God is In the Details.

August 12, 2008 9:24 AM

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?Or is it simply a near fetishy love for a supercar? I guess if you're going to drive something like this, you're going to want to take good care of it. I picked this link because of the amazing amount of detailing he went into... um... detailing. The pictures themselves are worth it. I think this guy ended up with a car that's cleaner than when it first left the factory.

"This was to be a rather special week at work too, as this was the first Ne Plus Ultra (TM) hyper-detail to be done for a customer. This is a new service option we are offering to supercar owners throughout Scotland who want their vehicles to receive a detail that achieves as close to perfection as physically possible (without replacing any parts or adding paint) and leaves no surface untouched. No time limit is set for this service; it simply takes as long as it takes, over a minimum of 7 days (to allow enough time for multiple bespoke premium carnauba wax coats to fully cure)...."

posted by jcterminal (108 comments total)

He missed a spot.
posted by Dave Faris at 9:29 AM on August 12, 2008 [5 favorites]

I am so totally going to have him do my 2000 Dodge Neon!
posted by cjorgensen at 9:34 AM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]

There's a forum for everything.
posted by nitsuj at 9:35 AM on August 12, 2008 [4 favorites]

I guess the owner has been hurt by the economy, because the real solution to the problem of dirty, imperfect finishes is to buy a new car every 15 miles. But sure, if washing and polishing it for a week gets it back to almost new condition, his friends probably won't be able to tell. Right away.
posted by DU at 9:36 AM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

Should anal retentive be hyphenated?
posted by jim in austin at 9:39 AM on August 12, 2008 [5 favorites]

I'm not sure it's OCD so much as it's his job.
posted by billysumday at 9:39 AM on August 12, 2008 [10 favorites]

http://gas2.org/2008/07/15/an-air-car-you-could-see-in-2009-zpms-106-mpg-compressed-air-hybrid/
posted by Postroad at 9:39 AM on August 12, 2008

Car lust is an obscenity, no matter how expensive and beautiful the car. At least until they can get them to run without fossil fuels. Find a different pecker-extender.
posted by Goofyy at 9:39 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

My '93 Subaru Legacy wagon is the Anti-Lamborghini. I'd post a picture, but what's the point? Just imagine everything that White Whale isn't.
posted by beelzbubba at 9:40 AM on August 12, 2008

Oh man! That's beautiful! I love the car and the idea of that kind of detailing. I also love driving a spotless, shiny car, but I am too lazy to even clean my car often enough. I feel so dirty.

I wonder what he can do with my car.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:44 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Postroad, I'll raise you a Compressed Air Bike.
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:47 AM on August 12, 2008

I remember the last time I used clay to remove grit/tar/sap/bugs on my 1997 beater so that I could get a decent wax. It took like 6 freaking hours. I admire this guys dedication, but have to concur with those who call him crazy.
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:48 AM on August 12, 2008

For me, detailing consists of throwing the Taco Bell bag in the garbage.
posted by desjardins at 9:51 AM on August 12, 2008 [23 favorites]

First thought: Jesus, it's just a fucking car that goes a little faster than others.

Secound thought: Jesus, that's one clean fucking car that goes a little faster than others.
posted by fijiwriter at 9:51 AM on August 12, 2008

Wow...and I feel guilty for taking the family 05 Cobalt through the MagicWash once a month at $11 USD a pop.
posted by mrmojoflying at 9:52 AM on August 12, 2008

For me it's not about the customer, I just love how much pride this guy takes in his work. What a sweet job to have people give you their complete trust with such an expensive piece of equipment. He gets to touch every single part of that machine and has been more intimate with it than the customer will probably ever be! He used a soft mitt to clean sealant out from INSIDE the rims. That's almost pornographic.
posted by ChickenringNYC at 9:55 AM on August 12, 2008 [9 favorites]

Maybe this labels me as a Philistine, but I actually think that car is a little funny looking. My first thought was "why is the hood so short?"
posted by DU at 9:55 AM on August 12, 2008

That's not OCD. This is OCD. Kinda like how Paris Hilton isn't actually retarded, so it's not polite to call her that. Cool car though!
posted by OverlappingElvis at 9:57 AM on August 12, 2008 [4 favorites]

I could care less about the fancy sportscar, but I totally love how carefully this man documents his work. His meticulous, complex, detailed work. With hundreds of photographs and specific explanation of what he does and why he does it. Craftsmen like that impress the hell out of me, no matter what craft they practice.
posted by Nelson at 9:58 AM on August 12, 2008 [24 favorites]

Now that I've viewed that entire post, I won't need to wash or vac my '01 Hyundai Elantra GLS for at least six more months.
posted by VicNebulous at 10:00 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Thank you, OverlappingElvis. Obsessive behavior is not the same as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and the sooner people realize it, the better off we'll all be.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 10:01 AM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

That was a very enjoyable read except that by halfway through I found myself bouncing in my seat and grinding my teeth to the point of nearly eating my own head like I just nose blasted a 90 day supply of Adderall.
posted by The Straightener at 10:04 AM on August 12, 2008

Should anal retentive be hyphenated?

Only if used as a compound modifier. "The auto detailer was ridiculed by jealous, anal-retentive MeFites that will never even come close to such a fine automobile."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:06 AM on August 12, 2008 [6 favorites]

It's very clean, but it's in frickin' Scotland. Which means it will get rained on at an interval of approximately ten minutes for the rest of its service life.
posted by StandardObfuscatingProcedure at 10:07 AM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

That was a really neat FPP. I drive my car through a car wash every few months at best — car detailing is not my thing.

But I loved reading this — the, well, detail gave me the sense of learning about someone else's work.

This is what I love the internet for, the chance to learn something that otherwise I would never have known anything about. It has absolutely zero practical importance in my life (what, like someone would ever let me touch their Lamborghini, much less wash it?) but I walk away with a little bit of a sense of how things I take for granted (eg car cleaning) are actually a lot more nuanced and complicated than I imagine.

And yes, there is a forum for everything.
posted by Forktine at 10:09 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

This guy, or one doing the same service, was featured on Top Gear. There used to be a clip on Youtube but I can't find it now.

While it's probably a bit excessive if I was gonna spend upteen quid on a supercar I don't think I'd be cleaning it just with a bucket of suds and a chamois leather or take it through my nearest car wash.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:11 AM on August 12, 2008

Having actually read the post, I have to say, it's a gold mine of information, and a fascinating read. It's still rather obscene.
posted by Goofyy at 10:12 AM on August 12, 2008

Hands up everyone who was hoping for bird shit in the last picture...
posted by twine42 at 10:13 AM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]

birds, my good fellow, simply do not shit upon such vehicles.
posted by quonsar at 10:19 AM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

It's not my thing. I have chocolate drips dried on the side of thingy in my car that holds the gear shift that have been there for over a year, and in the 8 years I've owned it, I've vacuumed it once. Of course, my car is a civic, not a lambourghini.

But I did find the post fascinating -- so much obvious pride and attention to detail. It seems like a no-skill job, the kind of thing you'd pay a teenager minimum wage to do, but it's clear that there's a level of professionalism in high-end detailing that I'd never have imagined.

I'm fascinated by the variety of products, as well. It doesn't seem like there'd be that huge a market for super high end car waxes and such. I wonder if they're mostly research into the next phase of generic Turtle wax type products that get productionized along the way.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:21 AM on August 12, 2008

birds, my good fellow, simply do not shit upon such vehicles.

For such an expensive car, birds defecate, upon it.
posted by porpoise at 10:23 AM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

...leaves no surface untouched.

I can't see the pics, but from the descriptions I'd say there are quite a few surfaces untouched. You should see what a concours restoration of a 40+ year old car entails. It ain't just polishing the outside for a week.
posted by Big_B at 10:24 AM on August 12, 2008

I just won a car polisher in a detailing contest. Now I feel like I got off easy!
posted by Doohickie at 10:26 AM on August 12, 2008

I guess if you're going to drive a car that gets 11/23 mpg, then you can afford this kind of treatment for your vehicle.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 10:34 AM on August 12, 2008

How much time you think he puts into the black supercars? Racist bastard...
posted by Naberius at 10:36 AM on August 12, 2008

I've never been in the supercar hating camp, so that angle I never quit get whenever these conversations come up (although I guess it's probably the same thing I feel for hummers). I love supercars, the idea of them anyway. I never thought much of the Ferrari 360 Modena until I saw one up close parked near my house...then I fell in love. I guess the thing with my has more to do with the idea of them than the actual product (for the same reason that military tech fascinates me despite hating their application), almost like platonic forms for cars or some nonsense. In the case of that ferrari I saw it was about how PERFECT things looked up close compared to a regular car; just little details and bits of the design looked flawless.

All that rambling is pretty much to that I found this post fascinating, and I suppose services like this are for people like me. Kind of. I don't have stupid amounts of money, I don't have a supercar (or a car to begin with, really), and unless I was planning on putting the damned thing on display somewhere I could never have that much work invested in prettification knowing that the second I start to drive the damned thing it will get messed up again.

All that aside, holy hell. That dude is most certainly a craftsman, and puts a hell of a lot of effort and precision into what he does. I really wish I did something that I enjoyed that much and was allowed to just go all out with.
posted by Stunt at 10:36 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Excellent post, and a fascinating description of this guy's dedication to his work. Yes, its ridiculous, but it just left me wondering which rich footballer or rock star owns the car - there wasn't even a hint at the owner in the forum entry. For this guy, it was all about the car, not the owner.

I was at least expecting something like "the owner, a wel known central defender for a team that plays in green and white hoops" or "a well known tousle-haired rocker with a penchant for gorgeous blondes". No human interest at all. Odd.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 10:39 AM on August 12, 2008

On a tangent, I have a real blind spot for Lambos like this one. The ones with the hard edges and the split, over-on-the-corners air vents on the front just look comical to me because they remind me so much of the fiberglass "sports car" bodies people used to put on their stripped VW Beetle chassis with its itty bitty four-cylinder air-cooled engine. The front ends on those bodies tended to be strange because Beetles were rear-engined and didn't need any opening up front for engine cooling. Sometimes the aftermarket bodies had no opening up frony, sometimes they had a pair of openings, one on each side--for, uh, "cooling the front brakes." I expect to see "FiberFab" on these side-vented Lambos when I get close, not Lamborghini.
posted by jfuller at 10:40 AM on August 12, 2008

Why do I smile on the inside thinking about the first bug to splatter on the windshield?
posted by danep at 10:42 AM on August 12, 2008

My first thought was "why is the hood so short?"

It's a mid-engine car -- the engine sits behind the passenger compartment.

Why? Positioning that large mass of metal near the car's center of gravity gives the car a lower polar moment of inertia, allowing the car to rotate (yaw) faster and handle better -- at least on paper. After several years of road racing, however, I can say with confidence that even very good (low-level professional) drivers are significantly faster in a car that doesn't rotate quite so easily -- e.g., a more conventional front-engine RWD car.
posted by LordSludge at 10:52 AM on August 12, 2008

It's still rather obscene.

If by obscene you mean, would be really fun to drive. Yes very obscene.
posted by nola at 10:54 AM on August 12, 2008

Man, Lamborghini makes an ugly car.
posted by nanojath at 10:54 AM on August 12, 2008

I tell you what, I'm going to drive over to Scotland and have this guy do my 599 right away.

By 599, I mean "1986 Buick Century."
posted by Mister_A at 11:01 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Man, Lamborghini makes an ugly car.

Yea, no kidding. Ferraris have curves that evoke a beautiful woman. Lambos look like an oversize Italian-made electric razor.
posted by kableh at 11:05 AM on August 12, 2008 [4 favorites]

I can say with confidence that even very good (low-level professional) drivers are significantly faster in a car that doesn't rotate quite so easily -- e.g., a more conventional front-engine RWD car.

Agreed. And I heard an interesting theory about that the other day ... that in a conventional RWD drive car, the driver has the (illusory) perception that the car's center of gravity is located somewhere around the driver himself, and allows him to use his own sense of inner-ear balance more effectively.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:08 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ironically, I realised I couldn't really appreciate how clean the car was because my screen was so dirty.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 11:09 AM on August 12, 2008 [8 favorites]

I wonder how long this detailer spends in front of the bathroom mirror each morning.
posted by ...possums at 11:10 AM on August 12, 2008

I can't help but wonder how that guy takes a shower.
posted by the bricabrac man at 11:11 AM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

Oh, thanks for this! I can't wait to show it to my father. He's big into car detailing and has his own set of tools and gadgets for it. For many, many years, when I would visit him for holidays we would spend time washing my car (that would be Christmas and Easter in cold NJ). We have visited the "spoon man" who takes a little, little, tiny tool with a long handle and evens out dents and dings that you can't even see. My boyfriend doesn't understand why we have a product that "blackens" our tires.

I only poke a little fun at him for his attention to detail, and he only pokes a little fun at me for my attention to the internet.
posted by armacy at 11:12 AM on August 12, 2008

By the time the owner had driven it home in Scottish weather, they'd be back to day 1. Well unless the plan is to have a supercar that is only moved around inside a sealed truck.
posted by w0mbat at 11:16 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't understand why he didn't take the wheels off to clean them and the brake hardware. Philistine.
posted by jdfan at 11:21 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Also, who washes their car with a pressure sprayer? I was under the impression that this would beat the paint with whatever dirt the soap was helping to lift away.

[CAR DETAILING OCD-IST]
posted by kableh at 11:29 AM on August 12, 2008

God, I only wish everyone was that obsessive good at their job.
posted by slimepuppy at 11:29 AM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

If you're in the U.S., this is the place to get detailing products on a par with what that guy is using on that Lambo.

The guy who owns this company is similarly obsessive.
posted by Zambrano at 11:31 AM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]

In one way or another, most people I know make a living obsessively polishing richer people's stuff.

I'd love to have this guys job. He has full booking, and this job got him a maintenance contract for this and other three supercars of the same owner. This guy has excellent knowledge, skills and passion.
posted by dirty lies at 11:31 AM on August 12, 2008

"First up was the pre-foam, using Meguiars Hyperwash @ 50 degrees:"
Ahahah, really?

Friday - Day 3
I guess so.
posted by boo_radley at 11:32 AM on August 12, 2008

He also didn't remove the seats to vacuum the interior properly.
posted by bigbigdog at 11:33 AM on August 12, 2008

I freaking love me a Lamborghini - way more gorgeous than any old Ferrari. The OCD reference to someone just doing their job? Not so much. Obssessive would have worked just fine without pulling very real and painful disorders into it.
posted by agregoli at 11:34 AM on August 12, 2008

• Minute 3 After fueling, the pump asks me if I'd like a wash. Realizing that the accretion of dirt and bird droppings is now affecting MPG, I press YES.
• Minute 4 The pump asks which kind of wash I'd like. I select the Pro -- halfway between Basic, which makes me feel like a cheap asshole, and Super Pro, because I'm not spending $8 on a wash for god's sake.
• Minute 23 The Tahoe in front of me takes forever to go through the fans. Why do SUV people always do that?

...
posted by boo_radley at 11:36 AM on August 12, 2008 [6 favorites]

Yes.
posted by Mental Wimp at 11:39 AM on August 12, 2008

Autistic kids rock.
posted by TrinaSelwyn at 12:06 PM on August 12, 2008

that in a conventional RWD drive car, the driver has the (illusory) perception that the car's center of gravity is located somewhere around the driver himself

hrm, probably not that illusory, since the previous post was talking about polar moment of inertia and not the dynamic center of gravity.

Nothing more fun that whipping the back end of my Miata out a bit when making a left turn.
posted by yort at 12:10 PM on August 12, 2008

He also didn't remove the seats to vacuum the interior properly.

on the plus side he didn't snag the $1.85 in loose change back there, either.
posted by yort at 12:11 PM on August 12, 2008

I think this is awesome. a bit weird, yes. But freakin' awesome.
posted by Debaser626 at 12:13 PM on August 12, 2008

"I buffed the wax off with a PB Ultimate Mega Towel..."

There is something terribly, terribly wrong with the world.
posted by silence at 12:25 PM on August 12, 2008

That's his job and its an impressive set of photos, but seems par for the course for that forum. Now, building a replica batmobile on your own time and dime, well, that's a little cuckoo. Id love to see a report on how to detail that monster.
posted by damn dirty ape at 12:34 PM on August 12, 2008

If I can see out my windshield, I'm happy!
posted by gstevens at 12:45 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

Am I the only one who thought, "He's washing the engine?"
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:45 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

I can't help but wonder how that guy takes a shower.

Well, for starters...
posted by nanojath at 12:51 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Actually, I clean the engine on my humble Hyundai, Tomorrowful....
posted by Doohickie at 1:12 PM on August 12, 2008

No, no, no, no. This is how you detail a car.
posted by subgear at 1:14 PM on August 12, 2008

We need politicians that dedicate themselves to their work as this man does to his.
posted by blue_beetle at 1:21 PM on August 12, 2008

Tomorrowful writes "Am I the only one who thought, 'He's washing the engine?'"

That's practically the only part of my trucks I wash as a clean engine is a lot easier to work on than a dirty one.
posted by Mitheral at 1:23 PM on August 12, 2008

After several years of road racing, however, I can say with confidence that even very good (low-level professional) drivers are significantly faster in a car that doesn't rotate quite so easily -- e.g., a more conventional front-engine RWD car.

I can't help thinking there are some additional implications that you aren't stating, otherwise I have never seen any evidence to support that assertion in 20 years of professional and amateur racing. Massive derail, I know, but any 'very good' driver that exhibits such behaviour instantly deserves to get 'very good' removed from their description. Perhaps a Front engined/RWD car masks bad driving (possibly, again need examples but the inner ear suggestion is interesting) but a good driver will be quicker in the better balanced car, assuming the cars are of comparable dynamic ability - also a very difficult thing to prove for such disparate handling styles. A good driver should be able to exploit mechanical and physical differences and advantages. Otherwise they're just a goof in a racing suit. It is more likely (and this is my suspicion) the myriad of other implications that cause the speed difference (design of the car, quality of the set up and preparation and on and on go the contributing factors). Even attempting an experiment to demonstrate this theory blows my mind trying to consider all the equivalence difficulties.

I love supercars, the idea of them anyway. I never thought much of the Ferrari 360 Modena until I saw one up close parked near my house...then I fell in love. I guess the thing with my has more to do with the idea of them than the actual product (for the same reason that military tech fascinates me despite hating their application)

Exactly explaining my feelings, especially the military aspect. This is precisely the reason I find racing so fascinating - everything has been really thought out. It's not just a component for one purpose in a proper racing car (by which I mean one that doesn't go on the road legally) it's a part of a a complete machine. Everything needs to be assessed and worked with or around to achieve a total aim. Compromise is forced upon the design by physics and regulations, rather than accepted for cost and 'because people won't notice'.
posted by Brockles at 1:27 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]

I want to drive that thing through a puddle sooo bad.
posted by clearly at 1:39 PM on August 12, 2008

I had to clean my computer screen to appreciate the meticulous quality if Clark's work. I'm glad he took pictures and someone linked them, too.
posted by hellslinger at 1:40 PM on August 12, 2008

That's practically the only part of my trucks I wash as a clean engine is a lot easier to work on than a dirty one.

As a total non-gearhead, that never occurred to me, but seems totally reasonable. I withdraw my disbelief.
posted by Tomorrowful at 1:40 PM on August 12, 2008

Engine washing: if you must, but I don't recommend it in February, when the little crack in the distributor + water means a tow to the garage.
posted by acro at 1:40 PM on August 12, 2008

Why do I smile on the inside thinking about the first bug to splatter on the windshield?

I wonder, what would be the last thing to go through that bugs mind?
posted by punilux at 1:43 PM on August 12, 2008

nitsuj: There's a forum for everything.

OCD...or Rule 34?
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:11 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Love the post. I envy the guy.
posted by MarshallPoe at 2:13 PM on August 12, 2008

Brockles, I only have 4 years of road-racing (and another 5-6 yrs of autocrossing, FWIW) under my belt, but it's been consistant -- mid-engine cars have to lift in corners where I (spec miata -- front-engine, rwd) don't. Surpised me, to be honest. I've asked several of the drivers about it, and they all say they'll lose the tail otherwise -- the car rotates too easily. Sure, it's possible their cars are all setup poorly, but it's been so universal that I now just automatically assume that I'll be able to dramatically outrun a similarly fast mid-engined car through any sweeper.

And, okay, "very good driver" is subjective -- perhaps we can agree that somebody who competes in semi-pro road racing championships is a better driver than 99% of the motoring population and thus worthy of the "very good" label. "Excellent" we can reserve for the Schumachers of the world.

An obvious factor I didn't mention is that mid-engined cars aren't generally balanced front-rear very well, which of course is a huge deal for cornering. The Gallardo comes in at 42F/58R -- good for braking, but bad for cornering. Front-engined RWD cars are generally close to 50F/50R, so all four tires are doing their fair share in a corner. So without a few hundred pounds of ballast you're just not gonna be able to balance a mid-engined car like a front-engined car. Even still, it's the propensity to rotate that I so often hear complaints about.

Now I'd absolutely rather have a mid-engined car on a very tight course, say an autocross, where rotating the car can be a real problem.
posted by LordSludge at 2:23 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

The guy doing the detailing probably smiles at the first bug as well, because he knows the customer will be back soon for another zillion dollar detail job!
posted by sararah at 2:26 PM on August 12, 2008

bespoke wax?
posted by jessamyn at 2:32 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]

If you're going to do something, do it right. This is how I am about my job as well, minus the photography (photos are not allowed). I really enjoyed this post.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 2:32 PM on August 12, 2008

This is craftsmanship, not OCD.
posted by bz at 2:43 PM on August 12, 2008

Yeah imagine it's a Chippendale sideboard or a samurai sword... actually they probably get less attention
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:24 PM on August 12, 2008

An obvious factor I didn't mention is that mid-engined cars aren't generally balanced front-rear very well, which of course is a huge deal for cornering.

The Gallardo comes in at 42F/58R -- good for braking, but bad for cornering

Not at all true, I'm afraid.

The single seaters/open wheel cars that I engineer come in with a comparably 'bad' f/r weight bias than that - even including the driver (43% front). They are mid engined, rear wheel drive and don't suffer at all from it. Rotation and it's advantages and assistance are far more about relative grip levels and suspension control than weight distribution, hence why our tyres are different sizes front to rear (for one example of many). Weight distribution is almost irrelevant if the rest of the car has been designed around the weight distribution in any way (as long as it is not excessive and within reason around the centre of the wheelbase). I think you are using some facts you have access to to explain a different observed phenomenon (is that confirmation bias? I'm never sure...).

I've asked several of the drivers about it, and they all say they'll lose the tail otherwise -- the car rotates too easily

If you don't adapt driving style to the character of the car, then you'll struggle. A better balanced car (in terms of grip, rather than weight) will always corner in a more stable fashion, and hence faster given a comparable level of overall grip. If the weight difference hasn't been accounted for in terms of tyre size and suspension settings/design, then you are just comparing a poorly set up car with a better one.

In short, if a mid engined car is out performed by a front engined one, then the mid engined one is not set up properly - either through poor design or set up. This is why all purpose designed race cars are mid engined (or, at least, all have been for the last 20 years save one I can think of and have worked on) unless the format is specifically banned by regulations. The drivers in your example need to modify their line and inputs appropriately for the car and maybe change some settings. Send me their details if they are looking for help to fix that and are prepared to pay for it. They'll soon be whipping your front engined backside.... ;)
posted by Brockles at 3:25 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

This is craftsmanship, and a good business. After all, one of the reasons people buy supercars is to show off their wealth, to be "elite" (not the only reason- I'm no huge fan of conspicuous consumption, but you have to admit they are amazing pieces of technology). As noted, the owner of that car now has 3 others on maintenance contract with this detailer. And how could he not? Once you've had your insanely expensive car detailed like this, you have to either never get it detailed again, or only go for the "ne plus ultra" service. You aren't taking your shit to Brown Bear!

This was apparently his first time doing this service; if he isn't already, he should do photo documentation and write-ups of all his work, and offer a nicely bound print out of the detailing process to the customer after each detailing. The kind of people who'd own 1, or 4, cars that each easily run $200-300K new wouldn't blink at getting a detailing like this every 3 months for say $100x50hours, especially if they have the car and a nice printed portfolio of the detailing. Every rich supercar owning friend they then show it to would immediately think "Oh man, I gotta get my Lamborghini/Ferrari/Maserati/etc detailed like that!". Your $300,000 car seems inferior once you see your friends Lamborghini done up like this. And really, the customer will not notice that he fixed the tiniest paint mars on the door inset or inner rim tar drippings unless it's explicitly pointed out.

This guy would (probably has) very quickly find his business full up with high-end detailing work, which of course the smaller fry customer with their Lexus or Mercedes would want to use- if not for the "ne plus ultra" crazy detailing, then just to be able to point their friends to links like the OP and say "Yeah, I get my car detailed there...".

I don't know if there's a term for a Veblen service that has some actual value- the level of detail involved only has value if you are aware of the level of detail involved, but it is a real thing and not merely a status symbol. There's really no good reason to detail your car at all, but if you're going to do it then meticulous and painstaking craftsmanship is the way to go.
posted by hincandenza at 3:36 PM on August 12, 2008

Hey, it's a great car. Cut the guy some slack!
posted by Saydrah at 3:49 PM on August 12, 2008

Very impressive site. I also respect the craftsmanship and care for his work that was exhibited. It is clear that he would do the same for any vehicle given the same freedom and mandate.
posted by meinvt at 4:10 PM on August 12, 2008

I'm amazed the owner's jeans are apparently not colorfast, and stained the seat leather.

And now I imagine that if I had such a car the obvious solution would be to drive only in the nude.
posted by hydrophonic at 4:57 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]

This reminds me, now, of something I heard about the effects of the printing press. After they became relatively commoditized, there was an explosion of almanacs -- the world's trade rags in utero -- farmers, sure, but doctors, craftsmen of all types, and even policemen had almanacs in short order.
posted by boo_radley at 5:08 PM on August 12, 2008

I'm such a wannabe racer that I a) really enjoy the post and b) really enjoy reading the friendly back-and-forth twixt Brockles and LordSludge.

Alas, the closest I'd get to this car is Forza Motorsport and the Xbox 360. ;-)
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:08 PM on August 12, 2008

I never thought much of the Ferrari 360 Modena until I saw one up close parked near my house...then I fell in love.

I have the opposite reaction. I love the idea of the high-performance Italian sportscar, but when I see them in the flesh, so to speak, they alway strike me as completely underwhelming. There's an autoshop about 100 yards down the road that specializes in Ferraris and Lamborghinis and they look so small and ineffectual sitting there. Then the owners pick them up and race up and down the city street and they always sound like a fat, athsmatic kid walking up a long set of stairs...

ehhhnnn, eeeeeehhhhhhnnhhhh, EHHHHHHHHNNhhh...hh...

Now, seeing them fly flat out to beat the devil is an impressive sight, no doubt about it. But they've always struck me as goofy at speeds below 110mph.
posted by lekvar at 5:10 PM on August 12, 2008

Alas, the closest I'd get to this car is Forza Motorsport and the Xbox 360.

Don't knock that, though. My driver use Forza and others such as RFactor to learn tracks they haven't raced at before, and I encourage that as it is actually genuinely useful information they gain (rather than stupid "I play computer games" type info that could have been the bane of my life). Once you establish a suitable level to the car you will be driving (assuming they don't already have it in the game - they even have our car in Rfactor in a few guises) the reference points and validity of the simulation is excellent. Frequently on our pre-event track walks and after the first session of running, drivers have been amazed how accurate the track is - even to the reference points for braking and turn-in being in some cases identical to that which eventually proves fastest. It's less of a poor alternative than it used to be, if that's any consolation.
posted by Brockles at 5:26 PM on August 12, 2008

hydrophonic: if I had such a car the obvious solution would be to drive only in the nude.

I'm desperately trying not to make a tasteless "racing stripe" joke here....

and apparently failing
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:17 PM on August 12, 2008 [3 favorites]

I do this with my car. Not the three hundred different chemicals treatment... really you just need Meguiars shampoo for the rinse, Meguiars claybar and polish for the paint, and the wax I leave unmentioned only because one's choice of car wax tends to elicit crazed fanboyism. Honestly, besides the sheer number of varied products he used, this didn't seem that extreme. Cleaning your car takes time if you want it to look nice. Most regular, non-supercars you can do in a day.

Quick car-cleaning tip: you can make quick work of all the road tar spots that build up in your paint by using WD-40 and a terrycloth. Just be sure you wash it off afterwards, since WD-40 is flammable.

Also, Meguiars #18 and #10 is absolute magic on scratched-up convertible-top plastic windows. It also works wonders on scratched CDs and DVDs (provided the scratches haven't penetrated through to the foil).

Am I the only one who thought, 'He's washing the engine?'"

Clearly you don't work on your own car. I replaced a radiator about a month ago. It took almost four hours to get the old one out and about twenty minutes to put the new one in. Why? Because of all the rusted, oil-encrusted nastiness that builds up under the hood. I would happily pay an extra couple of grand if the next car I bought contained nothing but stainless steel fasteners.

You should see what a concours restoration of a 40+ year old car entails.

Yeah, that's where you get your true OCD-ers. They'll completely disassemble a car, then polish each and every nut and bolt before putting it back together. Four days to clean a car? That's nothing... try four years.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:49 PM on August 12, 2008

bespoke wax?

Hey, I learned a word! Thanks!
posted by popechunk at 7:11 PM on August 12, 2008

"My biggest nightmare is bird droppings. A client can ring me up and I'll jump in the van and go to wherever they are to go wipe it off."

His car wax costs six thousand pounds.
posted by popechunk at 7:25 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sometimes it feels like they don't make dedicated folks like that anymore, but it was nice to see his attention to...well...detail.
posted by redsparkler at 7:34 PM on August 12, 2008

three twenty-somethings bikinis washed my grand cherokee saturday for five bucks. it looked worse when they finished, but i'm a happy camper.
posted by quonsar at 7:43 PM on August 12, 2008

Once upon a time my five year old daughter went after my wife's brand new car with one of those green 3M scrubbies. That left a mark.
posted by popechunk at 7:55 PM on August 12, 2008

Now, building a replica batmobile on your own time and dime

That is a crazyperson.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:57 PM on August 12, 2008

> And now I imagine that if I had such a car the obvious solution would be to drive only in the nude.
> posted by hydrophonic at 7:57 PM on August 12 [2 favorites +] [!]

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping it in a baggie, like the comics that collectors buy at comics cons.
posted by jfuller at 5:28 AM on August 13, 2008

That was a phenomenal job. I hope the dude got paid commensurate with his skill. He'll probably never own a Lambo, but in many ways, this is better. All the joy of intimacy with the vehicle, none of the headaches of ownership (insurance, worry about theft, speeding tickets).

I tend to take my filthy vehicle as a point of pride. I mean, it's a dirtbike fer crissakes. I recently changed the sprockets with the help of a friend. The front sprocket guard came off the bike for the first time in ages; it's the first time I've had it off, at any rate. Inside, the accumulated chain lube and road grime was about the same consistency as brownie mix. My friend said, "I'll be the first to admit, I have dirty bikes, but that, that is a DIRTY. BIKE." I took it home, pulled it off the bike again, and soaked it in degreaser for a few hours. Then I attacked it with a wire brush. It's still not _clean_, but I can actually see now that there is green plastic underneath (I'd always assumed it was black).

Wonder what this guy would charge me, assuming I could get to Scotland.
posted by Eideteker at 6:27 AM on August 13, 2008

I wonder what that guy would charge me for a sponge bath.
posted by hydrophonic at 3:59 PM on August 13, 2008

For the amount he no doubt charges, it'd better be a tongue bath.
posted by lekvar at 4:36 PM on August 13, 2008