HELP! Detailing shop put spots all over my center console!

So, I took my car into Green Clean Xpress in Torrance, Ca a couple weeks ago for what they call a "Brazillian Buff-out". Basically it's a full detail: hand wash, clay bar, some kind of buffing, hand wax (exterior looks great), shampoo mats, leather conditioner and full interior treatment.

For the most part, the car looked great. Then I saw the center console.

All the silver plastic around the shifter and radio has little spots all over it, almost like somebody sprayed a fine mist of oil over the whole thing and it soaked into the plastic... (Hopefully the pictures attached ok so you can see what I mean)

I brought it to their attention, and at first the guy just went at it with a rag. Nothing. So he pulled it into a bay and started trying different cleaners on it. He found one that kinda worked, but he had to rub on it forever just to get the spots to lighten up a bit.

It was actually annoying as hell, because he'd go at it for a couple minutes and then say "Look ok?" No it doesn't F@CKING look ok! The one spot you were rubbing looks marginally better but the rest of it still has a SH*T load of spots all over it!

The weird thing is, it didn't affect the curved pieces on the sides (look on the left of picture #3 and 4), just the silver plastic in the center. They look like the same type of plastic, but there's obviously a difference.

Now, it's obvious to me that something they used reacted with the plastic and left those spots (and drips in picture #2). The question is, what can I do about it? Has anybody had this happen to them? I'm hoping some of you detailing gurus (OCDetails?) might have run into this before, or might be able to help me out. I wanna get the spots out, but I don't wanna destroy my trim in the process...

HELP!!

It looks like the kind of thing that happens when you use an all purpose cleaner on a material that isn't all purpose cleaner safe. The spray could have leeched into the coating on the plastic and left those spots. I would have to know what they used on the interior to know what that is. Did the car have any particular odor to it when you got it back? Minieral spirit smelling or anything like that? Those are the kind of spots paint thinner would leave on them if that was misted anywhere near it. I would definitely continue to pursue it with the shop until they replace the damaged parts. That is just unacceptable and exactly the reason I recommend sticking with products designed for the surfaces you are using them on. I highly doubt you had anything on your interior which required something with a solvent that strong in it to remove.

If they get too stumped and want to bounce some ideas off someone, you are welcome to give them my number and I'll help them brainstorm a solution. If I know more about what they are using then I can figure out if it can be fixed or if it is borked. It sounds like it can be fixed if the one guy could get it looking better. Maybe I'll have some ideas that help. 801 *** *** (PM me for the number just in case) is my number just in case they want to give that a shot.

Wipe it down with acid. It'll get rid of the spots... and probably all the plastic too. Just kidding man, that really sucks.

OCD will point you in the right direction, I'd trust him.

Thanks iNVAR, great advice!

The car mostly just smelled like leather conditioner when I got it back. No solvent odor or anything. And there were definitely no stains that warranted the use of any solvents.

The thing that trips me out is the uniformity. Except for a few drips, the whole thing is just covered with tiny little spots. And since it's both a vertical AND horizontal surface, I can't see how it could be an accidental overspray.

And thanks for the offer to talk to them too. I've been out of town the last couple weekends, so it's been a while since they've seen me. Hopefully they won't try to play dumb about it. The manager didn't seem that sympathetic to my situation, should I go to the owner if he doesn't want to help me?

I hope this doesn't turn into a big ordeal... I don't have time for this sh#t.

Maybe try using some Aerospace 303 and see if that helps. Stuff is safe for plastics, vinyls, etc. It's not a cleaner, more of a protectant, but maybe it'll help remove the stuff.

And if not, well, you have a bottle of Aerospace 303 for use now... the stuff is great and doesn't leave an oily film or dry out plastics/rubbers/vinyls.

^this x1000000

if you can find out what they used then you can likely contact the manufacturer directly to find out what will get it out, worst case scenario.

A harsh chemical like lacquer thinner would definitely do that. Maybe the guy cleaning the interior grabbed the wrong bottled and noticed it after the initial spray?

GL

X

Ok, so I went back to the shop over the weekend, with disappointing results.

It started off nice. I talked to the manager on duty, he said "Oh yeah, pull it in and we'll take a look at it". They said the only thing they would have sprayed on there is a degreaser from Ecolab, which doesn't tell me much. The guys in the shop went to work on it, tried a couple of things, none of which were working.

Then I guess they tried something pretty harsh and took off some of the paint in the corner of the shifter surround...

So, the shop guy that was working on it was really nice about it. Basically he offered to pay for new plastics because he was the one that messed it up and, in his words, "the manager isn't gonna want to pay for it". In my opinion, that's just not right. The guy's using products that his boss provided, the product messed up the trim, the shop should pay for it.

So, I basically tell the manager this, and he just keeps on repeating "Look, we basically just use soap and water. There's no way for us to tell what's gonna happen when we use soap and water on your car." Way to hold the company line, dude. Oh, and not once did he actually put his head in my car and look at the damage... Ass.

So, I've got the name of the guy that offered to pay for the trim pieces. He was going to look into getting the parts and get back to me. He said he did it in his car, and the trim was like $80... I think he's gonna be in for a surprise. I've got the manager's name too, but I dunno what the next step is. Go to the owner? I hate this shit...

Look into companies that do interior repair. Usually they are mobile and come to you. They do pretty good work and may be cheap. If not look for used parts, should be cheaper even.

Shit happens.

X

Just threaten them with a civil suit. You can file in small claims court for pretty cheap and you are almost guaranteed to win in this case. The only downside is that you actually have to fork out the money for it first so you can prove damages and bring in receipts. And you can only sue for your actual damages, which would include any filing fees. Arm yourself with knowledge of this process and go to the owner of the shop. Let them know that not only are going going to file with the BBB and with small claims court, but you are also going to make sure they are thoroughly reviewed on every local 'city search' type website they show up on. Let them know that your honest recommendation is that nobody who values their interior pieces should go to them.

Another thing to do which should scare them is to ask to see their business license. Sometimes people let that lapse and the city loves to fine people for that. I'd ask to see proof of their insurance as well. The city doesn't like shops like this to be doing business if they aren't bonded and insured.

Basically with the right questions you can get them to fold pretty quick. No shop likes negative publicity and they certainly don't like lawsuits. If I were in their shoes I'd definitely be weighing my options if a customer came to me prepared to file a lawsuit and bring unwanted attention to my business practices. If they don't want to play nice, then why should you have to play nice?

Magical? Did someone mention the iPad? I wonder if they have an app for this...? It does everything else, so surely there is a cleaning app in there somewhere.

After further review, no there isn't. There will be an android app soon, however. I'm in the process of building an OCDetails app for Android. I don't think it will solve this problem, but hey... apps are apps, right?

If they did use an Ecolab product, it would seem to be pretty easy to find out what they used (bottle should be in the shop).

Ecolab does have a vehicle care division: http://www.ecolab.com/solutions/vehicle-care

Not much info that I could find on their web site regarding their professional products, but their consumer brands include Blue Coral, Rain-X and Black Magic.

I suspect a low level employee who can't read bottle labels.

Manager deserves a kick in the nut sack and an intensive course on customer relations.

I had to respond here as this so much relates to me. Yes I know this thread is old but you need to hear this. I took my car to Green Clean Xpress in Torrance as well in March of 2012. I paid for the most expensive detail they had. They damaged my car trim in several places by melting it with the buffer. I pointed it out to the owner and worker before taking it home. The worker lied and said the damage was there. I sent pictures and estimates 24 hours later and the owner simply called me crazy.

 

I took him to small claims several months later after nagging and nagging him to pay for the damage. I did not even ask for car rental cuz I am so cool. Anyway the day of MY case against him he served me with papers for writing a yelp review on him.

 

It would take me a month to tell you all the dishonest manipulative things this man has done simply because I asked for my car to be repaired. My damage was only 400 and that is all I asked for. He not only sued me once under his name, but is currently suing me AGAIN under the business name for the same yelp review he has wasted entire days in court in mediation when he had no intention of working anything out.

 

He has lied about receiving paperwork, he plays tricks in the courtroom so our case is heard last and he refuses to follow the court rules, he has lied in the courtroom and on documents, he has fought the judges at every turn. When I won he appealed, then sued me a second time.

You do not want to deal with the owner of this place. i cannot stress that more to you. Just don't take your car there if you are smart.

Sounds like it time to consult a lawyer and consider counter-suing for harassment.

Wow... This just makes me feel lucky that my damage wasn't that bad, and that I didn't spend that much time and effort on it.

I went back a couple times, kept getting the runaround, then gave up because the spots aren't that noticeable. I've already told all my friends in the south bay not to go there, and now I'll tell them about your experience too. Hopefully word gets out!

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, SnowNinja! I hope you get it resolved soon!

Do you have a lawyer? If not it really sounds like you should get one...

I definitely agree. I'll shoot you an email and give you any help I can, but I don't know how much help I can be. I don't even think I dealt with the owner, just the manager (unless the owner was the guy that I talked to, and I didn't know it).

If his lawsuit is as groundless as you say it is, you might be able to get an attorney to do it on contingency. At any rate, just talking to an attorney will give you more insight into how serious to take this guy's claims and where to go from here.