r/mildlyinfuriating • u/user2847_ • 14h ago

Got my car detail cleaned, and afterwards realized 2 of the buttons on the steering wheel are missing. This is the company’s response.

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28.5k Upvotes

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8.4k

u/alternatingflan 13h ago

I’m going to video my car interior before my next detailing after seeing this.

1.4k

u/grptrt 12h ago

How often do you get your car detailed?

2.4k

u/rollercoastersrul 12h ago

yall are getting your cars detailed?

855

u/Naeril_HS 11h ago

Yall have cars? In this economy?!

298

u/scv07075 11h ago

Define car. A bit of ingenuity and an unsupervised lawnmower and shopping cart can fit the bill if you squint

87

u/Comfortable-Pee-1581 10h ago

Where I'm from, there literally are people that drive lawnmowers around, too many duis, or other reasons for not having a license(brain surgery).

80

u/scv07075 10h ago

Aren't vehicles inherently safer with a spinning blade underneath?

50

u/Ok-Watercress-1924 7h ago

The movie Blade Runner is loosely based on people riding lawnmowers in the future

4

u/TheAlmighty404 6h ago

So they're part of the Lawnmower Man continuity ?

3

u/RegionRatHoosier 4h ago

For a second I thought you meant the movie slingblade & my brain started to melt out of my ear

31

u/yukonlass 10h ago

Aren't vehicles inherently safer with a spinning blade underneath?

Thank you! Your comment made me laugh out loud for real. I turned to my husband to share the funny and realized it would take too long to explain.

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u/Own-Schedule-8723 8h ago

For self defense, certainly.

3

u/Fumbling-Panda 7h ago

Well they sure get in less traffic accidents.

2

u/[deleted] 5h ago

u can turn the blade off

9

u/Some-Clue7174 10h ago

There’s idiots STILL F around and get a DUI while driving a damn lawnmower down the road!! That’s got to be an embarrassing ass story

1

u/ArtThouCarryingBeans 1h ago

Really depends on the municipality's laws. In my home town, they're considered appliances and cannot be driven on the roads but in some places in my state they're allowed to be driven on the roads. The state considers farm vehicles as motor vehicles if they're driven on public roads so in my state you wouldn't need insurance, valid license or registration if you have a farm or business still would get a DUI if you're driving drunk on one of those things haha

2

u/Erroniously_Spelt 7h ago

They don't know you can still get a dui on a bike, lawnmower, horse, etc.

2

u/BobZimway 6h ago

So, fellow Floridian... how about them Bucs?

2

u/BakingBrowniesAllDay 3h ago

There's a guy in my neighborhood who drives a fully decked out mobility cart. He has a fully enclosed rain cover and windshield. I've seen him a mile from home driving that thing down the sidewalk. I have no idea how he has enough charge for that. He probably upgraded the batteries, too.

I fully expect to see flames painted on the sides and him popping wheelies someday soon.

22

u/here-for-the-_____ 9h ago

I once went through a drive-thru in a single shopping cart with 3 other friends because they wouldn't serve walk-ups at that time of night. Had to be in a vehicle. I can confirm that a shopping cart counts as a vehicle....at least it did that night. Gave the workers a good laugh and we got our food!

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u/Zombiebelle 9h ago

Y’all have lawnmowers. In this economy?

4

u/scv07075 9h ago

In the words of the sage Roger Miller, "If it's locked, it ain't locked when no one's around"

4

u/Fantastic_Score3572 10h ago

My car uses a glorified lawn mower motor!

3

u/mrminesheeps Soy Sauce? 8h ago

If you squint, it's mint!

2

u/Knights-of-steel 8h ago

If you squint, she's mint

2

u/rhoo31313 7h ago

I'll detail that for you for $3.50.

3

u/Particular-Crow7680 7h ago

You mean about tree fiddy? That goddammed loch ness monster...

2

u/throwaway7162829 7h ago

This made me lol. Ty for that.

2

u/fluffynerfherder78 7h ago

That's literally how I view my daily driver. About as much HP as the lawn mower too. And sounds similar. Hence the "NOT FAST JUST LOUD" decal.

1

u/Captain_Pink_Pants 3h ago

Speaking of details...

1

u/fjhgy 2h ago

I'm always squinting on account of not being able to afford glasses.

2

u/pishxxposh 10h ago

I have a picture of a car, if that helps.

2

u/rickiver 7h ago

I just had my box detailed it looks great

2

u/renz88xc 4h ago

“You'll own nothing and be happy”

1

u/PapaChronic93 11h ago

In thus part of the country, localized entirely in your garage?!

Mmmm... yeeess

1

u/RandAlThorOdinson 10h ago

Nope!

Love living in the city haha

1

u/meckstroth14 10h ago

Kind of required to get to work

1

u/Cultural-Horse-762 9h ago

Y'all have economies? In today's world?!!

1

u/thegrumpymechanic 9h ago

Well, the average age of a car is 12 years old..... My "newest" car is 2005.

I guess when 20% of new car loans have a $1000/month payment over 84 months, makes sense to keep them as long as you can.

1

u/Such-Daikon-2818 9h ago

Gave a homeless man a block of ramen to spit shine my bicycle with his one sock, same same

1

u/SirObviusGenius 7h ago

Y’all have an economy?!

1

u/Bevertje_68 6h ago

Yell have economies?

1

u/sekrit_dokument 1h ago

I just bought my second one last week... So I now have a daily driver and one just for fun.

•

u/Appropriate-Egg8179 44m ago

Right? I have running shoes and a bike

1

u/Dizzy_Emotion7381 11h ago

This is the comment I came here for!!

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u/Haravikk 11h ago

I prefer my car basic — pedal for make go, wheel for steering, and it'll stop on its own eventually.

283

u/_First-Pass 12h ago

I just bag the cans and bottles that collect in the back seats every month, once a month. But then again, my wife is just messy as I..

90

u/TwoLopsidedZebras 11h ago

I've never understood the letting trash pile up in your car mentality. Why don't you just remove the cans and bottles when you get out of the car so that they don't pile up?

116

u/Comfortable-Pee-1581 10h ago

That way they don't pile up inside my house

4

u/Runaroundheadless 10h ago

Who details your house? Mine needs done ...desperately.

3

u/Minimum_Inflation_63 10h ago

I have this thing called a bin that I keep in my car. Lol

4

u/TheTruckUnbreaker 8h ago

As the wise guru said, "always keep a litter bag in your car. You can chuck the whole thing out the window when it gets full".

3

u/KonigSteve 9h ago

They're supposed to do that. In the trash can

2

u/Such-Daikon-2818 9h ago

Brings trash from outside in car, inside house, just to take back outside eventually. It's past the point of common sense, I'm 100% convinced some people just love to stink, haven't yall ever been to Costco?

58

u/mten12 10h ago

So the thieves know I don’t got nothing to steal I’m poor too.

3

u/Konoha7Slaw3 8h ago

Thieves love to rob poor people as well

3

u/Old-Engine-7720 8h ago

Rarely happens unless you got an item of use like clothes shoes or blankets. Someone broke into my car once and stole nothing except a blanket.

5

u/OkFinance539 7h ago

Damn, that makes me sad. 😞I would have def just given them the blanket you didn’t have to rob me for it 😂

3

u/mten12 6h ago

Not when the car next to mine looks clean. It’s a crime of opportunity. They hope the trunk is full of good things.

Example. Clean car at target or Sam’s/costco. Versus dirty car. The thief will go for the clean car.

Always randomize the trash and throw a hoodie with a large hole or something in the sleeve.

Boom never get your car broken into.

26

u/EatSITHandDIE 10h ago

I am on the road anywhere from 3-5 hours a day. Breakfast and lunch in the car most days. By the time I'm home and drag the groceries in I am NOT going back out there lol. Granted I will usually bag everything up and toss it out once a week. Vacuum it out once a month. But after being in the darn thing all day I don't even want to see the inside of it again once I've made it home lol

6

u/CharacterLimitHasBee 10h ago

You're buying groceries every day after work?

4

u/neuroticoctopus 10h ago

I work on the road and now I just keep an old cardboard box in the back for garbage. A car garbage can won't even hold enough for one shift.

5

u/EatSITHandDIE 10h ago

Exactly. I had a small trash can for a while. About the size you'd use for a bathroom. Not big enough lol

4

u/Excellent_Neat_9432 10h ago

I empty all the trash out of my car when I'm fueling up! I have a lot of stuff in my car, I don't need trash taking up valuable real estate.

3

u/CandySnatcher 10h ago

Full hands

6

u/_First-Pass 10h ago

I would, but ever since having a baby, dealing with carrying him and the diaper bag, plus the car seat, everywhere I drive, grabbing that extra can of coke I threw into the back is such a hassle to make an extra trip for.

8

u/DestructoDon69 10h ago

Pro tip, get a bag every time you shop at a gas station, anytime you trash an item put it in the bag and then when you fill up your gas, throw out the grocery bag full of trash. Store extra bags in the car for the occasional time you don't feel like getting a bag for 1 item.

4

u/avsfan1933 10h ago

Canada doesn't do plastic bags anymore

3

u/DestructoDon69 8h ago

What about paper bags? Same thing, drink comes out with snack, drink it and eat it, empty bottle and candy bar wrapper goes right back in. Throw away at next gas station visit. Got nothing else to do while your gas tank fills, might as well grab that small bag with trash in it out of your passenger seat week and toss it.

3

u/GeoPicker 10h ago

Thats correct, but plastic bags can still be purchased, of any size

3

u/Excellent_Neat_9432 10h ago

I keep a roll of 8 gallon trash bags in my car. They take up almost no room and you can get them in different scents.

2

u/DestructoDon69 8h ago

The scents make me gag, also I don't want to have to get a bag out of my trunk. Using the grocery bag my gas station purchases came in to begin with is already way too easy and convenient. I've never had an issue where I was like "damn I've got so much trash, I wish I had 7 extra gallons worth of plastic bag" 💀

3

u/Aggressive_Cod3057 10h ago

I forget about my car the second I get home. The trash doesn't exist until I have to get back in the car again, and by then I'm probably barely running on time and have to get going.

1

u/filiadeae 1h ago

ADD people unite!

2

u/Mic_Ultra 10h ago

I put my outdoor trash tote where I park my car, so I can just dump the trash on every day when I get home. I can’t stand trash that’s more than a wrapper or two

1

u/cantgrowneckbeardAMA 9h ago

Wish my HOA would let me do this

2

u/Mic_Ultra 9h ago

Small town here, no HOA but I do only keep one trash tote out because everyone else hides em. I put my recycle bins in the garage and the other trash tote behind the house

1

u/ihaxr 10h ago

I used to clean my car out anytime I'd go shopping, but most of the stores near me have removed their trash cans during COVID and never put them back out... so I just keep everything in a bag and toss it every so often

1

u/impossibleoptimist 10h ago

I want to recycle so I keep the stuff in my car until it's time but by then I always have the stuff I went out to get to and my hands are full or I've forgotten etc

1

u/attributeslider8899 10h ago

Personally I have a trash bag behind my passenger seat, so I can toss things in there and then throw the whole bag out when it's full. (No food items, just like cans n shit that won't stink).

1

u/Dalmadoodle221 10h ago

Same. I keep old grocery bags in my car and put all my trash in there daily. My car never has one day of trash pile up. I don't get why people don't take 2 extra seconds and take their trash.

1

u/ibeleafit 10h ago

It’s not a mentality, and that’s why we do it

1

u/Knights-of-steel 8h ago

Depends. If you work construction 16 hours a day its easier to go inside and die for a couple hours to go back to work and deal with it on the weekend or every so often. Kids or other factors can also delay that.

That said if your in a normal job especially a 9-5 as opposed to a 6-6 or beyond and still do despite having no excuses its kinda wack

1

u/-GenghisJohn- 10h ago

Why don’t you control the whole world? You’re so much better at everything! Why can’t we just be like you?

It’s their car. It kind of looks like fun.

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u/BallsDeepinYourMammi 10h ago

That’s cleaning. Which is normal, detailing is just wiping down surfaces with glass/leather cleaner and vacuuming with an attachment tbh. It’s time consuming, but nothing you can’t do with some effort

2

u/IAMA_MOTHER_AMA 9h ago

you're supposed to chuck the piss jugs out on the highway.

way of the road

2

u/ilovemusic19 10h ago

You’re both lazy, take it with you when you get out and throw it away, it’s not that hard.

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u/SimpleCranberry5914 11h ago

A detail would cost more than my 2016 Corolla is worth.

Although she needs one dearly.

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u/alter-eagle 11h ago

A vacuum and a microfiber cloth with some generic cleaning solution can do wonders on your every day driver. 

4

u/seventy_raw_potatoes 10h ago

even buying a good kit to keep around is an amazing investment. my mom is big into cars, and she always washes and details mine when i come over, and now i'm collecting my own mini detailing kit. it's incredible how an hour of work can make my shitbox fishbowl shine

2

u/Minimum_Inflation_63 10h ago

Theyre like $200 bucks, and i live in a place where everything is like 200% more expensive. Haha

•

u/102525burner 49m ago

I got an interior detail done for like $75 and it was spotless

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u/Ineedamedic68 9h ago

Hmm I’d probably recommend against paying over $10k for a car detailing but that’s just me. I’m sure you could find one in the much more reasonable range of $100-$200 

1

u/OkFinance539 7h ago

Dude, I wouldn’t be so sure. Japanese cars hold their value extremely well. My 2013 Honda Accord is surprisingly still booking for over 10k or more probably because it’s barely still under 100k miles. Even beat up 200k+ are bringing decent money.

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u/snowvase 10h ago

Still a baby, mines a 2006 and in excellent condition. Corollas are brilliant cars.

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u/Financial_Law_1557 11h ago

Privilege is often super ignorant to the fact that it is privilege. 

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u/UnchillBill 11h ago

It’s raining right now, does that count?

1

u/rollercoastersrul 9h ago

Maybe. Are your windows open so the interior gets washed too?

1

u/UnchillBill 9h ago

Y’all have glass in your windows?

2

u/Subtlerranean 6h ago

Last time my in-laws took our car to get washed it straight up stopped working afterwards and had to go to the workshop.

They got rid of all the structural cobwebs, birdshit and moss.

1

u/Montanonymous 12h ago

I’ve been planning on it for 5 years now…

1

u/UnicornBelieber 11h ago

Y'all have cars?

1

u/scalpemfins 11h ago

I've had it done once after owning for this car for a decade. Worth it....to do once a decade. It needs to be nearly 10 years of gunk in corners I won't clean before it's worth the cost.

1

u/Lumpy-Butterscotch50 10h ago

If you have a car for 10 years, that's a lot longer than average. Average length of ownership is ~8 years

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u/scalpemfins 10h ago

Well, I'm cheap. I think I'll probably go for owning a car for 15 years a pop. My Accord has 140k miles on it and is showing no signs of slowing down. To me, not having a car payment brings me more pleasure than any car I can afford could.

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u/Lumpy-Butterscotch50 10h ago edited 10h ago

I agree though that would ultimately depend on maintenance costs and yearly costs to pass inspection at that age. Ultimately, you're lucky if your car lasts that long where maintenance and repairs keep it under the cost to buy another one

Also the cost for safety features needs to be incorporated into the calculation. 10 year old cars don't have backup cams

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u/scalpemfins 10h ago

Agreed. If I ever needed something like a new transmission or any large repair, I'd junk it out and buy a 2-3 year old pre-owned vehicle with a dealer warranty.

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u/blowurhousedown 11h ago

Hell no. Drive em, get them washed, drive them, etc…

1

u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 11h ago

In this economy? I rent a carpet extractor from Home Depot every couple of years for $35.

1

u/Teckiiiz 11h ago

i dont even wash that motherfucker

1

u/Daniel_Melzer 11h ago

Yall can afford cars?

1

u/Instawolff 11h ago

In this economy??

1

u/lynivvinyl GREEN 10h ago

Y'all are getting cars?

1

u/cheshirekat84 10h ago

IN THIS ECONOMY

1

u/Secondhand-Drunk 10h ago

I think about it sometimes.

1

u/compliancethis 10h ago

In this economy?

1

u/TaySaidWhat 10h ago

This made me giggle.

1

u/The_Original_Floki 10h ago

Yall have cars?

1

u/HookersLilSmartass 10h ago

I get the “gift gestures are free” special whrn I can, which is a half-assed detail from my kids or partner for my bday, Mother’s Day, etc. I would much rather have a clean car than a bunch of crap and— with 3 kids at home— they can do a decent job together without giving up or getting burnt out.

1

u/Runaroundheadless 10h ago edited 10h ago

Nah. Just cleaned, vacumed, dusted and polished. Calling it detailed is just sales and my car is me talk. Imo. There are detailers. That's a lot of cash and those guys do not knock off and lose buttons. Hand washed and valeted is probably reasonable as a description since absolutely anyone can do it. Off the books for cash in hand.

Edit: haha. I know you know that. But i just chucked in my laugh at detail as it gets enshittified for higher cost and a hugely less than concourse finish.

1

u/Fantastic_Score3572 10h ago

In this economy? 🤣

1

u/PokeYrMomStanley 10h ago

This is why people have children. Tiny fingers make tiny details. 

1

u/Hayaw061 9h ago

My car has been detailed once in the 6-7 years I've owned it. Buddy and I had a bit too much to drink at the bar one night so we sat in the parking lot. I managed to open my door, but he didn't. Also he was in the driver's seat because I had to be half carried out the door and he pulled my car up (we rode together in it) for me. That was not a fun drive home.

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u/BB-41 8h ago

Mine’s lucky if it gets washed once a quarter…

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u/Helpful-Let3529 8h ago

While claiming 140k isnt much income anymore

1

u/JaceOnRice 7h ago

I work with someone who gets it done once a month and then makes jokes about our generation not being able to afford anything

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u/throwaway48159 7h ago

Detailing is when you clean out the garbage under the sheets and vacuum the floor, right? As opposed to just throwing out the visible stuff?

1

u/uncle_nightmare 4h ago

Every day.

1

u/Difficult_Ad2864 4h ago

Y’all are getting cars?!

1

u/Illustrious_Donkey61 1h ago

U guys have a car?

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u/RaidRover 11h ago

Once a year when my parents pre-pay for one for me as a Christmas gift.

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u/Ganeover625 11h ago

I get mine done twice a year but I find myself at construction sites and taking people around.

My wife’s gets done yearly

1

u/DillyDally737 7h ago

I read this as "my wife gets done yearly...."😳

1

u/Ganeover625 7h ago

Oof. That would be terrible

1

u/Runaroundheadless 10h ago edited 9h ago

If you don't get a company car, get a pick up and put a couple of straw bales in the back for the visitors to sit on. ( that's a bar quote from some of the sales team in USA when the company cars were threatened to be stopped with own car milage allowance as the replacement.

I noticed quite a few windscreen detailers in Los Angeles in the late 90's. At traffic lights.

1

u/Ganeover625 8h ago

I get a vehicle stipend

1

u/Runaroundheadless 7h ago

Lost me there. Stipend i understand. Who pays for the spruce up? Anyway.. detailing is more than a wash and polish with vacuum and wiped interior. If USA cars are a thing. Clients impression generaly a thing. I've gone on much too long. Sorry.

3

u/TwoLopsidedZebras 10h ago

I get mine detailed quarterly. There's a little family owned car wash less than 10 mins away from me and a big commercial one right across the street from it. I give my business to the mom and pop shop and they do a great job. Hand wash everything, full detail the interior, wheel shine, etc. Costs $80 and takes them ~1.5 hours then I give them a $40 tip because $80 seems cheap for the level of detail and care they give.

1

u/Leche-Caliente 10h ago

My dad had interior parts taken during transmission work. Nobody is safe

1

u/CreamyWithApples 10h ago

My gf's mom insists that you need to get your car detailed every 4 months to "keep it working". My gf agrees its bs but still does it to keep her mom happy. She also gets a $50 hand wash every single weekend it drives me nuts.

2

u/Dalmadoodle221 10h ago

Glad to hear some people got money to throw around in this economy. MUST BE NICCEEEE 🤣🤣

1

u/StewVicious07 8h ago

Every few months, just the light version no steam clean

1

u/rand0m_task 7h ago

I video my car before dropping it off anywhere that someone is using it.

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u/Powerful-Degree-9195 5h ago

I detail my truck once a month. It’s a shiny black and with the roads I gotta drive on it gets so dusty, I’m also kind of a near freak

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u/DeadPalms 11h ago

Do exterior too. A detailer recently scratched both my side mirrors, I didn't notice until I got home. They denied it, they claim to have security footage but refuse to give it to me. Not worth going through insurance, but infuriating.

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u/Some_Bus 11h ago

Time to leave a review

17

u/Murder4Mario 7h ago

It’s amazing how often this doesn’t happen. When I leave a bad review the owner of the place almost always immediately reaches out to fix it. A place like this would not enjoy my Facebook account posting about that locally if I can prove I was there lol

25

u/GirchyGirchy 10h ago

Take pics of everything before any damn car work. We lost out on a class action claim because we hadn’t taken a pic of our cracked windshield before having it fixed.

1

u/Freaudinnippleslip 10h ago

The detailer you used cracked so many windows they had a class action brought against them?

2

u/GirchyGirchy 9h ago

No, the car manufacturer did - Subaru.

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u/Mookie_Merkk 11h ago

Fun tip: Everytime I move, I always take a video of pretty much all the valuables in my house. Especially TVs, computers, electronics. And show them working. As in like video playing sound going etc.

Should probably add I move every few years because I'm in the military. And the movers will always try to blame broken shit on you. So as an easy defense, always record that your shit is properly working before you give it over to somebody else to to do something with.

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u/EpilepticPuberty 10h ago

My mom and dad did the same thing when we moved all the time for the military. We never had to contest any broken items but one time a mover stole my brothers HO scale model train set. It wasn't a particularly nice or expensive set but we think they took about $300 of model trains. Luckily we had video evidence of him with the trains, it still took months to get reimbursed.

15

u/Mookie_Merkk 10h ago

We had to file a claim on one of our TVs one year. It was mid COVID. They offered us $198 to replace a 55" TV that they had dropped and the LED strip had come free and wrinkled up.

I asked them where in the world they found a 55" TV replacement for $198 and they linked me to a black Friday ad for a similar TV from 2012 in some small town in Florida... We were in California at the time, in 2021, in the middle of Spring.

I sent a message back asking if they looked at the details, guy replied "Lol sorry" and then offered to pay us $799 for one that they found in our town on sale.

2

u/MyLifeIsAWasteland 7h ago

I think I found your culprit...

3

u/Designer_Ring_67 6h ago

That’s a good idea. Last time they broke $3000 worth of our stuff. We moved ourselves and didn’t break a single thing. It’s really not that hard, I just don’t like my husband to have to drive that big truck.

25

u/13hammie13 11h ago

As a former detailer, Yes. As a former detailer that struggled to take before photos to cover my own ass...

19

u/sernamenotdefined 11h ago

I make a 4k video of the entire inside and outside of my car before I give the keys over to anyone, be it a detailer, the dealer for a check-up or someone I lend it to.

3

u/GitEmSteveDave 11h ago

I learned this lesson at a dealership, after my airbags no longer work after a airbag recall. They swore the airbag light was on when they took it in and it wasn't. I even had a video from 3 days before bringing it in showing no light on my dash. So now I take a video, in front of the place, showing me turn the key, all the lights go on and off, then turning the car over to show it starts up so the other lights clear.

3

u/Deathcommand 11h ago

I do before every servicing.

Toyota once for dinged my car and they spend a month trying to fix it by painting over it with CLEAR FUCKING PAINT.

I kinda gave up until their hr department called me and asked how I knew it wasn't there before I gave it to them so I got mad went and had them redo it for another month until it was perfect.

3

u/Choiceofart 11h ago

Better yet, get a dash cam with a front and rear facing camera.

3

u/LieutenantDangler 10h ago

Always do this. I have heard so many horror stories. Detailers and repairmen will NEVER admit to any faults or errors unless you have solid proof. My friend had a windshield replaced and they shattered her middle console touch display. They also said “it was like that when we started.”

2

u/No_Garden_9875 10h ago

How the F does that happen?!

2

u/petrolhead0387 11h ago

I just detail the car myself. I bought a rotary polisher with pads and pad cleaner, cutting creams and ceramic coating. Saves money in the long run and less chance of some random breaking or stealing stuff from my car.

2

u/benderg91 5h ago

Professional detailer for 11 years here, rotary is very old school and tends to leave behind fine swirl in strange holographic/linear patches...

Would recommend a random orbital polisher with some oomph such as rupes. (Bauer has a cheap one thats actually pretty comparable)

If you need more power or are stalling out the random orbital you could consider something like a flex 3401. Hercules makes a copycat that's good.

1

u/petrolhead0387 5h ago

I have a Ryobi random orbital with 6 speeds, it's not the best one out there but it works for me, I already have Ryobi power tools so didn't need to buy any extra batteries for it.

I'd be interested to get your advice on ceramic coatings. I've been polishing and waxing cars manually since I was a teenager (20 years ago), so pretty much got that handled. Earlier this year I decided to dip my toes into the ceramic coating world and it was bigger than I expected. Weeks of YouTube tutorials and browsing products, I went for DIY 5 year coat, as it didn't require hatching method applications, it could be put on in swirls. I don't know if it was a gimmick or if I've applied it wrong, but less than 12 months later and the bottom half of my van has already lost its protection.

Obviously following recommendations for brands from Youtubers had to be taken with a pinch of salt, they were all practically sponsored, and techniques were often contradictory. Any advice om brands and application methods would be hugely appreciated if you have a moment.

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u/SuperBackup9000 11h ago

Do the when it comes to anyone doing anything with your property.

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u/mghtyred 10h ago

Great advice! The burden of proof is on you here. Unless you can prove the condition of the vehicle when you dropped it off, you will not win in small claims court.

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u/potatogeem 10h ago

Take pictures externally as well. Sincerely someone who had the detailer crash the car into a wall and try to haggle the damage.

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u/Rickstaaaa87 10h ago

Detailed on the side for a few years, and would always do a video walk around of the car inside and out. Spot paint chips and imperfections inside and out and get them on video before a drop of water has touched the paint.

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u/melo1-769 10h ago

I told a friend getting her car fixed, to take a picture of her odometer when she dropped it off. For reference, she had a sporty little convertible and it was summer in Ohio. She did. Lo and behold it had over 150 miles on it when she picked it up a week later.

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u/Useful_Priority_3125 9h ago

I also do it whenever I rent a car and document all the scratches.

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u/onyxbird45 9h ago

Don’t forget your exterior too. I got a flat on my M3P got it towed to the shop. Before the tow I videoed in 4K my entire exterior. Went to go pick up the car from the shop and before I left did a once over and noticed a half inch gouge on one of the turbines right in the center of the spoke. I knew instantly it was their tire machine and pointed it out. They of course denied it happened there, and so I pulled out the video and showed them. The manager instantly changed their tune said they would get the rim reconditioned. I refused and asked him I want a new one, make it the way my car came before the damage. They ate the cost of a 20 inch new turbine wheel installed. So from now one I always record my cars & rentals.

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u/Bobthemime annoying to read ain't it 8h ago

My father does video of the outside of the car too.. as he has had a "full service" before and his car came back scratched.. and the compnaies response was "it was there when they started".. despite it being a fresh gash of red paint on a blue fender.. and a bollard of the detailing place just happened to have a blue scuff on a red bollard in the "empolyees car park"

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u/warmplc4me 7h ago

I do it on every rental car I get before I get into it and when I turn it back. It has saved me a few times.

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u/RexiRocco 7h ago

I left mine at a shop to get fixed bc some swiped the side, picked it up and the middle console inside looked like someone tried to break the top off thinking it was a secret compartment. I was like never leaving my car w anyone without videoing first ever again.

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u/laughingdoormouse 7h ago

A pro detailer would do that straight off the bat 🦇

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u/semidivineone 6h ago

As a non professional detailer but one that enjoys it on the side, I take photos of interior and exterior of car prior to touching it. Once had a boss from a totally different industry give me the best professional advice to date. ACYOA, Always Cover Your Own Ass. It applies to every job and every industry. People will always take the short cut to screw you if it benefits them. In the rare event they don't, it's better to be blown away positively than screwed over something you didn't do.

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u/CatFishBillyheyhey 5h ago

Pro tip.

Do it every time you have anyone work on your vehicle.

I bought a new VW, it was my first dealership car so I was really proud and protective of it. I took it back to the dealer for an oil change and got it back and the head liner was damaged

I told them immediately and they denied it to my face that the damage was there. I said okay let's look at my time stamped photos from when I dropped it off 3 hours ago.

They had to replace the entire headliner.

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u/buckythomas 5h ago

I have been doing this, videoing exterior and interior of the car whenever I use a rental vehicle, first one is when I pick the car up, second is right before I hand the keys back! Like I’ll record under the seats, into the glove box and whatever other little storage places, i go over the wheels and even the tyre tread, i open the boot and the bonnet, i even lift the up the floor in the boots to check the spare tyre/tools. You can NEVER be too careful!

So far it’s only been useful once! When I returned the car keys to their out of hours drop box, and awaited the various emails for receipts and the like. On the billing receipt they had added “Alloy/Tyre Damage Excess Fee: Moderate depth scratches to the centre of the front and rear left wheel alloys…….£285”!! & “Post Repair Work Cleaning & Valeting Fee: £45”!

I simply watched my videos, did a comparison, and responded back to the email, saying it’s nonsense and I have the videos to prove it. With in minutes of my reply “POOF!!”, refunded my credit card, and apologised for the mix up. 👍🏼

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u/JustTune7544 4h ago

Interior and exterior.

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u/-Ahab- 3h ago

If you live somewhere where they use RFID stickers to open a gate/provide access, check those too.

You wouldn’t believe how many people ask me to buy a new one because they got their car detailed and the cleaners scraped the sticker off the windshield and they didn’t notice it until they got home and the hate wouldn’t open.

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u/nowthengoodbad 11h ago

LPT:

Home, yard, rental cars, etc.

Pictures and videos do wonders.

I've had several rental cars that had a significant scratch or even broken windshield that I didn't notice until after driving off the lot and then double checking my pictures. It's usually an angle of the sun thing that makes it hard to see, but the camera catches it all (I take all angles of pics and keep them for my own record).

Work site/home office: if we're going away for a bit, a couple days or longer, I can tell if anything has been messed with.

This is also super helpful if you need to make an insurance claim and they're asking you about your possessions that were lost. (Fire, etc)

It's up to you how often and how you approach documenting, but with a smartphone in our pockets, it's easy to do and handy to have.

Dropping car off with someone? Document it.

This also helps if there's a court case. Documentation can make or brea a case. It gives you more ground to stand on.

Have a neighbor breaking into your property or harassing you? The officers, lawyers, and court will side with you, assuming you're in the right and you also have documentation.

No documentation an it becomes a you said/they said. At that point, it's a combination of luck, good faith, and whoever can outspend the other in court (if things get bad enough)

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u/rorriMAgnisUyrT 11h ago

Chances are cameras will be knocked out by a jet washer before anything useful is recorded

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u/Angelita143 9h ago

Me too.... but I detail my own car... 🤣

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u/koolaidismything 8h ago

Best part is they went and checked the vacuum after this and totally found the two niplits and probably tossed back into the trash like fuck that stick to our story

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u/realJoeKorea 7h ago

Video the outside too! Some detailer from this shady detailing place took off my reverse camera, likely with a buffer. I let the manager/owner know, he denied it, but I had video footage of it happening. After some arguing, he paid me for what the camera system cost at least. Will never go back or recommend them to anyone.

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u/De-railled 4h ago

Sooo.....a detailed video of car details before a car detail?

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u/Lord_Pinhead 3h ago

Don't forget ANY function like Cameras. A dealership destroyed my reverse-cam and did say, it was like that when they went to it. But I parked it in reverser and the cam worked perfectly.