' moment was detailing a friends Golf, he insisted it was grey but after a good polish and the dreadful swirls were removed it was black!! He was overjoyed as he wanted a black one anyway :lol:

The worst being watching a bloke take a scouring pad to his Celica :doublesho


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## Dipesh (Oct 12, 2007)

Seeing the shine of red mist for the first time. That made me go wow.


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

Haha brilliant replies! lol :lol:

Oh and just to add....I actually bought the car off that guy about a year later...Once I'd handed over the money, He went on to tell me he'd had sex on every seat


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## keano (Aug 11, 2008)

Love this thread.

My biggest omg moment was using a spot pad on the old clio.

Pad flew off and the DA mashed a huge gash into the nearside wing lol.

_Good times_


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## Th3Doctor (Feb 2, 2010)

Watching the girl next door remove dryed on bird ****e with a brilo pad and warm water. I was literally hypnotised.


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## jetset (Jul 15, 2010)

my OMG moment was a good one. We have a 99 Honda CRV which we have had from near new, was always worth more to us than anyone offered for it, and we ended up keeping it as our business's work horse. We work with boats and so it has been around docks with rail lines and deliveries of 'orrible gritty stuff all its life and the paint was like sandpaper. I could wash it but couldnt polish it as the rough surface demolished the cloth. Then I heard about clay, bought some and took it home. Sat inside the house I said I was going to try the clay stuff and what were the odds on it working cos I didnt hold out any hope at all. My daughter said of course it will work people say so on the forums. And WOW!!!!!!!!!!b did it work. The metallic blue came up like I had never seen before. The paint became as smooth as glass and the metal flakes in the paint were gleaming. That was the good bit. The bad bit is that I have learned a lot on this and other forums (thanks folks) and am now hooked big style. The sponges have been chucked in the bin and I drive around with a plastic box of detailing stuff in the boot. Our business demands big cars for towing and there really is an awful lot of paintwork on a discovery. :doublesho


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## h13ulk (Oct 31, 2008)

my dad used too wash his black merc with the brush for sweeping the floor, i was that disgusted i never even said anything lol


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2010)

2days ago i watched the owner of a porsche use a brillo pad to remove bird poo,i was not amused,complete ignorance to the highest level.

The reason i watched is was walking towards and did not realise it was a brillo as couldnt see very well,upon closer inspection OH DEAR!!


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## Doc (Feb 2, 2008)

Ten years ago I found a product called Autoglym paint restorer, great i thought applying it neatly to my dull bonnet.....

Luckily for me AG SRP sorted the mistake.. lol


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## bigbenstrikes (Sep 9, 2009)

Simpson. said:


> Haha brilliant replies! lol :lol:
> 
> Oh and just to add....I actually bought the car off that guy about a year later...Once I'd handed over the money, He went on to tell me he'd had sex on every seat


You cant shag in the back seat of a TT.... sewriously! :lol:


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

h13ulk said:


> my dad used too wash his black merc with the brush for sweeping the floor, i was that disgusted i never even said anything lol


:lol:


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

bigbenstrikes said:


> You cant shag in the back seat of a TT.... sewriously! :lol:


No this was a Vw Polo! my old car


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## gordonpuk (Mar 14, 2010)

When I got my first rotary polisher some 25 years ago, they only had lambs wool
bonnets, the secret was, on an edge, to polish 'off' a panel, never let it polish 'on'. I took a fair chuck of paint work off a wing edge, 'Oops


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## danjnixon (Jul 4, 2010)

I remember my dad had a mk1 VW Scirocco when I was about 14. I loved the car and one day he let me clean and polish it. After hours of washing and waxing (probably Turtle Wax or something) I stood back and had the most amazing feeling of achievement and satisfaction. And the rest as they say is history...


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## orienteer (Aug 17, 2009)

Mine was buying touch up paint from the usual online retailer then instead of doing a wee test stonechip to confirm match I went all out on the bonnet of my gloss black 320d only to realise after that it was in fact metallic :doublesho :doublesho :doublesho :doublesho

After an energetic machine polish the spots are hardly noticeable but I nearly died when I first realised that the 40+ dots didn't match 

Ian


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## Elliott19864 (May 11, 2008)

See the neighbour wash his van every week with a brush.

Not a proper wash brush but an actual brush you brush the floor with.


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

Not me, but my mum, when I wetsanded her wing. (pre-polishing)

her face was like this :doublesho


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

CupraElliott said:


> See the neighbour wash his van every week with a brush.
> 
> Not a proper wash brush but an actual brush you brush the floor with.


 lol!!


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## james_19742000 (May 8, 2008)

When you buy a car cheap that looks pretty ****t and down at heel, and spending a few days cleaning, washing, polishing etc and then standingback and thinking 'WOW' that looks pretty damn good to me!


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## Dan J (Jun 18, 2008)

seeing one of my customers face light up on two occassions,first time was after id spent 12+hrs on his much loved but ill treated black porche carrera s,it had bad wash induced swirling,back road bush scratches,bit of etching from bird crap, got it looking spot on and his face said it all when id finished.
second time was doing his black ferrari f430 which had the same sort of defects as his porche, came up lovely and made him very happy 
both were well worth the effort and proberly the most enjoyable details ive done to date.

and finally a big OMG moment was using dodojuice Purple Haze for the first time 3yrs ago on my mystic blue mk3 golf gti


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)

I had a call from an owner who had just removed the bugs from the front of his car with a scouring pad :doublesho :lol:

And of all cars it was this one :thumb:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=137437

Robbie


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## Techgeek (Jun 7, 2007)

I wetsanded the mrs black A4, top to bottom, then got called out to work before I could get beyond 2000 grit. she ended up driving about like that for 2 weeks, completely matte and 2 wheels in primer. She got a few people at work asking what the hell happened to her car.


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## VinnyTGM (May 10, 2010)

Techgeek said:


> I wetsanded the mrs black A4, top to bottom, then got called out to work before I could get beyond 2000 grit. she ended up driving about like that for 2 weeks, completely matte and 2 wheels in primer. She got a few people at work asking what the hell happened to her car.


:lol:


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## scottgm (Dec 27, 2009)

Guy across the road taking a measuring jug & soap (probs fairly liquid) along with a scouring pad to clean a massive bird bomb off his Red V6 4Motion Golf... FAIL.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

alan_mcc said:


> One time my auntie put AG Aqua Wax and water into a bucket to wash the car.
> 
> "saves time"
> 
> don't think it'd even mix tbh


Yes it does 

I mixed some with water to see if it worked in a spray....


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## DetailMyCar (Apr 19, 2010)

I remember my Dad pressure washing his brand new Rover 820Si (1993) and as he took to the front wheel, the paint just started flaking off the wheel trim haha, that was pretty funny (I was only 11)!

I think the biggest one for me though, was a girl i knew using wirewool and some water on the bonnet of her Clio after her Dad had told her to get on and wash it for once, that left a nasty mess!

One slightly smaller one that was funny, must have been 8 years ago now but Dad and I were in Halfords, and this guy working there was telling us how he ONLY ever polishes his car with T-Cut, and it doesn't need anything afterwards, "it gives a like new finish" apparently......... Even then I knew that T-cut was surely just removing a tiny layer of paint every time!


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## nurburking DS (Mar 1, 2010)

Well not so long ago i washed and waxed the car then done some other stuff, came back a short time later and thought i would give it a wipe down with Demon Shine and MF to get rid of some gassing, so 5 mins into it im looking at this pink bottle of demon shine sitting on a small wall about 15 foot away from me thinking well thats funny coz i aint got 2 bottles of the stuff. Well lets just say demon shine and Muc-Off wheel cleaner bottles look pretty similiar when your not paying too much attention lol.


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## J1ODY A (Nov 28, 2008)

I wash, polished & waxed a friends Audi A2 - nothing fancy you may think but I couldn't believe after a squirt of Very Cherry the wheels were chrome!!! I texted her I was so surprised...


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## mlgt (Apr 11, 2008)

Ive done the same wetsanding some parts of my friends A3 to remove scratches and orange peel.

Then it decided to rain throughout the spring time and only recently finished the car job. 

The car looks brand new now


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## lew007 (Jun 20, 2010)

T4RFY said:


> 2days ago i watched the owner of a porsche use a brillo pad to remove bird poo,i was not amused,complete ignorance to the highest level.
> 
> The reason i watched is was walking towards and did not realise it was a brillo as couldnt see very well,upon closer inspection OH DEAR!!


one of my custy's has a boxter and between valets he got a load of bird poo on the bonnet so he sent a member of his staff out to clean it off- he used a scourer from the staff room sink and the result was not pretty.

lew


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## Planet Man (Apr 12, 2008)

For me it is when the owners pick up the car and say 'OMG is that my car' 

I am left thinking, if I could have had the car for another day it could have been even better:thumb:


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

I bought some bug and tar remover afew weeks ago as i had quite abit of tar on the lower half of my rear bumper that was annoying me. I bought a Micro fibre / Bug remover 2 sided sponge to use with it....and planned to use the MF side only.

So my rear bumper is basically drenched in this stuff, and i pick up the sponge and begin massaging the whole bumper. Get to the end and hose it down....Only to find out i can no longer see ANY reflections in the bumper and its now matt grey! "omg!" Id totally forgotten the sponge had 2 *different* sides....I thought it was Micro Fibre on both sides lol.

A quick blast with Menz 85 sorted it


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## alxg (May 3, 2009)

When I was an apprentice electrician, the boss of my company asked the stores assistant to give his new Maserati a wash down quickly before he went to a function - he went and grabbed the yard brush and dipped it in the nearest bucket with some washing up liquid in and "went to town" on it :doublesho. 
I wasn't into detailing back then at all, but I swear about half a dozen of us who were there at the time sh*t a collective brick at the sight of it. Makes me shudder even now thinking about it!!


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Using BTBM for the first time:argie::argie:


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## Top_Gun (Dec 7, 2009)

When I had polished my Z for the first time and drove home after sunset through the city.

The reflections in the bonnet were so nice :doublesho


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

When for the first time I decided to wet sand a chip I had over filled with touch up on my door mirror cover, every second I was sanding it I was thinking OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, this is soooo wrong but after a bit of Megs ultimate compound sorted the sanding marks my blood pressure began to return to normal


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## woodym3 (Aug 30, 2009)

watching the local polish cheapos clean alloy wheels then straight to the fron wing, without dunking, on all the lovely porches,merc,bmw, etc etc. doh!!


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## chopperreid (May 22, 2010)

Probably the first time I used a clay bar


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## zedzedeleven (Jan 16, 2009)

A woman across the road comes out and washes her car. She uses one washing up bowl ofwater and a cloth. That`s it. She goes all round the car just rubbing with the cloth and dipping it in the bowl now and again, then she goes in, job done. The same lady once came over and asked me to look at her car as it wouldn`t start. The ignition was on and the heater fan was running full bore. She explained that the night before she had driven through a large puddle and so she was "drying the engine". I couldn`t see anything wrong so cranked it over and it started after I floored the throttle. Strange things women. I knew one once...


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## BoroDave74 (May 16, 2009)

Being a relative newcomer to this, it was not too long ago, and I'm ashamed to say it was the first time I read about using a second bucket...

The second OMG moment was the first time I snowfoamed


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## [email protected] (Jun 12, 2010)

Watching my work coleuge Run a wet sponge over His M3 Withoout even putting water over it first he gave 44k for the fookin thing! I soon ripped it out his hand! as its booked in with me for correction next month! Oh & useing Dodo Juice purple Haze on my Black Car,

Cheers,

Jason.


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## markcoznottz (Nov 13, 2005)

LNValets said:


> one of my custy's has a boxter and between valets he got a load of bird poo on the bonnet so he sent a member of his staff out to clean it off- he used a scourer from the staff room sink and the result was not pretty.
> 
> lew


Bit like the polish guys who work at the car auctions, I dont know which one started it, but they all kept a ball of wire wool in thier pocket and used it to remove bugs etc from the bonnet and front bumpers!.


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## West End1981 (Apr 4, 2009)

My first go using a rotary.

All was going well until I got near the door handle then noticed part of it had melted with the friction !!!!!


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2010)

LNValets said:


> one of my custy's has a boxter and between valets he got a load of bird poo on the bonnet so he sent a member of his staff out to clean it off- he used a scourer from the staff room sink and the result was not pretty.
> 
> lew


It was a boxster i was referring to :lol::lol: although the owner did it himself,MADNESS!!


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## Jon Allen (Dec 27, 2009)

A car dealer showed me how to 'properly' wash a car :doublesho 

He showed me (on a nice BMW) that the best way is to spray on a bit of Mr.Muscle bathroom cleaner and 'work it in' with a pan scourer.

:doublesho :doublesho


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

Jon Allen said:


> A car dealer showed me how to 'properly' wash a car :doublesho
> 
> He showed me (on a nice BMW) that the best way is to spray on a bit of Mr.Muscle bathroom cleaner and 'work it in' with a pan scourer.
> 
> :doublesho :doublesho


Jesus


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## Jon Allen (Dec 27, 2009)

Simpson. said:


> Jesus


Yes it did leave the car in a mess, he wouldnt listen to a word i had to say :wall:


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## ben toney (Jun 17, 2008)

My manager once asked me what the best way to remove bird poo was, any way he didn't take a word in that I said! He just got some fairy liquid and a brillow pad out!!!!


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## Reds (Jan 14, 2009)

Seeing this detail on one of the Volvo forums:-

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=54411

It made me realize the swirls aren't what make a car shiny, two buckets are better than one, lambswool isn't just for keeping baby sheep warm and that my wallet will be permanently empty because of Clark and Rich (thanks lads :thumb.


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## SootyNicko (Nov 11, 2006)

First time I clayed my car... I was very impressed.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who has never tried it.


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## Simpson. (Jun 22, 2010)

SootyNicko said:


> First time I clayed my car... I was very impressed.
> 
> I would highly recommend it to anyone who has never tried it.


Il 2nd that :thumb:


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

For me it was finding this forum! 

Since buying my Megane in 2006 I always wanted to give it 'the best'. Which at the time was all Meguiars products. Certainly no bad thing. 

Then finding this site and realising how much more is out there and making my car even better.


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## BAXRY (Aug 11, 2009)

I got into detailing quite slowly but always had a "OK" wash method but the moment I realised I wasn't shall we say "normal" was when I was washing my car all the works really 2BM, PW, wheels off, rinse, foam, rinse, wash, rinse, dry, quick once over with dodo red mist. I was half way through this had been on a hour already when.....
OMG!
The man across the road came out to wash his P reg pea green Micra, 1 bucket, 1 sponge, 1 rag on a stick to reach the roof...... total time, well wasn't counting but I hadn't done one wheel the time it took him to do a whole car and then start mowing the lawn.... OMG


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

as long as it looks clean, folk aint fussed.... Same with red>pink vauxhalls, black>grey plastics, owners just assume this is a "natural occurance" that happens with time.


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

SootyNicko said:


> First time I clayed my car... I was very impressed.
> 
> I would highly recommend it to anyone who has never tried it.


Ive just clayed mine for the first time today and I have to agree with you, Im well impressed.


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

80skid said:


> Ive just clayed mine for the first time today and I have to agree with you, Im well impressed.


Good ain't it!! :thumb:

I remember claying the rear end of my Lupo after it's first 38k and clearly never been done before. My thinking was that it would probably need to be sprayed.

30 minutes of claying non stop to the rear bumper and it was transformed. Bit of polish and wax and it looked like new. :thumb::thumb:


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