by "Monkey B" (monkeyb)
Published 03/21/2017 at 19:33
by "Monkey B" (monkeyb)
Published 03/21/2017 at 19:33
No Tags
STARS: 9
The setup. I work out of a Transit Connect, going to different car dealers doing reconditioning on interiors. I also do private jets, buses, furniture and even apparel on occasion. But automotive is my bread and butter.
This is a 2017 Corvette that had been used at car shows (Philly and Wilmington I believe) that just got sold. There was lots of wear as many people were in and out of it, someone also caused damage stealing the emblems off the seats...sad. I work for this Ford dealer, but they have a sister Chevy dealer I don’t service. A manager there knows me from another Chevy dealer I service and doesn’t trust the guys they use so he called me...I like that. It reminds me why I work so hard to get the best possible results at all times, especially in an industry mostly occupied by hacks.
was called for damage from stealing the emblems in particular, but knew I needed to do much more upon inspection. I color match by eye and red is the most difficult with the product I use...yay...I hate red for this reason. Blue sucks too.
Drivers Seat Before:
Drivers Seat After:
Thanks for looking!
"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
03/21/2017 at 19:42, STARS: 5
What is wrong with people. I bet they lost those emblems right after stealing them. If it aint yours, dont bloody take it.
"TahoeSTi" (tahoesti)
03/21/2017 at 19:59, STARS: 0
How much repair can you do for seats? One of the front seats in my outback is starting to show so wear in the perforated leather..light cracks around the perforated holes...and what would I search for to find someone like you in my area?
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/21/2017 at 20:05, STARS: 0
Great work! Do you work for Fibrenew?
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/21/2017 at 20:09, STARS: 0
Can you come repair my car?
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 20:12, STARS: 2
most of your local dealers probably use someone like me, just pop in and ask the used car guys. High end dealers usually use the better ones, but some areas don’t have anyone good. In the entire state of Delaware there are only two of us that do good work, my mentor and myself...it really is a difficult business to find good techs. Mostly because the majority learn from franchises that offer little training, like 2-4 weeks This isn’t enough time to learn correctly, but they need to make money right away to pay for the franchise. The methods and materials used by them are often sub-par. If they use spray cans, walk away. Vet them as best you can.
Perforated seats are difficult if the cracking is sufficient as filling is required... keeping the perforations clear is sometimes impossible.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
03/21/2017 at 20:26, STARS: 1
I get so triggered by people who open doors with their feet. If it was meant to be pushed with your foot, THEY WOULDN’T PUT A SPEAKER THERE, YOU MONSTERS.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 20:28, STARS: 1
I’m in northern Delaware...if you’re close to that area you could bring it by!
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/21/2017 at 20:30, STARS: 0
Damn.. Central California
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 20:32, STARS: 1
that’s a franchise, which churn out the bad techs I’ve mentioned. My training was as an employee for a private company that spun off from an old, now defunct, franchise called Color Back. The guy I worked for started in the early 80's and my Mentor worked with him starting in the late 80's. I started with them in the late 90's, but had a leg up as I was a car painter before so it’s kind of the same thing with different techniques and materials.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 1
nicer climate areas tend to have more options. The guy that wins the leather repair competition at Mobile Tech Expo is in CA somewhere. I finished top 5 the year I entered....I think there must have been at least 6 entries!
I can ask my supplier who’s out there...at minimum he’d be using the best materials!
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 20:36, STARS: 4
I like those people....I like money.
"Takuro Spirit" (takurospirit)
03/21/2017 at 21:14, STARS: 1
Between guys like you and the mobile wheel re-conditioner.... Us dealer folk are indebted.
;)
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/21/2017 at 21:48, STARS: 0
Gotcha, I must of got lucky when I used them. Though the guy must of went out of business. I called him 6 months later to do a couch, and he never called back.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 22:03, STARS: 1
some guys that have a knack will get better and do...they keep trying. But most of them learn what’s taught and think that’s all there is to it. It’s a tough trade, because I’m a perfectionist and have a background in auto paint. So I’m trained to be able to do something and it not be evident it was done. With this stuff though, there are a lot of times you can’t achieve perfection. I’ll think it’s awful and the customer will be tickled to death with the outcome. But everything I do I try my best to achieve perfection. Most of them are out there to make their money.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 22:09, STARS: 1
thanks...sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. Paint touch up and paintless dent removal are the guys that are appreciated most in these parts.
Last year I dropped a dealer I serviced for 13 years because they started fucking with me. It was a big account that accounted for a lot of my income. That manager even told me more than once he’s never seen anyone be able to do what I do...yet when it came down to it he didn’t respect me and it showed. He tried a power play so I politely bowed out. I’ve heard I’m missed, mostly by salesman who have to try and sell the garbage they get now. But sometimes you have to say the money isn’t worth it.
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/21/2017 at 22:10, STARS: 0
It’s definitely a black art so-to-speak.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 22:24, STARS: 0
in a way...problem is for me that the bad ones charge accordingly. If a used car manager doesn’t look to see the difference than he can’t justify the price I give. I’m at least double what the hacks charge at minimum....my mentor, well, I have no idea how he get’s the prices he does. It’s a tough market. But it’s hard to sell yourself without sounding like a dick by calling the other guy out as you are calling out the manager for being taken. Add to that the relationship can span years and he likes the guy. Hard telling the guy he’s getting ripped off without him feeling some kind of way about it.
"iSureWilll" (isurewilll)
03/21/2017 at 23:09, STARS: 1
Awesome job on that stuff! Can I get your email address? I live just east of Philly and saw you live in Delaware. May have a small job for you I can email about.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 23:26, STARS: 0
sure, can you PM from here?
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
03/21/2017 at 23:30, STARS: 0
doesn’t appear you can. Use my burner and we’ll go from there. bimmer5er (at) yah00
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
03/22/2017 at 01:11, STARS: 0
If you have a line on a good guy in Tulsa, I’d appreciate it!
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/22/2017 at 11:06, STARS: 0
That would be great! Thanks. Yeah I am sure there are lots of option.