6 coats of clear......

[style]

Any recomendations on how long to let clearcoat dry before applying a coat of wax to protect the finish? Ok,fine ill be honest,I decided this customer from hell is better off dead and I just don't care anymore as long as it looks good enough to leave my driveway, here's the deal 2006 ford police interceptor black and white ex new mexico state police I repainted where the decals used to be after it was gouged to shit to the metal with razor blades before it was sold at auction, so I repainted the black parts fenders,front doors and trunk after all body work on those parts I did it base coat clear coat crossfire from napa now its been wet sanded with 1500 and buffed with compound only, it looks like glass but has minor swirls from not polishing it, so now my customer is pissed off because its been here for 3days and he expected it done in two, I told him 3or 4 but he's stupid or something,anyways I was thinking of putting a filler wax just to get rid of the car obviously he doesn't appreciate me so why bother anymore hell what does he expect for 250.00 including all materials anyways...

[AlexeiVT]

What do your products' tech sheet say?

On DuPont's tech sheets for clears, they explicitly state in their "tips for success" section at the end, to wait a minimum of 120 days prior to waxing.

Is waxing done in less time? ...I'm sure it is, but the gamble on dieback of gloss an onus better placed on someone other than the painter (and better yet, best to communicate the wait time to the customer).

Gauge it up to lesson learned...not always easy to gauge an appreciative customer ahead of time, and to find out they are not....save yourself the grief, spend a few more moments to polish out (and check it off your list for good deeds of the day), and be happy they are out of your life and wont be coming back and complaining at some later date because the job fouled up ("no" word of mouth advertising, is better than "bad").

[Henry]

Any recomendations on how long to let clearcoat dry before applying a coat of wax to protect the finish? Ok,fine ill be honest,I decided this customer from hell is better off dead and I just don't care anymore as long as it looks good enough to leave my driveway, here's the deal 2006 ford police interceptor black and white ex new mexico state police I repainted where the decals used to be after it was gouged to shit to the metal with razor blades before it was sold at auction, so I repainted the black parts fenders,front doors and trunk after all body work on those parts I did it base coat clear coat crossfire from napa now its been wet sanded with 1500 and buffed with compound only, it looks like glass but has minor swirls from not polishing it, so now my customer is pissed off because its been here for 3days and he expected it done in two, I told him 3or 4 but he's stupid or something,anyways I was thinking of putting a filler wax just to get rid of the car obviously he doesn't appreciate me so why bother anymore hell what does he expect for 250.00 including all materials anyways...

I never wax anything. Using the right glazes and swirl remover along with the right pads on the right buffer will not give you these problems.

What did you use; do you have any glaze; have you tried Sure Finish; why did you put on 6 coats of clear. Also, after glazing or even buffing, the use of a microfiber cloth will make the surface look better than just the buffing you did. Since the world has changed, you'll find the products you use AFTER the paintjob are as important as the base and clear itself. Henry

[Steve g]

Why would you want to fill it with wax, a definate no no on most new paints. How much longer is it going to take finish it properly? Maybe the guy's an asshole and he's going to tell everyone that you're an asshole. The people that know him will take that with a grain of salt. But in a month he's going to point to your work and be able to substantiate a claim that you do lousey work. Then that person tells 2 people and both of those tell 2 people ... I guess it's okay if you're leaving town soon, but it's a lousy way to live your life.
Or, you can be the bigger person, do the absolute best job that guys ever seen and be viewed by the people that know both of you as the guy that does excellent paint and body work and is able to deal with the worst of jerks.
Steve g

[style]

I really appreciate all your positive support here, and henry my local auto magic rep talked me into 2000.00 in chemicals last week and buffing pads,lol... Ok,lemme give you another idea of this customer I met him through a car lot I do some business with sometimes, he called me earlier and over the phone told me he wants his car by 4am he needs it for a job then he tells me to hold on a sec as he answered his other phone he was talking to his brother about going to another car lot that owes money pulling over the owner in this police car I'm fixing and breaking the owners legs and throwing him in a dumpster then he uncoverd his phone and came back on it calmly and tells me there are a lot of people praying in trunks of cars right now in juarez mexico some are wrapped in there bed sheets and some are wrapped in plastic and if I don't want to be one of them he expects his car by 4am sharp.... I called the owner of the lot and asked him a little about this customer I have here, turns out he's a federal police officer in mexico... Btw I'm about 10mintes from juarez in elpaso texas...

[Quintin66]

Everyone has a boss... I'd get a phone # of his office and file a complaint. Cops just love internal affairs, especially at the federal level. What agency does he work for? There's only a few mexican federal agencies, I'd tell them exactly what he said, and that you don't appreciate being threatened and that they can tell him to pick up his vehicle, that you will not deal with the man in any shape or form, and that after he picks up his car he is no longer welcome on your property without a U.S. warrant. Explain to them that your leaving the keys in the vehicle outside, and you no longer take responsibility for it and if he doesn't want it stolen he better get it now.
Make sure you give whoever you talk to your name address and phone, and if anyone would like to investigate this further, that you will fully co-operate.

[kenc]

I rI called the owner of the lot and asked him a little about this customer I have here, turns out he's a federal police officer in mexico... Btw I'm about 10mintes from juarez in elpaso texas...

Is this guy even in the country legally?

[turpehar]

Uhhh, the Mexican government won't give two poops about you, your problem, your shop, your life, or anything else you have. You may not even finish the call before you are drownded by the hanging of the phone. This wack job is likely playing with you by letting you hear his conversation thinking he's going to see you pee your pants when he comes to pick up his car at 4am.

Throw some glazing compound on it and send him down the road.

[style]

Well here's how it went,I'm not dead,lol... 415 the idiot customer shows up in a police pkg tahoe with two other guys looks at the car done looking like a wet mirror( yea I finished it the right way) anyway first thing they pull a light bar out of the back of the tahoe and start installing it on the crown vic then they pull out magnets that look like texas dps (state police) so I asked them if they were thirsty went inside and called the local police brought them out there cokes and as they were pulling away like 20 police cars surronded my house and them car was impounded and they were charged some how under the patriot act no rite to nothing bt jail due to many weapons charges,apparently the tahoe had some fully auto m16s stolen from mex military or something.. They say they could have used the car to enter a secure gov agency who would have jst waived them in with out question and then they could have damaged the property etc I was in questioning till 8pm with the fbi who said it was a matter of national security etc......... Any ways that was fun I'm finally going to bed haven't slept since yesterday.. Thanx for all the imput in a kinda tense situation,they say if I wouldn't have called I could have been charged as an accomplise in what ever they were gonna do with the car...

[All Dry]

Any recomendations on how long to let clearcoat dry before applying a coat of wax to protect the finish? Ok,fine ill be honest,I decided this customer from hell is better off dead and I just don't care anymore as long as it looks good enough to leave my driveway, here's the deal 2006 ford police interceptor black and white ex new mexico state police I repainted where the decals used to be after it was gouged to shit to the metal with razor blades before it was sold at auction, so I repainted the black parts fenders,front doors and trunk after all body work on those parts I did it base coat clear coat crossfire from napa now its been wet sanded with 1500 and buffed with compound only, it looks like glass but has minor swirls from not polishing it, so now my customer is pissed off because its been here for 3days and he expected it done in two, I told him 3or 4 but he's stupid or something,anyways I was thinking of putting a filler wax just to get rid of the car obviously he doesn't appreciate me so why bother anymore hell what does he expect for 250.00 including all materials anyways...

Tell me you are joking about the 250.00.......dont give away your work, always be willing to test the water to see what the customer is willing to pay/ cheap customers are the worst headache in any buisness.Mike

[Henry]

Well here's how it went,I'm not dead,lol... 415 the idiot customer shows up in a police pkg tahoe with two other guys looks at the car done looking like a wet mirror( yea I finished it the right way) anyway first thing they pull a light bar out of the back of the tahoe and start installing it on the crown vic then they pull out magnets that look like texas dps (state police) so I asked them if they were thirsty went inside and called the local police brought them out there cokes and as they were pulling away like 20 police cars surronded my house and them car was impounded and they were charged some how under the patriot act no rite to nothing bt jail due to many weapons charges,apparently the tahoe had some fully auto m16s stolen from mex military or something.. They say they could have used the car to enter a secure gov agency who would have jst waived them in with out question and then they could have damaged the property etc I was in questioning till 8pm with the fbi who said it was a matter of national security etc......... Any ways that was fun I'm finally going to bed haven't slept since yesterday.. Thanx for all the imput in a kinda tense situation,they say if I wouldn't have called I could have been charged as an accomplise in what ever they were gonna do with the car...

How I wish you just buffed the door properly, let them pick up the car, turned around and walked away with your money in hand.
People like this will not stay behind bars and will be paying you a visit and not to ask which buffer you used on the car. Good luck. Henry

[style]

Tell me you are joking about the 250.00.......dont give away your work, always be willing to test the water to see what the customer is willing to pay/ cheap customers are the worst headache in any buisness.Mike

Nope no joke, 250.00 is about right for this area considering a complete paint with color change all jams and trnk hood etc base coat clear coat is around 500.00 almost anywhere unless its a complete strip to the metal and work your way back kinda show car deal is 1000.00 max and that's to remove all the glass and detrim everything and strip the interior out headliner to carpet spray it and put it back together... I know, I need to move huh,lol... Seriously, refinishing head lamps pays more money then anything else around here.. Oh and henry it was the right move considering they could have entered the federal building or any other law enforcment complex with that car and blown it up hurting who knows how many people...

[Robert]

Have you seen the movie, "No country for old men?" You'll appreciate it more than most, lol.


Robert

[Len]

Nope no joke, 250.00 is about right for this area considering a complete paint with color change all jams and trnk hood etc base coat clear coat is around 500.00 almost anywhere unless its a complete strip to the metal and work your way back kinda show car deal is 1000.00 max and that's to remove all the glass and detrim everything and strip the interior out headliner to carpet spray it and put it back together... I know, I need to move huh,lol... Seriously, refinishing head lamps pays more money then anything else around here.. Oh and henry it was the right move considering they could have entered the federal building or any other law enforcment complex with that car and blown it up hurting who knows how many people...

At $250 per paint job I'd say it would probably pay to get a job flipping burgers, it probably pays a lot better and is a lot easier.

[All Dry]

Nope no joke, 250.00 is about right for this area considering a complete paint with color change all jams and trnk hood etc base coat clear coat is around 500.00 almost anywhere unless its a complete strip to the metal and work your way back kinda show car deal is 1000.00 max and that's to remove all the glass and detrim everything and strip the interior out headliner to carpet spray it and put it back together... I know, I need to move huh,lol... Seriously, refinishing head lamps pays more money then anything else around here.. Oh and henry it was the right move considering they could have entered the federal building or any other law enforcment complex with that car and blown it up hurting who knows how many people...

I have a 67 VW transporter that I am doing all the body work on in my spare time however I will have it painted professionally the quotes I have gotten for a complete not including interior or jambs are in the 5000.00 range this is for 2 tone paint these quotes are from smaller independent shops.BTW this is California.Mike