Could this be you? This is meant to be a light-hearted but serious attack, at those that those detailers who ridicule others for their own grandiosity.

Rumor has it someone allegedly did only one step of polishing on a grocery getting family minivan.  Based upon the opinion of a person nicknamed Internet Troll, this professional has brought shame upon all of us of and has taken advantage of this customer with a less expensive higher value option.  But who cares when not doing a super full correction “will lock in the scratches.”  Wait does that mean they will never escape?!  Scratches forever remaining on the car for 1 year after applying the entry level ceramic coating;  My goodness this seems terrible!  Why would the owner of a minivan in a family of 5 just care about their car being easier to clean?  I am confused.

Hoping my sarcasm is apparent, this is not an attack on anyone’s personal enthusiast or professional preferences of detailing.  This is a shot across the bow at those that feign superiority over others, trying to impose their detailing preferences on others. Start off with some links to general paint correction articles (if needed), and continue to the next paragraph.

• Paint Defects And Paint Correction Part 1
• Different Levels Of Paint Correction
• Paint Correction: Customer Vs Detailer Expectations

For the record, I may require two or more full steps of machine polishing for certain services I offer.  It is okay if that is what you do as well.  Also many of the people do not inquire about the services of the blog writers here, for a cheap and quick detail.  But I have also observed certain contradictions in the actions and processes of these same critics.  Some of these practices appear counter to providing high quality or professional results.  I popped some popcorn and made some observations I would like to share.  Yes, these were inspired by actual conversations on social media.

You leveled the more severe defects, taking the most aggressive polishing process available to you.  But because of the microscopic  but voluminous micro marring left behind the car does not look nearly as sharp as it could.  The haze is hard to see (plausible deniability), but the gloss is not there.  Oh the irony of someone criticizing someone for responsibly doing a one step by someone else doing a less ethical one step of machine polishing judging by his or own her standards:

I thought you (the internet troll) cared about perfect paint?

I see you are very motivated to leave every customer with (near) perfect paint!  Have you had a conversation about proper car wash techniques and supplies?  No?  Perhaps you have them on your maintenance wash plan?  No?  Knowing how obsessed with perfecting the paint you are (your reputation right?), you do not want all of this damage to come back (during the wash process).  Considering that $2,000 to $3,000 paint correction service means you are both making quite an investment in this car, certainly you care to say something and not just send the customer on his or her merry way after some before and after photos?  No!  I remember hearing the sound of crickets.  For a second I heard an ant cross the street four blocks away.

Just like that they stopped caring about the reputation of the industry.

Going back to a more serious tone, I remember a moment I had with a client, when it really dawned on me why my business exist.  You are not happy with this experience because I am the best.  What made you happy was that I cared the most compared to your most recent experiences.  I know am not even remotely close to being the best detailer ever.  I am humbled by the praise I have recieved, but I can think of many professionals and some enthusiasts who are likely more advanced than me.  Let us make caring about the right things a part of our detailing skill set.