# How the hell do I choose one ?



## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

So a few months ago I made a deal with a friend of mine that I would give a free detail to one of his customers.

I did this simply as a little "sales gimmick" for him as he is a good mate of mine who has only just set up in business ( as a mobile mechanic ) and he is finding it hard at the moment.

The way it worked was that he would give a little form out to all his customers, and to get the opportunity of a free car detail they would have to send me a pic of their car and a brief reason why "there car needed a free detail"

I would then choose one winner from any entries that came in by the 12th September ( my mates birthday ).

So today I went to my mates house hoping to have a few to choose from. I was not expecting many, maybe 10 or so !?!?!?!?!

Well, to my shock, I have got to choose one winner from 98 entries !!!!

How the hell do I choose one ???

What reasons should I look for and what cars/colours do you guys think I should go for ? 

Any opinions on how to choose one would be very appreciated. I was not expecting so many to choose from !!

There are lots of different cars, from an old Peugeot 306 right up to an almost new Ford Mondeo.

Reasons why their cars needs a valet range from "pleading poverty" to "jokes"

I will of course be doing a showroom thread on the car once I have done it


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## R0B (Aug 27, 2010)

go with the funniest joke Mark


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## steve from wath (Dec 12, 2008)

well

how was you going to choose from any of the 10 you thought you would get

just use the same thoughts and go from there :tumbleweed:


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## durmz (Nov 2, 2010)

coolest car. easy


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## cmillsjoe (Jun 20, 2012)

id go for an older car (not worth a lot ) that seems well looked after that way you know they think alot of their car and will keep it like that rather than a high range car 3 or 4 years old and the dirt hanging off it knowing it will be like that in a months time again


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## jlw41 (Jun 5, 2011)

I'd choose the car is the worst state, best 50/50's etc.

Mainly because I'm a fan of your turn around threads Mark :thumb::lol:


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## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

Pick the faded red one if there is, you know you'll get the biggest turnaround on it and all the rest will think I could do with the same :thumb:


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## Mac T5 (Dec 6, 2011)

Don't look at them just pick a number from 1 to 98


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## Shinyvec (Feb 12, 2010)

Pick a swirly black one or the worst looking one as said


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Chuck a dart at a board and pick that one.


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## init6 (Mar 28, 2012)

Smallest car


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Number 54. Sorted


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## svended (Oct 7, 2011)

For me it would have to go by how much the owner cares and maintains the car but hasn't been able to look after it's asthetic appearance for reasons out of there control. I'm not keen on detailing cars whos owner treats them as a mule and can't be bothered ever to do it but wants it clean for a mates wedding there going to.


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

svended said:


> For me it would have to go by how much the owner cares and maintains the car but hasn't been able to look after it's asthetic appearance for reasons out of there control. I'm not keen on detailing cars whos owner treats them *as a mule and can't be bothered ever to do it but wants it clean for a mates wedding there going to*.


There are sadly a fair few of the cars where the owners reason it "deserves a free detail" is that they dont have the time or inclination to do it themselves 

So, I am going to take a look through them and find all the people who obviously likes there car but cant clean it themselves for a genuine reason, then I will choose the car that looks the worse from that lot.


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## Marky-G-66 (May 31, 2012)

eeny meeny miney mo?


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

It's a no brainier. You should offer a freebie promotion in the hope of attracting further business. You pick a customer who looks to have a few bob in his pocket and might return in time for a proper paid detail. A customer with a nearly new Mondeo is a more likely prospect than someone with an old car worth a few hundred quid.


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

S63 said:


> It's a no brainier. You should offer a freebie promotion in the hope of attracting further business. You pick a customer who looks to have a few bob in his pocket and might return in time for a proper paid detail. A customer with a nearly new Mondeo is a more likely prospect than someone with an old car worth a few hundred quid.


Cheers mate, although I am not actually doing this to get new or more business, I am doing it simply to give me a car to do other than my own, to be nice to someone else and, originally, it gave my mate something to offer his customers as a "little extra" from ******AutoRepairs.


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## sparkey32 (Aug 11, 2012)

jlw41 said:


> I'd choose the car is the worst state, best 50/50's etc.
> 
> Mainly because I'm a fan of your turn around threads Mark :thumb::lol:


I'd have to agree with this too.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Follow your heart, not your head or pocket on this one. :thumb:

One of the entries will resonate with your sense of good being.


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

Tips said:


> Follow your heart, not your head or pocket on this one. :thumb:
> 
> One of the entries will resonate with your sense of good being.


Thanks mate. I have been looking through them all to see if any of them "stand out" to me more than others ( a little like the way that little Red Nissan Sunny I did for someone last year did ), but sadly none of them has just yet.

I think I have narrowed it down to about 20 possibilities so far


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

MarkSmith said:


> Cheers mate, although I am not actually doing this to get new or more business, I am doing it simply to give me a car to do other than my own, to be nice to someone else and, originally, it gave my mate something to offer his customers as a "little extra" from ******AutoRepairs.


Ok, better still, pick the one with a tow bar, he may have a caravan for you to valet.


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## pinch (Oct 30, 2011)

Your favourite Chinese takeaway number?

Any of the cars with a prime number in the reg?

Best colour?

A 'car proud' owner?

Most mileage?

Oldest car?

How about short listing 10 of them, doing a freebie for the winner and a good discount offer for the other 9? Some might take it up. Good luck, I dislike being a judge of any competition, but some definite criteria help.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

Down to 20 entries, well done Mark :thumb:

Now leave them alone, get on with the rest of your evening as usual, at some point tonight or tomorrow 'one' of the entries will talk to you.

Spooky


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## O`Neil (Aug 13, 2007)

Pick the best looking lady driver :thumb:


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

O`Neil said:


> Pick the best looking lady driver :thumb:


:lol::lol::lol::thumb:


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

Tips said:


> Down to 20 entries, well done Mark :thumb:
> 
> Now leave them alone, get on with the rest of your evening as usual, at some point tonight or tomorrow 'one' of the entries will talk to you.
> 
> Spooky


Good advice, thanks mate, I will put these 20 in the drawer and leave them now til the morning before looking at them again :thumb:


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## JakeWhite (Oct 14, 2011)

Pick someone who says something quirky and a car that appeals to you. Also try and pick someone who will appreciate the work going into their car by you (kinda hard to judge from a quick questionnaire I know ) as do you really wanna put all that effort into a car (for free) for someone to turn around a say "Cheers, although it doesn't look much different to when I do it" (and that's not me saying pick the most expensive car either  )


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Tips said:


> Now leave them alone, get on with the rest of your evening as usual, at some point tonight or tomorrow 'one' of the entries will talk to you.
> 
> Spooky


I do believe that's what Roberto does on a Friday night.


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)

S63 said:


> I do believe that's what Roberto does on a Friday night.


Ha, ha  :thumb:



> Eh Carlos, he eez a gud playa, I think for this reason he shud stay.
> 
> In diss moment, I am berry eppy for im


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## kk1966 (Aug 8, 2007)

cmillsjoe said:


> id go for an older car (not worth a lot ) that seems well looked after that way you know they think alot of their car and will keep it like that rather than a high range car 3 or 4 years old and the dirt hanging off it knowing it will be like that in a months time again


Thats a good method...i like that...


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

S63 said:


> I do believe that's what Roberto does on a Friday night.


:lol::lol:


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## jonnyMercUK (Apr 19, 2012)

98 entries from his customers..and he is finding it hard?


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

jonnyMercUK said:


> 98 entries from his customers..and he is finding it hard?


:lol:

I questioned this with him too - and he told me that around 70% of them were from friends and families of his customers.

He made it so that his customers could recommend his services to others by letting them also enter for a free detail, which I thought was fair enough as the whole point of the free detail was to help him promote his services.

And in return he is going to do any work I need on my van for the upcoming MOT test for me.


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## wylie coyote (Jul 15, 2007)

As said, I'd pick the one that will be the best advert for his business. A free monthly detail sounds like a good way to keep retaining business and getting more!:thumb:

Not sure what you would think of it though Mark....


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## Ratchet (Dec 30, 2011)

If it gets to hard to decide, why not just pick one out of a hat. :thumb:


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

Tips said:


> Follow your heart, not your head or pocket on this one. :thumb:
> 
> One of the entries will resonate with your sense of good being.


Any of the owners, old, disabled, carers, or had it rough recently?


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## Lupostef (Nov 20, 2011)

The one most in need of some love, or the one you'd most like to work on :thumb:


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## steve from wath (Dec 12, 2008)

wondering

how did this turn out???

who won

and why


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## Wheelzntoys (Jan 28, 2012)

How about the one with the most compelling reason or creative reason.


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

So, its been a while, but I have finally decided on which one of these cars I am going to do. Its a red Astra ( yes I know, its Red again !!! ) Mk3 on an N Plate which has of course, being a red Vauxhall, faded to pink. It belongs to a guy who is currently out of work and not able to spend money on the car to make it look good again despite the fact that he would love to be able to.

So this weekend I will be doing the full works on it. Clay, Iron, Tar, Wash, Dry, Machine Polish, Wax, dress trims, glass, etc

It was the perfect choice in the end as the guy loves his car but is not in the position to be able to pay to get it detailed, and the car will also make a nice transformation for him !

So, thats my weekend taken care of


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## jlw41 (Jun 5, 2011)

can't wait for the write up Mark :thumb:


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

jlw41 said:


> can't wait for the write up Mark :thumb:


Cheers mate, will post a write up with pics on here on Monday, as I imagine I will be working on it til dark on Sunday ! :thumb:


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## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

Yeah this write up will be good. More so the pictures i would think, You'll make a great difference! Always wanted to pick up something like a that car to clean up & sell. A bit of a challenge


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## DetailMyCar (Apr 19, 2010)

Speak to your mate and ask him - He will know who his most valued customer is, I'd go with that one.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Can't wait for the write up  Sounds as if he'll appreciate it too


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

Made a start on it today until rain stopped play, but all being well I will be able to finish it tomorrow.

Today I did all the Decontamination - Under Chassis Wash, Main Wash, Iron, Tar, Clay, Wash Again, Wheels, Arches, then I got the 1st stage of machine polishing done.

Tomorrow I will do the 2nd machine stage, Glass, Exterior Trim, Tyres Dressed, Wax

Will pop pics up tomorrow once I have finished


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## glenn st (Apr 27, 2012)

Look forward to seeing the result buddy


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

Depends how much you want to think about it , I'd go for one that's a bit older seems cared for . Or take the dartboard approach !


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

Doh you've picked one lol ! I look forward to the right up your works good


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## MarkSmith (Dec 17, 2010)

All done !!

This is how it was when I started......










And here it is completed........










Full write up can be seen in the Showroom just here......

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=3750088#post3750088


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## jlw41 (Jun 5, 2011)

great work as always Mark :thumb:


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## cmillsjoe (Jun 20, 2012)

top work mate


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

epic !


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## andy monty (Dec 29, 2007)

nice one Mark. :thumb:


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## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

This is exactly what I like to see  Great work, Mark. Well done


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